Family Vacation ideas

“My wife, a non-hiker, wants to do our summer vacation in the North Carolina mountains. We have 3 kids (two 11 yo daughters and a 5 yo son). Besides the obvious - dayhiking, tubing, gem mining, tweetsy railroad, horseback riding - what are the don't miss activities I should be planning.

Also, I want to stay in a cabin up on a secluded mountainside or on a creek/lake with views/swimming, and travel to and fro from there. Where is a good online source to start a search for such a place.”

“I was about to suggest Boone/Blowing Rock but your tweetysy railroad ref suggests that's where you're headed.

We stayed in a cabin that was north of Boone. It was a bit out, maybe half way to West Jefferson. I think it was something like Blue Ridge Mtn Realty.

If you do searches on "Boone mountain cabin" and the like you should get tons of hits.

Blowing Rock is high enough that you can shop and walk around during the day and are comfortable. Where I live and probably where you live that's not possible. Fully soaked shirt in half an hour.

Your son isn't heavy enough, but you could take your girls rafing. Most places have a 60# minimum on weight due to hypothermia concerns.”

“I hadn't limited it to Boone area. I was actually looking more toward western NC and hitting the tweetsy on the way home, but I am not limiting my search area yet.

I went to the NOC site and they had rafting trips for kids as young as 4 yo. Might do that with the wife and kids, then hit one of the other rivers with just me and the girls.

I'll check blue ridge Mountain Realty. I have been looking at mountain cabin, but its such a crapshoot picking a rental agency off the internet.”

“Linville Caverns could be another curious stop. It is located within one only the only limestone deposits within the otherwise largely granitic-metamorphic structures of the Blue Ridge and is only 4 miles from Linville Falls and the Parkway.”

“In late July we're going to camp at Cades Cove on a Wed-Fri, pack up mid day, drive to Asheville and then stay til Sunday. I think combo type trips like that seem to work well since it gives everyone something they enjoy.

If you're to best West, as in Maggie Valley area then you might consider a very short hike into Cataloochee to try and see the elk.”

“but you could do the Gatlinburg/Cherokee/Dollywood routine.
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Ughhhhhhh..... that was painful even typing it out.”

“The weather report for a Shining Rock trip is looking bad. I'm rescheduling for next week.”

“its just saturday thats look bad isn't it, and then thats just an occasional thunderstorm? or has it gotten worse?”

“I would do a google search for: North Caroline (fill in area) accommodations. You can switch up accommodations for "cabins".

For some areas where it's really nice, good cabins in nice areas can be booked up already, so you have to start looking soon.”

“LH, I've been doing that, but there are a ton of options to choose from. dang tourist traps

Thanks shufam, that sight will wile away my hours :)”

“hyway, I've planned all our vacations for 11 years and have always come up lucky with my choices for hotels which isn't easy when you are trying to find really nice places at a good price.

I'm looking into the Canadian Rockies right now and prices there through the roof and that's taking the exchange rate into consideration.

If you ever want an "experience", book a bed & breakfast run by a couple. The couples can be real strange, but fun. I always want B&Bs to have private bathrooms. I did do shared bathrooms once, but that was at McMinnamins in OR which is a great place and the bathrooms are huge and terrific.”

“Anyone going to Cherokee, which I was hijacked into doing this weekend, do not consider the sight-seeing helicopter ride. You probably could not anyhow, because it crashed yesterday. Red lights and sirens everywhere with wild rumors about numerous dead. This morning the Asheville TV news said only the pilot was onboard and he was only injured.
last edited: 5/01/05 8:16:51 PM”

“LH, my wife and I used to do the B&B thing, but with three kids it loses its quaintness. Now I go in for suites and cabins. I love my kids, especially when they are in another room.

I man, we'll be there in july. They should have it fixed by then. ;)”

“hyway,

Do a Google search for Jackson(Sylva), Macon(Franklin), or Brevard (Transylvania) counties Cabins, B+B, or hotels. From there you could paddle/tube the Nantahala or Little Tennessee; hike/picnic Wayah Bald,Southern Nantahala Wilderness,Plott Balsams,Great Balsams(Shining Rock etc),Mt Pisgah,Looking Glass, Panthertown; swim at Sliding Rock (not sure its open from hurricane) or falls on Horsepasture; Gem mine around Franklin; see waterfalls. Also when heading up to Boone, take the parkway, see the Craggies (but you can't get past Mitchell with the parkway and South Toe Road closed) You might be able to tube the South Toe outside Burnsville also Gem Mines. See the Rhododendron Gardens and hike up Round Bald. Bed + breakfasts and cabins aboud, just do a search for the town or county.”