A Blue Ridge Mountain escape has so much to offer. Beautiful scenery. Fresh air. Abundant wildlife. Time to reflect. Whether you’re into observing nature, hiking, biking, camping or canoeing , these mountains have something for everyone. And if a weekend getaway is just not in the cards, you could easily plan a week long family vacation. There is plenty to do, you won’t be disappointed, I promise!

This year we decided to spend the first weekend of October in the mountains to see the fall foliage. Brilliant orange, red, brown, yellow and green leaves. The scenery was amazing. We have been going to the mountains for years, even taken our annual family vacation here. But we have never timed it right to see the fall leaves change colors. Spectacular. The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold. No pesky bugs. If you are looking to take a mountain getaway, I highly recommend Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains in early October.

Our Home Away From Home for the Weekend

My wife heard about this cabin from my sister. She and her husbands family rent several cabins every year and take all the kids to spend some quality time together. This was our first time renting one of these cabins and we were not disappointed. We chose a warm and cozy, 3 bedroom, complete with an old fashioned loft, reachable only by wooden ladder. The kids loved it! From the moment we opened the front door, we fell in love with our retreat. We were met with the light scent of freshly burned firewood. The cabin was rustic, neat and very clean. Nothing fancy, but very charming. We immediately lit a fire in the fireplace. We sat around the fire, talking and playing board games for hours.

The cabins come completely ready for you to relax. Everything is included. Dishes, linens, TP, trash bags, even coffee! I mean everything! We were pleasantly surprised. There was a huge wrap around deck, complete with a swing, picnic table, chairs and a gas grill. It also had a large screened in porch, complete with furniture. And best of all, they are pet friendly. So Missy got to come along and enjoy the fun! Almost paradise!

Cabin Creekwood is family owned and operated. Very nice people. They made us feel welcome and they are extremely customer service oriented. We will be returning for many years to come!

Our Adventure Begins

Saturday morning, I awoke early and cooked a huge spread. We got an early start to go sightseeing. We started out on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We meandered slowly through the natural beauty, stopping at the many scenic overlooks. (see pictures below) We hiked several warm up trails, took pictures and admired the surrounding views. Before we knew it, lunchtime had arrived. We stopped at one of the many picnic areas and cooked hot dogs on the grill. After lunch, the kids hiked stint of the Appalachian Trail, which runs alongside the picnic area.

Our Visual Experience Continues

From there, we ventured onto Skyline Drive. Again taking in the incredible scenery. I had purchased a book called Waterfalls of the Blue Ridge and picked a 4 mile round trip hike down to the basin of a majestic waterfall. So off we go. It was a moderate hike, downhill, with many rocks and even boulders to work around. We passed several tired hikers returning from the falls who assured us it was well worth the effort. We arrived at the falls in about 2 hours, after making several excursions to check out things along the way. The wall of the falls formed a sort of amphitheater. Huge flat rocks, placed perfectly in front of the falls, provided great resting spots and picture taking opportunities. We were just about done admiring natures work, when it happened.

The B-Family Adventure Takes a Slight Detour

The kids called out to me that they had found a fresh water crayfish and had summons me to investigate. I had navigated my way over several huge rocks and worked myself just under the cascading water. Hearing the kids, I turned around and before I knew what happened, my feet went out from under me. I had slipped on the wet rocks. I hit the ground fast and hard. I rolled over and tried to get up, when I noticed my right hand bent at a 90 degree angle, 2 inches above my wrist. I had broken my arm. It looked like a golf club. My wife moved quickly towards me. I held up my right hand and yelled, “I broke my arm!!!” Seeing this, she screamed.

Adrenaline Kicks In

Before I had time to think about it, I grabbed my right hand with my left, pulled it into my stomach and popped it back in place. I didn’t feel a thing. I was in shock. We quickly gathered everything and moved towards the trail. We had a 2 mile, up hill hike to get back to our truck. We had no cell service and we had run out of water. My son, thinking on his feet, took his t-shirt and made an arm sling. I placed my right arm in the sling, against my chest and held it with my left. My son, who is in very good shape, jogged ahead and retrieved fresh water from the truck and then met us back on the trail. We made it to the top in 1 hour 45 minutes. To make a long story short, we went to the local emergency room, I was treated and released in under 2 hours. By 8:45 PM, just 5 hours after the ordeal began, I was heavily medicated and cooking steaks on the grill. I was completely determined to not let my accident ruin our weekend. After dinner and a big bowl of caramel and nut covered ice cream, we played Sorry and talked about our big day.

Hind Sight is 20/20

The fall was completely my fault. I know better. We have been hiking hundreds of times. I made a really bad decision. You see, when I got up that morning, I threw on an old, worn-out pair of Vans, thinking I would change into my hiking shoes later. I even thought about it when I was backing out of the driveway. I never changed into my hiking shoes. Turned out to be a big mistake! Note to self: Always wear appropriate attire!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

So, I have been lying on my back, arm elevated above the heart, cast up to my shoulder, zoning on some morphine derivatives for a week. I go back to the Orthopedist Friday to get a new cast. My family has been terrific. Everyone has pitched in to help. You don’t realize what you can’t do with only one arm, until you only have one arm! My company has been great as well. I’ve been working from home with the assistance of my Blackberry and Laptop. I will return to the office on Tuesday. It’s tough, but I’m taking it one day at a time. Only 7 more weeks to go! Yeah!

Happy Ending

Despite my unfortunate accident, we really did have a great time. Breaking my arm in many ways probably pulled us all closer together. It forced us to slow down, have great conversations and enjoy each others company. No regrets!

So, if you are interested in planning a vacation to the Blue Ridge Mountains, I have included some links to area attractions. There is so much to see and do. As you will find out, you could easily spend a week here.

Some Planning Resources

Check out my tips for planning a family vacation

Check out my tips for a great camping trip

Our family highly recommends Cabin Creekwood

General Information:

• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Skyline Drive

If hiking the Appalachian Trail does not suit your fancy you could try one of the following:

Area Attractions **

• Monticello
• The Frontier Culture Museum
• The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Museum
• Luray Caverns
• Endless Caverns
• Natural Bridge
• Natural Chimneys
• Virginia Safari Park

** Our family has visited all of the above attractions over the years and I am recommending all of them.

Okay, you want to be pampered…

Resorts

• Massanutten Resort
• Winter Green Resort
• Snow Shoe Mountain Resort

Emergency
Augusta Medical Center - Great, modern facility, awesome, fast service.

Some pictures from our trip

BTW, these pictures have been re-sized and optimized for the web. They do not begin to show how beautiful the scenery really is in person. You’ll have to find out for yourself.

The cabin loft	Playing board games
View from Blue Ridge Parkway	View from Skyline Drive
Hiking	Abandoned cabin in woods
Fall foliage	Scenic view
2 mile hike to waterfall	Beautiful waterfall
Returning from hospital	Cooking on the grill

It’ summertime! My favorite time of year. Why? Because the weather is wonderful. The kids are out of school. And we take our family vacation. I know this year is tough due to the insane gas prices, but if at all possible you should try and get away! It is good for the mind and soul. And if you have kids, you will create long lasting memories. So let the good times roll!

PICK A PLACE

For years I have been choosing the vacation spots. I usually decide on where we are going based on the following:

• What we can afford this year.
• Where the kids have talked about going.
• Places I have heard about or seen in magazines, TV, etc.

PLANNING

I put alot into the planning stage. It makes things go so much smoother and avoids a lot of stress. Here are some of the things I do to prepare for the trip:

Use the Internet:

• I use search engines to find things to do, places to go and local restaurants.
• I use google maps to plan how long it takes to get from point A to point B.
• I always book my own travel plans on Travelocity.com
• I visit AAA: Here you will find free road maps, Travel Guides and advice. I usually do this several months in advance. The Travel Guides are an excellent source of information on hotels,restaurants and attractions.
• I visit a bookstore: I usually buy a book on wherever we have chosen to go. I read up on it.
• I try to catch specials on the Travel Channel and the like.

MAKING IT FUN

Our family has a long standing tradition of making a game of guessing where we are going. I know, I sound like a goofball, but we always had a blast. The kids would both ask a question about where we are going each night at dinner. I would answer yes or no. Are we driving? Are we flying? Is it hot? Is it cold? We would do this each night until they narrowed down where we are going. If no one got it after several days, they would barrage me with questions until someone guessed it.

FIND SOME GREAT LOCAL RESTAURANTS

We always try to find some hidden hot spots when traveling. We try to avoid chains. I figure I can eat at Applebees anytime. I do this three ways:

• I find some highly rated restaurants in the AAA guides
• I use Where the Locals Eat: A Guide to the Best Restaurants in America
• I ask locals something like “I’m from out of town, where would you recommend eating dinner tonight”, “Where would you eat and I don’t mean Don Pueblos.” Seriously, I have found some of the best restaurants in America that way! One time we were in Sault Sainte Marie, MI and I asked a woman on a open topped tour bus where she was going to eat tonight. She told me “Antlers” and it was one of the most unique and awesome places we have ever been. And guess what, four years later, we ate there again.

WHAT TO DO

I always plan a mixed bag of places to visit. Here are some examples:

• Zoo’s
• National Parks - Zion, Death Valley, Bryce Canyon
• Natural Wonders - Grand Canyon, Natural Bridge, Niagara Falls
• Amusement Parks - Disney, Busch Gardens, Sea World
• Historical Sites - Including forts, historic homes, re-enactment sites
• Other parks
• Beaches

IDEAS ON WHERE TO GO

Well this depends on many factors including your kids ages, finances and geography. Here are some of our favorite trips we have enjoyed with kids 7 to 18:

• Anywhere in Arizona, including Tuscon, South Rim Grand Canyon, Hoover Damn
• Anywhere in Utah, including Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Badlands
• Las Vegas: We have done day trips including Death Valley, West Rim Grand Canyon, Valley of Fire & Red Rock Canyon
• Massachusetts: Boston, Plymouth, Salem & Cape Code
• Pennsylvania: Lancaster (Amish Country), Hersey World, Philadelphia
• New York: Niagara Falls, NY City
• Michigan: Mackinac Island, Frankenmuth, Upper Peninsula
• Virginia: Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Blue Ridge Mountains
• Tennessee: Great Smokey Mountains
• South Carolina: Charleston
• Georgia: Atlanta, Coca Cola World, Aquarium, Zoo
• Florida: Orlando, Disney World
• A great trip, Washington DC - If it is feasible for you to take a trip to DC, I would highly recommend it. Most of the attractions are free. The National Zoo, which is up there with the San Diego Zoo is FREE. All of the monuments, Washington, Jefferson & Lincoln, all free. And so are all of the museums. You will easily be busy for an entire week. Fun, educational and free, can’t beat that!

I know there are many other wonderful places to visit, I just wanted to get things going with a short list of places I could recommend. I hope this has given you some ideas. I plan on elaborating in future posts about some of these destinations. Family vacations are a great way to spend some quality time together and you will be sure to create some fond memories.

Pictured above: The West Rim of the Grand Canyon

SOME VACATION PHOTOS:

The River House, Nuese River, North Carolina

Tahquamenon Falls, Michigan

Death Valley, California

Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

Taking a camping trip is a great way to do some family bonding and get in touch with nature. It is very relaxing and can be a lot of fun. There are all kinds of activities that can be enjoyed or you can simply do nothing at all. It’s totally up to you.

We take at least two annual camping trips a year. One on Memorial Day weekend and the other on Labor Day weekend. We submerge ourselves in the wilderness and try to disconnect from the outside world for a few days. It is very relaxing and we always have a blast! This year we had a large crowd of friends and family encompassing three campsites.

If you are new to camping, you are probably thinking “Why do I want to go sit in the woods and stare at trees?” I know, I used to think the same thing. Until I was bitten by the camping bug! That happened in my late teens and I have loved camping ever since. Trust me, if you give it a try, you will probably get hooked!

One of our favorite activities is the camp fire. We roast marshmallows, make Smores, make camp pizza, tell stories and just have a good old time! We also enjoy riding bikes, hiking and playing in the water.

Make Some Smores

You will need:

• 1 Box of Graham Crackers
• 1 6 pack of Hersey Chocolate Bars
• 1 Bag of Marshmallows

Directions:

1. Roast a marshmallow over the fire
2. Break off 2 Graham Crackers, 1-2 pieces of chocolate
3. Sandwich marshmallow & chocolate between 2 Graham crackers
4. Eat & enjoy!

One of our favorite campgrounds is John H Kerr Dam And Reservoir campground. This 50,000-acre lake is on the Virginia - North Carolina border and is one of the largest man-made lakes in the southeast. It is noted for its record striped bass catches and excellent camping facilities. The scenery is beautiful!

Some Camping Tips

• Book your camping reservations well in advance for best sites.
• Pack all of your camping gear into plastic crates. When it’s time to go, simply load the crates and run!
• Try to find camp grounds with water, preferably a small lake. This increases available activities.
• Get a bicycle rack for your vehicle and take your bikes along.
• Buy camping accessories at the end of season to save some $$$

Things You Will Need For Basic Camping

• A tent
• Tarps
• Sleeping bags
• Pillows
• Air Mattress (much more comfortable than the ground)
• Cooking utensils
• Cooler w/ ice
• Fire wood (can usually be purchased at camp store)

There are many different camping options:

• You can go primitive with no electricity and water
• You can “tent camp”
• You can take an RV, with all the amenities
• You can take a “Popup Tent”
• You can take advantage of State run camp grounds
• You can go the more commercial route, like KOA or Holiday Trav-l-Park
  These are good for people with children. They offer live bands, pools, game rooms, mini-golf, hay rides, etc.

Some Things To Do

• Go hiking
• Go biking
• Go fishing
• Go swimming
• Play horse shoes
• Build a camp fire
• Cook marshmallows
• Make Smores
• Tell ghost stories
• Enjoy the stars

So, I hope this gives you some ideas. Give it try! Anyone out there have a camping experience you would like to share? Please do, we would love to hear it!

Pictures from Our Memorial Day Trip:

Cooking marshmallows around the fire.

Life on the beach.

Me, caught by surprise by my daughter.

Our little girl Missy with her life jacket on.

My daughter (on right) and her friend.

My brother-in-law cooking dinner.

This past weekend my wife and I took a long weekend getaway to Georgia. We left Friday morning and returned Sunday evening. Our trip was multi-purposed. First my daughter had stayed with her Aunt, one of my sisters, for spring break. We needed to pick her up and bring her home. Also, my sister and her husband just had a baby boy nine weeks ago, and we wanted to meet our new nephew! My other sister and her two boys met us for the weekend. So, we had one of those family get-togethers that I’ve been telling you about.

We arrived Friday evening, and stayed up late getting all caught up. Saturday morning my sister and her husband cooked a wonderful breakfast. Saturday afternoon we ventured into Atlanta and had lunch at Willey’s Mexicana Grill. If you have never heard of Willey’s, think GIANT burritos. Very good, I highly recommend it. Next on the agenda was the Georgia Aquarium. What a wonderful time. Imagine fish, fish and more fish. There are more than 8 million gallons of fresh and marine water. And there is plenty to keep the little one’s occupied. My nephews loved the play area with lots to climb on and plenty of things to do. There is a touch tank full of sting rays. Exhibits featuring California sea lions, sea otters and African black-footed penguins will impress. We all stood in amazement as we watched the graceful Beluga whales. And the grand finale, the giant whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. Good times! I highly recommend this to anyone with kids or if you just love water creatures!

TIPS: Park in neighboring parking lots across the street to save a few $$$.
Purchase tickets online and check in at the will-call booth to beat the lines.

After leaving the aquarium we observed the remnants of destruction caused by the tornado that went through downtown just several weeks ago. Most of the tall buildings still have hundreds of boarded up windows. You never think of a tornado rolling through the middle of a big city! What a sight.

Next it was on to dinner. My brother in-law chose Teds Montana Grill. Serving up chicken, beef and bison, it was reasonably priced in a comfortable eco-friendly atmosphere. The food was good and we enjoyed the company. Sunday morning we had breakfast at a local pancake house and said our “good byes”. I hope my nephew doesn’t grow up to fast! We will continue get together as often as possible.

For those of you interested in Atlanta I recommend the following attractions from previous trips. As you will see, you could easily plan a week long vacation here. Years ago, one of the things that always intimidated us about planning a vacation or get-a-way was not knowing anything about the area. So, through our experiences, I will try to introduce places we have traveled, to help motivate you to plan your own trips. Oh and while I’m thinking about it, our family has been known for 10+ years as the “B-Family” by our friends and family. This included personalized plates on my wife’s vehicle! As I write about our family trips and vacations in the future, I’m going to include the “B-Family Hot Spots” tag line.  Here I will list places of interest that we have visited, that I feel you may wish to take your family. So here goes:

• Georgia Aquarium
• Zoo Atlanta
• Georgia Dome
• CNN Center
• Stone Mountain Park
• World of Coke

Additional Information:

For more info: http://atlanta.citysearch.com/roundup/40242/
For discounted admissions to area attractions: http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Atlanta-City-Pass-C263.aspx

When was the last time you had a family gathering? In addition to the major holidays, our family gets together several times a year. We have a blast! Whether its hanging out with my parents and sisters for a night of poker or going camping on Memorial Day Weekend, it’ time well spent.

We have had Halloween parties at my parents house and St Patrick’s Day parties at my sisters home. In the summer, we have cookouts, pool parties and go camping together.

In the past, we managed to get everyone together for a yard cleanup day at my grandparents house, not once, but twice! We worked all day and then cooked out on the grill. Everyone had fun working together and we accomplished an unbelievable amount of work!

For the really adventurous, you could rent a vacation home together! Several years ago, we rented a beach house in Duck, NC. We had four generations living under one roof for a week! For the less daring, you could start off small with a Saturday night card game. It doesn’t matter what you do, it’s the quality time spent together interacting and bonding that counts.

Here is a short list to get your ideas flowing:

• Have a cookout
• Go out to dinner
• Throw a pool party
• Plan a camping trip
• Rent a vacation house
• Plan a surprise party
• Have a game night
• Arrange a cleanup party
• Plan a family vacation

I hope this has been helpful and will inspire you!