Of all of our family traditions, our annual fall trip to the mountains just might be my favorite. Eep! I don’t know if I can say that… but there’s just something about these long weekends, where we get to spend uninterrupted time together, surrounded by beauty, exploring somewhere new, eating good food and enjoying good conversation, challenging our bodies and then experiencing true relaxation, that speaks to my soul. I think every other family member would agree. We had a beautiful, memorable trip to Boone and Blowing Rock this October, and I’d love to share a few photos and details, if you’d like to see!
We often travel Thursday – Sunday for these trips, but since June had a Monday off in October, we skipped school on Friday and headed to the mountains first thing. Boone is about 3 hours from our home in the Triangle, so we arrived in time for lunch on a perfect blue-sky day.
About a week in advance, John and I put our heads together for an hour or two and plotted out our weekend, making meal and activity reservations as needed. We had planned to eat lunch at Lost Province Brewing in downtown Boone, but unfortunately they don’t take reservations and reported an hour+ wait. Disappointed but not deterred, we trotted down the hill to Melanie’s Food Fantasy (where we had planned to go later in the weekend) and were seated at an outdoor picnic table after about 20 minutes. Delicious!
It must be noted here, the parking in downtown Boone is atrocious. There are very few public parking spots or lots and no garages. Prepare for a lot of circling and pray for a little luck on a busy weekend.
After lunch, we headed to our adventure for the day: the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster in nearby Banner Elk! While this was our most expensive activity of the weekend ($16 for adults, $13 for June, $5 for Shep), it was SO very fun. June and I rode together, and we laugh-screamed our way through the twists and turns. We loved it so much that we ended up buying the video of our runs, something that is SO out of character, ha! They put a smile on our faces, though :)
From there, we checked into our Airbnb, which was a few minutes outside of downtown Boone. We chose this rental for its backyard creek, and it didn’t disappoint – the kids made a beeline for the banks as soon as we stopped the car.
After an hour or two of playing outside, swinging in the hammock, and breaking out the Yahtzee set, we headed into Boone for dinner at the Beacon Butcher Bar. This may have been my favorite meal of the trip – the food was delicious and the space was cozy, with a big fireplace. We felt welcome with kids, but were surrounded by lots of couples and big adult dinner groups – definitely a spot you could get a little fancy for.
I should have mentioned – Friday was a delightfully warm fall day, with a blue sky and mid-60s to low-70s temps. When we woke up on Saturday, we still had the blue sky, but the temperatures had plummeted. We bundled up and drove to Grandfather Mountain, where it was 42 degrees (with whipping winds up to 30mph) on top. Brrr!!! At the gatehouse at the park entrance, they told us that the swinging bridge was closed due to high winds. However, it opened shortly after we parked at the top, so we streamed toward the bridge along with everyone else. However, we didn’t even get a third of the way across – the wind was blowing SO bitterly that we could hardly look up, and we were freezing even though bundled.
Something to note for trip planners: you can and should reserve your timed tickets on busy weekends. We had 10am tickets and had no trouble getting a spot in the top parking lot by the bridge. When we left to head to the visitors’ center about 1:30, however, the line of cars snaking up the road was incredibly long, as they were at a one-car-in-one-car-out standstill.
The kids were dubious at this point, but we headed off on our hike (the Grandfather Trail to MacRae Peak) and it quickly absorbed their attention. We could hear the wind whistling above our heads, but we were under tree cover and warmed up as we climbed uphill and scrambled over rocks.
Something we have noticed about our kids: the more adventurous the trail, the more engaged they are in the journey. Even though this was a strenuous and at times technical trail (with cables and ladders!), we heard hardly a peep of complaint. When hiking with kids, I know it might seem like a better idea to go for an easier trail, but in our experience, that sometimes leads to more boredom and complaining.
That being said, this was NOT an easy trail and I’d think carefully before attempting it. We did not see any other kids the ages of ours – and we only made it part of the way, through 5 of the 9 ladders, before deciding that between the wind, the ages and abilities of our kids, and the fact that John had Annie in the pack, it would be prudent to turn back. It was still an incredible hike, with gorgeous views and fun and challenging terrain. We will be back someday to complete the whole thing! :)
And, it must be said, John was the absolute MVP for managing both himself and Annie!
Once back in the parking lot, the wind had slowed down and the temperature had warmed up, and we were able to make it across the full swinging bridge – just gorgeous!
Then, we headed down for lunch in the visitors center and a quick visit to the animals in the nature center, including elk, black bears, and otters.
Once back at the Airbnb, we put Annie down for a nap and then the rest of the fam enjoyed a dip in the hot tub – bliss after a hard, cold hike! Afterward, John napped while the big kids played outside and I bundled up to read in the hammock. Double bliss!
Dinner was at Proper in downtown Boone, a homey meat-and-three in a former town jail. (The kids were disappointed it didn’t bear more resemblance to its former purpose.)
Sunday morning was again brisk and blue-skied! We set off on the Flat Top Mountain Trail at Moses Cone Park, a broad, 5-mile carriage trail that winds up a hill to a fire tower. Though we climbed up the tower, honestly, it was almost scarier than the ladders on MacRae Peak – eep!
For lunch, we headed into Blowing Rock. After a considerable wait (while the little kids played on the downtown playground and June and I popped into a few shops), we had lunch at the Six Pence Pub. My shepherd’s pie was delicious and warming after a chilly hike.
Then it was home for another dip in the hot tub, more naps, playing, and reading before dinner in Valle Crucis at Over Yonder. Set in an old farmhouse, its chef was hyped up in a lot of what we read beforehand, but I left a little underwhelmed. One fun little game we played with the kids while waiting for our food deserves a mention, though: we lined up items in a row, then took turns closing our eyes, removing one, and then trying to guess which one had been removed. Kept them engaged!
On Monday morning we finally made it to Stickboy Kitchen. Stickboy (either the kitchen or the original bakery location) is THE recommendation people will give you when you say you’re going to Boone, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s in an unassuming strip mall, but the bagel sandwiches, croissants, muffins, cookies, and loaf of rosemary olive oil bread we got for small group later that night were all delicious. I join the chorus of saying you must go! :)
From there, we drove out to an old favorite hike (Green Knob) with some old favorite folks (my sister and her two kids :)). They also had Monday off school and used it to drive out to meet us, which was a delight! Having cousins along kept a pep in our kids’ step for the third hike of the weekend, though it was hardly needed: I’d recommend Green Knob to almost everyone, with its stream crossings, cow pasture path, goldenrod, mountain laurel hedges, and reasonable 2-mile length. Just beautiful!
We had a big group lunch reservation at The Speckled Trout in downtown Blowing Rock and it was another favorite meal of the trip! Delicious food in a modern, cozy atmosphere. We ate, hugged goodbye, then got back on the road to head home feeling (it must be said) incredibly grateful and lucky to live in such a beautiful state and to get to experience its fall glory together.
If you’re planning a trip to Boone, I hope this recap was helpful! Any questions, I’m happy to answer – just leave them in the comments!
Summer 2023 kept us on our toes, and so though I haven’t written one of these posts each year, it felt like a worthwhile effort this year! Capturing the little pleasures and particulars to look back on is a lovely way to wrap up the season. Here’s some of what we’ll remember from summer 2023…
Listening:The Night Train kept us going on many long road trips! The kids seriously loved this podcast-that-feels-like-an-audio-book, and with 20+ episodes at 30-ish minutes each, it kept us humming along for quite some time. The synopsis: It’s 1879! Edith and Paul Mallard climb aboard the Night Train as it races the Midnight Express across America. But as accidents delay their journey, a mysterious plot of sabotage begins to emerge. Will Edith and Paul Mallard solve the mystery of the Night Train? Or is their journey doomed to disaster?
Perfecting: I do believe we’ve gotten the North Carolina coast long weekend trip down to a science. Our three-day June stay in Beaufort was pretty near perfect (and by perfect, I mean the young family version of perfect, which for this particular trip included a very sandy (and now infamous) meltdown). We paddle boarded, we swam, we visited a barrier island and lighthouse, we ate yummy food, and we enjoyed sensational weather.
Moving: June officially shifted her clothes, pajamas, and shower stuff to the second floor, and though this is a natural and normal progression, it also felt a bit like we were shipping her off to college after having one hub for our family for so long. But it’s been sweet to see her enjoy her own space up there!
Visiting: Our niece and nephew came to stay for the week and we had what we hope will be the first of many cousin camps! From learning to ride a bike sans training wheels to cabin inspections and the Best Friends Snack Shack, it was a full but very fun week.
Wearing: I replaced my fauxm Birks, which were showing their age, with this pair from Reef. They are cuter than though not quiiiiiite as comfortable as the Birks.
Enjoying: A tiny little moment from our trip to Maine: June needed to practice piano, so while the two youngers were resting or napping each afternoon, the three of us would walk down to the community building and she’d play on the baby grand while we’d play ping pong across the room. Just a sweet little slice with our big girl :)
Learning: We navigated the ins and outs of neighborhood swim team life! I’m proud to say we did it our way (which mainly meant going to practice when it suited our family’s schedule), and found it to be quite fun. June’s favorite part was without a doubt learning every line dance known to seven-year-old-kind, and John’s was writing up his appointment notes poolside most evenings.
Shep’s swimming, too, improved leaps and bounds. With a few lessons at the beginning of summer, he went from screeching when splashed to diving underwater and swimming like a fish, no floatie in sight.
Itching: Another not-so-sweet memory from the island that must be mentioned for posterity: we all got a rash from the mysterious browntail moth for the first time. An invasive species found only on the coast of Maine and Cape Cod, its caterpillars’ hairs (even airborne!) can cause an itchy rash on skin. Annie had it something awful, but thankfully it seemed to look much worse than it felt.
Attending: The book swap! Well, hosting, I suppose, but it was certainly a highlight, and the coziest morning with good friends chatting good books.
Watching: It was a fun summer for movies! John and I saw Mission Impossible on a date night and I saw the Barbie movie with some Articles Club friends.
Reading: The road trip saga The Lincoln Highway felt like an especially summery read, and is definitely in my top five for the year thus far. June and I have also really loved reading several installments of The Vanderbeekers and The Penderwicks series either together or in parallel.
…And truly, so much more: our first trip to John’s parents’ new home, biking the full American Tobacco Trail with a friend on a blue-sky day, going into the harbor on the boat for fireworks on the Fourth, walking the monuments in DC, our train trip to Greensboro, an afternoon on the lake with friends… we’re looking toward fall, but taking many sweet memories from summer with us.
What will you remember from summer 2023? I’d love to hear!
Last year and this year, John and I were grateful to have a three-day weekend in honor of Juneteenth. In 2022, we used it to venture to Swansboro and Hammocks Beach, and this year, we explored Beaufort, NC. Exploring a corner of the North Carolina coast shortly after school wraps up has been a delight the last few years; I think it just might become an annual tradition. I’d love to share a few photos and details of what we did, if you’d like to see!
It’s just under three hours from our house to Beaufort, which for our fam is a short trip. Because of this, we let the kids pack their own car bags, and they did a… questionable job, ha. To tide them over for the last 45 minutes I whipped up these road trip scavenger hunts on the back of a coloring sheet. They were a hit!
Before checking in at our Airbnb we stopped at a Viv’s Fridge right around the corner. Vivian Howard is an acclaimed NC chef (her flagship restaurant is Chef & the Farmer in Kinston) and these fridges are her newest invention: restaurant-quality goodies stocked in a grab-and-go vending machine! We got her signature saltines and beach essentials for our Saturday adventures.
Our Airbnb was in a new development about a five minutes’ car ride from downtown. We could, however, walk to dinner at the Beaufort Hotel, which is what we did (it took about 15-20 minutes). The weather was perfection.
The walk along Front Street was beautiful, right along the water with live oaks to climb and beautiful homes to enjoy (that’s my pick on the left and June’s on the right!). There is plenty of space to walk along the side of the road but there were more cars than I expected – just a note of caution.
Dinner at the Beaufort Hotel was lovely, with an impeccable view. I am proud and also somewhat embarrassed to say I ordered my first fish dish ever – grouper – on Friday night. Eating fish has been a slow burn for me, and though I’ve eaten off of John’s plate for years and loved it, I’d never taken the plunge and ordered it for myself. Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks :)
On Saturday morning we headed out promptly to make our 9:45 ferry to Cape Lookout from Harkers Island (we had booked tickets in advance). The weather was, again, absolute perfection – blue skies and about 80 degrees with a sea breeze. After a brief stop at Shackleford Banks to let some passengers off, we pulled up on the cape about 15 minutes later.
Like Hammocks Beach, there is some infrastructure on the barrier island – a visitor’s center, bathrooms, a hot dog stand – but it’s mostly just gorgeous sand and water. We stopped to talk briefly with the lighthouse keepers, and I remembered reading an article a few years ago about the volunteer position. Fascinating! And what a view just a few steps from their front door:
Something to aspire to in retirement :)
We set up our Shibumi and spent the next 3.5 hours playing in the water, digging in the sand, catching hermit crabs, and eating Chef Vivian’s delicious dips. As a barrier island, the sand is constantly shifting, so there were lots of tide pools and sandbars to explore. We stuck to the sound side, where the water is calmer (and perfect for little kids!), but there’s also the ocean side for thrill seekers.
We had bought return tickets for the 1:15 ferry but ended up returning on the 1:45. (You’re guaranteed a spot in your time slot but can ride standby for any other.) The big kids got to help drive the boat, and Annie snuck in a catnap on the drive back to the Airbnb. Once there, we took a dip in the community pool before taking showers and cleaning up for dinner.
Dinner on Saturday night was special. We were returning to the Island Grille, the Atlantic Beach restaurant where John and I ate dinner directly after he proposed to me just about 12 years ago. We hadn’t returned since, and thought it would be fun to take the whole crew.
While it was fun, it started out rough – two of our children almost immediately started squabbling over a cup of water and ended up spilling the entire thing. This felt very noticeable in a tiny restaurant – our waiter brought out the mop to clean it up, etc. – but thankfully things improved from there and the rest of the meal was smooth.
Afterwards, we walked the short distance over to the beach – the actual beach where John proposed! – and sat in the sand for almost an hour while our kids played. Our loose original plan was to maybe play mini golf after dinner, but we decided that mostly just sounded stressful with Annie involved and reminiscing side-by-side while the sun went down was quite literally perfect.
On Sunday (Father’s Day!) we enjoyed brunch at an old favorite, Beaufort Grocery. We arrived promptly at 10am, when they opened, and were seated right away on the patio, but the service was pretty slow. The blueberry pancakes were delicious, though :)
We then headed back to the Airbnb and prepped our paddle boards for an adventure. Beau Coast, the community our rental house was in, has a private dock on Taylor Creek; we launched our flotilla from there. John had Shep on his board and towed June on a kid-size board while I had Annie on mine. I was pleased to see that the difference between riding with a newly-minted one-year-old and an almost two-year-old is night and day! She understood she needed to sit still, could easily balance herself, and babbled and pointed things out to me the whole time.
We paddled across Taylor Creek to Carrot Island, another barrier island known to have wild horses. As we were pulling the boards up on shore, Annie started saying, “Erses, erses!” We figured she was looking at an informational photo, but then June said, “No, guys, she’s right! There are horses!!” And sure enough, right off the boardwalk was a mini herd.
After looking at the horses and resting on the boardwalk for a bit, we relaunched and paddled back toward our dock, stopping at another little beach along the walk. I know I sound like a broken record, but again – the weather was perfection. This was a peak Father’s Day moment for John for sure.
From there it was a quick paddle across the creek to get home – you can see our destination in the photo below!
Back at the house we ate a late, snack-y lunch of leftovers before heading for another dip in the pool, then once again cleaned up and got ready for dinner out. Annie fell asleep on the drive into town and actually stayed asleep as we removed her from the car seat and waited for our table, which was a sweet throwback for this go-go-go toddler. The patio view at Front Street Grill was absolutely incredible:
A point of freedom I wanted to share: while we were waiting for our food, we let Annie watch a show on the phone. If you’re counting, this heavy-afternoon napper had gone two straight (very active!) days without a proper nap – and she was feeling it. We felt like we hadn’t given her the conditions to succeed at dinner, and so a show allowed us all to enjoy the Father’s Day meal. Somewhat surprisingly, the big kids didn’t seem to mind that she was watching and they weren’t – probably because keeping her occupied allowed us to focus on them :) I still stand by my general policy of phone-free dinners out, but also think it’s wise to understand when to make exceptions.
On Monday morning we returned to the Beaufort Hotel for breakfast before heading out to Fort Macon State Park. Construction began on the fort in 1826 and it was occupied by Confederate forces during the Civil War. It was sold to the state of NC in 1924 to become a state park, but then pulled back into military service during World War II, when German U-boats were spotted off the NC coast. At the close of the war, it returned to state park status and has been enjoyed by visitors ever since.
Some museums and historical sites can be tough with kids, but our whole family enjoyed exploring Fort Macon. It’s very hands-on – kids can climb, jump, and run throughout the fort – and there’s plenty of historical information without it feeling overwhelming. The kids loved the cannons, of course, and we loved that it gave us a chance to chat through several different big moments in history.
A final little humanizing tale: Fort Macon is right on the beach, and after an hour and a half or so in the fort, we thought we’d spend a few minutes at the beach before getting in the car to head out to lunch and the drive home. We did, and it was delightful, until Annie sat down directly in the water. We immediately moved to scoop her up, to which she responded by laying down in the sand, rolling around, and essentially turning herself into a cinnamon sugar donut. We eventually wrangled her up and hightailed it back to the parking lot, which she was absolutely apoplectic about. Remember: we were now going on three days without a proper nap. She screamed through being stripped down in the parking lot, being washed off with extra water bottles (the indignity!), and being dressed in a new outfit. The only pause in her screaming was to yawn :)
It was quite the ending to the trip, but thankfully we were able to laugh through the absurdity of it, and Annie herself was even laughing a few minutes into the car ride. Despite the rocky ending, it was a truly wonderful trip, and we were so grateful to make it!
I’d love to hear if there’s been a particular historical site that’s been enjoyable to visit, with or without kids. Or if you have any questions about Beaufort, I’m happy to answer those, too!
If you feel like you’ve been seeing a lot of trip recap posts lately, you’re not wrong. As I mentioned, April was unusually full of travel for our family and, per my New Year’s resolution, you’re hearing about all the escapades tout de suite. I know localized travel posts aren’t everyone’s favorite, so I appreciate your graciousness. Hopefully, even if you never plan to visit where we’ve been, you’ll find something to take away from the details that you can transpose onto your own next destination – or something else entirely in your life!
Before we dive in, I also wanted to thank you for offering your generous thoughts on my recent survey. 75+ of you gave me much to consider. I’m still mulling over the next best step, but in the meantime, know your engagement here is very much appreciated. I was talking this week with a friend who works in marketing and with small businesses about the survey, and she was blown away by the number of responses I received. Knowing this community, I was grateful but not surprised. Thank you, thank you.
This particular trip was a fun and unique one. As many of you know, John and I are passionate about personal finance. We have had the gift of coming alongside my younger sister over the last few years as she has worked to pay off her undergraduate and graduate student loans. The three of us would meet a few times a year to review her net worth (just a fancy term for a snapshot of your debts and assets), talk through her budget, check in on her payoff plan progress, and talk through any big-picture financial questions on her mind. And, of course, to cheer her on! Debt freedom can take years to achieve, and it’s good to have cheerleaders in your corner :)
We have been so proud of her all along the way, and several years ago, we told her that when she paid off the last loan, we’d go on a trip to celebrate. Last fall, we were thrilled to get the green light when she sent in her last payment.
We considered all sorts of options for our celebratory trip (including Europe!), but ultimately decided on a weekend visit to the Biltmore in Asheville, which is halfway between our home in Raleigh and Kim’s in Nashville. We chose a spring weekend when June had a Friday teacher workday for the occasion.
Why the Biltmore? Though Asheville is perfectly situated for our purposes, we’ve all been several times, and so we were looking for something that would distinguish this trip. (Remember, novelty fuels memory!) The Biltmore itself feels set-apart and somewhat extravagant, and we knew staying on the grounds would feel like a unique and special experience.
We chose to stay at the Village Hotel on the Biltmore Estate, the less formal and less expensive counterpart to their other hotel, the Inn. We booked two hotel rooms, and they ended up being right around the corner from each other on the same floor (which made post-kid-bedtime socializing easier).
Let’s back up, though, to before our arrival at the Biltmore. The plan was to meet in Asheville for lunch, and though the Raleigh crew arrived on time, Kim’s arrival was snarled by a huge traffic back-up. It all worked out, though – we enjoyed an appetizer of chips, salsa, and queso at White Duck and a walk along the French Broad River before meeting up at Baby Bull for a late lunch.
Immediately after driving onto the property we headed to the Bike Barn to rent a bike for Kim. (We had brought bikes for our family as well as our Bee.) We pedaled for about an hour in a mini peloton along the French Broad River under a perfectly blue sky – pure delight.
(Observant readers may notice that June has graduated to a Priority Start 20″ bike while Shep is riding her original Start 16″. We continue to be so, so happy with them!)
The path takes you to one of the prettiest views on the property: the Biltmore House up on the hillside, reflected in the lagoon below.
We checked into our rooms and walked downstairs for an early dinner reservation on the patio at Village Social. Our waitress was wonderful, but sadly the food and drinks were just so-so – which surprised me. (I actually sent my cocktail back, which I rarely do, because it was pretty flavorless.)
Dessert made up for it, though! We hiked up the path from Antler Hill Village to the Inn for complimentary s’mores around the fire pit at dusk. Perched at the top of the hill were the cutest s’mores kits, a strolling banjo player, and a tree swing.
Bedtime that evening was less restful :) Annie (21 months) chose this weekend to unveil her newest skill: escaping over the top of the pack and play. After about an hour of wrestling her back into bed, attempting to settle her into alternative locations, and listening to her distribute belongings beside each sleeping family member (“dis Sheppie’s, dis Mama’s”), I finally laid down on the floor next to the pack and play to keep her corralled until she fell asleep. Whew.
The next morning we headed downstairs for breakfast at Village Social, which received thumbs up all around (my blueberry pancakes were delicious). Fortified, we drove to the lagoon, parked our car, and walked up the hill to Biltmore House itself. The one-mile walk through pastureland is beautiful (we saw wild turkeys!), but for little legs, keep in mind it is mostly uphill.
We entered the grounds through the gardens, where everyone was wowed by the conservatory (built in 1895!). The lush, tropical plants are packed in and stunning, and there was even a cellist playing under the peaked glass roof that afternoon. It was beautiful – I felt like a true guest of the Vanderbilts :)
We walked up to the main house and ate a quick lunch in the Stable Cafe courtyard. It had turned gray and chilly at this point and we had somewhere to be, so we headed back down the hill promptly after eating.
Next up was one of the more exciting surprises for Kim: a trail ride! She and I grew up riding at our aunt’s horse farm, and I knew this would be a meaningful detail for her. The kids got to pet the horses before John took them back to the hotel for naps and quiet time while the two of us headed out on the trail.
It was a quiet, meandering ride out onto a ridge with a beautiful view of Biltmore House and then winding back to the barn through pretty woods. Thankfully, the sun had come back out at this point!
We reunited post-ride only to split up again: Shep wanted to go on another bike ride, so John and I took him and Annie while Kim and June had some aunt-niece time at the Antler Hill barnyard. (We had fun, but I think they got the better end of the deal: they watched a sheepdog herding exhibition and got to hold baby chicks!).
Dinner that night was at Cedric’s Tavern in Antler Hill Village, which was better than the previous night but still fell slightly below my expectations. We followed it up with ice cream from the Creamery (yum, obviously).
The kids were desperate to swim in the hotel pool despite the chilly spring temps. John and I both got in, as well, but even though the pool was “heated,” our lips took on a blue tinge after about ten minutes :)
After a less-eventful bedtime (lying on the floor next to the pack and play from the start worked like a charm), the grown-ups played cards and chatted in Kim’s room until it was time for us to turn in, too.
We went our separate ways mid-morning on Sunday, but not before another breakfast at Village Social and a last visit to the farmyard to peek at the baby chicks and goats. 3.5 hours later we were home, grateful to have gotten to celebrate such a huge milestone in a fun way. (Cheers to you, Kim!! We are so proud of you!)
Thanks for letting me share a bit about our adventures, friends! It’s always a joy.