Where families vacation

Front a Florida beach to the mountains of the West, these vacation destinations keep families coming back.

TRAVEL IN THE SOUTH The month of June offers the gifts of summer, when a casual mood prevails, and the long arms of daylight reach for night. This season beckons all to head out of town for a quiet weekend retreat or a week of lively fun. Some families prefer the pleasures found along the Gulf Coast, where warm days are spent relaxing beachside. Others enjoy the many adventures available in the mountains of the East and West. Join us as we learn why the following Southerners choose to return again and again to these vacation destinations and describe the appeal of each one of them.

NAVARRE BEACH, FLORIDA

The fine white sand and sparkling emerald water of Navarre Beach-on the Florida Panhandle-hold a lifetime of memories for Laurie Brandt of Baton Rouge. Her family started coming to this quiet area when she was a young girl. The yearly entourage grew as Laurie and her two brothers married and had children. For more than 20 years, the entire clan met for one week in the same rented house until they purchased their own vacation home a few years ago.

"The beach stops the clock. It lets you just be," she says. "When you're away from everything, you can talk and listen. This beach created some of the happiest moments I remember most."

The family, including Laurie's husband, Harold, and their two teenagers, enjoys staying close to the beach, rarely venturing out except for groceries. "Life is simple," Laurie explains. "We spend our days relaxing, letting the shore wash its memories over us."

Last year, Laurie's husband bought her a kayak. "When you kayak with dolphins, you get a beautiful free feeling," she explains. "It's another world. You can feel God."

Even though tragedy and loss touched the family-Laurie's brother was struck and killed by a drunk driver, her parents and grandmother passed away, and two hurricanes damaged the family beach house-they never canceled their annual trip to Navarre. "Our lives are like the beach," she says. "You rebuild and move on and survive whatever hits you."

EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

Romance blossomed for Paul and Barbara Harvel in Eureka Springs. Twenty years ago, the Little Rock couple married in the quaint village, and the town is still a favorite. "This is our place," Paul says. "It still holds special memories for us. Almost every time we go, we look up our marriage records."

As a young boy on a trip with his father, a brief stop in the small Victorian town gave Paul the desire to return one day. It was a while before he went back on his own. "The first time I drove to Eureka Springs was after college," Paul says chuckling. "I spent the night in the car because I couldn't afford a place to stay."

Today the couple often selects the Crescent Hotel as their place of choice. But, Paul admits, the town has many wonderful small hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. Although Paul and Barbara like to browse the many shops, they come mainly to relax. Barbara runs the Arkansas Quality Awards Program, and Paul is president of the Little Rock Region Chamber of Commerce, so both work long hours.

"We have a lake house near Little Rock," Paul says, "yet we don't feel like we're away unless we go to Eureka Springs. When we are there, we feel totally away from everything."

TELLURIDE, COLORADO

The promise of cooler temperatures and springlike surroundings lure Texas residents Linda and Ernesto Fraga to Telluride. This small town offers a nice respite from the summer heat of Waco, where the Fragas publish a weekly bilingual newspaper, Tiempo.

"The children have skied here in winter," Linda says, referring to Fuerza Linda, 22, Ernesto Luis, 21, and Francesco Marie, 13. "But I prefer the summer, when flowers are blooming and the cold waters of the stream are flowing."

Linda and the kids often travel with her parents, Vincent and Bertha Reina Schement, while Ernesto stays behind to run the paper. At various times, they've stayed at her sister's home in Mountain Village, as well as in hotels or condominiums.

Telluride brims with outdoor activities in the summer, such as hiking, biking, and inline skating. "The joy of breathing the crisp air inspires you to get out and walk, run, and go sightseeing," Linda says. "The sheer beauty of the majestic mountains, both in early morning and in the evening, is reason enough to travel to Colorado."

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA

For Bob and Peggy Allen of Wake Forest, North Carolina, photography led them to the top-literally. They've been capturing Grandfather Mountain, near Linville, on film since attending a clinic held at the privately owned natural attraction. The area's spectacular views, seasonal wildflowers, and great fall colors provide the Aliens with a neverending source of inspiration for photography.

"There are always new challenges," Bob says, "whether it's photographing a sunrise or the exceptional view from atop the mountain showing layers of clouds after a storm."