Hello and Welcome from Mel Coker...

I am a life-long Columbia area resident and have lived on beautiful Lake Murray since 2001 with my wife Barbara. Our daughter, Kelly, is a school teacher. My parents are George and Pat Coker and Barbara's parents were H.S. and Evelyn Allen. I had a 26 year career with South Carolina Electric & Gas Company and my last 19 years working was selling real estate all over Columbia with RE/MAX. (If you have a need to buy or sell real estate in the Columbia area, send an email to me at and I will be happy to put you in touch with a great Realtor!)

My wife and I love to TRAVEL!
I plan to post travel blogs or articles here about our adventures. This may help someone planning a similar adventure. Such blogs and various posts have helped me in many instances planning my travel.

Travel Adventures for 2018: Isla Mujeres, Mexico (February); Playa del Carmen, Mexico (April); 11 Day Southern Caribbean Cruise on Celebrity Equinox (May); West Palm Beach, Florida (July); Houston, Texas (August); Maine Epic Trip (September); Niagara Falls (October); Playa del Carmen, Mexico (November); Isla Mujeres (December).

EPIC Road Trips are being planned for 2019: Utah (May) and Southern California (September)

My Photography on Travel Websites: Trover - The Best of Everywhere & LocationScout - Most Amazing Places for Photography

THE ADVENTURES - More pictures, videos and travel links will be added regularly
SOON: Isla Mujeres (December 2018); Isla Mujeres and Cancun (March 2019); Utah (May 2019); Southern California (September 2019)
Think I'll Go To Mexico - 36 Trips to Mexico & Counting
Isla Mujeres, Mexico - February 2018
Coming Soon: California EPIC Trip - September 2017 > San Francisco, Carmel By-the-Sea, Pinnacles National Park, Paso Robles, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Sonoma
Total Eclipse of the Sun at Lake Murray - August 21, 2017
Coming Soon: St. Kitts - July 2017
Coming Soon: Israel/Egypt EPIC Trip - April 2016
Panama Canal Cruise - December 2014: Holland America ms Zuiderdam > Fort Lauderdale, The Bahamas, Aruba, Curacao, Cartagena, Panama Canal, Colon, Costa Rica

Mel's FAVORITE BLOGS/WEBSITES
Joe Braun Photography (Acadia/Yosemite/Zion) | The Greatest Road Trip | The Mandagies | Earth Trekkers | Southeastern Traveler

Contact: gmcoker(at)gmail.com