Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake

Roanoke is a great base city for exploring Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains! To make it even better, Smith Mountain Lake is just an hour east of the city. SML is a popular lake getaway with 500+ miles of shoreline. Most folks just visit one or the other, but I found it was a great way to combine a mountain weekend and a chill lake weekend all into one trip together.

McAfee Knob

Roanoke Recommendations:

• Blindhouse Beer: A stellar brewery focused on Belgian and French styles where everything is a slow pour. The beers are fantastic and the vibes are great. You can also get Food Hut RKE delivered to your table.

• Go for a hike! The Appalachian Trail runs on the west side of the city and the Blue Ridge Parkway is on the east side, providing ample trailheads all close to downtown.

  • McAfee Knob via Appalachian Trail: This 8.1 mile long trail with 1,811ft of elevation gain leads to one of the most photographed areas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It takes just under four hours to complete. The trail is shaded the entire way which is a bonus in the hot summer months. The views are fantastic and the trail is quiet—highly recommend. You can also choose to go up or down the fire road which is flatter and smoother than the AT.

  • Carvin’s Cove Hay Rock via Appalachian Trail: A 7.9 mile/1,423ft of elevation gain hike to an overlook of Carvin’s Cove. You can also shorten the distance to 5 miles (same elevation gain) to the first lookout to save time. A nice view of the water below.

• Take a scenic drive: The Blue Ridge Parkway has some great viewpoints—a lot of them can be overgrown in the summer months but Great Valley is a stellar spot, especially for sunset.

• Big Lick Brewing Company: This brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap, a nice patio, and you can get food delivered to your table from nearby restaurants.

• A Few Old Goats Brewing: A solid brewery with chill vibes and a nice patio space.

• Mill Mountain Park & Star: The famed star overlooking Roanoke lights up at night and there is a great viewpoint over the city and surrounding mountains. Heads up the Google maps location is a little off if you search for the star, search for the park instead.

• Barrel Chest Wine and Beer: A bottle shop with self-pour beer and wine taps. They also have a charcuterie selection.

• Three Notch’d Brewing: An average brewery with a full food menu.

• Olde Salem Brewing: The Roanoke location of this brewery is located in the downtown market and their main taproom is in neighboring Salem. You can get food delivered to your table from nearby restaurants. The beer is mediocre.

• Twin Creeks Brewpub: A brewery off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Fables & Feathers Winery

Smith Mountain Lake Recommendations:

• Jake’s Place: A restaurant and beer bar on the water with a killer tap list. The food menu is pizza-focused and tasty. Great atmosphere and experience.

• Hickory Hill Vineyards: Very tasty wine in a relaxed atmosphere.

• Smith Mountain Trail: The lake’s namesake mountain provides a unique vantage point! There is a moderate trail that is 5 miles long with 1,000ft of elevation gain out to a cool viewpoint or you can go all the way up for another view. To reach this viewpoint you’ll turn left at the 2.5 mile point and go downhill to a small ledge with beautiful views. This trail takes just over two hours in totality and is very quiet. You will need an access permit which can be bought online ahead of time. 

• Fables & Feathers Winery: A nice winery a bit off the beaten path. Tasty wines, friendly service, nice patio overlooking the vines.

• Smith Mountain Lake State Park: This is a nice state park that has 7 short, mostly flat trails along with some water access and picnic areas. There is a $7 entrance fee.

  • Chestnut Ridge Trail: This trail is 1.5 miles long, is mostly flat, and takes about 40 minutes to complete.

  • Turtle Island Trail: This trail is 1.4 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about 30 minutes to complete.

• West Lake Coffee and Café: A decent spot for coffee and breakfast.

• Ramulose Ridge Vineyards: Another winery 2 minutes from Hickory Hill. They also offer sangria. Unfortunately it seemed like the bottle I ordered from had been open for far too long, wouldn’t really recommend.

• The Bagel & I: Solid bagel sandwich but the bagel itself was stale.

Idaho

The Sawtooth Mountains are a gorgeous area of Idaho. They are part of the Rocky Mountains in Central Idaho and a beautiful, peaceful escape. The Sawtooths are popular for hiking, camping, fly fishing, and whitewater rafting. There are nearly 400 alpine lakes in this region and a plethora of jagged peaks. It’s the perfect spot for a long weekend because they are isolated from pretty much anywhere else you’d want to combine it with for a longer road trip. This isolation means it is not super well known or popular, which is a big win in my book.

Imogene Lake

Hiking in The Sawtooth Mountains:

None of the trails in this area are too steep, but they can be quite long. Remember to keep in mind the elevation if you’re coming from sea level—this area sits at around 6,000ft of elevation and then you’ll climb further up from there.

• Sawtooth Lake via Iron Creek Stanley Lake Trail: This trail is 12.8 miles long with 1,817ft of elevation gain and takes about 5 hours to complete. Note that AllTrails lists this at 9.6 miles. Sawtooth Lake is absolutely stunning and an iconic sight in the Sawtooths. The mountains and lake are gorgeous. The trail is pretty exposed and leads through the wilderness to Alpine Lake and from there it heads uphill to Sawtooth Lake for one more mile. This trail is close to the town of Stanley somewhat popular, but there is overflow parking and it’s not by any means crowded.

• Imogene Lake Trail: This trail is 15.2 miles long with 1,459ft of elevation gain and takes about 5.5 hours to complete from the upper trailhead. Note that AllTrails lists it at 13.4 miles. This is a great two-for-one trail with both Hell Roaring and Imogene Lakes. Hell Roaring is only about an hour from the upper trailhead which is a nice way to divide up the hike. If you visit Hell Roaring in the morning you may be treated to a gorgeous reflection in the morning light. Imogene Lake is much larger and also beautiful. You can hike all the way around the lake if you’d like. The trail is very quiet, I only saw a couple of folks the entire way (even on a holiday weekend).

  • There are two trailheads to access Hell Roaring and Imogene Lakes. The upper trailhead requires a 4 wheel drive/high clearance vehicle to access. The lower trailhead adds a couple of miles to your hike.

• Pettit Lake to Alice Lake: This trail is 13.9 miles long with 1,900ft of elevation gain and takes about 6 hours to complete. The trail begins at Pettit Lake which is very pretty in the morning light. It then winds deeper into the wilderness with a few dramatic viewpoints and several river crossings. It is a quiet, exposed, and rocky trail that can get buggy in the afternoon. Alice Lake is a beautiful alpine lake that you can also hike around if you want to add in more mileage. The AllTrails route takes you to Twin Lakes, which adds about 2.4 miles and 200ft of elevation gain, though AllTrails says this route in total is 13.6 miles.

Hell Roaring Lake

Things to do in Stanley, Idaho:

Stanley is the tiny town that calls the Sawtooth Mountains home. It’s a great base for exploring this region with a few hotels, restaurants, and outfitting businesses. You could also stay in the Sun Valley area, but that is not quite as “mountain-weekend”-y, much more touristy, and you’ll have longer drives to trailheads.

• Stanley Lake Overlook: Stanley Lake is a gorgeous alpine lake that is accessible without hiking through the mountains (though you can do that too!). The overlook is a great spot to lounge on the water, but there is also a boat launch area with a beach and a campground.

• Sawtooth Hotel: A great spot for dinner with a view! The food is tasty, though a little pricey, and the team here is very nice.

• Relax in a hot spring: Thanks to its geography and geology, Idaho is home to more soakable hot springs than any other state in the U.S.! There are over 20 in the Stanley area, and I checked out two:

  • Sunbeam Hot Springs: This a spacious hot spring with several different pools of water with different temperatures. It is located about 15 minutes north of Stanley.

  • Valley Creek Hot Spring: This is right in downtown Stanley. It is a bit smaller and has some road noise, but the water is warm and relaxing.

• Stanley Baking Company: A cute spot for baked goods, coffee, breakfast, and lunch. It is wildly busy so expect a wait in the summer months, but it’s worth it.

• Papa Brunee’s: A solid spot for pizza and subs. It can be a little hectic but the food comes out pretty quickly.

• Stay at Basecamp Lodge: This is a cute lodge and RV park in Stanley. There are thoughtful touches and it’s on the cheaper side. I enjoyed my stay but if I were to return to the area I would probably book something with a view.

• Redfish Lake: This area can be the most crowded of the Sawtooths. It is home to a lodge, multiple campgrounds, two restaurants, a boat launch, kayak/SUP rentals, trailheads, and more. It’s worth checking out, but not quite the vibe I wanted personally.

• Skip: Stanley Supper Club: 0/10 experience here.

• Heads up: Groceries from the only store in town, Mountain Village Mercantile, are extraordinarily overpriced and they have a limited selection—do your best to avoid it.

Shoshone Falls

Twin Falls Recommendations:

Twin Falls has a nice little downtown. It’s a very outdoorsy city with a bunch of bike trails, a gorgeous golf course on the Snake River, trails, waterfalls, parks, and more. It’s about 2.5 hours from Twin Falls to the Sawtooth Mountains, and you’ll pass through the popular ski area of Sun Valley on the way.

• Koto Brewing Company and Milner’s Gate are the two breweries in town and O’Dunkens is a beer bar that looks solid—they were all closed when I was in Twin Falls due to a holiday.

• Shoshone Falls: This is a massive waterfall known as the Niagara of the West. It is taller than Niagara Falls, just not as wide, and very cool to see. There is a $5 entrance fee to see the falls.

• Perrine Coulee Falls: A nice waterfall that you can reach via this trail that is half of a mile long with 200ft of elevation gain and takes about 20 minutes to complete, or you can also just see the fall from the road.

• Redhawk Gastropub: A restaurant with views of the Snake River Bridge and Canyon on their nice patio. They have a solid tap list, the food is tasty, the service is a little lacking.

• Snake River Canyon Rim Trail: This is a great trail to bike along the edge of the Snake Canyon. You could go as long or as short as you’d like with nice views throughout.

• Centennial Waterfront Park: A great park on the Snake River. There is a boat launch and picnic tables with nice views of the canyon and bridge.

• Java Blue Lakes: A nice little spot for coffee, breakfast, and lunch.

TF Brewing

Stops on the way to/from the Sawtooths:

Craters of the Moon National Monument

This is a very unique attraction made of dried lava from Great Rift fissures. The park has several trails with craters, cones, and caves. It is neat to explore but not worth going too far out of your way for. It is $20 per car to enter without a National Park Pass. Located 2.5 hours southeast from Stanley, 1.5 hours northeast of Twin Falls. There is a 7 mile loop drive that each trail and viewpoint is located off of.

• Spatter Cones and Big Craters via North Crater Trail: This trail includes Spatter Cones, Snow Cones, and Big Crater. It is 1.3 miles long, but also connects to the North Crater trail so you can make it as short or long as you’d like. Most folks just see the spatter and snow cones, but the Big Crater is pretty neat.

• Inferno Cone Trail: This is a quick .4 mile roundtrip trail up to a panoramic viewpoint. It is short but steep and takes about 15 minutes to complete.

• Caves Trail: A mostly flat 1.8 mile long trail to Indian Tunnel and Dewdrop Cave. These are made of lava tubes and neat to see. It is a bit treachorous with boulders in the cave and the trail can be a bit hard to follow. Bring a headlamp for better sight. Note the AllTrails route includes Boy Scout and Beauty caves which were closed during my visit. You will need a free permit from the visitor’s center to access this area. Do not wear or bring anything that has been in a cave ever before to protect the bats from white nose syndrome.

Salt Lake City

I flew in and out of Salt Lake because it made sense from Charlotte with cheap, nonstop flights at good times. It would be easier to access the Sawtooths by flying into Boise, Twin Falls, or Sun Valley, but this made more sense for me. If you also are in SLC, check out all of my Utah recommendations here. Highlights from this trip:

• Bonneville Salt Flats: The salt flats are pretty neat—they are the remnants of Lake Bonneville and it’s, well, salty and flat. They do car racing here occasionally, but otherwise you can just walk around and take in the sights and uniqueness. The best spot to access the salt flats is by just making a quick stop at the west bound rest area on I-80 West, about 1.5 hours from the SLC airport.

• Templin Family Brewing: A stellar brewery with a wide variety of beers but superb Lagers. This is a popular spot with frequent food trucks, a small snack menu and cocktails. They have a nice back patio space as well.

• Epic Brewing Company: Epic is most known for their big Stouts and have been in the beer game for ages. Their SLC taproom does not have any taps because of Utah’s wild beer laws, but they have a huge menu of bottles and cans you can get pours from.

• Grid City Beer Works: A great brewery with a Lager and Cask focus. They have a tasty food menu and lots of vegan options as well. The vibes here are a fun mix between classic brewery and restaurant, plus they have a rooftop deck.

• Great Salt Lake State Park: This is a nice spot for sunset and to see the Great Salt Lake. There is not quite a beach but you can access the water if you’d like, just keep in mind it is indeed very salty. There are also a ton of spiders in the area because of the salt, meaning the observation deck and surrounding rocks are covered in webs and eight legged critters. There is an entrance fee of $10 per car.

Have you been to idaho? What are your favorite spots to explore? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

Johnson City, TN

Johnson City, Tennessee is a gem! The city emanates small town charm while still having plenty to do and some delicious spots for beer, cocktails, and eats.

The city is a hub for outdoorsy activities with its location nestled in the mountains, motorcycles with the Southern Dozen rides, and biking with numerous mountain biking trails and pump tracks. It is also a very dog-friendly city!

It is located in the Northeastern corner of Tennessee, 3 hours from Charlotte via the Linville Gorge or an hour north of Asheville.

Little Animals Brewing

Adventures & Ales Top recommendations:

• Little Animals Brewing: Solid beers in a fun atmosphere with arcade games. They have a small tap list of their own beers and a handful of guest taps.

• Stay at the Carnegie Hotel: This gorgeous, historic hotel was originally built in 1891. It is located across from the ETSU campus and a 20 minute walk from downtown. They have a seasonal pool and they are dog-friendly.

• Timber!: A stellar restaurant with a cute interior and dog-friendly back patio space. Their menu is divided in small, medium, and large plates alongside cocktails, wine and a handful of beers. The food and drinks are fantastic, highly recommend.

• The Atlantic Ale House: A beer bar with 16 taps, a small selection of cans, and frequent food trucks. They have a nice back patio overlooking Founders Park as well.

• Laurel Falls: This trail is 4.7 miles long with 620ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. It shares the path with the Appalachian Trail and leads to a gorgeous waterfall. The trail is a lovely serene walk along the river in Cherokee National Forest. It takes about 2 hours to complete and the trailhead is 20 minutes from Johnson City in Hampton.

  • Appalachian Sun Brewery in Elizabethton is on the way back towards Johnson City but unfortunately their hours are quite limited.

The Carnegie Hotel

• Off Leash Social: A dog park and bar in North Johnson City with frequent food trucks and events. They have beer, wine and cocktails in a large outdoor space with shipping containers. The staff is super friendly and attentive to the dogs (and humans).

• BURG’r & Barrel: A cool spot for burgers and BBQ. The space is an old train depot and they have a nice interior space and a lovely patio.

• Pal’s Sudden Service: A Northeast Tennessee icon! You can’t miss their fun shaped buildings as you are driving through the area. This fast food drive thru specializes in biscuits, burgers and hotdogs. The cheddar rounds are absolutely superb and should not be missed.

• Nolichucky Ridge Cliff via Appalachian Trail: This trail is 2.6 miles long with 524ft of elevation gain and is rated moderate. It takes about an hour to complete and there are two very nice viewpoints at the top of your climb. It is known as “The Gorge” and sits along the North Carolina/Tennessee border.

• Tennessee Hills Brewstillery: A brewery and distillery combination with solid cocktails and beer. The tap list is quite large and they also have their own food truck onsite.

• Buffalo Mountain Park: A great park 7 minutes from downtown with several different trails. Huckleberry Knob is a great viewpoint to check out!

• King Commons: A nice park downtown spanning three acres.

Laurel Falls

Other ideas:

• Shop around downtown: There are plenty of cute stores to explore, but my two favorites are The Generalist and Terrarium.

• Great Oak Brewing + Southern Craft Barbecue: Great Oak is located inside of Southern Craft downtown. The food menu is expansive and tasty and the beer menu has selection of Great Oak taps + guest taps. They also have wine and cocktails. The team here is super nice!

• Tweetsie Trail: A walking, running and biking path that runs in the place of a former railroad line. In total it is 9.6 miles long and connects Johnson City to Elizabethton. There are bike rental spots at the trailhead in Johnson City as well

• Cranky’s Pump N Pints: A beer garden housed at the Tweetsie Trail start. They have 8 taps and a selection of cans with frequent food trucks. There is indoor and outdoor seating and a pump track.

• Label Restaurant: A popular restaurant in downtown with sushi, burgers, entrees, and bourbons. They have a front patio space and a fun interior. They serve brunch on Sundays with $3 mimosas and $6 Bloody Mary’s.

Timber!

• Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park: This mountain bike park has a pump track and biking trails along with a pretty overlook.

• The Moon Coffee and Tea House: A cute little spot on Main Street with plants and chill vibes for coffee, tea and a selection of pastries from nearby Lazy Lady Baking Co.

• Yee-Haw Brewing & White Duck Taco: These two spots share a building downtown with a front and back patio. Solid tacos, average beers, chill vibes.

• The Main Street Pizza Company: A tasty spot downtown for variety of eats, don’t let the menu fool you they do more than pizza! The butternut bisque was wildly delicious and the subs are a big hit.

• Founders Park: A spacious five acre park downtown with a sculpture exhibit.

• The Beauty Spot: A scenic viewpoint at the Tennessee/North Carolina border that is 35 minutes southeast of downtown. A forewarning: the road is closed with no notice at times.

• Johnson City Brewing: A brewery downtown with a massive tap list. The beers here were not my favorite.

Hendersonville, NC

Hendersonville is a cute little mountain town south of Asheville, NC. It is a popular area for retirees and has a classic “main street” to bop around. HVL is a great spot for a weekend getaway with more small town vibes and less crowds. The surrounding small towns also offer great eats, drinks and hikes. Check out my recommendations below!

See my Asheville guide here.

Oklawaha Brewing Company

Downtown Hendersonville

Pro-Tip: Most of the main streets of downtown Hendersonville have paid parking requirements, but if you go over just a block or two to the side streets the parking is free.

Beer + food recommendations—in ranking order:

• The Blue Door Bottle Shop and Beer Hall: A great spot with 20 taps and a wide selection of cans and bottles. My favorite spot I visited in HVL.

• Blue Ridge Beer Garden: A cute spot with a turf patio, string lights and picnic tables. They have 25 taps with a good variety of options. There is often a food truck parked out front and the vibes are great.

• Oklawaha Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a wide offering of beers. They have a kitchen and frequent live music.

• HenDough: A delicious spot for donuts, breakfast biscuits, and chicken biscuits.

• West First Wood-Fired: A cute spot for pizza and pasta in a cozy environment. Tasty!

• The 2nd Act: A coffee shop and bar with a small food menu and frequent live music and events. A great place to start or end your day!

• Arabella: A cute spot for breakfast and brunch! The food is tasty and they have a small patio out front that is open seasonally.

• Dry Falls Brewing Co.: A nice little brewery with a wide variety of beers on tap. They have a small patio and average beers.

• White Duck Taco Shop: A Carolinas chain for great tacos! They have a large patio out front and delicious eats—don’t skip the queso.

• Trailside Brewing Co: A solid brewery in a renovated factory space. They have a large patio and they are dog friendly inside and out.

• Mikes on Main: An old school diner offering breakfast and lunch on Main Street.

• Postero: A solid spot for lunch and dinner downtown.

• Southern Appalachian Brewery: Hendersonville’s first brewery! They have frequent live music and a patio space. The beer here is mediocre.

• Guidon Brewing: A German brewery with a German-inspired beer list and kitchen. Located directly next door to Southern Appalachian Brewing. The beer here is below average.

• Skip Boodas Brewing Company: They don’t have any of their own beers available and the guest tap selection is mediocre.

12 Bones South

Surrounding Towns:

• Burning Blush Brewery: A stellar spot in Mills River. The Lagers are great and the space is unique. There is usually a food truck outside if you are hungry.

• Whistle Hop Brewing Company: A great brewery located in Fairview, NC. They have a huge outdoor space with a ton of yard games. They are housed in a literal train car which is unique and fun. Highly recommend!

• 12 Bones South: A great BBQ restaurant and brewery located in Arden. They have another location in the River Arts District of Asheville as well. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with cute murals and little mason jar glasses for flights. The beers are tasty and the food is delicious. The “damn good corn pudding” is in fact damn good.

• Sierra Nevada Mills River: This is a huge outpost of the California-based brewery with a private drive, full kitchen and taproom, and concert space. The outdoor space is great, with a firepit, game space, dog space, kid space, and all nestled in the forest. The staff here is also super friendly and great! Located in Mills River near the airport.

• Mills River Brewing Company: A spacious brewery in Mills River with a fantastic outdoor space. They are located near the airport and offer cocktails, wine and beer. They have a permanent food truck onsite with a large menu and frequent live music.

• Sideways Farm and Brewery: This farm brewery is located in Etowah. The beers can be great but they have only 4 taps so it’s a bit unreliable.

• Turgua Brewing: An average brewery on the creek with a nice outdoor space. They are advertised as a farmhouse brewery but they have a large variety of beers. They are located 3 minutes from Whistle Hop Brewing in Fairview.

• Blue Ghost Brewing Company: A mediocre brewery located in Fletcher near the airport. They also have an onsite food truck but the hours are limited.

• Skip Joey’s New York Bagels: A bagel shop with two locations in the area—Hendersonville and Fletcher. 0/10 experience here twice.

Rainbow Falls

Get Into Nature:

• Rainbow Falls Trail: This is a great hike that is 5.4 miles long with 1,181ft of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete. It is located in Jones Gap State Park in Marietta, SC, just across the border. Reservations are required on holidays and weekends, the park closes by 5, and there is a $6 entrance fee. It is a very nice trail that is steep at times but the falls at the end are fantastic.

• High Falls and Triple Falls Tour: A popular trail in DuPont State Recreational Forest. This is 20 minutes from downtown Hendersonville and overall 3.7 miles long with 511ft of elevation gain. Both sets of waterfalls are very cool and there is also a fun old covered bridge.

• Bearwallow Mountain Trail: This trail is directly across the road from Trombatore. It is a quick 1 hour trail that is about 2.5 miles long with 587ft of elevation gain. Skip walking up the fire tower road, the views are nothing.

• Trombatore Trail: A solid hike up to a pasture-style view of the surrounding mountains. AllTrails listed it at 4.7 miles but it is actually more like 6 as a heads up.

• Explore Green River Game Lands: This nature area is just 20 minutes from downtown and has a few different trails to explore.

  • Little Bradley Falls Trail which is 2.2 miles long with 164ft of elevation gain and takes about 50 minutes to complete. There are 3 river crossings but it is worth it to get to a very cool waterfall at the end. There is a little swimming hole as well.

  • Across the street is the Big Bradley Falls Overlook Trail which has some threatening signage and a very high and wide river to cross so I opted to turnback, but would try again in the summer months.

  • Lower Big Hungry Falls is another good option that is short at .8 mile with 170ft of elevation gain and takes 20 minutes. It leads to a nice waterfall with a beach area.

Have you explored the Hendersonville area of North Carolina? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments below!
Cheers—Alexis

Exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia

The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia are a beautiful area to spend a long weekend. There are lots of great hikes to stunning views and large waterfalls, a plethora of wineries, and some solid breweries in the region. Below is a full guide to exploring this area, organized by town.

Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge is a great home base for exploring the region. It is an adorable little town, but it is going to be a bit of a drive to trailheads, as a forewarning. Heads up, the breweries in town do not have food or food trucks, so be sure to have a separate plan for eating! Pro-tip if you’re traveling with dogs—the public dog park at the Humane Society in town is really nice.
Recommendations:

• Amicalola Falls: These waterfalls are absolutely huge and are definitely a must-see while in the area. This trail is .9 miles long with 425 stairs and takes about 20 minutes to complete. I would actually probably recommend a different hike here, the one linked starts at the top of the falls and goes down to the bottom and then back up which was fine but check out the other options too. The entrance fee is $5 without a Georgia State Parks Pass.

• Springer Mountain Trail: This trail is 2 miles long with 393ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. This is the southern terminus of Appalachian Trail which is fun and there is a marker at the summit for the AT. It is a steady climb up and pretty rocky and muddy. The views are quite nice and this trail is rated moderate. It is quite the journey to get to this trail for such a quick hike, so just keep that in mind in your planning.

• Angry Hops Brewing: Easily the best brewery in town. This spot has chill vibes, a small patio, and angry music, for the brand.

• Mercier Orchards: A huge facility with a market and a bar serving hard cider, wine and 1 beer. The ciders are quite tasty. Go early if you want donuts, they tend to run out.

• Grumpy Old Men Brewing: A popular spot with a nice patio and average beers.

• Mountain Mama’s Coffee Lounge: A super cute spot with coffee, tea and a small food menu. The coffee is great here and they are located right downtown.

• Tipping Point Brewing Company: This brewery has a nice upper patio overlooking downtown with average beers.

• The Pasta Market: A nice restaurant and shop with solid pasta and an upper deck. They also have wine and beer.

• Falls Branch Falls: This trail is 1 mile long with 200ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. It is an uphill, muddy climb to the falls which are quite nice. This trail is rated moderate but was pretty easy.

• Bear Claw Vineyards & Winery: This winery has a nice outdoor space with a patio or picnic tables. They offer their wine by the flight, glass, bottle or slushie. They also have a small food menu.

• Elijay is another cute little small town south of Blue Ridge. Elijay Coffeehouse is a homey coffee shop with a small sandwich menu in the heart of downtown.

• Fannin Brewing: A small spot with mediocre beer and rustic outdoor seating.

• Skip Cucinella’s Pizzeria—the staff was not helpful and the pizza was average.

Helen

Helen is a German-themed town best known for their Oktoberfest and Decemberfest celebrations. River tubing is also quite popular here in the summer months. This is a very touristy little town that I would recommend spending a few hours in and then escaping. Expect heavy traffic and parking is $10 for the day anywhere downtown.
Recommendations:

• King Ludwig Biergarten: An outdoor beer garden in the main city square. They have a small food menu with German items alongside beers and wine. There is constant live music here as well.

• Hofbräuhaus: A German restaurant and beer garden. They are on the north end of Main Street a bit past the hustle and bustle on the river. The service here was not great and my beer was served warm, but it’s a decent stop.

• Anna Ruby Falls: This trail is 1 mile long with 220ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The trailhead is directly outside of Helen and quite popular because it leads to a beautiful large waterfall. It is a paved slightly uphill walk that I highly recommend. This trail is technically in a National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $5 to enter. This trail is rated moderate.

• Duke’s Creek Trail: This trail is 2.3 miles long with 337ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is an easy walk down to the waterfall that is pretty nice. This is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $4 to park. It is rated easy.

• Raven’s Cliff Falls Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 623ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. There are lots of roots along this path but there is also numerous river access points which is very nice. Overall the views here are just okay, but the river is nice. This is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $5 to park.

• Brasstown Bald: This is the highest point in Georgia and provides stellar views for miles upon miles! You’ll drive up the byway to a parking area where you can either shuttle up (every 5 minutes) or hike a very steep .6 miles up. I’d recommend shuttling up and hiking down. Dogs are welcome on the shuttle as well. You’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $8 to enter. If you’ve been to Clingman’s Dome in Tennessee this is very similar.

• Tallulah Gorge State Park: A popular park about 45 minutes east of Helen. The entrance fee is $5 and the main attraction is the large gorge with waterfalls. Heads up, only the rim trail is dog friendly where you can visit 9 overlooks.

Dahlonega

Dahlonega is a very tiny town about 30 minutes south of Helen that is home to the University of North Georgia.
Recommendations:

• Preachers Rock from Woody Gap: This trail is 2 miles long with 436ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is part of the Appalachian Trail in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. It is a mostly shaded trail that pops out to an exposed rock with stunning views, especially in the morning. This was my favorite hike in the area and I highly recommend it. It is rated moderate.

• Accent Cellars: A nice winery on the river. They have glasses, bottles, tastings, or flights of wine along with wine cocktails and a few snacks in the cooler. They are on the river which is nice and more of an urban winery just 3 minutes from downtown. This spot is dog friendly inside and out.

• Barefoot Hills Hotel: A solid hotel that is very affordable and has great mountain views, especially for sunset. They are dog friendly and there are games on the property too.

• Montaluce Winery: A beautiful, fancy winery tucked back into nature. They also have a full service restaurant onsite. This spot is not dog friendly inside or out.

Cleveland

Cleveland is just south of Helen and the town itself is not worth visiting, but there is a good hike, brewery and winery to check out:

• Mount Yonah Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 1,453ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. This trail is quite steep and strenuous, as it is rated hard. The views from the summit are not quite as impressive as the other hikes in the area, but it is a great workout and still nice.

• NoFo Brew Co: This taproom is 5 minutes from the trailhead and the second location for NoFo. They have lots of outdoor seating with views of Mount Yonah but it’s also right off a pretty busy road so it’s not super serene. They have a wide variety of beers on tap. Heads up the flights here are very expensive.

• Yonah Mountain Vineyards: Around the other side of the mountain is a nice winery with mountain and vineyard views. They offer their wine in a glass, bottle or flight.

Have you explored the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia? What are you favorite spots? Let me know in the comments!
Cheers—Alexis

Bryson City, NC

Bryson City is a small mountain town in Western North Carolina. It is nestled between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nantahala National Forest. This is a beautiful area to explore, especially in the fall with changing leaves.

Bryson City is about 1 hour west of Asheville, NC and 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Gatlinburg TN. Check out my Asheville guide here and my Gatlinburg guide here.

Tom Branch Falls

Bryson City Recommendations:

• Bryson City Outdoors: A beer bar and gear shop with a nice patio and daily food trucks.

• Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Deep Creek Waterfall Loop is a popular option very close to town with 3 waterfalls on a 2.4 mile long trail with 426ft of elevation gain. You’ll encounter Tom Branch Falls, Indian Creek Falls and Juney Whank Falls.

• Mountain Layers Brewing: A nice brewery in the heart of downtown with a rooftop deck. They also have a Hawaiian food truck out back The Rice Wagon. You can see all of town from the roof and offer wine and cider for non-beer fans.

• Zipline, whitewater raft, or stay in a yurt with WildWater! Whitewater rafting is very popular on the Nantahala and super fun. It is 8 miles of class 1 and class 2 rapids with one class 3 rapid. Their ziplining course goes through the gorge and has a couple of spots with great views.

• High Test Deli: A delicious sandwich shop in the heart of downtown. They are also known for their frozen ice cream sandwiches.

• The Road to Nowhere: Drive this historic road and be sure to check out the Lake Fontana overlook and the Road to Nowhere Tunnel. Just be prepared, the road does indeed go to nowhere.

• Meander the many shops throughout downtown.

• Take a scenic drive:

  • The Hellbender 28 is full of hairpin turns and right near Bryson City

  • The Tail of the Dragon takes you towards Tennessee with 300 turns in 11 miles

  • The Blue Ridge Parkway is a popular route with numerous viewpoints and hiking trails along the way

    • Waterrock Knob Trail is a popular, quick choice that is 1 mile long with 439ft of elevation gain so it’s quite steep!

    • Mount Pisgah Trail: 4 miles long with 1077ft of elevation gain. This trail is about halfway between Bryson City and Asheville off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Pisgah National Forest. I would park at the Google Maps trailhead, not AllTrails trailhead. The last section of the trail is pretty steep and leads up to a TV tower.

• Honey Bear’s Cupcakery: Grab cupcakes and other sweets from this local bakery on the main strip!

• Cardinal Coffee: A cute spot for coffee, bagels, and smoothies off the highway a bit outside of downtown.

• Darnell Farms: A large farm with produce, pumpkins, hay rides and festivals. Located in Bryson City on the river.

• Explore nearby Waynesville:

  • Boojum Brewing: A popular brewery with a full food menu. Expect a wait during lunch and dinner times, but their food is super tasty and worth it!

  • Sauced: An average spot for pizza and beer

  • Check out the cute shops throughout downtown

• Explore nearby Sylva:

  • Lazy Hiker Brewing: Tasty beers and a nice patio. Mad Batter Kitchen is inside for eats.

  • Innovation Brewing: A lovely taproom on the river with chill vibes. They have a massive tap list and Meatballs Pizzeria shares the building + Cosmic Carryout is right next door.

  • Balsam Falls Brewing: A nice brewery with a full food menu and lots of TVs for game day.

• Skip: Bryson City Brewing This spot was formally Nantahala Brewing. They have all guest taps and zero of their own beers, the food is not good and the service quite frankly sucks (the bartenders were wasted). It’s a bummer to see this formerly great space go downhill so quickly.

What are your favorite spots in Western North Carolina? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—ALexis

2 Days in Asheville, NC

Asheville is one of my favorite places to visit! It can be overwhelming to plan a visit to Asheville because there are just so many breweries and parts of town to explore. Check out my blog on the best breweries in Asheville here!

I’ve put together this guide for a two day trip to hit the highlights of this adorable mountain town. If you’ve got more time to explore check out my full guide to Asheville here!

Asheville Day 1

For your first day you have to go all in and hop around the South Slope area of town:

Start your adventure at Vortex Doughnuts to fuel up for a day full of brewery hopping.

Walk 2 minutes to Burial Beer, arguably the best brewery in North Carolina. Get there early to avoid the masses of people who will inevitably want to visit this great spot.

Walk 7 minutes to Hi-Wire Brewing. Their South Slope location is small but their beers are delicious!

Walk 12 minutes to Dssolvr, a newer brewery in central downtown. They are absolutely crushing it and I highly recommend a visit.

From the downtown strip walk 8 minutes to Terra Nova Beer Co for a tasty side pull Lager and some pizza to soak up your beverages.

If you are ready for another beer, pop over to Green Man, a 5 minute walk from Terra Nova.

Asheville Day 2

Start your day at Taco Billy for delicious breakfast tacos! You can order online ahead of time as well to save time.

Hike part of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail from the Folk Art Center to the Haw River Overlook. The views are gorgeous at the lookout of this 5.5 out and back trail. Plus, it is just a 15 minute drive from town!

After your hike take some time to drive part of the Blue Ridge Parkway for more stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

On your way back into town, check out New Origin for tasty beers and pizza and then the secret brewery Cursus Keme next door

Head to the Biltmore Village area for a relaxing afternoon:

• Grab beers and lunch at Hillman Beer

• Sit on the rooftop patio and drink delicious beers at Forestry Camp by the team at Burial

If you’ve got more time in Asheville, here are my other recommendations!

What are your favorite Asheville stops? Let me know in the comments!

Hocking Hills, Ohio

Hocking Hills is a gorgeous area of Ohio with awesome hiking options and a quaint town to explore. It is a perfect weekend escape to relax in the forest and get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life.

The park is nestled in the southeast corner of Ohio, near the West Virginia border. It is 6 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, my home base. It is also just one hour southeast of Columbus, so if you are looking for a longer adventure you could visit the city as well. Check out my Columbus recommendations here!

I would definitely recommend renting a cabin for your time in Hocking Hills. There is nothing better than a day of hiking followed by a nice relaxing campfire! We stayed at an Airbnb in the forest and thoroughly enjoyed it. Get $35 off your first Airbnb stay using my link here!

Hocking Hills State Park

Hiking Hocking Hills

Hocking Hills State Park offers a lot of different hiking options depending on what you want to see and how far you want to go. We did a 7.5 mile loop trail to Old Man Cave, Whispering Cave, Cedar Falls, and Rose Lake that I would definitely recommend.

When we visited it was quite crowded at Old Man Cave and Cedar Falls because those are two areas that you can park near and just do a short hike to see. Outside of those popular spots we saw very few people along the trail which was really nice.

There are a few waterfalls in the park but expect them to be quite dry if you are visiting in the summer months. It looks like in the spring after the snow melts they are flowing at their full potential.

The first half of the hike varied in difficulty. It was mostly flat but there were areas that were quite rocky making it a little harder to traverse. After Cedar Falls, which is essentially the halfway point, there is a quick suspension bridge and then the ridge trail that leads you back to the parking lot is flat and easy along top of the cliff faces.

We really enjoyed the change of scenery throughout the hike. There were waterfalls, caves, rivers, cliffs, gorges, boulders, forests, and lakes all in the 7.5 miles we hiked.

Rose Lake

Hocking Hills Area things to do:

Brewery 33

The local brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap for you to enjoy in their beer garden or tap room. We enjoyed their light and refreshing beers after hiking in the sun all morning. The Fruity Tooty Gose was my personal favorite!

Brewery 33 doesn’t have any food besides some pretzels and snacks, but you can get food delivered from local restaurants. They are dog and kid friendly.

Wine Slushie at Hocking Hills Winery

Hocking Hills Winery

The local winery has a fantastic outdoor space surrounded by nature that was super nice to relax on.

Their wines were all tasty and you can sample 8 of them for just $10. I would also highly recommend the wine slushie option, especially if you’re visiting during the heat of summer!

The winery also has charcuterie boards to help you refuel after your hike or you can get a meal delivered from a local restaurant. The winery is dog and kid friendly.

Jackie O’s Brewery

Depending on where you are staying, Jackie O’s is around 30-45 minutes from the park and absolutely worth visiting. They are one of the top breweries in the country and definitely the best in Ohio. Their Stouts, Porters, and Wild Ales in particular are incredible and I would highly recommend checking them out!

They have a brewpub and a taproom in Athens, Ohio. Depending on where you are visiting Hocking Hills from, you potentially might drive through Athens given that it is one of the major cities nearby, so definitely check it out!

Brewery 33

Have you been to Hocking hills? What was your favorite part?! Let me know in the comments!

The Best Weekend Trips from Charlotte

Whether you are looking for a beach, mountain, or city getaway, there are some really great options within driving distance of Charlotte! These trips range from an hour and 45 minutes drive to four hours for a further escape:

Sierra Nevada Brewing

Asheville, NC

Asheville is a brewery mecca nestled in the mountains well worth visiting.

Start your day at Taco Billy for fantastic breakfast tacos!

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway for stunning views.

Don’t miss Burial Beer Co. and Dssolvr, two of the best breweries in North Carolina! Hang out in the outdoor space at Sierra Nevada Brewing and be sure to order the pimento beer cheese.

Check out my full Asheville guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 2 hours

Rainbow Row Charleston

Charleston, SC

Charleston is a beautiful beach town with a plethora of history, restaurants, bars, and breweries.

Hit the beach! There are several options depending on what vibe you are looking for—Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms.

Be sure to grab beers at Westbrook Brewing and Edmund’s Oast Brewing! Get a cheese plate at Wine and Company and tacos and a frozen screwdriver at Taco Boy.

Check out my full Charleston guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 3 hours

Forsyth Park Savannah

Savannah, GA

Savannah is beautiful historic city oozing historic charm.

Two Tides Brewing is an absolute must visit, they make incredible beers in an adorable converted house.

Grab lunch at Bull Street Taco in between wandering the historic squares!

Check out my full Savannah guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 3 hours 45 minutes

Monday Night Brewing

Atlanta, GA

Atlanta is a huge city with a ton of places to explore and things to do.

Monday Night Brewing is the best brewery in the city in my opinion and they have two locations to check out! The Porter Beer Bar is another great option to grab beers at in the Little 5 Points neighborhood.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights is an amazing museum that is a must visit.

Check out my full Atlanta guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 4 hours

Pretentious Beer Co

Knoxville, TN

Knoxville has a booming downtown district and plenty of charm to keep you entertained.

Start your day at OliBea, a great little brunch spot with delicious food.

Get outside at Ijams Nature Center for hiking and family friendly options.

Check out Abridged Beer Company and Pretentious Beer Co. for fantastic beers!

Check out my full Knoxville guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 4 hours

Second Street Mural in Wilmington

Wilmington, NC

Wilmington is a relaxed beach town with several distinct areas to explore.

Start your day at Bespoke Coffee, a cute coffee shop right downtown.

Hit the beach! Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach are both great options.

Explore the breweries and don’t miss New Anthem Beer Project and Wilmington Brewing Company.

Check out my full Wilmington guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 4 hours

The Eighth State Brewing

Greenville, SC

Greenville is a charming little town in upstate South Carolina. Their downtown is perfect to wander around and there is hiking nearby as well!

Start your day at Swamp Rabbit Cafe for amazing sandwiches on stecca bread.

Grab beers at The Eighth State Brewing Company and Birds Fly South Ale Project! The Whale is a fantastic beer bar to check out as well.

Check out my full Greenville guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 45 minutes

Views from the Blue Ridge Parkway

blue ridge mountains, nc

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway along the mountains and explore the small towns of Marion, Banner Elk, Boone, and more. There are cute little towns along along the Parkway in the mountains!

Check out my full guide here!

Time from central Charlotte: dependent on exact destination—Boone is 2 hours for example

Barrel Culture Brewing

The Triangle, NC

Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Durham make up the triangle area of North Carolina.

Start your day at The Morning Times, a fun cafe with a newspaper theme in downtown Raleigh.

Brewery hop the area and don’t miss Trophy Brewing and Pizza in Raleigh and Barrel Culture Brewing in Durham. State of Beer is a great beer bar as well.

Check out my recommendations for Raleigh and Chapel Hill here!

Time from central Charlotte: 2.5 hours

Another popular weekend getaway option is Gatlinburg, Tennessee! Check out my guide to Gatlinburg here, it was not my favorite destination so I didn’t want to include it as a recommendation on this list, but there is plenty to do and it is nestled right in the mountains!

What are your favorite weekend trips from Charlotte? Let me know in the comments!