Earlier this year, Nathan and I decided it was time we took a vacation! Just the two of us and for more than 2 nights! Something that hadn’t happened since our honeymoon 9 years ago! We knew we wanted to go somewhere neither of us had been before and after playing some dot to dot connections of internet links, we landed on Blue Ridge, Georgia. A four day weekend was squeezed out between work, dance and baseball obligations, arrangements were made for the kids to stay with their wonderful Grandma and Grandpa and then began the fun of planning!

We started out with a 5:20am flight out of Houston, for which we arrived entirely too early (we were a little zealous) and the gate location changed to the opposite side of the terminal while we were waiting resulting in us arriving just at the end of our group boarding…but we made it and managed seats together. The flight was quick and I managed to doze for part of it. We landed and managed to navigate the “nation’s worst airport” rather seamlessly with the exception of the 40 minute wait to get our previously reserved rental car. An apologetic upgrade hooked us up with a SUV instead of the compact car and as it would turn out, would REALLY come in handy.

Once on the road, priority number one became finding coffee and breakfast! Up until this point I was very happy with our wake-up-at-2am-and-get-on-plane idea, but after the hold up at the rental car desk, I was starving and caffeine deprived. Next time, I think I would opt to stand in the long lines at the airport and get my fix out of the way. 😉 After a little bit of meandering through Atlanta and spotting old relics of the 1996 Olympics, Dunkin Donuts came to the rescue. Now it was time for BEEERRRR! I’m pretty sure we could’ve spent the entire four days brew touring, there are so many breweries! But the mountains were calling, so we selected 2 breweries on the way north and thoroughly enjoyed lunch and flights at Porter Pizza & Brewing and Reformation Brewing.

We arrived in Blue Ridge a couple hours before checkin for our cabin. Enough time to tour Expedition: Bigfoot! The Sasquatch Museum. 😁Nathan enjoyed examining the artifacts on display (including a Bigfoot butt impression lol), listening to Bigfoot sounds and life like statues. But, I may or may not have fallen asleep during a documentary showing. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Finally! It was time to checkin to our cabin in the woods! And we did good on this airbnb find. It was up a windy road and while we drove past other homes, once on our porch, it was total seclusion in the woods. The interior was comfortable and themed just like mountain cabin in a magazine haha. We opted for a swanky dinner in town that evening and hit the hay early in preparation for a full day of hiking.

Our first destination Saturday morning was Springer Mountain to the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The 6 mile drive up the mountain took 45 minutes due to the gravel, single lane, blind curve, switch back condition of the road and it was then we were so grateful we had an SUV with ground clearance! The hike was 1 mile in and back and when we returned to the car, we had officially hiked the first mile of the Appalachian Trail!

Along the way we checked out a camp site with anti bear equipment and a spring labeled adequate for drinking. We also passed the head of the Benton MacKaye Trail. The view from the summit wasn’t a wide open one because apparently the entire state is trees stacked on trees! Except where there’s water.

Another hour and a half in the car on crazy mountain roads and we arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park. An absolutely stunning experience hiking/climbing stairs alongside and across the falls from bottom to top. While the total distance was only a mile round trip, we did ascend and descend a total of 1208 steps! After, we enjoyed a late lunch at the lodge overlooking the state park.

Next up, we took the long way back to the cabin and stopped at Fall Branch Falls. We were pretty tired at this point and found the unstructured environment and lack of human presence super relaxing. I even felt at liberty to put my feet in the FREEZING water at the base of the falls. We could have easily spent longer than an hour here but showers and more craft beer back in Blue Ridge were calling our names 😀

Fannin Brewing Company and Grumpy Old Men Brewing did not disappoint. Beers-to-go came back to the cabin with us and we enjoyed the pitch black, quiet night on our screened in porch.

Sunday morning we started out after breakfast for the 2 hour drive to Tallulah Gorge State Park near the South Carolina state line. The gorge and the falls scattered throughout were a spectacular sight. We spent hours there hiking the entire rim trail and climbing another total of 2400 steps in, across and up the gorge. COMPLETELY exhausting but oh so worth it.

Our drive back to Blue Ridge took us through Helen, Georgia which equated to the state’s version of New Braunfels in our eyes. This place was definitely the touristy destination we were glad we avoided! We also witnessed the tubing activity of the Chattahoochie River (like the Alan Jackson song!) where they used sticks to guide themselves down the river….interesting concept. That evening was spent relaxing with a microwave dinner in bed in front of the TV.

Monday morning brought our long day back to East Texas. We loaded up in our well used equinox and drove back to Atlanta making a stop at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to take a quick look at Civil War battle sites. And to take a picture of a chipmunk for the kids ;).

It turns out ATL’s reputation is true when you’re trying to depart that airport! But, we made it to the gate just in time (again) and managed seats together (again). Our flight was quick, baggage claim was easy, we picked up the kids and were home before we knew it.

Georgia was a fantastic time and it turns out Nathan and I vacation well together! For the next one, the only thing I want to do differently is not tie us to one accommodation for the entire trip. I think having the ability to stay along the way will allow us more activity time. We shall see and I think we will test that theory in Arizona next year. 🙂

-Lindsay

A few years ago I decided that as the kids turned 10, we would celebrate turning the double digit milestone by taking a one on one weekend trip. Obviously Ashlyn’s turn came first…and rather quickly! 😉 I left the destination up to her within the guidelines of it being within 3 hours of home. She decided on a beach and I narrowed it to Galveston… 4 hours away… but an easy beach. Especially easy, because Grandma and Grandpa live on the way and would make for a fun getaway for the boys as well!

We drove down the morning of May 15th and got the boys settled in Houston with Grandma. Ashlyn and I then arrived at our seawall beach front condo in Galveston by 2pm. The airbnb find really set the trip off to a great start! The condo was set up like a hotel suite with a full kitchen and a balcony facing the beach. The building was quiet, had a clean pool, round the clock clerks and best of all, beach access right across the street. For a steal of $70/ night, I will absolutely rent the condo again.

We spent our first afternoon and evening catching up with some of my local friends and their kids on the beach. Dad then came down and took Ashlyn and I out to Benno’s for dinner. Where we FEASTED on shrimp, crabs, and fish. So yummy.

 

 

The following morning after a bacon and eggs breakfast, Ashlyn and I enjoyed a morning walk on a near deserted beach. Another bonus to the timing of our trip; school wasn’t out yet and we were there during the week. After our walk, Ashlyn wanted some pool time and that’s where we hung out until Auntie Jen joined up with us for the remainder of Ashlyn’s agenda. First up, lunch at Chick-fil-A on the seawall. Then a stroll across the street to Murdoch’s Pier, an elaborate souvenir shop positioned over the beach. Ashlyn purchased shark tooth necklaces for the boys and a turtle snow globe for herself. She and Auntie Jen also enjoyed shopping the jewelry. 😉

 

 

Next up was the ferry with hopes of seeing some dolphins. No luck on the dolphins, but Ashlyn had a great time snapping photos from the upper deck and enjoying a boat ride without feeling sick. NOW it was time for the beach. After a quick stop at Walmart for snacks, chairs and a boogie board, we gathered up the rest of the gear and spent the afternoon enjoying the surf and Ashlyn’s joy in the waves.

 

 

Dinner that night was simple at Ashlyn’s request with macaroni and cheese and veggies in front of the tv.

Friday morning was departure time and we pit stopped along the deserted seawall to check out some historical monuments and scenery one last time before meeting Auntie Jen in Seabrook for breakfast.

 

 

As we were en route to pick up the boys and head back to ETX, already lamenting that we were sad to leave the beach, Ashlyn asks me if I grabbed her pink teddy from the room. LOL. Making a long story with a lot of last minute decisions short, we retrieved the boys from Houston and then the bear from Galveston. By 3 pm, the four of us were setting up on the beach at Galveston Island State Park. 😂 The Schultz Family joined us a few hours later and we finally had to force everyone out when the sun started going down.

 

After a good night’s sleep at the Schultz’s and easy morning visiting with our sweet hosts, we officially headed home looking forward to our next time at the beach.

Galveston thoroughly delivered one heck of a vacation surprisingly! I had very low expectations for this experience and once I let myself get caught up in the kids’ simple pleasures of it all, I can see us making an easy trip to Galveston at least once a year!

-Lindsay