National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche – St. Augustine, FL

Just north of St. Augustine’s Old City Gates lies the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios. We learned about the site on the trolley tour when we moved our daughter into her dorm at Flagler College. Fast forward a couple of years later when we explored the tranquil grounds.

On the “Sacred Acre” visitors can see the site of the first parish Mass in the United States. The grounds contain trails through a rosary garden, the 14 stations of the Cross, the seven sorrows of Mary, and a historic cemetery. Our Lady of La Leche also encompasses a church, historic chapel, museum, gift shop, and pilgrimage center.

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An Overnight Stay at Tybee Island – GA

Sometimes, I need a quick getaway from Atlanta to appreciate all the state of Georgia offers. After visiting the Okefenokee Swamp, we drove over to spend the night at Tybee Island along the coast.

To be honest, I hadn’t visited Tybee in over 20 years. As far as Georgia’s barrier islands go, we’ve spent more time at Saint Simon’s Island and neighboring Jekyll Island. Tybee, with a population of 3,000, lies less than 20 miles from Savannah so it’s worth visiting if you find yourself in the area.

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