Family Journal

On our way back out of the park, we stopped in Chimney Rock Village, a quaint little touristy town at the base of the park, to eat at one of the restaurants along the river. We weren't impressed with the restaurant (it claimed to be "homestyle" so I guess they ate out of cans at home) and although it offered outdoor seating on the river, we weren't allowed to sit outside with the kids. Hmph.


So many apple farms to choose from! We finally selected one that allowed you to pick your own apples and followed the signs to the barn. Most of the apples were harvested, but they still had a few rows of Rome apples to be picked. We didn't take the hayride, but it looked like fun.

The kids had a ball picking apples, with the baby picking them up off the ground and my older son climbing the trees to get the "really, really red" ones. They provided baskets and a box for us to collect our apples and in no time we had a ton. We snacked on apples the whole way home and still had plenty to give to family and friends! And they were some of the best apples I've had in a long time. :-)

Tuesday, we packed up and headed over to Chimney Rock, about 25 mi south of Asheville. The drive over was beautiful with all the leaves turning. About every 10 yards along the road, there was another vendor selling apples. We were deep in apple country!

Chimney Rock Park is a very cool place. We drove in and up a long, winding road to the parking lot. At the head of the parking lot is an elevator to take you up to the top of the mountain (conveniently letting you out in the gift shop/snack bar). It's great for families with small children (like us) or retirees who can't climb all the steps to the top.

I'll admit... although I made it to the top, I couldn't look once I got there. I have a perverse habit of "challenging my fears" and heights is one of them. Although I can handle heights a lot better than I used to, standing on the edge of a sheer cliff made my knees quiver and my stomach churn. Luckily, son #1 had a similar experience so I went back down to "take care of him".

We had a great time, although we didn't even see a fraction of the park. We took the "Outcroppings" climb down which didn't take long at all but we decided to save the hike to the falls (either from the top of the ridge or through the forest to the base) for another trip.

Chimney Rock Park isn't cheap at $14 per adult and $6 per child 4-12, but well worth the money!

Working from home can give you cabin fever, so with an early release day for my older son and no school for the younger, we decided to take a quick trip to the mountains.

I used BiddingforTravel to figure out what to bid for a hotel in North Carolina at Priceline for the night. We got a great deal on a hotel with an indoor pool that offered breakfast too.

With the pool, entertainment was included! The kids had a ball in the pool and swimming helpers (kind of like lifejackets) helped ease some of the stress of watching all three kids. The hot tub helped ease my stress!

You don't have to go out of town to get away... we've spent several nights at local hotels that have indoor pools.

The weather is beautiful- what are you doing inside? Pack up some food and head out to the nearest local park in Columbia. There's bound to be one near you!

We went over to the Harbison Duck Pond today with my sister and her kids and had a blast. The sun was shining, a cool breeze kept things comfortable, and the leaves are starting to turn. If you've never been to the Harbison Duck Pond, you need to check it out. It's right off Harbison Blvd, across from Home Depot. There are walking paths, play equipment, grills, and lots and lots of ducks and geese to feed.