Road Trip! Smokey Mountains
Our little adventure begins as it always does, to make sure we show our kids as much of the world as we can before they out grow us and move on to their own lives. I mean how else will they know where they’d like to settle for college and beyond? So we decided to venture out on our first LONG road trip -10 hours to be exact – to the Smokey Mountains. The kids and I had fun purchasing little goodies to help kill the time.
Lodging-AirBnB
We specifically decided to get a cabin so that we were immersed in the landscape of the area and AirBnB did not disappoint us with it’s plethora of options at multiple price points. (PLEASE read ALL reviews so you are certain of what you’re getting should you chose to go this route as I’ve heard of so many people having horrible experiences!) .
Zipping Along: Climb Works
So exploring life’s little adventures in each region means truly going for it! One of our first memory making stops was to Climb Works for our first ever zip lining experience. We were taken up the mountain in off road vehicles through mud and crazy turns, walked on some scaffolding and suspension bridges to get to the platforms and were on our way. Of course we were properly attired and educated by the Climb Works crew prior to our departure. Then the fun began. Both Little Miss and Teen were trepidatious, but as you can see magic happened and once their first zip was completed it was game on!
Giddyup Adventures
Isn’t there some unwritten law that if you venture to the mountains you must saddle up? Well we take our adventures seriously! We found the most adorable old time ranch that promised riding up the mountains as well as through streams! Who am I to pass up a stream? The best part? They also offer a cowboy dinner show following your ride should you so choose to take part. The show entertains you with horse tricks, music and fun and is just a hay rack ride away from the ranch. Sadly they canceled the dinner show for our evening due to low demand. I’m still heartbroken over that missed adventure…BUT we had a ton of fun with our awesome cowboy helpers who wrangled even the feistiest of kid…I mean horse.
4-Wheeling FuN
You guessed it. More adventure awaits. Since our cowboy show was cancelled that left us with time to try something else…4 wheeling. This I have to admit is NOT for a girl like me. They really let you get those things moving and I am not a girl who likes to drive fast and Little Miss still teases me that she’s never riding me with on one again. #GrandmaDriver . That being said, I am so glad we did it and Jayell Horse Ranch gave us our money’s worth-on trails, through the woods, up hills, you name it.
Clingman’s Dome
At 6,643′ above sea level, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the highest point in Tennessee period. The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360° views of the Smokies and beyond for visitors willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top. On clear days views expand over a 100 miles. Our view wasn’t clear, obviously, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the day!
Hiking
In the Smokey’s the real adventure is in the natural landscape. Some of the most stunning hiking spots I’ve visited were here. First among them, Chimney Tops!
Grotto Falls Trailhead
Roaring Forks
Goats On A Roof
Because why not have a rollercoaster on the side of the mountain with cute little goats waiting down below? The kids just HAD to give this one a try!
Adventures Remembered
Time is never our friend when it comes to leaving a place we love so much. Our adventure in the Smokey’s was truly one of our favorites EVER! Sincerely I’m not really that outdoorsy (Little Miss definitely isn’t!) and yet this vacation was just what we needed to truly connect as a family in so many ways. We always rank our trips and this was at the top of everyone’s list!
As is customary we pick one souvenir to represent our trip that we can add to our home. I like my home to reflect my passion of travel and this lil guy, appropriately named, Waldon, from the area our cabin was located, has a place of honor on my kitchen island. Friends enter our home and more often then not I hear a child ask why we have a bear on our counter as it doesn’t exactly fit our decor, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! We LOVE Waldon and life’s little adventure he represents!
lifeslittleadventuresintravel.com 