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Travel in the midst of a global pandemic.

When we found ourselves in the midst of a rising global pandemic and were forced to cancel our trip to the Carolinas over Spring Break, we quickly shifted to travel that would allow us to remain socially distanced…from everyone.

And so we headed to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Last minute travel planning can be stressful if you are like me and prefer to plan every detail. Personally, it’s a way to make the most of the travel time we have – but more on this in another post. Time was a luxury we didn’t have when attempting to pivot from a beach vacation to a mountain getaway.

We found the best cabin for our needs at the Black Bear Lodge, which fit my husband’s request to have a beautiful view of the mountains. Nestled toward the base of a mountain and overlooking the valley, the lodge was just what our family of four needed. A fully finished basement with a separate bedroom, bathroom, and living area for my teenage son to game at night gave both him and us the space we needed for a quarantine vacation. My younger son enjoyed the large yard where he could run out all of his energy (who am I kidding, he’s the energizer bunny). Not a detail was overlooked, which made this cabin rental one of the best we have had. Fully stocked kitchen, nightlights through the house, cozy blankets for cuddling, a surplus of bath and hot tub towels, and more than enough lamps. All things that are truly appreciated in a cabin rental. 

I am not sponsored, but I personally recommend Luray Mountain Cabins that Jim and Lisa manage.

We packed the Explorer with most of the food and supplies we would need to truly limit interactions with others. I did make an early morning trip to the local grocery to get fresh produce and dairy. At checkout, I asked where I might be able to find some local eggs (the store was out). A local behind me offered wise advice, “Go down the road to the feed shop, pick yourself up a few chicks and in a few months, you’ll never have to buy eggs again.” I guess he didn’t know I was a traveler just passing by, but I appreciated the tip. In the small local town of Stanley, everyone did know most everyone and the cashier was quick to let the other local know that I “wasn’t from these parts”. So, he then offered a local farmer down the street who would have extra farm fresh eggs to share. And in this moment, a piece of my heart connected with Stanley, VA.

Our days were spent exploring the Shenandoah National Park. We saw more deer than humans on most hikes. We were presented the opportunity to face our fear of heights at Hazel Mountain overlook and we hiked a section of the Appalachian trail.

I would offer caution on the Lewis Falls trail. To get the best view of the falls, you have to take a questionable path that made this mama nervous. With a rusted-out handrail, and slippery rocks that allowed a pass from one side of the falls to the other – this isn’t for young kids. I felt like we were one wrong step away from death, as fear of falling is a real possibility.

My husband logged all our hikes on All Trails, and while we didn’t hike all the trails we hoped too, we left with a love of the area and a hope to return.

We were then off to the second leg of this trip: the Smoky Mountains, stopping to hike Fallingwater Overlook, near the Blue Ridge Parkway, on the seven-hour drive between destinations. This 1.4 mile easy trail was the perfect way to break up the drive and see a different side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The kids enjoyed exploring the impressive waterfalls and were content to finish the ride afterward.

Arriving in Pigeon Forge was an experience. I felt like I was driving through Vegas, but for kids. While I loved my trips to Vegas, this wasn’t what I expected to see just outside of the Smokies and it was personally too much for me. The ten-minute drive through town was enough and I was ready for a secluded cabin with a view.

We found our cabin to be at the top of a steep overlook off of 321 in Sky Harbor Resort area. With hairpin turns on a narrow road, the drive up the slope was an experience in itself. The views were amazing, the cabin itself cannot be recommended. Not only was the drive up intense, the condition of the cabin left me wanting more attention to cleanliness, as well as more respect for Mother Nature (there was littering all around the grounds where trash was never properly disposed of).

We love to sample local brews and found we really enjoyed Gatlinburg Brewing Company. We picked up Growlers and fire oven pizzas two separate times because it was a hit for everyone. The fire baked pizzas were the perfect companion to the tasty brews and kids never complain when pizza is for dinner.

The husband didn’t get his coveted hike in, so looks like we will be venturing back to the Smokies at a future date. He has set out two separate times to hike Mount Cammerer, but experienced roadblocks both times. This trip, they closed the park due to the rising concern of COVID. On his prior trip, he injured his ankle hiking Mount Mitchell and did not make the hike on Mount Cammerer that was planned the following day.

This experience reinforced in me the appreciation I have for my three T’s, as I call them, my husband and two sons. It also provided me the mindset to handle the uncertainty of the coming months. It wasn’t the Spring Break trip we planned in the Carolinas, but it was a breath of fresh country air that we all needed.

If you want to see the highlights of our trip, take a look at my Country Roads highlight here.