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See Rock City

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I’ve been meaning to write about our quick drive down to Rock City since early fall. Little Buddy is taking a nap, and I’m enjoying the quiet, so I thought it would be a great time to tell y’all about it.

In 2016, I posted about our Valentine’s Day trip to Chattanooga. We stayed in an old train car at the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel and visited the Tennessee Aquarium and Ruby Falls. This time, we visited Rock City.

Have you heard of Rock City? It’s an attraction that everyone in Tennessee knows about because they do an incredible job of advertising. On the two-hour drive from Nashville to Chattanooga, you’ll see dozens of “See Rock City” signs painted onto barn roofs. The owners have used this advertising method since 1936. According to a sign inside the park, in the 1950s, “See Rock City” was emblazoned on more than 800 barns across several states (as far away as Michigan and Texas).

The rock garden features a one-way path created by founders Garnet and Frieda Carter in the late 1920s. The current owner is a third-generation descendant.

Located at the top of Lookout Mountain, Rock City not only boasts unique rock formations, but also incredible views.

It’s an outdoor attraction, which was perfect for social distancing. Guests wore masks and stayed well more than six feet apart, and entrance numbers were limited, so we felt very safe.

We were grateful to be able to support a family-owned business that is committed to following health guidelines and providing a safe experience for guests.

My favorite part of Rock City was Fairyland Caverns, a large, drafty cavern with miniature displays from popular fairy tales. The bright, larger than life colors made it truly magical! Entrance was controlled, masks were worn, and social distancing was followed by all.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

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Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies

While we were in the Great Smoky Mountains a few weeks ago (see my photos from Parrot Mountain), we visited Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. I was surprised to learn that it is owned by the same company that does the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not books, comics, and TV show.

Mr. Handsome and I have somehow become aquarium and zoo people. I didn’t grow up spending time at either, but since we have been married, we have visited quite a few (Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium,  St. Louis Zoo, New Orleans Audubon Zoo, and Memphis Zoo). We also went to the Knoxville Zoo on our way home from the Smokies. We both agree that going to a zoo or aquarium isn’t the absolute most exciting thing that anyone could ever do with their time, but we love how relaxing and therapeutic it is to walk through the exhibits and watch the animals. You can allow yourself to lose track of time for a few hours.

The aquarium has a huge shark tank, where you can see the sharks from above water and then walk through a glass tunnel and watch them swim above you.

Gatlinburg Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies shark lagoon

Gatlinburg Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies shark lagoon

The creature in Shark Lagoon that fascinated us the most is not actually a shark, although it looks like one. It’s a sawfish, and while it can cause harm to prey with its “saw,” it is not aggressive towards humans (unlike actual sharks). It also has what looks like a human face on its underside.

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies sawfish

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies sawfish
The penguin exhibit was my favorite, and it was hilarious to put Little Buddy up to the glass and watch a swimming penguin try to grab his swinging pacifier.

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies penguins

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies

The stingrays were also pretty neat and reminded us of our honeymoon on Grand Cayman, when we swam with wild stingrays at Stingray City. Mr. Handsome enjoyed seeing the jellyfish, but he now unfortunately wants one as a pet.

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies

 

Florida with Friends–Santa Rosa Beach

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30A Santa Rosa beach

One of the great perks of living in Nashville is that it’s only a seven-hour drive from Santa Rosa Beach. Mr. Handsome and I got engaged on St. Pete Beach (near St. Petersburg), and during our first year of marriage, we spent a few days in the Fort Myers area with friends (their relatives had a condo, so it was free). But until last year, we didn’t know about the beautiful beaches of the Florida Panhandle. It’s no wonder why it’s the top vacation destination among Nashvillians.

We weren’t planning on taking a trip in September, but when our Sunday school class planned a weekend getaway in Santa Rosa Beach, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Ten young couples rented two beach condos, and the cost per couple ended up being surprisingly low–about as much as you would pay to stay at a roadside hotel for three nights. We were expecting an older beach house several miles from the shore, and we were thrilled about it. But when we arrived and found this, we were blown away….

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Fort Phantom Hill

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Fort Phantom Hill Abilene Texas

While in Abilene, Texas, visiting friends, we stopped by a historical site called Fort Phantom Hill. The sun was just about to set on the Texas plains, and the lighting was perfect for photos. Fort Phantom Hill Abilene Texas

The fort was built in 1851 out of necessity, to manage increasing hostility between settlers and Native Fort Phantom Hill Abilene TexasAmericans. (The area was called Phantom Hill because it seemed to disappear when approached from the nearby river.)

The Fort was only occupied for a few years before it was abandoned and burned in April 1854. Although the wood structures were destroyed, the stone structures provided shelter to various individuals over the next thirty years. …

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Final Photos from Cades Cove

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Last month, I shared photos from our trip to Cades Cove, a historic settlement nestled in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. I also posted pictures of the vibrant fall colors that we came across on our trip. Below is the last batch of snapshots from our journey through Cades Cove.In one particular part of Cades Cove, we came across some especially unique buildings. The first was a barn with a space in the middle. The idea was that two workers could pull a wagon in and easily throw hay up into the lofts.

The second was a cantilever barn, which has an overhang on one side for animals and equipment storage.

Nearby was a grist mill (a mill used to grind grain) that was built around 1870 by John Cable.

Then there was the Gregg-Cable House (circa 1879), the first frame house built in the Cove. At that time, the sawmill was brand new, which was a big deal for the residents of Cades Cove, who had not previously had access to lumber.

By this point, we were most of the way through Cades Cove. On our way out, we made two last stops. The first was the Dan Lawson Place, built in 1856. The house has a rare feature for Cades Cove–a brick chimney, constructed using bricks that were made on-site as the house was being built.

At that time, it was not uncommon for families to have multiple outbuildings, such as a smokehouse, a woodshed, a granary (for storing grain), a corn crib (for storing corn), and, of course, a barn.

Our last stop was the Tipton Place, built in the early 1870s. The owner was a colonel in the Mexican-American War, and the original inhabitants were his daughters, who were teachers in Cades Cove.

Fall in the Smokies

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A few weeks ago, I posted photos from our recent trip to the Cades Cove historic settlement in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I have a few more snapshots from that day, but I first want to show you some other pictures I took.The drive through the park was simply beautiful with all the vibrant colored leaves.

Every turn we made, there was another stunning view.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

Fall in the Smoky Mountains

 

Autumn in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

Smoky Mountains in autumn

On Saturday of our weekend trip, we ventured over to the start of the Roaring Fork Motor Trail (southeast of downtown Gatlinburg) and parked at the Rainbow Falls trailhead.

 

It was a difficult, 5.4-mile roundtrip hike, but the views were worth the trek. Just as we had at Cades Cove, we saw the smoke-like fog that give the Smoky Mountains their name.

Smoky Mountain fog smoke

As we climbed higher, we passed an area that had been burned by the devastating wildfire that tore through the Smoky Mountains in November 2016. We are thankful that the area has been able to rebuild and that Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are still as busy as ever. Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones and property.

With a 1,500-foot elevation gain, we had to stop and rest quite a few times, especially as we neared the end.

After a 20-minute period of rain, we finally reached our destination…the beautiful Rainbow Falls! You’re probably wondering what Mr. Handsome is wearing on his head. (That is the first question people ask when we show them this picture.) It’s his sweatshirt. He got tired of carrying it.

Rainbow Falls Gatlinburg Tennessee

Tour of Historic Cades Cove

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In early November, Mr. Handsome and I made the short drive over to the Smoky Mountains for a weekend getaway. We had met a like-minded couple at a conference a few weeks prior, and they had invited us to stay at their house.The fall colors were at their peak, and the scenery was just incredible. We were also able to see the “smoke” (aka fog) that gives the Smokies their name.

On day one, we explored Cades Cove, a mountain farming community founded in the early 1800s. It is no longer inhabited, but you can drive along the 11-mile, one-way road and view more than 80 historical buildings and settlements. We enjoyed pulling off into the many parking areas and walking through the old buildings. (We were shocked that all of them were open to the public.)

 

At the entrance to Cades Cove, we drove past a beautiful, dusty-colored horse grazing in a vibrant, green meadow.

The scene was picture-perfect.

 

Our first stop was the John Oliver Place. Built in the early 1820s, the cabin is the oldest in the Cove.

 

The cabin, which was owned by the Oliver family until the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in the 1930s, is a five minute walk from the road. It is a simple, one-room house with a loft.

Next, we stopped at the Primitive Baptist Church, established June 16th, 1827. (The current building was built in 1887 to replace a log structure.) We learned that the church closed during the Civil War because its members were Union sympathizers and felt threatened by the many Confederates who lived in Cades Cove.

There was a wedding that day, so we didn’t go inside, but we walked through the cemetery and came across multiple tombstones of men who had fought in the Revolutionary War.

We also found the tombstone of the man after whom Gregory’s Bald, a mountain in the park, was named. A Union supporter, he was killed by Confederates three years into the Civil War.

We passed the Methodist Church, built in 1902 (although the congregation was established in the 1820s). Customarily, old churches with two doors would have been designed that way to seat men and women on separate sides. We chuckled as we read that this church did not carry that custom but that its congregation had borrowed the blueprint from another church that did. Apparently, sticking to the blueprint and cutting two front doors was easier than deviating and installing just one.

We stopped at a pull-off and hiked a short distance the Elijah Oliver Place, built by John Oliver’s son after the Civil War. On the left side of the house, the family added a “stranger room.” With a separate entrance, the room provided a place for overnight acquaintances to stay without jeopardizing the safety of Elijah’s family.

Hope you enjoyed these photos. More coming soon.

East TN and West NC

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After spending all our weekends at home for a couple months, we recently drove out to North Carolina for a wedding. It was a several hour drive, but the gorgeous scenery was well worth it. On our way home, we stopped for two beautiful hikes. The first was in Western North Carolina, about 45 minutes northeast of Asheville. I spent quite a bit of time researching online to find the hikes with the best views, and you know what I discovered? There are tons in that area!We ended up choosing Mt. Mitchell State Park because reviews said the terrain is more similar to Western Canada. (Most of you know that we took a trip to the Canadian Rockies this summer and loved it.)

Of course there are no snowy peaks in North Carolina at this time of year, but it was still about 20 degrees cooler at the summit than it was along the interstate. The one downside is that the 20-plus-mile road leading to the park is narrow and winding.

We drove as far as the road would take us, parked, and then walked five minutes up to the Mt. Mitchell Summit. The view was glorious!

At 6,684 feet elevation, Mt. Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. Apparently the guy after whom the mountain is named lost his life proving that statistic.

We wanted some decent exercise, so we hiked two miles down the mountain on the Commissary Trail (very rocky but not too strenuous). On the way back up, we took the 2-mile Old Mitchell Trail (even rockier and much more strenuous).

The sun was setting quickly, so we had to jog part of it, but of course we still had to stop and take a few photos.

We spent the night at a cheap hotel in Asheville, walked around the shops of Historical Biltmore Village and then drove a couple hours to Gatlinburg to hike the 2.6-mile out-and-back Laurel Falls Trail.

It took about 30 minutes to reach the waterfall and 20 minutes to return. The trail is a decently steep incline, but due to erosion, it is paved (although still very bumpy). The waterfall was beautiful, as were the views along the way.

 

In downtown Gatlinburg, we stopped for BBQ at Calhoun’s, a Knoxville-based restaurant with nine locations. The ribs were some of the best we had ever tasted. And let me tell you, when your husband is as much of a ribs connoisseur as mine is, that’s saying a lot.

While driving through the area, we saw some of the damage from the November 2016 Gatlinburg fire, but the town has done a fantastic job of restoring and rebuilding.

Santa Rosa Beach, Part 2

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A couple weeks ago, I shared pictures from our trip to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Although we only stayed for three days, it was a wonderful chance to relax and reconnect as a couple (plus soak up the Florida sunshine, which, as you may recall from my previous post, Mr. Handsome enjoyed a little too much). I have just a few more photos to show you all.During the day, the weather was lovely (85F and sunny), but at night, we needed sweatshirts to be comfortable. Even when it’s a little chilly, there’s just something about being on the beach that makes a person smile. Do any of you live near the shore? Are you just always in a good mood, or does the beauty of the beach get old after a while?

On one of the days, we explored the little town of Seaside and ate from the food trucks permanently parked along the main sidewalk. Mr. Handsome ordered from the BBQ truck, while I went to the sandwich truck next door.

My meal was a delicious tomato-mozzarella-basil panini (one of my weaknesses). There’s just something about those three flavors that makes my taste buds sing. Can anyone else relate?

As per usual, Mr. Handsome ordered BBQ ribs. I really wonder how many times that guy would have to eat ribs before growing tired of them. He’s an adventurous eater and enjoys fruit and veggies, but when ribs are an option, it’s as if they’re the only thing on the menu. I sampled his meal, and it was very tasty, but I’m still glad I went with the panini.

Santa Rosa Beach, Part 1

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Two weeks ago, we drove down to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, for a relaxing, four day getaway. (Last week, I shared photos from our pit stop at the Martin Luther King, Jr., sites in Montgomery, Alabama. We were honored to meet one of MLK’s neighbors who played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement.)A couple at our church allowed us to stay at their beach house for free, which was a huge blessing. On the first day, we lounged at the beach for a little while and then headed over to the bay in the late afternoon to do some fishing. (My husband is an avid fisherman.)

Mr. Handsome only caught two fish (a sea trout and a pompano), but he was thrilled to hear from several locals that pompano are rare in that area and that they are considered a delicacy.

We stopped at the grocery store to pick up some veggies and then headed back to our beach house to cook the fish, which ended up being much cheaper than going out for dinner. We sauteed both fish whole in a skillet with a little bit of canola oil, salt, and pepper. The sea trout was decent, but the pompano was absolutely delicious. It had a soft, buttery taste and texture and was one of the best meals either of us have ever had.

Unfortunately, as we were cooking dinner, we started to feel our sunburns. Mine wasn’t too bad, but poor Mr. Handsome’s legs and feet were as red as a tomato. He had put sunscreen on his arms and shoulders but hadn’t bothered with the rest of his body, since we weren’t out in the sun for very long. His burn was actually much worse than the picture makes it seem. On the bright side, he proved that sunscreen works.

The following day, we skipped the beach and rented bikes (only $15 per person). In addition to its white sand beaches, the Florida Panhandle also has beautiful wooded areas.