03/28/2024
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By: Dora Brogdon

Elwell Ferry

Summer is the best time of year for a vacation. Kids are out of school and need to do something with their free time. But it gets almost way to expensive to travel somewhere for a vacation. Instead of being all stressed out over a planning, why not have a vacation in your own home?

The first place to visit in our cozy little Bladen County is The Elwell Ferry. This hidden gem is still in operation since 1905, making the ferry 112 years old. River ferries like this one use to connect villages and local farms to each other until they were replaced by bridges or forgotten by the people it ferried. The Elwell Ferry is the only remaining ferry out of its many sisters that traveled up and down the same river.

The second place that the whole family would love to visit is the Singletary Lake State Park. There are many activities to keep you and the kids entertained, just like a nice swim in the shallow lake!

For third, which is my favorite spot to go to so far, is Jones Lake State Park. This one would be perfect for just about every vacationer! Those that love to just get out on the water you are able to go kayaking or take a canoe out on the water! Or you could take a motorized craft that has 10 horsepower or less. If that isn’t your thing then you can go have a lazy picnic or take a 4 mile long loop trail!

The fourth option is a beautiful place called Bay Tree Lakes, or commonly known as Carolina Bays. This lake contains a small mystery of how it was created. Some think it was made by an iceberg over thousands of years ago or from a meteor shower. While you’re there you’ll find many unique attractions and great restaurants. There’s also your everyday convenience stores if you need to stoke up on a few things too.

For the fifth and last place, another place to go and have some fun would be Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest. Jones Lake State Park is actually adjacent to Turnbull Creek and both are surrounded by Bladen Lakes State Forest. This place is also the only educational state forest located in North Carolina’s coastal plains. All 890 acres are meant for public schools education of forestry practices.

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