Gatlinburg, TN

Located a scenic hour and a half drive from Waynesville, Gatlinburg, TN is one of two small Tennessee towns that make up the "Myrtle Beach of the mountains." While nearby Pigeon Forge's claim to fame mainly stems from Dollywood and a carnival like collection of arcades and go kart tracks that line the main street, Gatlinburg is the more grownup getaway.                                                                                  Like Pigeon Forge, the attractions at Gatlinburg are anchored by one franchise - in this case, Ripley's Believe It or Not.  The small town contains several Ripley's attractions, one of the best being a large aquarium featuring a shark tank, underwater tunnel, sting ray touch tank and a kid's section with small tanks and an activity center.  Other activities include numerous  mini golf courses, a ski lift that operates year round for those that wish to see Gatlinburg from above, and moonshine breweries on every corner.                                                                                           Public parking is both hard to find and expensive, but fortunately nearly everything in Gatlinburg is within walking distance and for those few attractions that are not, there is an extensive trolley system that runs from Gatlinburg to Pigeon Forge.  

Strolling around Gatlinburg, you will notice two things immediately (well, besides the moonshine).  One is a love of all things bears - carved bears grace benches, store fronts, stream beds, or just hang out on the sidewalk.  The other is an eclectic mix of architecture.  Although Gatlinburg is in Tennessee, some of the buildings look as though they would be more at home in Austria.  

  

Gatlinburg is also dominated by the Pigeon River which runs through the town.  Outdoor sports such as white water rafting are popular during the summer and nearly every hotel in town features river front balconies.

Although River Road may seem one of the most crowded and commercial spots in the Smoky Mountains with its abundance of arcades, haunted houses and souvenir shops, Gatlinburg also borders the Smoky Mountain National Park.  Even downtown Gatlinburg is prone to black bear sightings (real bears, that is, not just the carved ones).

So whether your pleasure is bar hopping downtown, playing round of mini golf with the family, or simply relaxing to the sound of the river, Gatlinburg has something for everyone.  Even the bears.

We anticipate reopening the Red Leaf River Inn in the Spring of 2015 and hope you will follow along as we renovate and restore this beautiful property in Waynesville, NC.  Find us on Facebook and Google+, follow us on Twitter @RedLeafRiverInn, or visit us at our website.

WNC Nature Center

The WNC Nature Center is tucked away in the heart of Asheville, NC.  Just minutes from the Asheville Mall and Tunnel Road, a main thoroughfare in Asheville, the Nature Center is a unique sort of zoo.  The 40 acre park is run by the City of Asheville's Parks and Recreation, and, while it is accredited by the Association of Zoo's and Aquariums, you won't find the typical zoo animals here.  Instead, you will be immersed in a little slice of native Appalachia.  

The Nature Center features a small petting zoo with goats and sheep for the kids, and long walk ways through exhibits featuring the natives of Appalachia such as black bears, red tailed hawks, and cougars as well as engangered species such as the red wolf.   Interspersed with the exhibits are fun treats for the kids, such as the otter slide next to the otter exhibit where kids can slide just like the otters do or the giant rope climbing web in the arachnid exhibit.  

There are also picnic areas within the park and guests are welcome to bring their own food and drinks in.  Most of the park is accessed through wide wood boardwalks and paved roads, although you can also take a short hike down the Trillium Trail.   Just 3/4 of a mile long, the Trillium Trail is a great way to experience the native flora of Appalachia.

At just $8 for adults and $4 for children, the WNC Nature preserve is a great way to spend a day or just a few hours exploring the wilder side of WNC.  

Waterfall over the turtle exhibit

Sleeping Bobcat

Raised walkway between the black bear exhibit
and the white tailed deer exhibit

We anticipate reopening the Red Leaf River Inn in the Spring of 2015 and hope you will follow along as we renovate and restore this beautiful property in Waynesville, NC.  Find us on Facebook and Google+, follow us on Twitter @RedLeafRiverInn, or visit us at our website.

KidSenses Children's Museum

About an hour and a half from our little town of Waynesville, NC, there is another small town called Rutherfordton.  Centerally located between Charlotte, Asheville, Hickory and Spartanburg/Greenville, this small town is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and makes a great stopping point for families driving their way across WNC.    '

The Alphabet Trail is just
for kids 4 and under with slides
and games just right for the
little ones.

Kids can push soft scarves and
balls into this vacuum only to have
them shoot out back into the room

Unique jungle gym that
 kids can use to
climb between floors.

One of the best attractions in the small town is KidSenses Children's Museum.  Right on Main Street, the museum is the perfect distraction for small kids tired of the car.  At just $5 a person, even a quick visit is worth the admission price.  Kids of all ages can visit twelve different exhibits within the museum.  We took the boys, Alexander (4 years) and Nikolas (2 years) out to see the museum.  The giant red fire truck in the window won them over before we even got into the musuem.  Once inside, it was hard to decide what they loved best - playing in the science power exhibit, making a meal at the Pueblito cafe, grocery shopping at the Little Family Dollar, or even getting to be inside a giant bubble! There is quiet space inside the Alphabet Trail for reading books and the boys even got to make a Cat in the Hat craft before they left.  

The giant red fire truck
 comes complete with fire
hats and boots to dress up in

Kids can "cook" or wait
tables at their own
kid-sized cantina

The bubble exhibit lets you be inside a giant
bubble - so easy even a 4 year old could do it!

So the next time you find yourself faced with the prospect of driving your family across WNC, consider making everyone's day a little brighter with a stop at the KidSenses Children's Museum in Rutherfordton, NC.

And, don't forget the milk, okay?

We anticipate reopening the Red Leaf River Inn in the Spring of 2015 and hope you will follow along as we renovate and restore this beautiful property in Waynesville, NC.  Find us on Facebook and Google+, follow us on Twitter @RedLeafRiverInn, or visit us at our website.

Soco Falls

Waynesville is known as the Gateway to the Smokies. The sheer magnitude of these wonderful mountains means every day can be an adventure of new-to-us discoveries. Last weekend, for example, we made an impromptu stop with visiting friends at Joey’s Pancake House in nearby Maggie Valley for (what else?) pancakes. Browsing the postcards while waiting to pay our bill, we spotted a shot of a gorgeous waterfall. Curious and with the day open before us, we asked the hostess if she knew how to get to Soco Falls. “Hang on,” she said, “let me ask one of the girls. She knows where everything is around here.”

Oh, sure… Up the road a piece, about 3 miles… [Those are mountain miles, by the way.] …You’ll see a sign, but you’re not there yet…  Looks like parking by the guardrail, but keep going until you see the black fence. Can’t miss it!

We’re so glad we didn’t.

Soco Falls from the observation deck

Sunlight filtering through towering trees

Soco Falls, Maggie Valley, NC

We anticipate reopening the Red Leaf River Inn in the Spring of 2015 and hope you will follow along as we renovate and restore this beautiful property in Waynesville, NC.  Find us on Facebook and Google+, follow us on Twitter @RedLeafRiverInn, or visit us at our website.