Karri Peifer, co-editor

Corolla, N.C.

It's been an annual tradition for me and my family for about 25 years. Which means I remember the wild horses, stopping hours in advance at the only grocery store and spending many, many bored hours wishing their was something better to do.

Chasing down the ice cream truck

I mean, seriously, where do those guys get their driver training?

The River

Okay, it's been a few years since I've willingly swam in the James River, but in my younger, braver days, my friends and I would spend whole days camped out on the rocks.

King Dominion

Speaking of things I'd have to be younger and braver (and by braver I mean crowd-tolerant) to do … Still, season passes were another annual tradition in my family.

Nothing

Doing absolutely nothing, which in my youth was something I hated and in my adult life something I long for.

Stephanie Brummell, staff writer

Flashlight Tag
My childhood home was the place to meet for flashlight tag on summer nights. We'd meet on the back porch, flashlights in hand, and ready to run around until 10 at night like a bunch of little hooligans. Talking about it is making me feel all nostalgic.

Myrtle Beach
My family travels here every summer, and I couldn't be happier about it. The memories are endless – from when my sister and I were little and "stay-in spaghetti night" meant a late night swim in the condo's pool, to two summers ago when I was actually old enough to go out and enjoy a few drinks, some Motown and beach music with my parents at Studebakers – it's a wonderful little place.

"You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling…"
Duck North Carolina, summer of 2002, a bonfire and a recent viewing of "Top Gun" earlier in the evening. All this and too much tequila for the boys means my friend Sarah and I were subject to a rousing, intoxicate rendition of "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling," at two in the morning. Priceless.

The K95 Concert Pack
No matter how busy we were, this concert pack brought my five girlfriends and I all together at least five days during the summer of 2004. We'd pack up the car, head to Virginia Beach, gawk over our fav country stars and enjoy a little girl time. Which leads me to ask – ladies, why have we not done this every summer since then?

Firecracker Popsicles
Cherry, white lemon and blue raspberry. Deeelish.

Dionne Waugh, news writer

Zzzzzzzzzzzz
Ah, sleeping till noon. Those were the days. Even more enjoyable even if it was completely slothful, to sleep til 1 or 2 in the afternoon.

Sweating, sweating, sweating
That seems to overwhelm all my summer vacation memories either because I lived in an apartment without AC (even now) or because my wonderful parents insisted on taking us to the beach rather than somewhere nice and frosty. I grew up in Virginia so trust me, I know hot

Go West
So I actually did enjoy a roadtrip to New Mexico as a kid, twice. The natural beauty was exquisite.

Incest
You can't tell me you never read at least one V.C. Andrews novel as a teenager. Those things hooked me for one whole summer. I literally spent every day reading those twisted soap operas.

Lightening bugs
I used to love to catch those things in mason jars at my grandmother's house and then let them go a little while later.

Christie Newman, office manager

Jamaica

Rum Punch on the beach, Margaritaville, plunge pools, bar slides, and jumping off a 110ft cliff …You’ll never want to leave!

Trampolines

Flipping in the air and bouncing for hours! They are everywhere at the Jersey Shore; at least they were 15 years ago.

The Sun Tide

Senior Week, Beach Week, Spring Break, block parties, getting arrested – too bad it’s not there anymore!

Las Vegas

Just don’t pull a Britney Spears.

Nags Head

Every year it gets better and better.

Sean Vass, editorial intern

Daytona Beach 2003

Climbed down a palm tree from the sixth floor balcony and realized on the second "scootch" that palm tree's give crucial splinters EVERYWHERE.

Beachweek 2004

In Myrtle after High school graduation, I made around $300 and drank for free all week long off my flashy new fake I.D.

Beachweek 2004 (part 2)
Same week but, later on. I got all 23 of my friends including myself, thrown out of our hotel for climbing from the third floor to the fifth floor balcony. Needless to say I quit drinking and climbing at the beach. 

Nags Head
Nags Head when I was young I saw my first waterspout and thought it was God's water spigot. 

Nags Head (part 2)

Same week but later on. Saw my first pair of boobs thanks to a loose top and a big wave. 

Sarah Sonies, editorial intern

Senior beach week
So i really have to explain?

Chicago
Gives you a break away from Virginia heat and humidity-love the Art Institute
too.

New York City

You can walk around as late as you want and there are a million people around. Always.

Ocean City
You can act a fool and nobody can judge you because it's Ocean City

Augusta, Georgia
I got the best tan I've ever had

Ginger Warder, restaurant reviewer

First Solo Trip

My first solo trip, at the age of nine, flying from Dulles to L.A., and I have 100 photos of the airplane wing to prove it.

Ocean City

High school summers at Ocean City and Thrasher’s French fries.

Rafting

Rafting the Kennebec Class V rapids last year with Crabapple Whitewater outfitters.

Camp Tom Tom

Camp Tom Tom … a weekend at my friend Tom’s Knoxville lakeside cabin with six close friends, a couple of guitars, and lots of beverages.

Lippizan Darm

Visiting the Lippizan farm in Piber and exploring the Styrian wine country in Austria with five really fun writer friends.