A Steep Hike, Driving to Waynesville & Relaxing At The Yellow House

7 / 18 / 167 / 18 / 16

When we woke up at The Park Vista in Gatlinburg on Sunday, June 5th, we decided to head down to the awesome pool! There is a big waterslide and two different tiers to the pool. (My little sister stayed here on her honeymoon!) The entire space is held in a large open-window building and it’s very warm in there. It’s one of my favorite pools to go when in the Smokies.

dh_pool2_3_677x380_FitToBoxSmallDimension_Center — Photo Credit: DoubleTree

When no one was looking we took turns going down on the waterslide our stomachs and laughing a lot. It was a pretty fast slide. Afterwards, we ran back to the room, got ready, and were on our way.

Fireflies at The Park Vista, Photo Cred: Gatlinburg.com

Instead of heading straight to our bed and breakfast in Waynesville, North Carolina, we drove down the hill and hit the main strip in Gatlinburg. There are all different types of shops and quirky attractions.

Dustin described it as a weird fair that happens all year long.

Gatlinburg is one of those places that you either love or hate. I’ve been coming here since I was an itty bitty girl so I have fond memories here. We vacationed a lot in the area around with both sets of my grandparents. I love the odd shops like the Beef Jerky outlet and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. It also doesn’t hurt that the scenery is beautiful.

The Donut Friar, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

It was raining. That put a damper on our day. Most of the shopping is outside. So we ate at Subway and then walked around to the different shops. I insisted we stop at The Donut Friar. This shop has THE BEST donuts in the world. Dustin later said he wasn’t impressed.

I almost murdered him.

He got to eat much more than I did. I only had a little bite because of my new diet.

Each donut is made fresh in the morning and the little shop is located in The Village. There is also a lovely coffee shop right down the way but the line was too long and we had to get going.

Dino approves.

Other places we visited included random shops, bootleggers homemade wine shop, and the moonshine distillery. Both offer free samples, which is really neat. We don’t drink a lot, but don’t mind having a try while on vacation. Our favorite was the Strawberry Wine and Java Moonshine! I also bought a bright pink sweatshirt for $10 that says “Gatlinburg.” Dustin thought it looked kinda silly because it was so bright but I loved it!

Clingman’s Dome, Great Smokey Mountains National Park

With the donut as our energy (JK, we actually ate a healthy lunch), we drove up to Clingman’s Dome. This is part of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and is located at the top of a mountain. You drive up the mountain and then go on a narrow road. At the top there is a small visitor’s center, port-a-pots, and a 1/2 mile hike to the top. On this day, it was very rainy and foggy. In fact, when we got to the place to park we couldn’t even see out. I remembered coming here as a girl and it was really awesome. Unfortunately we didn’t get a peek at the sights the entire time.

Even though it was sleeting we decided to hike to the top. It was only 1/2 mile so it couldn’t be hard, right? Oh my! It was a challenge. It was straight up the entire time. My legs were very tired and I had to stop a few times. It was frustrating because I’ve been working out and trying to get in shape. But, we made it to the top and it didn’t take too long, just a few short breaks.

The dome itself is pretty neat. Once you’re at the top you’re supposed to be able to see over 100 miles on a good day. For us, we could only see a few feet. It was foggy and cold. We still enjoyed the physical challenge though…and met some Christians who were climbing to the top to praise Jesus. That was really cool. We got back in the car and went on our way to Waynesville, North Carolina which took us about an hour and a half from Gatlinburg.

The Yellow House Bed and Breakfast, Waynesville, North Carolina

We arrived at The Yellow House at about 4:00pm. Last year we found this adorable bed and breakfast on Groupon. We saw they were having another deal so we bought another. The stay was $200 for two nights. It was a steal!

Shawn, the host, showed us to our room which was located inside the main house. Last year when we stayed we stayed in a separate suite by the upper pond. (CLICK HERE to see our trip last year.) The room we had picked this time was the Montecito. The room was lovely. The bed was super cozy and I loved the decor.

I liked that the room had charm but felt modern and super neat. The room was located on the second floor. Like last year, Shawn showed us around and made sure we knew where the snacks in the butler’s pantry were. Dustin made sure to get lots of fresh cookies. I wasn’t feeling too great and neither was Dustin when we arrived. We had some snacks at the wine and cheese reception but then headed back to our room. Surprisingly, we stayed in the room the entire night. I had thought we’d go to The Sweet Onion, a restaurant I loved from last time, but it was closed since it was a Sunday.

I took a bath and put on one of their cozy robes. We ate some food we brought in the room and also had some snacks that were free. The mini fridge was stocked with drinks, which was a nice touch. I loved the included bath salts which smell so heavenly. Some of the games we played were Chinese Checkers and 3/13.

In the evening we turned on the fireplace. I loved sitting in the big overstuffed floral chair and reading. So did Dustin. Our room also had a coffee maker so we made some tea for me and coffee for him. It was very relaxing and cozy.

I think we were both shocked when we went to bed at 10:30pm! (There are no TV’s in the rooms. There is wifi, but you’re encouraged to just connect with others).

Another cool aspect of the room was that there was music playing through a sound system that’s wired throughout the house. You can turn it off or up/down. I liked the jazz and classical sounds. It made the experience feel extra special. We had our own private bath and toilet which was nice as well.

Our room was rounded and there were windows all around the bed. You can see in this image where the room was:

Our bed was between the three windows in the back which are poking out. It was adorable. The next morning we awoke for breakfast on the patio and a full day in Asheville!

Love & Laughter,

Tiff

One of the Most Magical Days of Our Trip. Hint: There Were Bears!

7 / 13 / 16

It was Saturday, June 4th, and we’d already done so much! After feeding goats on the roof (literally), we decided it was time for us to eat!

The Old Mill Restaurant & Shops, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

One of our all-time favorite places to eat is The Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge. The portions are massive and the food is so delicious. There are also a lot of shops and things to do before eating. We went into the shops at the Old Mill Square. The Farmhouse Kitchen was adorable and there were lots of samples to try. We purchased some sparkling cider and some chip dip for Dustin’s parents who were graciously watching our kitties while we were away.

I was super excited to go into Sassafras. The shop was in a little corner and had some adorable jewelry. In the back, everything was an extra 50% off. I picked up both a necklace and a bracelet for under $10. There were lots of opportunities to try different olive oils and we snacked and snacked, tasting different combinations.

Passing-By-LG — Passing By, Randall Ogle, http://www.randalloglegallery.com/Passing-By.htm

One of the neater stores we walked into was the Randall Ogle Gallery. Inside there were some beautiful paintings. The man there was Randall himself. We were able to talk to him and he told us more about Cades Cove and how to see a bear. His paintings were really peaceful. On the brochure I picked up it said:

“Smokey Mountain Heritage,” the focal point of native artist Randall Ogle’s work, depicts unique scenes of the Great Smokey Mountains. The largest collection of Cades Cove artwork in the area featuring the special edition series “Cades Cove, Yesteryear.”

Once we had enough shopping, we grabbed a seat at The Old Mill. I hadn’t had cheese in a long time but ordered a small side of macaroni and cheese. Even though it was delicious, I regretted it later! The mashed potatoes, corn fritters, and green beans were to die for! It is truly a magnificent place. It was also the only time I allowed myself sweet tea on the trip. This was a hard decision for me, but I know it was a good one. Sweet tea has too much sugar in it!

The Park Vista by Doubletree, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Our room at The Park Vista was really nice. As a Hilton Honors member we got free bottles water and a mountain view upgrade. They also had us draw a prize out of a bowl. We won a coupon for a free appetizer at the hotel’s bar or restaurant.

The hotel itself is a large cylinder. When I was a little girl my parents brought me here. I remember dropping a Toy Story toy down the 15th floor that we got in a kids meal. It was of an army figure with a parachute on its back. We would race to see whose hit the ground first. It looked like this:

Now, the hotel is owned by Hilton and has been remodeled. It’s up on a mountain and offers great views. The pool is also pretty fabulous. They have a nice waterslide that we went on a lot the next morning.

Cades Cove, Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Unfortunately, the hotel was so full (at 5pm) that we weren’t able to check-in to our room. This was super sad since it was a pretty pricey hotel room for one night. We shrugged and decided to head to Cades Cove since it was raining. Cades Cove is outside of Gatlinburg and is part of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. It’s a looonnnnggg drive. It took us over an hour to get back to the park.

Was it worth it? Yes. Because BEARS.

I prayed and prayed we would see a bear. I’d heard of others driving back and not seeing one and just seeing deer. I concluded that even if we didn’t see a bear it was a beautiful place (which it is)!

It’s one of those untouched places in the world that makes you feel alive and free. The beauty was overwhelming.

Lucky for us there had been rain. So, we got a double rainbow. (A Full On Double Rainbow!) This was actually after we had already seen a bear. A young, adolescent bear, as Dustin would call him, pass in front of our car!

What a beautiful sight! The Lord stays true to his promises!

We drove the 11 mile loop and ended up seeing not one, but two bears. The first was smaller, but went right in front of our car. We got out and got to see him very up close!

We drove and saw ponies, turkey, and lots of dear. The wild turkey were pretty funny to watch as the moved their heads around in the grass. Later, we got to see a very large bear. This one I’d say was closer to 300+ pounds. He was further away, but we were on a hill and he was eating so we got to watch him well for over ten minutes. We actually left before he did!

It’s difficult to make him out, but I think you get the idea. There were others with massive lenses and professional cameras. We just used our phones and tried to live in the moment. Other things we did at Cades Cove included visiting some old cabins and an old church. We walked into the church out of the rain and explored. It was too dark to take pictures. The cabin was very cozy. It would’ve been a lovely sight to wake up to the mountains every morning. Below are pictures we took right in front of one of the original cabins.

On our way out of the park, we had to drive very carefully because wildlife could jump out in front of your car. This is an example:

How majestic!

I love how the deer is reflected in the water on the road which was left over after it had rained. The smoke on the mountains was so beautiful. This is probably one of the best pictures I’ve taken with my iPhone! I made sure you could see our dash so you could tell we were indeed driving!

If seeing 2 bears, a double rainbow, and other wildlife wasn’t enough, we ended up getting to see a momma bear and 2 cubs! On our way out of the park, I turned up some worship music and settled in for the long drive back. We came across lots of cars parked. There, in the forest, was a momma bear and two cubs. The lady beside me said they were the smallest cubs she’d ever seen and that they were probably very young. We couldn’t get a good picture, but it was a very special ending to our night. Praise the Lord and His beauty!

Patio- The Park Vista - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Gatlinburg — Fireflies at The Park Vista, Photo Credit: Gatlinburg.com

After Cades Cove we drove back to The Park Vista and checked in. We enjoyed the room and also went down to their bar for our free appetizer. There was a lovely outside patio, rocking chairs, and fire pit. The space was called Fireflies. The hummus plate was really good and we sat around the fire.

temp-masthead — Photo Credit: Park Vista

Later, we decided not to swim but to enjoy the room and watch Cops. One of our favorite travel tv shows.

It had been a long day, but I was so happy we saw BEARS!

Love & Laughter,

Tiffany

North Carolina Road Trip: Jungle Jims, Mary Todd Lincoln’s Home, & Cumberland Falls

7 / 8 / 16

You can’t have a good road trip without gas, right? Well, I thought this would be a great photo-op! A few years ago we got this fun silicone bean-stuffed dinosaur. We have no idea where we got it. Dustin says we may* have found him on the beach somewhere. We’re not sure. BUT we like to take him on trips as out travel mascot. I know it sounds funny and some people don’t get it, but it’s kind of a fun way to document our travels.

Meet Dino, the Awesome Travel Dude!

Above is Dustin getting gas for our trip. I had some writing to do so we left around 11am on Friday, June 3rd and headed from Mansfield to Caryville, Tennesee. Our first stop was Jungle Jims in Cincinnati, Ohio. Other stops included Lexington, Kentucky and Cumberland Falls, Kentucky.

Jungle Jims, 1st Stop, Cincinnati, Ohio

Oh, hey, there’s me! I had a writing interview this day with Neutrogena. I thought it was going to be a video call but ended up just being a phone conference. In this picture I was trying to mimic Hayden Panettiere’s makeup since she’s one of the faces of the brand. A lot of their products are simple and not over-pronounced. I really like the blue eyeliner I had on. The lip pencil was OK. I forget the shade but it was one of their brighter ones. Can you tell my skin is clearing up? Ever since I’ve started eating a plant-based whole food diet it’s gotten a lot better. Oh, and I’ve lost 25lbs.

It took us about 2 1/2 hrs to get to Jungle Jims from our house. This place is ah-mazing. If you love food and love traveling this is the place to shop. I would drive there just to spend the day. It’s a MASSIVE grocery store with foods from all over the world. My mum first told us about it and said they had $5,000+ bottles of wine. I didn’t get it…until I went for the first time. It’s seriously almost like an amusement park. They also give out free samples. It’s hard for me since I’m vegan, but they had some I could try.

Outside there are animal noises and a really cool looking elevated train. You can’t ride it, it’s just for looks. Once you walk inside you’re overwhelmed with the size. The store even gives tours. We came at a random time but there were still lots of samples out. We had to limit our time or else we wouldn’t make it anywhere else this day.

There’s a fun hippie theme in one section of the store. I told Dustin to stand for a picture. I think this was in the all natural section. The air steam painted trailer, picture of John Lennon, and tie dye clothes were perfect. We didn’t buy a lot since we were watching our money and brought out own meals. Things aren’t much more expensive than regular stores here. We bought some wafers (Manner) that we liked from Austria, some vinegar flavored edible crickets, a weird drink for Dustin, and some Italian pasta and sauce that we tried. The pasta sauce was from Bon Jovi’s dad. It was a garden marinara and it was excellent. The free sample got us hooked and we bought the $7 sauce and $2 pasta. Later, we made it at my grandparent’s cabin. It was so good! I later realized it had butter in it. A no no on my diet (and my stomach). Bummer.

PS- Go into the bathrooms. They look like porta pots on the outside but are really nice modern bathrooms on the inside. Mind = Blown!

Dustin and I also found Dr McDougall foods! This is the brand that started me on my whole foods plant-based diet. I love the food and now I’m vegan and feeling the best I’ve felt in years. I wanted a picture by the wall of the food to send to my family. Also, to keep track of my progress. One of my goals is to send my testimony to Dr. McDougall once I hit my goal weight!

There aren’t any words for this picture. Later, we sat in the car and tried a weird drink Dustin picked out. I took a video but forget where I put it. I hated it. The texture was weird. The basil seeds were slimy. I don’t think Dustin liked it because we dumped it out in Lexington, KY.

Last thing we did in Cinci was eat at Jimmy Johns. I only had eaten there once in Chicago and didn’t remember loving it. Well, we liked it a lot better this time. Maybe because we appreciate fresh food better. They had a vegan option for me too. I had a veggie sub with avocado and some kettle chips. The kettle chips were a splurge, but good!

Mary Todd Lincoln’s House, 2nd Stop Lexington, Kentucky

I had plans for us to stop at a neat little place called the Rabbit Hash General Store. This store is in Burlington, Kentucky and is one of the oldest general stores around. The town is known because they have dogs as their mayors whom the residents vote for each term. I wanted to stop by and catch a ~~glimpse~~ pet of the furry mayor. Unfortunately, as I read up on it and after we put in into the GPS we realized it burned down recently. So, we skipped it and kept heading to Lexington. Another stop we considered was The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati. This looked really cool but was $15pp and we wanted to hike more than look at signs so we saved it for another day since it’s closer to us.

Silly Dino selfie! Once we hit Lexington we were so excited to see all the cool rock “fences.” There were rocks stacked along the road and it looked so sophisticated. There were lots of horse stables (as to be expected) and charm. Mary Todd Lincoln’s home was located right downtown. We parked beside the conference center and walked to it. It was closed, but we read all the information outside and got to see some of the other historic homes.

At this time, we were both needing to go to the restroom and needing some caffeine. Somehow I always notice when there’s a local coffee shop nearby. There was one near our car. Daily Offerings Coffee Roastery was across the street from the Hilton and smelled wonderful. I have been without coffee for close to two months but Dustin got an iced coffee and I got some of their orange black tea. It was delicious.

It was also a great time for an “Instagram” model shot.

“Don’t look, you look artsy and mysterious.”

While walking we walked by a cool interior design store. I had to capture this horse that was encrusted with jewels.

Cumberland Falls, 3rd Stop, Corbin, Tennessee

After Lexington, we kept driving to Cumberland Falls. We went here last year with out families. My dad took me there before as well. It’s on the way and is a cool stop. It’s also known for its moonbeam.

Traffic was rough and that was frustrating because the clock was ticking. I didn’t want to get there when it was dark. We crept up to the lodge and put on our tennis shoes. After a quick bathroom break we hiked down to the falls. It was a two mile hike from Du Pointe Lodge there and back. It was pretty steep. I remembered last year doing it and hating it. This year it was hard, but not as difficult since I’ve been working out. Before, I didn’t dare climb the rocks at the bottom since I was so out of shape. This time we climbed up them at the base and had a snack.

It was really special. Sitting there watching the falls as the darkness fell. We were the only ones there other than those fishing. I snacked on a banana and some granola. On our way back up the sun went down. It was darker but we made it up fine. I kept running into spider webs though. That part sucked. I’d like to go back and hike even further. Our hotel was in Caryville, Tennessee. We pulled in pretty late. Close to 9pm, maybe later. We took turns showering off from the hike and had some McDougall meals. We watched TV and went to bed right away!

Dustin’s tired! We drove about six hours and hiked. I’d call that a good first day!

Love & Laughter,

Tiffany

PS- I used the Roadtrippers Ap which is free on my Iphone to find stops along the way. I planned it out ahead of time!