I firmly believe that it’s really important to explore your own city. It would be such a waste of a perfectly good destination if you didn’t. This is where the staycation comes into play. It’s a great way to get the feel of a relaxing vacation when you don’t have the time or funds for one. While travel is obviously something that I’m passionate about, I have a fondness for staycations and the vacation vibes they provide in between big trips. There are two ways to plan a fantastic staycation: 1.) think of yourself as a tourist in your own city and venture to unchartered territory (to you, anyways), or 2.) book a hotel with some sort of spa/pool facility, get yourself a good book and chilllllllll. When my boyfriend and I staycationed at The Freehand earlier this year (see staycation blog here), we chose the first option. We went to a popular restaurant we’d both never been to and wandered around the city, popping into bars and enjoying the River Walk. I have to say, staying downtown and enjoying the city lights and attractions definitely made me love Chicago even more than I already do. It’s about time we try the second option, but more on that later. Whichever option you choose, you are sure to have an amazing time and a whole new appreciation of your hometown. Plus, you get the added bonus of having the knowledge and experience to play concierge to your friends and family when they ask for accommodation or restaurant suggestions. Below are my best tips for planning the perfect staycation, take them as you will and let me know what you’re favorite staycation plans are in the comments!
- Choosing the hotel: This is most likely your first step in planning your staycation. Base this decision on what kind of experience you’re looking for, i.e.- if you want to relax, book a hotel with room service, a pool and/or spa and a comfy bed, or if you want to explore, choose a hip hotel in the center of the action. If you live in a big city like I do, the options for hotels are endless and can get a little pricey. As I am not made of money, I usually check if there are any deals on LivingSocial or Groupon first.
- Planning activities: Since you’re familiar with the lay of the land, I’m sure you already know exactly what you’d like to do. Choose something that you’ve always had on your hometown bucket list, but haven’t made time for yet. Maybe it’s finally caving in and checking out that city attraction all the tourists rave about, or seeing a play at the local theater or even trying out a trendy bar. If you aren’t planning on venturing out, make a spa appointment or check if your hotel has any special in-room features you can utilize.
- Doing dinner: Whether you’re relaxing or exploring, you gotta eat. For the relaxing type – kick back in your hotel room with some room service or order delivery and eat it in your robe. If you’re feeling adventurous, go out to a restaurant featuring a style of cuisine you’ve never tried. Either way, order decadently and enjoy.
- Sleeping in: I don’t really have a whole lot to say on this topic, other than, if you are staycationing, it’s imperative that you sleep in at least a little bit. Bonus points for you if you order breakfast in bed.
- The morning after: Take your time in the morning and don’t rush to leave the hotel. Go for a dip in the pool, go out for breakfast, have a morning shopping spree… whatever you want! Squeeze every last bit out of this staycation, and don’t even think about checking out early.
- Going back to reality: Of course returning from any sort of vacation is always rough, but since you were only a few miles from home, it should be easier to get back into the swing of things. Take the rest of the day to soak up all the good staycation vibes and go back into your weekly routine feeling refreshed and happy to know your city a little better.
check out the ticket situation. The cheapest tour was $36 a person and the prices went up to $72 a person for the VIP tour. I read somewhere online that you could go up to the gate and peak at the mansion for free, but they shot that idea down real quick. The woman at the guest relations 
counter told us that we were only allowed to do that from 7:30am to 8:30am. So we didn’t see the house. But! We did look around the overpriced gift shops for a bit. The area was starting to get crowded with tourists, so we bypassed the additional Elvis Museums and themed diners and moved on.
Our next stop was The Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Admission was $13 and the tour started with a 20 minute film on the history of the recording studio.
The museum itself was filled with artifacts from soul music superstars like Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Aretha Franklin, Booker T and The MGs, Carla Thomas, and many more. 
The old recording equipment was preserved and in the same studio they used to record the greats. The number of artists and albums associated with Stax Records is staggering, and you can feel the full affect of it as you walk through the hall lined with all such records. You exit through the gift shop, I’m a sucker for a good gift shop, and this one’s filled with unique gifts, records and miscellaneous music memorabilia. The museum is definitely a must-see in Memphis.
We went to back to Midtown to The Beauty Shop for lunch. The hip restaurant used to be a beauty parlor (pretty obvious) and held onto the dryer chairs which they recycled into seats at the dining tables. The food was out-of-control good. We had the lemon zest olives to start and then I had the BLTA and Mike had the Salmon Gravalax sandwich, both of which came with homemade chips. We both completely devoured our lunches. The staff were wonderful, and happy to suggest any of their many delicious offerings if you’re having trouble deciding.
The entry fee is $15.00. It was a very emotional experience, being there, as well as being very educational. It is a lot of information to take in, so be sure to set aside enough time to fully appreciate it. Each exhibit is beautifully made and mostly interactive.
It had an eclectic collection of goods ranging from teacups to CCR albums to cowboy boots. We checked into our new hotel, The Sheraton (thank you, Mike!) and decided to go jump into the pool. We had it to ourselves, so we swam around for a while before going back to the room to get ready for our last night out on the town. Our first stop was The Peabody Hotel to have a Jack Daniels cocktail in their Corner Bar.
We went to Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous for dinner, which was just across the street and down an alley from The Peabody. We got seated right away in their main dining room. We started with the sausage and cheese plate, which seemed to be a staple on menus in Memphis. It was served with a heap of saltine crackers and it was AMAZING.
For our entrees, I had the beef brisket and Mike had the pork ribs, both served with beans and cole slaw. We sat in silence as we ate, attacking everything on our plates and sneaking bites of each other’s food without asking. The meal was so good, we had to sit there for a minute after to get ourselves out of the food coma.
After dinner, we went to the Absinthe Room above King’s Palace Café. While Mike partook in the namesake drink, I 
ordered a gin and tonic. Just the smell of the absinthe (black licorice) made me feel sick to my stomach. It was more of a dive bar, with three pool tables, each in their own little room. There was a jukebox in the bar that the patrons kept playing The Eagles on, and a couple at the bar that paid for their drinks all in quarters. It was an interesting and lively crowd that we enjoyed being a part of, even if it was only for the one drink.
When we finished our drinks, we went to Wet Willie’s to sample their boozy slushies. The slushies were just alright, but the two man band that was performing while we drank them was fantastic. We had planned to take our mediocre slushies and walk, but changed our minds when they started playing. From there we went to BB King’s to pay tribute to the blues legend with a beer. They had a soul cover band playing and everybody danced.
From that point on, things became a little hazy. I know we had a few more drinks, and I know we made a stop into a couple of souvenir shops and bought a few things that we didn’t really need (I’m looking at you, Elvis clock!).
Before we left the next day, we stopped at Blues City Café for lunch. I had some scrumptious chicken fingers and Mike had the catfish. It was a good last meal in Memphis where we had so many other great meals, listened to some amazing music and were lucky enough to get a glimpse into the rich history of this musically- inclined city.
After breakfast, we drove to Graceland, which we both had mixed feelings about. We paid $10.00 to park and went in to
When we finished our drinks, we went to Wet Willie’s to sample their boozy slushies. The slushies were just alright, but the two man band that was performing while we drank them was fantastic. We had planned to take our mediocre slushies and walk, but changed our minds when they started playing. From there we went to BB King’s to pay tribute to the blues legend with a beer. They had a soul cover band playing and everybody danced.
From that point on, things became a little hazy. I know we had a few more drinks, and I know we made a stop into a couple of souvenir shops and bought a few things that we didn’t really need (I’m looking at you, Elvis clock!).
Restaurant and wandered in. Somehow I wound up onstage singing 
They played a good mix of old and new tunes, and even did a couple covers. Halfway through, Dave Grohl invited an old Battle of the Bands foe to join him on stage, and they sang “Under Pressure”.
Earlier in the year, Mr. Grohl broke his leg, but instead of cancelling the tour, he had an amazing Rock ’n’ Roll throne made to play from. It was adorned with guitar necks and strobe lights, and had the Foo Fighter Logo emblazoned on the chair back. After the show, we hopped back over to Beale Street for some cheap drinks and Blues.
We went to Club 152, enchanted by the music coming from inside and happy about the no cover. After a while, we called it a night and wandered back to the hotel. The next morning, we went down to enjoy our free breakfast only to discover that it had already closed… at 9am. What?? So we walked over to Café Keough on Main Street for some coffee.
While the service wasn’t full of Southern Hospitality, the café was gorgeous, their menu was unique and my latte was superb. We walked through Memphis Park and over to the pedestrian walkway bridge that leads to Mud Island.
After we got our fill, we walked back to the mainland and over to Beale Street. We popped into some of the stores and sized up the bars for later. The whole scene was reminiscent of a mini Bourbon Street in NOLA (check out the New Orleans blog 
Many amazing artists have walked through their doors, including: Howlin Wolf, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and many more. The tour of the studio was $13, and worth every penny.
Our tour guide was knowledgeable and charismatic and punctuated each music fun fact with a song that was recorded in the studio. In the same building is a café and gift shop which was fun to browse.
Later that evening, we went to Flight Wine Bar for dinner. We each got a wine flight with dinner, I had the Sibling Rivalry, all white wines. For dinner we got a few small plates to share, including: veal scallopini, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits. The food was so flavorful and had me wishing we had ordered more than small plates.
Venturing a little further down Beale Street, we ended up at Jerry Lee Lewis’s Café for a night cap. There was an amazing rockabilly band playing when we arrived, called Smooth and the Bully Boys.
We sat by the window and waited for a waitress that never came. When we went to the bar to get a drink, we were told we would just have to keep waiting at the table. We didn’t mind waiting because the music was so good, but it did take an awfully long time for two measly drinks. After the band finished, we ended our night back at the hotel with a game of rummy and a bottle of wine.
brush fires as we drove through Southern Illinois. Some were small and would probably put themselves out, but some we passed were scary big and had firetrucks rushing toward them. I had never seen anything like it, the smoke was clouding up both sides of the highway. As we approached Memphis, we passed over the Mississippi River, with the huge glass pyramid Bass Pro Shop looming to our left. When we reached our hotel, we checked into our room, only to 
discover we were put into a room with double beds. This was one of the few reasons I was a little underwhelmed with the hotel. But, that’s what you get when you book budget I guess! We took solace in the fact that it was simply a place to sleep and we wouldn’t be spending much time there. Mike and I headed out to explore pretty quickly after checking in. We could see the river from right outside our hotel, and we passed some beautiful buildings and parks on our way to Main Street. We had dinner at The Majestic Grille, a restaurant fashioned to look like an outdoor movie theater with palm trees and twinkly lights.
Sabrina (the original with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart) played in the background as we waited 20 minutes for our beers to arrive. However, the trouble was soon 
forgotten when they brought over a basket of delicious,
of a mini Bourbon Street in NOLA (check out the New Orleans blog 
over the guitars in the gift shop. We went to the
To Be Continued…
I’ll start from the beginning:
When I arrived at the hotel, I was hungry from a day full of travel, so I hunkered down in the hotel room and ordered room service for dinner. I got coconut shrimp and fries, which I enjoyed in my PJs from the comfort of the queen-sized bed in my room. When I finished the food, I was instructed to place the tray outside the door, where it would be picked up. I took the tray outside, while the door to my room abruptly closed behind me, locking me out. I had to walk to the front desk for a new key in my teeny tiny pajama shorts and tank top, my face flushed with embarrassment. The front desk staff were nice enough to act like it happened all the time, but I scurried back to my room with my head down. Once I was in, I decided to call it a night.
The next day, I woke up early and enjoyed a cup of coffee out on the pool deck. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, and I was quick to get into my swimsuit and sit out on the beach. What I was most wanting from this vacation was to lay out in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. I certainly accomplished that, but not much else. Also on the first day in Miami, I did indeed take the bus to Miami Beach, where I walked around aimlessly for a couple of hours.
and salsa that were on the table. Right off the bat, I started coughing in full force due to swallowing a large bit of chip whole. My eyes were watering, my hands had the table in a death grip, and I could see the waiter in my peripheral, deciding whether or not I needed the Heimlich. Once I got myself under control, my eyes continued to water as I ate my meal. I desperately hoped that no one around me thought I was some sad girl eating dinner by herself, but could sense some pity coming at me. Needless to say, I paid my bill and got out of there as soon as I finished eating (food first, always). I went off in search of a bar to prove to the Miami citizens that I knew how to behave properly in public.
In any case, the next day I did not meet up with my new casual acquaintance. I did, however, get drunk on the beach, on Sex on The Beaches no less. In the afternoon, I attempted to find a paddle board rental joint that I had 
heard about from the concierge. I didn’t find it, in fact, I got a little lost and wound up just going back to the hotel instead of asking for help or hailing a cab. My misadventure and the fact that my big solo vacation was shaping up to be a little uneventful caused me to have a little pity party in my hotel room.
I got it together eventually, and decided to treat myself to a lobster dinner in the hotel restaurant, Kitchen 305. As I was sat at my table for one, the waitress came over to take my drink and promptly said “aww, honey is it just you tonight?” Umm, yes, yes it is, and if your goal was to make me order three more drinks than I was going to, mission accomplished. I ordered my lobster dinner, which also came with a salad and bread and perhaps a side dish.
When the lobster arrived, I stared at it dumbfounded. It was a whole lobster, which I had never experience before. Lobster tail, yes. Lobster roll, yes. A whole lobster…what the heck do you do with it? I took a picture of it and sent it to my dad, an avid seafood lover, with this message “HELP! I don’t know what to do with this! Which part am I supposed to eat?” I cut into the top of the lobster and green goo flowed out. I turned my plate around and cut into the tail. I ate what little meat I could scavenge from the little guy and then filled up on bread. I left a big tip and walked out of the restaurant feeling a little bit defeated. It was my last night in Miami, and I spent the rest of it drinking PBR and brooding by myself on the pool deck.
The next morning, I woke up early to catch the sunrise. I walked along the beach, taking pictures, and I noticed what seemed to be ocean wildlife washed up all along the shore. The majority of the creatures looked like clear, blue empanadas with tentacles. One of the men cleaning up the shore line in front of the hotel told me not to touch them, they were Portuguese Man of War. They were closing the beaches to swimmers that day due to an overabundance of these little death empanadas. That was my queue to head back to Chicago. I took another airport shuttle back to Miami International Airport, where I was delayed for three hours before finally making it back home.
I was a little bit ashamed of this trip for a while afterwards. I felt like I should have made more out of this trip, should have explored more, should have ventured out more fearlessly. Retelling the story now, I see that a big part of the problem was attitude. I was too easily overcome by any obstacle that I faced. Now I know better. But, I still feel a little bit of a pull back to Miami, to redeem myself for my previous lackluster visit.
something else last minute. We wound up at The Country Inn and Suites which was tragically far away from the downtown area. Now let me preface my limited review on this hotel by saying, I am not a hotel snob. I don’t mind staying at budget hotels and I enjoy staying at hostels, but my first instinct when I walked into our hotel room was to 
run directly back to Chicago. There were stains on the carpet, scuffs on the walls, the bathroom was questionable, the GD curtains were torn! Come on Country Inn, have a little pride! The room did have a few good points, which included a coffee maker in the room, great water pressure in the shower and an individually wrapped make-up remover towlette, which was a very thoughtful touch. We beautified ourselves for the wedding and inquired about a taxi service in the area. The front desk agent handed us a business card and told us it would be about $10 for the ride into downtown. Wrong. It was actually double that. BUT it was worth every penny because the cab driver turned out to 
be our personal concierge. He gave us tons of advice on where to go out after the wedding, where to go for breakfast the next morning, and the maximum level of intoxication that they would allow at the casino across from the wedding venue. It was great! The wedding was at The Grand River Center, which as its name suggests, is right on the Mississippi River. It had a beautiful
glass wall on the river side, and a stone patio that led out onto the river walk. We spent the cocktail hour out on that patio just taking in the scenery. The Mississippi isn’t the prettiest river, but it is really a sight to behold. The wedding reception was beautiful, as they usually are and we danced and abused the photo booth for a good portion of 
the evening. Earlier on, we had noticed that there was a brewery next door to the venue that looked like it was having some sort of festival with a live band. When there was a lull, we decided to walk over and check it out. And that is how I accidentally crashed a wedding for the first time ever. (Congratulations Travis and Christy! Sorry we barged in on your festivities!)
After the reception ended, we walked over to the Diamond Joe Casino. Surprisingly, they let us in and we hit the slots. I tried my hand at blackjack and won a couple of hands, which I’m sure would have made my grandma very proud. We ended up losing $30 but I guess that’s what we get for gambling while under the influence. We decided to take the 
9 minute walk to the main drag, which was on the other side of the highway, over a bridge. The city looked beautiful. We walked past the hotel we should have stayed at and I instantly vowed to come back solely to stay there; it was gorgeous and grand. We walked to a bar called The Broken Lift, which our concierge cab driver had recommended. It was a music venue/bar in the basement of a restaurant called Vinnie Vanucchi’s. The Broken Lift occupies a cave-
like space with two large rooms and limestone covered walls. I had a John’s Generations White Ale, which was crisp after drinking so much light beer at the wedding. They had an enthralling game in the backroom that involved swinging a metal hoop at a hook on the wall that completely
knowledge of the city and drunken rambling led our cab driver to believe our hotel was in the opposite direction than where it actually was. When we finally made it back to the Country Inn, we tried unsuccessfully to order a late night pizza and then passed out from the effort. The next morning, we checked out early to explore Dubuque a little more before heading home. We took another cue from our awesome cabbie took his recommendation for brunch. All we had written down was Quality Inn, so we plugged it into the GPS and off we went. I was interested to see if it was the same small motel that I thought it was, and as we climbed the hill to our destination, I realized that it was. For one moment, I was very mad at our cab driver for leading us astray. That was until my boyfriend, who is a much better listener than I am, pointed out our actual destination, which shared a parking lot with the motel.
Timmerman’s Supper Club was perched on a bluff which overlooked the river. The décor and architecture were straight out of the seventies with gold chandeliers and wooden bamboo chairs. I loved the atmosphere and look of 
the supper club, but the food on the brunch was just ok. The buffet with many choices, carving stations, omelet stations, and a slew of baked goods. The clientele seemed like they had been coming there for years, there was a familiarity to the crowd that was very comfortable. I would like to revisit Timmerman’s, but maybe for dinner or a fancy supper club drink. Our next stop was the 4th Street Elevator (or the Fenelon Place Elevator), one of the more historic sites in Dubuque.
It used to transport folks to and from their houses on top of the hill and their jobs at the bottom, downtown. We were excited to ride this contraption up and down, however they only took cash and had no ATM so we settled for watching it 
instead. It was only $3.00 roundtrip, and I am kind of bummed we didn’t get a chance to experience it. Another reason to come back, I suppose. I needed another coffee before we drove back to Chicago, so we stopped at Monk’s Kaffee Pub on Bluff Street. It is a coffee bar by day and a bar bar by night. It was such a cozy space, with a dark wooden bar that spanned the length of the front room and mismatched arm chairs and tables 
throughout. The coffee was good too! It was such a nice departure from the coffee shops that I am used to. I would gladly return to enjoy a latte in one of those comfy arm chairs. Our last stop before heading home was a flea market/farmer’s market we spotted by the train tracks. It was interesting to say the least. We parked in the grass and browsed through the card tables and tents. I saw a lot of clip on earrings and dishes and beer signs.
If you would have told me before I started this blog that someday I’d be driving solo through the mountains en route to North Carolina, I would have called you a liar for two reasons. 1.) Growing up in Small Town, IL with only rural roads did not turn me into a strong highway driver. 2.) Even now, after completing the drive (there and back again), it still seems like a daunting task. Despite those facts, I still rented a car and made my way to Asheville, North Carolina on my own. It was a beautiful drive, and with no real setbacks (minus the time I took a ramp too fast, almost flipping the car
in the process). I had rented a zippy little Kia Rio for the trip and it performed beautifully. I arrived in Asheville at 6:45pm EST and checked into Sweet Peas Hostel. The hostel suited my needs perfectly as it was located right in center of the downtown area. They set me up for my two-night stay with clean towels and bed linens in my private room, complete with double bed, sink, chair and bedside table. Once I had washed my face and changed from my road trip shirt, I set 
out to explore. From what I saw, Asheville is chock-full of unique restaurants and bars, and cute/quirky shops. Every time I turned a corner, I was sure it would lead to a boring, office-lined street, but was surprised to see yet more shops and restaurants to gawk at. The sidewalks were dotted with buskers, and there was a lingering smell of Nag Champa and cigars. I stopped in The Southern for dinner and tried their “famous” Mac n Cheese, 
with a White Zombie Ale (Catawba Brewing Co.) to wash it down. I made it my personal mission to only drink local beers whilst I was in NC. The food was good enough to satiate my post long drive hunger and the beer was delicious. Soon I was back to wandering; there was a lot to take in. I stopped in to Lexington Avenue Brewery for a 1st Gear Ale (Lexington Avenue Brewery), which was also delicious. I loved the vibe in the brewery, mostly because the music went from The Temptations, to The White Stripes and then Pixies (all my favorites). I called it an early night in order to start early the next day. I woke up sans alarm, and showered in the shared 
bathroom, which was very tidy. I decided to grab breakfast at the highly recommended Early Girl Eatery. I was not disappointed. I had the biscuits and herb gravy with a side of THE BEST BACON I HAVE EVER TASTED. And I’m somewhat of a bacon connoisseur. After I finished every last bite, I drove to the Biltmore Estate (less than 10 minutes away from downtown). The sprawling landscape was accessible after purchasing a $60 day pass, which was a little steep for me, but acceptable due to the beauty of the driveway alone. I drove along the winding road to one of the many parking lots, and took a shuttle to the mansion. I had opted out of the audio tour, and followed the sweaty crowd through the gorgeous house.
The pamphlet that was doled out to me with my day pass went in the same order of the rooms, giving brief descriptions of each one. The tour circled around through 
an indoor garden, multiple dining rooms and salons, the library, the bedrooms and lounges upstairs, and the bowling alley, pool, kitchens and employee rooms in the basement. Once the inside tour was over, I took it upon myself to tour the gardens outside. I walked out onto the patio, which gave spectacular views of the mountains. All of the 
surrounding gardens had names, like “The Italian Garden”, “The Spring Garden”, “The Azalea Garden” and so on. I meandered through a few of them, enchanted most by the walled rose garden that gave way to the Conservatory. I shuttled back to the car and drove towards the Antler Hill Village, where the winery and my free wine tastings called to me. The 
brochures recommend spending two days exploring the property and I can absolutely see why. I passed outdoor activities on all sides as I drove, including kayaking, horseback riding and biking. I enjoyed my complimentary wine tastings (I tried the White Zinfandel and the Sauvignon Blanc), and browsed the stores in Antler Hill Village. Once I returned to the hostel, I grabbed my umbrella to protect me from the sudden downpour and set off again. I found myself at aSHEVille Museum, an interactive Feminist Manifesto. The
museum featured portraits and stories from women around the world and various exhibits revering women in their accomplishments and denouncing sexism in the name of equality. I enjoyed the museum and purchased a bracelet from the wonderfully friendly store keeper. From there, I walked over to the Battery Park Book Exchange, which is in the Grove Arcade. The Book Exchange is my new favorite bar, ever. It’s a two-tiered book store with a coffee and booze bar on the first floor. You can sip your drink and browse the shelves, and even 
add a book to your tab! The shelves are spread out upstairs and down with little hidden alcoves with table and chair sets to sit and read. The staff were nice enough to help me pick a dinner spot and recommend other local eateries for later. The restaurant they spoke the highest of was closed that day, so I wound up at Bouchon, a French Restaurant. I sat at the bar and ordered Moules Frites a la Paris-Born Redneck (cooked with PBR) with a Pisgah Pale 
Ale (Pisgah Brewing Co.). So far the Asheville brewed brews were really hitting the mark. It felt very Parisian, to be sitting at the bar, eating Moules Frites and watching the rain; brooding, because as it turns out, I don’t really enjoy mussels. I did, however, enjoy the bartender there, who was also from Illinois, and advised me where to hike the next day. I walked to 5 Walnut after dinner, drawn in by their live music. The Band, Siamese Jazz Club (with Caromio), was fantastic. I downed a Mother Trucker Pale Ale (Catawba 
Brewing Co.) and enjoyed the happy atmosphere at the bar. Everyone was jamming to the band and dancing alongside their tables. From there, I moved on to The Thirsty Monk for a night cap, where I met a nice couple, who I proceeded to give Asheville Tourism advice to. Drink enough of these local brews and you’ll start to act like one, I guess. Soon, I was taking my slightly tipsy butt to bed. The next morning, I went to the famed Tupelo Honey Café for breakfast al fresco. I had their Tupelo Breakfast Plate, sans eggs and plus a biscuit, and cheese grits and bacon. The food was excellent and the weather was perfect, which lent to a wonderful dining experience. I walked around downtown 
Asheville one last time before heading back to the car and driving to Chimney Rock State Park. It wasn’t a terribly long drive, but the drive up the mountain and to the State Park entrance was a doozy. The switchbacks in the road were something I’d never handled and I took them slowly. It’s usually $15 to enter the park, but that day there was a reduced fair due to the elevator to the top being out of service. That was my first clue that I was in for a lot of stairs. I parked by the gift shop and started the hike up to Chimney Rock, which is almost 100% stairs. There were many lookouts on the way up, but I had my eye on the prize. I made it to the top, panting and wheezing, and marveled at the beautiful view. It was almost a 360 degree view of the gorgeous landscape below. I sat up there for a while, sipping my water and trying to catch my breath. Once I was ready, I overheard talk of a waterfall, and decided to do that hike too. The Hickory Nut Falls trail was back down the stairs, and then down some more stairs for good measure. The trail to the waterfall was nice and shady, and not too long.
NC. Just past the town line is a rather ominous looking roadside market that sells produce, jellies and Bat Cave t-shirts, hats and magnets. I did a U-turn on the mountain road to stop there and buy my Batman-obsessed boyfriend a Bat Cave gift. The proprietor and employees there were happy to give me some fun facts about the area, including how there is an actual Bat Cave, which is now full of snakes. Like Indiana Jones, I hate snakes, so I thanked them for their time and high-tailed it out of there. I was back en route to the Monte Vista Hotel in Black Mountain, down Highway 9, when my cell phone service turned non-existent, effectively shutting down the GPS. The serpentine roads wound through abandoned hills; I hardly passed any cars or buildings. I had a moment of p
anic thinking that I was lost without contact in the wild of North Carolina, before continuing on and eventually regaining the previously taken for granted power of GPS. I made it to the hotel, and checked into a beautiful room in the new wing of the building. To be honest, I was just happy to have my own, private bathroom. I showered and exited the hotel to explore my new surroundings. Most of the stores around Black Mountain were already closed for the evening (at 5:30pm), 
but the ones that were open featured local crafts and kitschy mountain gifts. I went to the Trailhead for dinner and their special for the day: a fried chicken salad with Gouda cheese and local blackberries and heirloom tomatoes. It was unexpectedly yummy. After I settled the bill, I waltzed over to the Black Mountain Ale House for a Black Mountain IPA (Lookout Brewing Co.). The Trivia Night promised on the sign outside never began, so I moved 
on to the White Horse Black Mountain bar down the street. It featured live Irish Music from 6:30-8:30pm and Open Mic night after that. The proprietor, Bob, was such a gentleman and put up with me asking too many questions about local beers. With his help, I chose Noble Hard Cider first and Green Man ESB second, both were so good. He also took the time to explain what ESB stood for (Extra Special Bitter) and where it originated (Great Britain). I nursed my beers and enjoyed the music, 
before leaving the cozy yet cavernous bar and heading back to the hotel. I had a glass of wine on the Monte Vista porch and wrote a bit. The summer night was balmy, but the humidity had left with the sun and the current climate was perfect. I went inside to return my wine glass at the bar, and wound up talking to the General Manager, Tony, of the hotel for a while about hotel life, Chicago, North Carolina and travel in general. It was a great way to 
end the evening. The next morning I roused myself early to catch the continental breakfast of fruit, yogurt, cereal, coffee and juice. The dining room is equal parts rustic and modern with dark wood furniture, local art on the walls and vases of wildflowers on each table. Soon it was time to check out and head home to Chicago. With road construction all along the route home, I had plenty of time to reflect on the trip. It was my first solo road trip, and I am so happy I chose Asheville. It’s friendly inhabitants
and beautiful scenery made the long drive completely worth it. There were things I missed and would happy to make the trip for again. Thanks for the hospitality NC, you were perfect.
rebeccawanderlusting 