How to Vacation in Tennessee

Hello lovelies!

Even though we’ve been home from our Tennesse vacation for 6 weeks, I wanted to share about our adventure and relive some of my favorite summer memories with you!

There are several reasons why I love Tennesse.

1. The first and most important reason is that’s where my in-laws live. Therefore, it shoots up to the top! Enough said.

2. I’ve always found it gorgeous. There was a long time ago, when I was a teenager, that my family took a road trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And we drove. Meaning I drove. I’m pretty sure I was barely 16 (back me up Sarah Bacon….); and we drove in the middle of the night. My dad clearly trusted my driving judgment tremendously – not sure if that was his best call. But we made it there alive. Several hours were spent driving across the long state that is Tenneesse. I saw the rolling hills, the vibrant and lush trees that went on for miles, and all of the kitschy road stops on the way. Even then, I knew I liked this state.

3. It’s the first trip I took with the kids. Every year when we go, I’m reminded of the memories we have built on our summer journeys to Fairfield Glade. It warms my heart to think of the laughs, giggles, pit stops, and jokes we’ve shared on our trips down only to end up on Golden Pond with Grammy & Grampy.

4. Last not but not least – and you may laugh at me. But this is true and semi-important to know about me 🙂 I have always wanted to be a southern belle. Not kidding – when I was a young child, I would introduce myself as Lacey with a southern accent. I always wanted to ride horses, drink sweet tea, listen to George Strait, and wear cowboy boots everywhere. I still feel that way sometimes – even as an adult. Sometimes going to Tennesse makes me feel like I’m coming home.

Tennesse represents love, summer, and the simple joys of life to me. And this trip was no exception to the typical happiness I experience while visiting David’s parents. Read further to see what we did!

Friday, August 3rd

Our family left around 9 am from Chicago to start our trip to Tenneesse. Time was on our side this vacation; we weren’t expecting to leave until later that afternoon and would have split the road trip over 2 days. However, we were blessed with bonus time and did the whole trip in one day! Marsha (my white minivan) pulled into Grammy & Grampy’s just in time for supper.

#RoadTripTip

PODCASTS. David and I listened to Up & Vanished on the way there and back. It immediately hooked us and made the drive fly by.

For those who don’t know, my darling husband is a former HOTDOGGER. Not familiar?

David’s first year out of college was spent driving the Oscar Meyer weinermobile around the country!! He is a road warrior of the grandest kind. David gets behind the wheel and just goes – always on the defense and makes great time 🙂 Me on the other hand – not the best road trip gal. I could never read in the car as a kid as I got so easily car sick. I do better in the front seat – but it’s still a struggle.

So listening to a story (a very intense criminal investigation) helped me not to focus on the curvy mountains or the time ticking past. I just listened and best of all, I got to listen with David; it’s fun to share those moments together.

Saturday, August 4th

 

The first thing the kids want to do when we get to Grammy & Grampy’s is going out on the dock to FISH.

David’s parents built a lovely (that’s a nice way of saying COMPLETELY GORGEOUS) home on a large no-wake lake in Crossville, Tennesse. They have a pontoon boat at the dock, and David’s father is a superb fisherman. I’m really not doing him justice here with this description!

But I’ve had the privilege and opportunity of watching my children learn how to fish with their father and grandfather. It takes patience….time away from your cell phone….time alone to reflect and think…and the opportunity to appreciate nature and how unpredictable it is! You hope for the best when you cast that rod out into the water…but you cannot control if the fish are going to bite. See where I’m going here? The lesson of patience and delayed gratification is significant with fishing – and I’m thrilled my children will know this lesson due to time spent fishing in Tennessee.

Now my big kid (aka my husband), he’s an avid fisherman. These same lessons that are important for our littles – are also important for us as adults. Taking time to break away from the business of life, the commitments, the deadlines, the politics, the obligations….and just delight in the moment. Sit still and watch the bobber go up and down in sync with the rhythm of the water. Feel the breeze and see it echo in the trees. The pride of catching a fish and then releasing it back into the water. I hope our family never forgets the beauty of fishing.

 

That afternoon, the boys hit the links and Tyler almost made a hole in one!! But us girls, we hung out in the water with Hudson. Grammy & Grampy purchased a baby pool for Hudson and he had the best time splashing in the water. He also had his first dip in the lake – that little lifejacket on Huddy’s tiny body was just about the sweetest thing.

Sunday, August 5th

That morning we drove to Pigeon Forge, Tennesse. Haven’t heard of it? Then you are missing out. For my fellow Midwesterners, it’s like the Branson of Tennesse. It is also home to Dollywood – Dolly Parton’s amusement park complex.

To kick off our Dolly-filled visit, we had dinner at Dolly’s Stampede. It was a meal with a show. You sit in an arena and watch some horses do some pretty crazy tricks. Plus there was a cute but very cheesy competition between the two sides of the arena with some silly physical comedy and a few tributes to America to make us feel extra patriotic. We also enjoyed a cutlery-free meal – yep, ate the whole darn thing with our hands – a whole chicken, soup, biscuits, apple turnover for dessert. And I’ll tell you what – for mass-produced food, it was rootin tootin delicious!! I would say that Hudson loved the show….but he fell asleep right at the beginning (but not for lack of trying to stay awake).

 

Monday, August 6th

Dollywood has two parks – an amusement/rollercoaster theme park and a water park. Our first day was spent ridin’ the coaster. The park was family friendly – offering rollercoasters for the big kids (including Grampy who went on EVERY coaster the kids went on – talk about coolest grandpa award!) and smaller rides for Hudson and other toddlers.

But the most important thing I need to share what we did upon entry into the park…

GO TO GRIST MILL AND GET THE CINNAMON BREAD.

This was by far the best thing I’ve shoved in my pie hole in awhile and was the best decision I made all day 🙂 I’ve googled some copycat recipes and reckon (see that southern thing is coming out) that I’ll be fixin’ to (see did it again) to try to recreate this yummy, scrumdiddlyumptious bread this fall!

Now, the children may not agree with me that the bread was the best part of the day. My guess is they’d say all the roller coasters were the best!

• The Wild Eagle
• Mystery Mine
• Thunderhead
• Lightning Rod (heard it’s great but always closed – goes SUPER DUPER fast)
• Tennessee Tornado
• Firechaser Express
• Smokey Mountain River Rampage

The other great thing about Dollywood for this germaphobe (that might be a slight exaggeration – just germ-aware person) – this park was CLEAN. Our local amusement park is Six Flags Great America – which has great rollercoasters and is easily accessible for us! But it doesn’t even hold a light to Dollywood. You could eat off the ground (but they wouldn’t recommend that). The park offers a variety of shops for those who aren’t interested in the attractions. The employees weren’t a bunch of moody teenagers like we have at Six Flags – but rather people who really emulate all that is Dolly – LOVE for others.

Plus – as I hinted at earlier, the food is killer!

If you don’t believe me, check out all the awards Dollywood has won – including best shows, best food, and friendliest park. And no this post is not sponsored – but Dolly Parton – if you want me to write a more extensive review – I’d love to come back (wink wink, nudge nudge)!

Tuesday, August 7th

We started off the day at Splash Country. I actually only went on one ride there – but the kids had a SERIOUSLY great time riding the water rides with their cousins. Hudson and I spent more time at the wave pool and on the kid rides. Another great theme park – clean, good food (although not as good as the other park), and great service.

Although speaking of employees – and I almost feel bad bringing this up – but it’s too memorable not to mention….David and I went on a water ride together. We waited in the fairly long line and when we were the 2nd couple from the front, the craziest thing happened…

We were watching the lifeguard put a family in the raft to go down the slide (and it’s a big raft; fits at least 4 grown adults), and as she was walking around in the water to give the raft a push, we see the raft go down….then we hear a THUD and watch the lifeguard FLY DOWN the water slide. I imagine it is a much scarier experience to go down it sans raft…..that poor girl. Can you imagine being the family in the raft?! What would you do? Try to pull her in as it zips down the chute at 45 mph?? Now it should ease your mind to know that she was totally safe and it was okay. But I still am chuckling a little bit as I write this…

Wednesday, August 7th – Sunday, August 12th

After our mini vacation in a vacation, we went back to Fairfield Glade and did all the things that bring rest, joy, and peace to your heart. We…

• spent our mornings in our pajamas with bedhead, warm cups of coffee, and delicious homemade breakfasts
• gazed at storm clouds moving across the sky and saw the water jump and ripple
• jumped off the boat while playing ‘Categories’ (favorite flower, movie, restaurant, ride at Disney World, etc.)
• waited patiently for a giant catfish to chow down a bread ball
• kayaked around the lake and fished for golf balls in the shallow waters
• got bug bites bigger than a breadbox
• watched movies while eating Grammy’s lemon cake
• cruised on the pontoon boat and watched Hudson dance to Go Noodle
• searched high and low for the best place in town to buy Night Crawlers and Big Reds. And if you think I’m talking about food…I am…but for fish (tee hee – they are types of worms).
• splashed in the baby pool with Hudson, showing him that life is always better in a swimsuit
• looked for deer in the neighbor’s yard and saw several! (and a snake – no thanks)
• laughed around the dinner table and always went back for seconds
• played Phase 10 until midnight with my favorite card players 🙂 I still cannot believe we stayed up that late!
• prepared lunch for our fisherpeople – anything quick, filling, and on the go!
• did somersaults on the living room floor – mostly by our little gymnast Hudson
• enjoyed each other’s company and life as if time were standing still … all while knowing …. these are the moments we have been waiting for all our lives!!

So as you can see, we had a TERRIBLE time in Tennesse. Just kidding…. and we are already counting down to our next trip. Thank you Grampy & Grammy for a tremendous week and opening your home and hearts to our crazy crew!

For you my fabulous readers….a few questions 🙂

• Have you been to Tennessee? Anything we should do on our next trip?
• Where did you vacation as a kid?
• Do you take your kids to the same vacation spots every year?

I’d love to read your responses! Thanks for following along. 

 

xoxo

Hollyce