Oil spill is good reason to stay local this summer

Many people dream of a summer vacation on sandy beaches with miles of open water ahead of them.

Unfortunately, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is making that dream a nightmare this year.

With experts advising people to stay out of the water along beaches stretching from Louisiana to Florida and predictions of the oil spreading around Florida and up the east coast of the United States, the beach vacation probably will not happen this year.

There are some good alternatives locally.

The BCDA campgrounds offer family-friendly environments, areas for water recreation and even some sandy beaches.

Sure the water is not as vast as the Gulf, but the crowds are not as big either.

If being on the water is not your thing, a camping trip to Dismals Canyon or the Bankhead National Forest is a great way to get outdoors for a few days and to see some of the natural beauty Northwest Alabama has to offer.

The beaches might be a mess, but the places close to Franklin County are as pretty as they have ever been.