Travel: #EmnBtoAVL

This past Memorial Day weekend we hit the road and ventured to a new city for a new adventure down to Asheville, NC.  From initial research on fun vacation spots, to our friends buzzing about visiting this latest hot spot our curiosity was peaked… so we crashed our friends trip and buckled in for a long weekend of exploring!

Although our weekend consisted mostly of drinking and eating, we did have other trip highlights that made Asheville a memorable city that we’d be happy to visit again.

Blue Ridge Parkway – Craggy Gardens:  With the rolling mountains surrounding the city, the Blue Ridge Parkway is almost unavoidable.  We drove up to the Craggy Gardens pathway that led us to a stunning view, although the fog was rolling in, it did clear up enough for us to grab a few shots and see the true views.  This manageable hike was perfect for all ages and led for a great photo op and perfect spot for a lunch break.

Dog Friendly:  One of the great parts of this trip was being able to bring Moz! Our friends also brought their pup, Maybel, it was great because almost everywhere in Asheville was dog friendly! The one afternoon we went brewery hopping, the pups tagged along and probably met about 15-20 dogs throughout the day.  It was super fun, and the city is really great for us dog lovers whether your dining or drinking.

Rich with History:  One piece of Asheville history that we visited was the stunning Grove Park Inn. Originally built in 1913, this piece of property is impressive and of course has incredible views of the running mountains and downtown Asheville.  Even if you can just stop here for a drink on the outdoor patio (which we did) you’ll be in for a treat and able to enjoy this treasure and explore the original building.  The city center also held grounds for historic learnings and monuments that led us to google search a few times to learn about the cities origins and historical figures.

Be sure to stop back on Friday as I’ll be sharing more details into our favorite eats and breweries from Asheville!

Travel: Jackson Hole – Part 3

Sick of all the amazing photos of beautiful scenery and food from our trip? Me either. This last recap is for the must see photo stops beyond the millions of other stops you can make along the way.

Oxbow Bend
This is on the north end of Jackson as you’re headed out to Jackson Lake Lodge or Yellowstone.  Not only does Oxbow Bend have great views of Mount Moran, but you can also bet on seeing some wildlife around there, particularly a grizzly or moose.

Jackson Lake Lodge
JLL is a great place for a nicer dinner and drinks especially if you want to be wowed by an amazing view of Mount Moran and the stunning range it belongs too.  Again, another great spot for animal watching especially early morning or in the evenings the floor to ceiling windows allow for nearly unobstructed views.

Jenny Lake
You’ll find that this is a popular destination for new and seasoned visitors.  Whether you’re stopping at a pull off to capture a peak of the lake, jumping on the ferry to cross over, or renting kayaks to paddle along you’ll have stunning views of Teewinot and Mount Owen.  This time around we went the kayak route which can be rented right at the boat dock and it was awesome.

Moulton Barn on Mormon Row 
This is one of the most photographed barns mainly because of it’s stunning views of the Grand Teton not to mention it’s iconic structure.  Since I first went out to JH, Moulton Barn has definitely risen on the map and is more “commericalized” with an outhouse, parking, and even a bridge to be able to walk over and get up close to the barn.  When we first went out the property seemed sacred only being able to get only as close as the fence would allow (below 2009 vs. 2016).  It’s definitely changed over the years, but still a must-see.

2009

2016

Schwabacher Landing
If you do an image search “Jackson Hole Wyoming” one of these iconic pictures of the Grand reflected into water will turn-up.  Most famously shot early mornings at sunrise you’ll be up before the sun to get this shot.  We did that on our last morning, got up early and waited until the sun came up to grab the perfect shot with the pinks on the tips of the mountains.  If you walk the trail further you’ll be guided to another marshy area full of beavers! Definitely a stunning shot that looks nearly fake in photos.

Jackson Town Square
The center of Jackson is cornered with four elk antler arches, huge arches that you can walk under and they stand in their glory day and night. It’s often sometimes hard to get a clean shot in front of an arch due to the tourists walking around and even snapping their own pictures – going early mornings or later in the evenings usually has a smaller crowd.  If not offer to snap a couples photo and have them take yours, in and out!

In Jackson, pretty much anywhere you drive will have stunning views of the Tetons or the foothills, it’s incredible how much beauty is packed into one space.

Questions on JH or just visited? Send me your pictures @mmariebee or leave a comment below!

ICYMI:  JH Recap #1 – Hikes || JH Recap #2 – Food || #EmnBtoJH – 2014