Tag: Exploring Second Life 2026

Not too long ago, I wrote about the tendency for SL explorer-writers to perhaps focus on writing about those regions which are new to SL or which demonstrate seasonal or other changes in their look and overall design, perhaps at the expense of those which offer a sense of constancy in Second Life.

The example I used in that article was Lost Lagoon. Another such location – well, to a large degree at least – is Autumn Trace (or as it was originally called, Fall Trace), one of Elvira Kytori’s mixed-purpose region designs offered under the White Dunes estate banner.

It’s a place I’ve not visited since 2019, and even then, it hadn’t changed that much from my visit in 2016. This is largely true of my most recent visit in September 2026; the region remains much as it has always been: a captivating wetland region largely open to public wandering (and boating) and with some scattered (and clearly denoted) private residences.

The wildlife rich wetlands of the Autumn Trace come alive as the sun break through the mists of the morning. Immerse yourself in this romantic and heartfelt destination.  

– Autumn Trace About Land description

This is a setting worthy of photography; one rich in ambience, sounds, wildlife and quiet corners and unexpected surprises. Getting around is mostly a case of following the wooden boardwalks as they march out over the waters and reeds, perhaps resting at the various seating areas some offer along the way.

These boardwalks allow the central area of the region – which includes the Land Point – to be explored with ease. However, there are two further parts of the land open to the public which lay separated from the landing Point by water (although one has its own LP, which I’ll come to).

Both of these latter areas can be reached via boat rezzer, this being available at the end of the boardwalk pointing right as you leave the Landing Point – sit in the boat to obtain oars. The first of these other areas lies to the south and includes a further a boardwalk mainly serving two further private homes (although the boardwalk itself is public access).

The second sits to the north-west and at first might appear to also be a private house. But appearances can be deceptive.

This is because whilst it may have once been a residence, the current occupant, SL photographer Carla Zeiss (Carla Amiot, exhibiting a nice play on names with her Display Name!) has turned it into The Heron’s Rest Coffeehouse, a completely charming – if a little quirky – coffeehouse which is part of the ever-increasing co-working network of cafes and coffeehouses.

Sitting on sturdy wooden piles above the waters of the wetlands, Heron’s Rest is aptly named, given much of the wading birds to be found within the region, along with waterfowl. It offers both shaded veranda seating as well as indoor space. I refer to it as quirky as the indoor seating area opens directly into Carla’s bedroom space! I was also a little unsure of the potted plant sitting in the backgammon board – but that’s probably because I’m a keen backgammon player!

It also appears to be a very much a self-service establishment: baguettes and cold meats, etc., are available on the front veranda for people to make their own sandwiches whilst a large espresso machine (looking as if it would be equally at home powering a steampunk airship!) sits alongside.

The seating on the front veranda is particularly comfortable and offers fine views across the region, marking it as a prime spot to pass the time with friends.

Whilst the rowing boats offer the means to move back and forth between the different parts of the setting, they also allow for waterborne explorations as well. The southern side of the region offers open waters which are home to geese and ducks and heron, whilst to the north they are move given over to reeds and tall grasses but are equally navigable and contain more wading birds and waterfowl.

The default EEP setting is suggestive of a heavy later autumn evening which can perhaps feel a little oppressive, but can make for dramatic photography. I’ve largely used it in the images herein, but admittedly have lightened their overall tone somewhat.

However, the region really does lend itself exceptionally well to most EEP day settings, so if the Shared Environment isn’t to your liking, just try some of your own; you’re guaranteed to find one which works with the region’s design.

Autumn Trace has always been an attractive setting; and while I’ve obviously no idea how long it will remain, Heron’s Rest has simply added to its charm.

Slurl Details

Tranquil Bay is rated Moderate

• Autumn Trace Landing Point
• Heron’s Rest Coffeehouse
• Coffeehouses and Cafés

Owl Dragonash alerted me to the fact that the Corsica South Coasters celebrates its fourth anniversary in September 2026, and that news prompted me to hop over and renew my own acquaintanceship with the work of this community and take another wander through a few of its locations.

As the name suggests, Corsica South Coasters (or CSC) is a group of residents focused on the southern coast of the Mainland continent of Corsica. Those with an interest in art in Second Life are likely already familiar with the group, if not in its entirety, then quite possibly through gallery spaces such as NovaOwl, Maison De La Chouette, or Cloud Galleries – all of which are popular art destinations (and have also featured in my own coverage of art in Second Life!).

Indeed, my first exposure to the wider group actually came in September 2022, when Owl invited me to be a part of the Art Trail that winds through the group’s lands along the Corsica coastline.

While I declined the offer (not being involved in Corsica or the group, I didn’t feel my presence was appropriate), I did visit and explore the Art Trail as it makes its way between the Corsica Tourist Centre and Tea Garden and Port Emyniad (of which more anon).

However, CSC is not just about art in Second Life; it is a vibrant community offering places to visit, opportunities to learn, venues and events to enjoy music, the chance to meet new people and make new friends, locations from which to set out boating and sailing or flying or driving – and a whole lot more.

So much in fact that the best way to get a feel for CSC’s activities, events, locations, and so on is via the CSC website; and rather than repeat what it has to say about where to go and what to do, I’m simply going to focus on some of my favourite places CSC offers to visitors.

Places like the aforementioned Port Emyniad. Generally the end point for the Art Trail, this little fishing village with its Welsh-sounding name is watched over, conversely, by a native of Scotland: Nessie. The home to several boutique galleries and offering a rezone for boating, it also sits as an entrance to the Enchanted Forest.

This is a simply gorgeous area designed by Nessa Nova (perhaps most well known for her Lost Unicorn and Storybook Forest (with Natalie Starlight), which I’ve also covered in these pages numerous times). Climbing the hills of Emyniad, the forest offer trails and paths to wander, places to rest and a great sense of peace and beauty.

The CSC Art Trail actually skirts the edge of the Forest as you follow it from its start at the Tourist Centre, so keep  an eye out for it as you follow the trail up and around its meandering and charming way.

The Tourist Centre is actually one of the ideal places to start explorations. Overlooking the coastal reaches of the group’s lands – where both NovaOwl and Maison De La Chouette sit – the Tourist Centre sits within a tea garden and presents a wealth of information and – for those who don’t fancy walking the Art Trail and /or Hiking route –a horse rezzer.

The hiking trail will take visitors up into the hills of South Corsica. It passes by way of the Dinkie and main Camping Grounds and also a number of what I think are private residences – so be cautious about trespass (although they are set back from the trail).

And that’s another point about CSC: it’s not just a series of locations tended by Second life users; it’s a group and linked set of settings and parcels where members of the group – and those with whom they’ve forged relationships with – also live. This gives CSC a personal nuance and sense of place.

In this regard, I thoroughly recommend reading Owls’ fourth anniversary article on CSC; as a founder and active member, she is far better placed to write about the group, its activities and history than I could ever manage in a month of Sundays!

Instead, I’ll note that another place to look out for when exploring is CK’s Butterfly Conservatory, established by another CSC founder, CK Ballyhoo. Small but delightfully charming, it sits along one of the many trials winding through this part of South Corsica and just off the Art Trail walk. If following the latter keep an eye out for Books and Coffee – the Conservatory overlooks it and can be reached via steps climbing up from the road there.

Given CSC’s location, not only is it a place for exploring or starting a journey, it can be a destination as well, accessible by air (CSC have their own airfield, although it is admittedly appears a little isolated when landing there), and as a waterfront location, can be reached by boat (and has rez zones for both). It is also on Corsica’s Circuit La Corse as well, so can easily be reached via road.

CSC’s fourth anniversary is officially on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. To mark the occasion, there will be three-hour celebration commencing at 11:00 SLT at NovaOwl, and an invitation to all to attend is extended by the CSC community.

Whether you attend the celebrations or not (sadly, for my they clash with a couple of things), do be sure to pay CSC a visit. There is genuinely a lot to see. My heartfelt congratulations to Owl, CK, Uli and the CSC community as a whole on reaching four years with CSC and growing it into a positive, friendly community; may there be many more celebrations to come!

SLurls and Information

• All regions are rated Moderate
  • CSC Tourist Centre (Laserlight)
  • NovaOwl (Novatron)
  • Port Emyniad (Emyniad)
• Website and Articles
  • CSC website
• Corsica South Coasters in Second Life Turns 4 – Owl Dragonash
• Art and a walk in Southern Corsica in Second Life – this blog, 2022

Occupying roughly one-third of a Full private region is MoonWillow, a completely delightful realm designed by Mille Bliss to present a place of enchantment and mystery, packed with opportunities for exploration and photography.

This is a place I very much fell in love with whilst exploring, although I would note that I’m not sure the selected Shared Environment shows it to its best advantage, being a tad on the dark side of things. This being the case, please note that some of the photos later in this piece use one of my personal Day EEP settings.

This is a setting with a west-east orientation as it runs along the southern side of the host region, with the landing Point located on a small island at the west end of things.

Welcome, traveller, to MoonWillow, a lush, mythical realm nestled deep within the folds of time, where magic lingers like mist in the morning air. Here, every leaf has a story, every shadow hides a spell, and every step draws you deeper.

– MoonWillow Destination Guide entry

A large map of the setting is located at the landing point and highlights many of the locations awaiting exploration. Many – but not all; some are marked by symbols which the map legend defines as What Could This Mean?, together with And This? – both of which pique a sense of intrigue and a desire to discover.

Touching the map will deliver a wearable HUD version – which is nice. Unfortunately, there is no way to minimise it, so if a copy is taken for reference, it has to be constantly added / removed  – and odd clicks on it will cause to it to offer a Landing Point landmark, which can get a tad irritating.

Getting across the waters here should – according to the map – be a case of taking the local ferry. However, printed signs at the quays and piers apologise for the fact that the ferry is currently broken. Instead, visitors are asked to cross the waters by means of the magical lily pads which have been set out to keep feet dry!

Across the water sits a little shoreline hamlet, its waterfront taken up by the local apothecary, tavern and teahouse as well as the local market. Behind and above these, perched on the cliffs and rocky buttresses are little houses (open to the public) whilst across the mouth of a fast flowing stream there rises the tall finger of a wizard’s tower.

Reaching the latter is by means of another lily pad crossing, whilst a walk on the beach facing the tower provides one of the routes of entry to the setting’s eye-catching lagoon.

However, from the village there are in fact multiple routes of exploration climbing up into the hills behind it, some of which pass directly by the little houses perched higher up, others of which are more circuitous in nature – which you take is entirely up to you.

The attractive element with all these paths and routes is that most of them intersect one with another, so whatever turn you take, you’re going to arrive somewhere or easily circle back to somewhere you might otherwise have missed.

There are locations within the setting the eyes and feet are naturally drawn to – the lagoon within its circle of stone, the castle up on the hilltops, the village itself. However, do be careful when heading for just these, as there are caverns, a cave hinting an magic rituals, a hidden waterside place to sit, tree and rock sheltered avenues and climbs and a magical stone circle all waiting discovery.

Travel far enough to the east and you might find the many-bridged path leading around falls and water to where an old mine provides passage through the intervening mountains and cliffs to the rest of the region (or you might come across it by way of the cavern tunnel!).

Called Nymunarby, this is the work of Lotte (Lotte Warwillow) and presents a mist-shrouded setting very different to MoonWillow, complete with its own mysteries. Largly open ground backed by crags and rocky hills (some of which have a path winding up them (and a cavern under), this is a place of ancient standing stones, ruins and a Viking outpost – although follow the path to where a boardwalk leading out over the waters of a small lake and you might find yourself humming the opening Sunrise fanfare of Also Sprach Zarathustra.

There is not a lot more I can say about Nymunarby; but it does form an interesting adjunct to a visit to MoonWillow for those who wish to discover it as well.

As to the latter, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring its many parts and paths; Group membership will bring rezzing rights if you wish to rez props for photographs, but as ever: do please remember to pick bits up afterwards!

Slurl Details

• MoonWillow (Celenor, rated Moderate)

Sitting within a Full private region, Yamato is a place I first visited in July 2026 and then returned to both in August and at the start of September 2026 whilst debating writing about it.

My dithering over blogging came down to a couple of things: access is somewhat restricted (visitors must have payment information registered with LL) – and I’ve taken a certain amount of flak in the past for Covering regions with restricted access. The other was because in July and August my visits left me feeling the region still might be undergoing build-out – a feeling which appears to have been correct and several details appear to have changed between my first and most recent visits.

The region has been designed by Somnous Corvinus and Len Teardrop on behalf of region holder Valefuth Delrove. It presents a Japanese-themed, mix-use setting, as indicated within its simple and direct Destination Guide entry:

Yamato, a quiet costal town, is a residential and social destination inspired by rural Japan during the 2000s.

– Yamato Destination Guide entry

As a residential / public setting, Yamato is reasonably engaging. The majority of the residential units appear to be around the edge of the region – mostly, but not exclusively, along the eastern side.

That said, there is a small town on the north-west side of the region which is open to exploration but does also include rental properties. Whilst sitting in their own parcels, there are not immediately obvious to the casual explorer, so some discretion is encouraged when exploring.

The Landing Point sits on a small dead-end road that runs towards the middle of the region from the little town and ending at a small shrine as it awaits visitors. This middle area of the region is largely open, forming something of a small park and an open field area, a dividing wall running between them.

Alongside of the little road is what appears to be a bus stop but is in fact the access to the rental office (located in the sky) for those interested in living within the region. Those finding their way up to this platform can return to the ground by walking into the table overlooking the platform’s shrine (the teleport is Experience-enabled).

A path marked by a marching line of Torii gates points southwards. Following it will take visitors down to a coastal Onsen with rock pools, waterfalls and a low bamboo fence separating from open waters and a stream while runs into  running into it from inland.

The rest of the park separates the Onsen and town from the east-side residences. It is also itself split by a tram track emerging from a tunnel from where it apparently runs under part of the town before looping back to it overland.

This tram track leaves the upper side of the park richly wooded while the lower side an open field. Whilst this might at first appear to be lacking places to sit and spent time – look around and you will find some nice touches of detail nonetheless, including a nicely tucked-away place to spend time.

Across the road from the field is the beach, the southern end of which is open to the public.

In terms of attractiveness, it is the small details within Yamato which draw the eyes rather than any single large-scale elements within the region. Scattered throughout the setting, these are worth looking for as they do bring Yamato to life.

In all, a quiet little setting, interesting in design and making for a pleasant exploration – and possibly a new home for those seeking somewhere to live.

Slurl Details

• Yamato – A Quiet Town (Yamato Island, rated Moderate)