After a few recent dedicated and fairly lengthy planning sessions, I think I have the "big rocks" of our Hawaii trip all set. YAY!!! My trip planning methods have shifted some over the years. I guess it actually depends on the location, really. I usually use some combination of: 1) Good old-fashioned guidebooks When I… Continue reading My travel planning style and resources
As I suspected and forecasted, this is a BUSY season for us right now. Side note- It annoys me that I just said that. Because I kind of feel like I, or the collective "we", have all taken to calling every season "busy". Have you noticed that? This current season (April-May) is the busy spring… Continue reading “Busy seasons” + good stuff list
Friday, March 29 Picking back up! So looking back to Thursday 3/28, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from Gatlinburg to Asheville and then spent the night in Asheville (in Biltmore Village). I had pre-purchased Biltmore Estate tickets for 10:15 a.m. Friday morning. The instructions said to be there 45 minutes early to allow time… Continue reading Our Biltmore Estate day! Asheville, North Carolina
First of all! A big thanks to all of you who chimed in on my last post about Hawaii and travel expenses. There were some REALLY interesting comments as well as helpful tips! I just went back this morning (finally) and responded to every one of you! Secondly, I am holding myself back from writing… Continue reading Lately…The “Let’s Browse my Camera Roll” edition
HI and sorry about disappearing! For a whole week! I just realized my last post was last Friday, which is a very long time for me to go with no blog posts. I had told myself I wasn't allowed to write any regular posts until I finished my Smokies recaps, but I still have 2… Continue reading A check in! And oops, a Hawaii $$ related spiraling tirade…
Thursday, March 28 Thursday was such a wonderful day! On the agenda was driving the Blue Ridge Parkway (a scenic route that snakes the "long way" through the mountains to Asheville, North Carolina). I went back and forth when planning this trip originally; I'd heard such good things about Asheville that my original plan was… Continue reading Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway day (to Asheville)
Wednesday, March 27 The plan for Wednesday was to go to Dollywood!! If you're not familiar, it's a major theme park owned by country superstar Dolly Parton and based around her life and roots in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. I wanted to go here for a few reasons. One, several people that I know who… Continue reading Dollywood fun!
Tuesday, March 26 My original plan for Tuesday was to do another day focusing on some major National Park sights (similar to Monday). I had a certain area of the park bookmarked for Monday (which we did), and another section (the first half of Newfound Gap Road) and a couple specific hikes cued up for… Continue reading Our worst weather day, but turned out okay!
Monday, March 25 I think I already shared this- I started Monday off with some hot tub time. It was a late night Sunday night so we weren’t planning to be up and out the door super early on Monday or anything. It honestly got a bit later than I preferred before we headed out… Continue reading Great Smoky Mountain NP: Crowds, Spruce Flats Falls and Cades Cove
Sunday, March 24: Picking up where I left off in my last post- Sunday afternoon. So after arrival, a late lunch and then checking in at the resort, we headed out for Anakeesta. It’s a mountaintop “village/amusement park” of sorts. Not a full on amusement park but a smaller mountain version. The only rides are… Continue reading Anakeesta! Magical views!
GRATEFUL KAE 