Looking for inspiration for your next getaway? BCPL staff shared their favorite summer vacation destinations, along with memories and recommendations from the places they love most.

A festive Thanksgiving gathering with family members enjoying traditional foods and sharing memories.


Virginia Beach, Virginia

“Virginia Beach is beautiful. For me, it has been a place of healing, relaxation, and family togetherness.  Everything is within walking distance, food, live music and outdoor carnival, and the people are so nice!”

– Melissa
Main Library

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New York City, New York

“I’m a huge musical theater fan! So naturally, to me, NYC is the greatest city in the world! I love going and catching as many shows as possible while hitting up museums, restaurants, and exploring different neighborhoods in between.”

– Jill
Scheben Branch

A sunny day view of the New York Public Library featuring the grand entrance with large columns and sculptures. People are walking up the steps and two seated individuals, one in a yellow top and sunglasses and another man in a black shirt, are in the foreground. A lion statue is prominently displayed to the right.
Four women pose together on the Brooklyn Bridge with a city skyline in the background.
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Mackinac Island, Michigan

“My family has visited Mackinac multiple times over the years. With no cars allowed on the island, getting around on bikes and horses is always fun and a great way to slow down. The scenery is beautiful, the history is interesting and the chocolate fudge is delicious!”

– Emily K.S.
Main Library

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Thurston Pond, New Hampshire

“Thurston Pond is a large pond located on Eaton Road, the route many take to visit Crystal Lake in Eaton, New Hampshire, scene of the often photographed ‘Little White Church’. Thurston Pond is not just a cow pond that one might see in the Midwest. It is one of a chain of spring-fed ponds sitting between mountains and leading to Crystal Lake with an inlet and an outlet connecting the bodies of water. At 40-feet deep, its waters were clear enough to see the bottom for at least twenty feet. It is home to a gigantic snapping turtle named ‘Thirsty’, as well as the former cottage of my great grandparents, Cynthia Estelle and O’Neil ‘Oney’.

An elderly man and a young girl fishing from a small boat on a calm lake.

They raised two children in their cottage, and their children’s grandchildren often would visit and go fishing in the paddleboat, cooking whatever they caught. In order to drive the paddleboat, each grandchild must make a great swim all the way across the large pond to the other side without stopping to prove their worthiness (luckily they may be accompanied by a goofy uncle). Loons also often float on the pond’s surface, making their eerie mating calls in hopes of finding a summer love. How romantic, if their mating calls did not sound like howling wolves! 

‘Oney’ passed away in 2015, and his wife Cynthia Estelle passed away in 2022, making this large pond a special location for their family. Their legacy lives on in their relatives, some of which maintain and live in the cottage, while others hold onto the paintings of the pond that Oney drew and his favorite fishing hat. I would more than recommend Crystal Lake and its surrounding water bodies as a great vacation spot for memories to be made with loved ones.”

– Emily T.
Main Library

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Porto, Portugal

“Everything was so beautiful! I loved the entire city.” 

– Jazmarae
Main Library

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St. Simons Island, Georgia

“When I was a kid, my grandmother moved from Lexington to St. Simons Island, Georgia and we often visited.  My father loved it as well and bought a vacation home that was adjacent to a park full of protected live oaks. My kids loved to climb on the trees and vines, it was a natural playground.  The beach is wide and has tidal pools during low tide that were perfect for my kids when they were tiny, and there’s a lot of historic sites to visit, which, of course, I love.   Sadly, the home was sold after my father passed away, but we have fond memories of our summers there.”

– Hillary
Main Library

Two children playing on a fallen branch in a park, with one child balancing on the branch and the other preparing to climb.
Two children sitting on a large whale sculpture by the water, with a clear blue sky in the background.
A split image with a bright orange half on the left and a plain white half on the right.

Topsail Island, North Carolina

“One of my favorite vacation spots is Topsail Island, NC. I love taking beach breaks in the summer and my favorite place to do that is Topsail (pronounced TOP-sul). It’s the perfect spot for a quiet and relaxing vacation. One of my favorite activities when I’m on the island is to visit the turtle hospital, the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Highly recommend! The island also has an interesting history involving pirates and a Top-Secret Navy operation after World War II.”

– Andrea
Scheben Branch

A sandy beach scene with dunes and grass in the foreground, wooden walkways leading to the ocean, beach umbrellas set up on the shore, and waves in the background under a clear blue sky.
A woman poses through a cutout featuring a sea turtle and aquatic scenery at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital.
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Ocean City, New Jersey

“I grew up going to the Jersey Shore with my family, then again on my first wedding anniversary, when I was pregnant with my first baby, and most recently in 2019 with both my kids! I have a tattoo of the state shell of New Jersey, the knobbed whelk, so I can keep a piece of the shore close at all times. 🙂”

– Cara
Main Library

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Bar Harbor, Maine

“This quaint little town is home to gorgeous scenery and great shopping! Take a sailboat ride out to the harbor, visit Acadia National Park, and see the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. And you MUST try the surprisingly tasty lobster ice cream!”

– Emily S.
Main Library

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Key West, Florida

“What is there not to love? The history, architecture, ocean/beach, food, atmosphere, dolphins and those sunsets are unmatched!”

– Liza
Main Library

A vibrant sunset over the ocean, featuring hues of orange and yellow in the sky with scattered clouds and reflections on the water.
A couple sharing a sweet moment by the water during sunset, with vibrant orange and purple hues in the sky reflecting on the calm surface.
A festive Thanksgiving gathering with family members enjoying traditional foods and sharing memories.

Where is your favorite place to visit in the summer?

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