Nearby weekend getaways for every travel personality Part II: The Tourist, the Culture-Seeker and The Sports Fan
This is Part II of a three-part series on nearby weekend getaways for every travel personality. Read Part I here for The History Buff, the Romantic and the Beachgoer. Tune in Friday for Part III.
The adventure away from home continues! These nearby destinations are less than a four-hour drive from the Queen City.
The Tourist: Gatlinburg, TN
Distance from Uptown: 3.5 hours
While Pigeon Forge holds the touristy title for Tennessee, Gatlinburg offers a similar tourist experience on a smaller scale. It features over-the-top experiences (think Ripley’s and Hollywood Car museums), but the mountains, moonshine, and shopping village make it a must-see.
Tourist Bucket List:
Visit the Village Shops
Stroll through the shops at The Village off of the main strip in downtown Gatlinburg. The Donut Friar and the Village Café and Creamery both offer options to feed your sweet tooth, while other destinations sell gift items and apparel. The entire area features a European Village theme, so even if you aren’t buying, it’s worth a quick stroll before dinner.
Explore the Main Entertainment Hub
Gatlinburg’s main stretch houses popular shops and eateries to stop in while strolling around town. After visiting the Gatlinburg Space Needle or the Hollywood Star Cars Museum, take a break and explore the Mountain Mall, which offers a varied selection of outdoors gear, just in case you were considering a second hike. Find a unique souvenir at one of the many t-shirt shops or Old Dad’s General Store along Parkway road, or awaken your inner samurai at one of the many sword shops. While I generally think my décor selections fall somewhere along the lines of HGTV-worthy, my trip to Gatlinburg had me justifying why a samurai sword would fit in with the slew of modern ornamentation in my residence. Because why not?
Observe Spectacular Views of the Smoky Mountains
Winding roads on the way to Tennessee spark a desire for adventure, and the Smoky Mountains offer incredible views as far as the eye can see. While I balked at the idea of hiking 14 miles round trip on our first trip to the mountains, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. Spend the morning and afternoon in the great outdoors – and pack snacks because you’re bound to get hungry.
If you don’t mind a long hike, I’d recommend Mt. LeConte. Head to the Alum Cave trail for a quick trip with beautiful views, or continue on to hike to the top. Tip: If you’re going to hike the whole thing, plan to stay overnight at the top. We thought a six-hour, 14-mile hike would be fun until we realized we wanted to go to bed at 7:30 p.m. due to sore legs and lack of ability to walk.
Sample 12 Moonshine Flavors for Only $5
Normally, I don’t venture out of my Malibu Rum comfort zone (don’t judge). However, after a long day of hiking, I agreed to sample moonshine at the Sugarlands Distilling Company. They start with plain, unflavored moonshine then work you into small sips of each of their seasonal flavors, complete with commentary from the employees. Down the street, Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery offers a similar experience.
Dine in an Over-the-Top Establishment
After a weekend of hiking and exploring downtown shops, I craved a hearty breakfast before returning home. We settled on Crockett’s Breakfast Camp for a morning meal, and it served more than just delicious food. In fact, the name honors Davy Crockett and his wife, who were known to prepare the best home-cooked breakfast in the Smoky Mountains, and the establishment serves hungry travelers today. If you can spare a moment, check out the story here.
The vast interior features rustic décor – think Rainforest Café level of decoration with a mountain theme. And the best part? A newspaper-style menu features the food selections and local stories. Start with the fried cinnamon roll!
The Culture-Seeker: Asheville, NC
Distance from Uptown: 2 hours
Often visited for its proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountain Range and the iconic Biltmore Estate, Asheville is a hub for history and culture. Explore its well-known amenities, experience its art and culture scene, and indulge in local dishes while in town.
Culture-Seeker Bucket List:
Tour the Biltmore Estate
Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Biltmore Estate welcomes countless visitors each year to its grounds to observe the historic 1895 mansion once home to George Washington Vanderbilt II and his family. Tour the home and stay on the grounds afterwards to observe the gardens and shop in the nearby village. Tip: Return in the winter to experience its grandeur during the holiday season, where larger-than-live trees and light displays make the mansion a festive family getaway.
Walk the Shops and Eateries at the Grove Arcade
The Grove Arcade Public Market’s lively history makes it a must-see when in Asheville. What began as a market for food, beauty parlors, and candy shops became a government haven during World War II. After housing multiple uses, the space returned to its original state as a market, and now acts as a center for culture complete with shops, restaurants, offices and more. Stop into Nutz About Fudge to stock up on sugar before returning to shopping!
Explore Quirky Museums
While history museums often get the most attention, unique spaces in downtown Asheville preserve its culture. Play on vintage machines in the Asheville Pinball Museum, hear haunted tales at the Asheville Mystery Museum during the Haunted Asheville Tour, or admire automobiles at the Antique Car Museum in the Historic Grovewood Village.
Become One with the Blue Ridge Mountains
To truly understand the mountain culture, one must become one with the surrounding terrain. Head to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains to experience stunning views and outdoor trails that made their way into so many motion pictures. Hike the trails seen in “The Hunger Games”, or drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Discover the Brewing Scene
Known as the “Brewery Capital of America,” Asheville houses 38 breweries. Visitors can sample over 100 local beers on draft and in bottles. Wicked Weed Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and Highland Brewing rank among the most popular spots, though with so many from which to choose, there’s something for everyone (even me, who prefers food to beer). Get the cheeseburger and hash browns at Wicked Weed with your local brew, or check out Sallie’s suggestions for more food and beverage options.
The Sports Fan: Raleigh – Durham, NC
Distance from Uptown: 2.5 hours
If you’re a big Charlotte sports fan, but want to spend weekends away, consider cheering on some of North Carolina’s best teams. Whether you’re a fan of football, hockey, basketball, baseball, or just stadium food (like me), the Raleigh-Durham area welcomes sports fans and stadium-hot-dog-lovers alike.
Sports Fan Bucket List:
Attend a Duke Basketball Game
This truly ranks as a “bucket list” item, as these tickets prove nearly impossible to acquire. However, don’t cross it off the list – keep trying for a chance to visit the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium to cheer on the Blue Devils under the supervision of Coach Mike Krzyzewski, aka “Coach K.”
Cheer on UNC Chapel Hill
Not to be outdone, the cross-town rival UNC Chapel Hill fields a strong men’s and women’s basketball team each year. The larger arena makes the tickets easier to acquire, but UNC is still in the highly-competitive ACC division. For those of you who may not generally follow sports (like myself), I’m told the Duke vs. Chapel Hill game is the one to see.
Catch an NC State Football Game
Watch NC State take on ACC rival Florida State and out-of-conference Big 12 opponent West Virginia this fall at the Carter-Finley Stadium. The team went 9-4 last year, and they should prove successful again this year.
Bundle Up for a Hockey Game
Although they didn’t make playoffs this year, you can catch a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game at PNC Arena. You may even see some of the Charlotte Checkers players, as the Checkers are the minor league affiliate to the Carolina Hurricanes.
If you haven’t made it to a Checkers game, it’s definitely worth going! Even if you don’t generally watch hockey, Chubby the polar bear is super cute and makes you want to cheer.
Play Ball! in Durham
Catch the Charlotte Knights’ in-state rivals if you’re in Durham over the summer. While the Knights stadium is always fun (fireworks!), catch our team in action on 6/12 – 6/13, 6/25 – 6/27, and 7/12 – 7/14 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
This story was originally published May 2, 2018 at 12:00 AM.
