Sunday, December 20, 2009

Own a Cabin or Inn? Get 50% Off Advertising Rates

Our year-end special offer gives you the power to maximize your internet marketing reach in 2010 with social media exposure, and lead management. Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers of Cabins And Inns receive 50% off our annual advertising rates. Create even more exposure by selecting multiple branded websites by Leisure Linx, all which highlight premier cabins, inns, resorts, and lodges, and integrated with:

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  • Lengthy description section allows you to build a content-rich website page.
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  • Clean, cutting-edge website design, allowing you to highlight your property or business in a professional, user-friendly layout.
All this with a user-friendly member account that allows you to change your information whenever you'd like! Here's how to get started:
1. Create a member account.
2. Proceed to build your ad and select your websites.
3. When you reach the payment page, STOP.
4. Send us an email with:
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We will adjust your pricing package with the 50% discount, upload your ads, and send you a link for payment.

* Note: if your advertising package includes FloridaHalfbacks.com, member setup is separate due to its regional nature.  Please follow steps 1 - 4 at the FloridaHalfbacks member login page to advertise on this website as part of your package.
Offer expires 12/31/2009

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Best Places To Live The Simple Life

Greenville, South Carolina was named one of the best places to live the simple life by AARP Magazine due to its rich culture, great food, and low stress.

Dubbed as family-friendly fun, from "penny candy" to goat-cheese pizza, Greenville's median housing price is just $151,080. When the most relaxing way to spend an afternoon is hiking the pristine mountain woodlands of Jones Gap State Park, just 25 miles outside Greenville and simple fun for less than $10 means grabbing a cup of coffee or an ice-cream cone at Spill the Beans, how could you go wrong?

Read the full article by Sarah Mahoney

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Cool Off in the Mountains This Summer

If the summer heat has you frazzled, consider a trip to the mountains and lake regions of the Southeast U.S. The lake breezes and higher mountain elevations ensure a cool down to soothe your stress.


If quiet ambiance is your dream vacation, consider a cabin rental through a vacation rental agency. Quaint small towns are filled with shops, diners, and local artisans and crafters.


But if adventure is your escape, consider whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, or a more rigorous mountain trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN offer a plethora of adventures such as horseback riding, Dollywood, Ober Gatlinburg, shopping, dining, the Gatlinburg Aquarium and so much more.

Visit http://www.floridahalfbacks.com/ to connect with lodging and adventure options throughout the mountains and lakes of the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and more.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

North Carolina Mountain Living: The Sky's the Limit in Buyer's Market

If you’ve dreamed of owning a vacation or second home in the North Carolina mountains, the best buying opportunity in a generation may well be at hand. Prices have dropped, interest rates are low and good deals can be found just about anywhere you look.

Better hurry, though. After a sluggish fall and nearly dormant winter, the Western North Carolina real estate market is once again showing signs of life. While the boom days of 2003 to 2006 are gone, the mountains are clearly beginning the long slow climb back to health.

To view entire article by Jim Hughes, click here: http://www.metronc.com/article/?id=1923

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Plenty of Summer Fun in West Virginia!

The mountains and valleys here are comfortable, shady and full of outdoor fun.

Visit West Virginia State Parks, each offering a different mountain experience with plenty of outdoor recreation and lodging options. From resort rooms to camping, it will be easy to find the best fit for your interests and your budget.

Take a guided horseback ride at Pipestem Resort State Park, enjoy a scenic hike at Babcock State Park, and both Pipestem and Twin Falls Resort State Park offer great golf on scenic courses.

Outside the parks, Southern West Virginia is also home to 10 other golf courses, including a couple of beauties at Glade Springs Resort and Conference Center.

Hike, bike or ride a horse along the 76-mile Greenbrier River Trail. Include a fishing pole in your backpack; there are some wonderful spots to wet a line! This area abounds with rivers and lakes that are ideal for folks who fish and boat.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Views Rule in the Western North Carolina Mountains!


Cool mountain breezes and a slower pace of life dominate the Western North Carolina lifestyle. Vacationers flock to the area's small towns for unique outdoor adventures including whitewater rafting, hiking, waterfalls, festivals, and tubing. Check out Deep Creek Tubing in Bryson City, or the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) for cool water thrills for the family. Visit http://www.floridahalfbacks.com/ for more information about great places to stay, things to do, and relocation info.


Monday, June 29, 2009

Pigeon Forge Seeks 75 Families for $75 Gas Giveaway

Pigeon Forge, Tenn., has gone wild for 75. It’s a project called “75 Ways To Celebrate, from the Parkway to the Park.”

To help celebrate the 75th anniversary of neighboring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this gateway city is seeking 75 families so it can give them $75 in gas, $75 of attraction tickets and a challenging list of 75 fun activities. The 75 families will get a Dolly Parton Smoky Mountains CD, too, the sound track from her “Sha-Kon-O-Hey!” musical at Dollywood.


“Pigeon Forge has 10 million visitors each year, and the national park is a large part of why today’s Pigeon Forge is here,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. “Our ‘Parkway to the Park’ idea makes the connection between the attraction-filled parkway that goes through the middle of town and the treasure that is Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

The giveaways are designed help travelers recognize the significance of the 75th anniversary. Registration for the “Parkway to the Park” packages is online at http://www.PF75.com
Registration ends July 15.

“Pigeon Forge really is a gateway to the Smokies,” Downey said.

One of only a handful of free national parks, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited of all (nine million visitors in 2008). The park, by design, is a major economic engine for the region, and many of its visitors land for a while in Pigeon Forge.

Pigeon Forge, one of the country’s top tourism destinations, is located within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population east of the Mississippi River.

“Parkway to the Park” registration and complete information about Pigeon Forge travel itineraries and attractions are available at
http://www.PF75.com
.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Affordable Cabin Rentals in the Smoky Mountains

From one to five bedroom cabins and chalets in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge Tennessee. We are located minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and all area attractions such as Dollywood, Splash Country, Dixie Stampede and dinner shows and shopping. From honeymoon to family vacations, budget to luxurious... our fully furnished cabins feature all the comforts of home including jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, kitchens, pool tables, theater room cabins, hot tubs and more. Ask about our honeymoon and wedding packages and PET FRIENDLY CABINS, because we know pets are family TOO! Visit our web site for great online booking specials! http://www.floridahalfbacks.com/Tennessee/Eastern-Tennessee/Pigeon-Forge/Affordable-Cabins-in-the-Smokies.htm

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Free Fun Ideas in the NC Mountains

Did you know that there's no admission fee to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? It's true, America's most popular park is free, but it is only one of many NC attractions and events that visitors can enjoy without spending a cent. VisitNC has provided a list of some fun free things to do in the North Carolina mountains. Find your favorite freebie:

Sliding Rock (near Brevard)

Heat getting to you? Come slip down this renowned 60-foot sloping slide into an eight-foot deep mountain pool near Brevard, NC. Lifeguards supervise the fun during the summer, so bring the family. Enjoy 11,000 gallons of water flowing down over the rock face each minute, and it’s just a few strokes to shore. Where else can you get that kind of thrill? Okay, it’s not quite free. Cost to enter the recreation area is $1.00 per person.



Dancin’ In The Streets – Lake Lure
Thanks to the Lake Lure Hot Summer Nights Street Dance Series, you can dirty dance where Johnny and Baby did… for free! The dances will be held right at spectacular Lake Lure, where much of Dirty Dancing was filmed. This is part of Lake Lure and The Blue Ridge Foothills’ Endless Summer Event Series. 828-625-2725

June 8 Beach Motown
July 13 Rock and Roll
August 10 Swinging Big Band
Sept 14 Country Bluegrass

The Create-Your-Own Art Tour
A D-I-Y art tour can turn into an adventure – it costs you nothing to look! Homegrown Handmade Art Roads and Farm Trails let you create your own free driving tour of authentic folk artisans, handicrafts, farmers and creative entrepreneurs rooted in our North Carolina’s rural countryside. Or how about looking into the artistry of traditional and not-so-traditional patterns on a Barn Quilt Tour? Free tours, each featuring between 30-100 quilts, can be found in three western North Carolina counties:
Avery
Watauga
Ashe

Shindig For The Price Of None –Asheville
Starting in July, Asheville’s Shindig On The Green goes into high gear as crowds with lawn chairs and blankets gather on summer Saturday evenings to enjoy Appalachian mountain music and dance traditions. (Saturday evenings July – September)

Are You The Stovepipe Type? – Valle Crucis
Midday rush? Not in Valle Crucis, thank you. The Mast General Store has music on the back porch each Saturday and Sunday from noon until 2 p.m. at the Original Store in Valle Crucis. Sometimes groups start a little earlier; sometimes they play a little later. Musical selections include bluegrass, old-time, Celtic and Appalachian performed by local talent. On occasion, cloggers, flat footers and shufflers come along to dance a bit, too.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Hospitality Reigns at Mountain Inns

Heading to the mountains of North Carolina provides a high-elevation getaway from flat Florida. The bar is raised even higher when the trip includes a stay at a unique mountain inn. Mountain inns have a long tradition in North Carolina, where hospitality starts at the welcome mat. The Windover Inn in Waynesville provides elevating experiences.






Within walking distance of downtown shopping and Waynesville, NC attractions, and a short drive to Asheville and the Biltmore Estate, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Maggie Valley, this Waynesville, NC bed and breakfast allows you to connect to all of the western North Carolina attractions that abound in the area and more, while providing you with a warm and cozy sanctuary to return to at the end of the day. Built in 1910, this late Victorian home with its original tiger oak woodwork and heart maple hardwood floors provides an atmosphere of comfort from the moment you enter our front door.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Things To Do in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Whether you delight in the challenge of a strenuous hike to the crest of a mountain or prefer to sit quietly and watch the sun set, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a myriad of activities for you to enjoy. The hardest part may be choosing which auto tour, trail, waterfall, overlook, or historic area to explore!


Auto Touring- An auto tour of the park offers a chance to see panoramic vistas, rushing mountain streams, weathered historic buildings, and majestic forests stretching to the horizon. Inexpensive booklets are available to serve as your personal tour guides along many park roads.
Bicycling - Ride through Cades Cove on a misty summer morning for a truly memorable way to experience the park.

Camping - Escape into the Smokies wilderness for a backpacking adventure or opt for a tamer excursion in one of the park's developed campgrounds.

Fishing - Anglers can match their skills against wily brook, brown, and rainbow trout on over 700 miles of fishable streams in the park.

Hiking - Choose from over 800 miles of trails ranging from quiet walkways to multi-day backpacking treks through the backcountry.

Historic Buildings - The park has one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Nearly 80 historic structures—homes, barns, churches, schools, and grist mills—have been preserved in the park.

Horseback Riding - The park has hundreds of miles of horse trails and five drive-in horse camps. If you don't own a horse, four rental stables provide mounts and guides.

Picnicking - Craving hotdogs, potato salad, water melon... and ants? There are eleven picnic areas to choose from in the park—many have pavilions that can be reserved in advance.

Waterfalls - Waterfalls can be found on nearly every river and stream in the park. Here's your guide to some of the best.

Wildflowers - Great Smoky Mountains National park is known as the "wildflower national park." You can find blooming plants year-round here, but spring and summer are renown for spectacular displays of wildflowers along roads and trails.

Wildlife Viewing - Hoping to see an elk, white-tailed deer, or black bear? Read some tips to improve your chances of spotting animals during your visit to the park.

Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park's official online store for books, maps, and guides to the park. Operated by the nonprofit Great Smoky Mountains Association, proceeds generated by purchases at the store are donated to educational, scientific, and historical projects in the park.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Folkmoot USA Celebrates 26 Years!

Folkmoot USA, North Carolina's Official International Festival, is a two-week celebration of the world's cultural heritage through folk music and dance. Held each summer across the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, Folkmoot features performances, parades and workshops by more than 350 performers from a dozen or so countries.


Performers demonstrate cultural heritage through colorful, authentic and original reproduction costumes, lively dance and beautiful music. During its 25-year history, over 200 folk groups from more than 100 countries have shared their heritage and culture at Folkmoot USA.

Countries expected to perform in 2009 include India, Serbia, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Kenya, Spain and Israel. This year's Folkmoot Festival takes place throughout Western North Carolina in the towns of Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, Highlands, Bryson City, Cullowhee, Asheville, Columbus, Burnsville, Marion, Mars Hill, Flat Rock and Franklin.


Be sure to see the Folkmoot Festival Parade of Nations on Friday, July 17 at 1 pm and enjoy crafts and entertainment at International Festival Day on Saturday, July 25 from 10 am - 5 pm. Both events take place in downtown Waynesville.
Buy performance tickets by clicking on the link below (starting May 1, 2009).
Buy your Folkmoot tickets online now!

Monday, June 1, 2009

Nature Conservancy 4th Annual Photo Contest Announced

The Nature Conservancy invites you to enter your stunning nature photos to our 4th annual digital photography competition.

We're looking for beautiful nature photography representing the diversity of life on Earth. Your own original digital images of our lands, waters, plants, animals and people in nature are all eligible for the competition.

We are especially interested in images that showcase the wide range of habitats across our planet, including all types of forests, grasslands, lakes and rivers, deserts and arid lands, rainforests, marine habitats and coral reefs in all seasons and around the world.

The winner's image will be printed in the 2011 Nature Conservancy calendar - reaching nearly 2 million households worldwide.

The Best Nature Photo winner's image will be featured on The Nature Conservancy's website, nature.org, which is visited by more than 3 million people annually.

How to Enter:
To enter one or more images, upload your photo(s) to the Conservancy's Flickr™ group and tag them with PhotoContest-TNC09 ... it's that easy. Not familiar with Flickr? Find our more about this easy way to enter. Or, if you prefer, you can complete our online form and email each photo, one at a time.

The Fine Print:
The contest is open to all participants age 18 and older regardless of residence or citizenship, so long as the laws of their jurisdiction allow participation. Photo submissions must be uploaded by 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on September 30, 2009. Please
review the full rules before entering. And good luck!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

A Carolina Getaway Refreshes a Florida Family


Dan and Rhonda Robbie built the house that proves you can get away from it all. Almost a mile up in the mountains of North Carolina, the 5,200-square-foot timber-frame retreat has quickly become their home away from home.

Their 12-acre parcel of rugged mountain land allows plenty of room for Dan, Rhonda, children Austin and Erica, and their two black Labs, Kelsey and Calvin. Since finishing the house in 1996, the family has made a concentrated effort to spend every spare minute at their getaway. They think nothing of packing up the entire clan and driving eighteen hours from their everyday home in Florida, even just to spend a few days in their very special mountain retreat.

The Robbies took the first step toward making their dream getaway a reality in 1995, when they started to design the house with their builder, Mark Kirkpatrick, president of Mountain Construction Enterprises of Boone, North Carolina. A builder of custom homes since 1981, Mark is a dealer for Hearthstone, Inc., which produces log and timber frame homes in Dandridge, Tennessee.

“We wanted a custom-designed house with the best craftsmanship available,” Dan recalls. “Although Rhonda and I had a pretty good idea of the floor plan we wanted, our major challenge was siting the structure. The ideal building location was on three sides. But we wanted this view because from here, we face three major mountains: Grandfather Mountain, Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain. There are ski resorts on those slopes, and at night they’re all lit up. It’s a spectacular view.”

Situated up the steep and winding road that threads through the woods, the house looms dramatically against the backdrop of the mountainous terrain. With wooded trails to the left and right, the vista of the mountains comes into view sweeping 180 degrees around the back end of the house.

The interior is almost as dramatic as the outside view. Floor-to-ceiling windows, wood inside and clad outside, located at the far end of the living room bring the mountains into view the minute you step inside. Rhonda, who is a talented decorator, wanted the house to appear simple and uncluttered. She included local art and antique objects acquired from the many shops in the mountain towns of North Carolina. “I would describe the look of this house as Western and rustic, as opposed to Southwestern, which reminds me of peachy colors,” she explains. “We felt that the neutral tones in the great room heighten the beauty of the wood.”

Rhonda and Dan agree that their favorite room in the house is the kitchen. With the breakfast bar that separates that room form the more formal dining room, it is the hub of family “hang out time.”

The Robbies especially enjoy their getaway because the have full, busy lives. The house in the mountains gives the family a place to spread out, relax and spend time together. Dan, Rhonda and Mark’s shared goal was to build the finest custom home possible. They are satisfied they have done exactly that, creating the perfect place for a young, active family. The home is every bit as comfortable to live in as it is magnificent to look at. And such a delight that the Robbies agree, nothing could be finer that to be in Carolina.


Story and Photos by Franklin and Esther Schmidt
Reprinted from Timber Homes Illustrated

Friday, May 29, 2009

Storytellers Galore Ready to Spin Yarns at Pigeon Forge Festival

Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival promises three days of tall tales June 4-6

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (May 2009) – Expect truth to be in short supply June 4-6 at the 18th Annual Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., but also expect a counterbalancing dose of entertainment, enchantment and, dare we say, education.

You’ll hear from a genuine possumologist, a keeper of Cherokee creation stories, a middle school principal who uses storytelling in the classroom and a cowboy poet whose Oklahoma retelling of “Ben Hur” inspires him to wear a watermelon and a bra on stage. (It’s something you just have to see to understand.)

In addition to the festival’s world-traveling, professional storytellers, you’ll also hear some of America’s budding tale-telling talent at the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. The showcase has attracted youngsters, none older than 17, from as far away as Utah, Texas, Maryland and Florida.

Many of this year’s storytellers will focus on stories that relate to Appalachia and the nearby Great Smoky Mountains. That’s one reason the festival is on the official calendar of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The festival also is on the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events in the Southeast” list for the fifth year in a row.

Three late-night programs (9:30-11 p.m.) augment the regular sessions. A Haunts and Haints ghost story session is Thursday, a tribute to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Friday and a memorial to legendary mountain storyteller Ray Hicks is Saturday.

The Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival is co-hosted by the City of Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association. Featured storytellers:

+ Lloyd Arneach—A Cherokee storyteller who learned his first legends from two storytelling uncles on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina.
+ Donald Davis—A native Appalachian storyteller who performs nationally and teaches workshop that focus on family-based storytelling.
+ Doug Elliott—A storyteller, herbalist and naturalist who sings about catfish, pontificates about possums and plays a mean harmonica.
+ Todd Elliott—Doug’s son and a two-time participant in the National Youth Storytelling Showcase who now is following in his father’s footsteps.
+ Andy Offutt Irwin (pictured here)—A Georgia public radio show host who says he used to have real jobs before becoming a professional storyteller.
+ Kent Rollins—A genuine cowboy from Oklahoma, who also is a poet, chuckwagon cook and humorist (he’s the one with the watermelon and bra).
+ Elizabeth Rose—Principal of Cherokee Middle School in Roane County, Tenn., who blends southern folklore with fairy tales, ghost stories and international legends.

If You Go:
The Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival is June 4-6 (Thursday-Saturday). All sessions—concerts, the youth performances and workshops in which you can learn storytelling skills—are at the Belz Outlet Mall in Pigeon Forge. Admission for the entire weekend is $25, and one-day admission is $10 for everyone age 18 and older (free for age 17 and younger). The three late-night programs are $5.

The festival schedule can be found at www.MyPigeonForge.com/storytelling , and complete visitor information about Pigeon Forge is available at http://www.mypigeonforge.com/ or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100.

About Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, located in East Tennessee near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is one of the country’s top tourism destinations, drawing more than 10 million visitors each year. With more than 40 family-friendly attractions along its five-mile Parkway, Pigeon Forge offers family fun for all ages. The destination city is located within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population east of the Mississippi River.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Blairsville Town Square

Welcome to Blairsville-Union County located in the northeast Georgia mountains approximately one hour driving time from Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Asheville. Known for its Blue Ridge Mountain beauty, Scottish Festival & Highland Games, and sorghum syrup, Blairsville-Union County has more than half the county's acreage within the Chattahoochee National Forest. Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest point can be found here as well as Lake Nottely, the Appalachian Trail, Vogel State Park, the Misty Mountain Model Railroad, Historic Courthouse, hiking trails, waterfalls and even ancient Indian petroglyphs. Play golf, picnic in beautiful Meeks Park. shop for crafts and antiques, or just relax and enjoy the mountain vistas. Come enjoy Blairsville-Union County, any time of the year, where the possibilities are endless and the memories last a lifetime!

Best time to Go -Union County is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Georgia where Mother Nature reigns supreme. Delight in the explosion of autumn leaf color in the mountains, or cuddle up in a cozy cabin during the winter. Enjoy horseback riding, golfing, and antiquing year round, or plan your trip around one of our unique festivals. No matter when you come, you’re sure to find why we say "Each Season Something New".

What You'll Need for Your Visit -Your individual activities will dictate what you need to bring. Spring and fall bring warm days and cool nights. Summers are generally not hot, but evenings remain warm and comfortable. Winters are generally mild, requiring sweaters or jackets, but don't be surprised by an occational snow.

Georgia GPS Photo Sweepstakes

Share your photos of your Georgia experiences with the world – and be entered for a chance to win a free GPS system. Each month we’ll pick the best of your photos to feature on ExploreGeorgia.org. Upload up to 3 pictures at a time as frequently as you like – each photo is one more chance to win!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Take 40 Off in Virginia

Save big bucks when you take advantage of Virginia's 40 Off Travel Deals. Choose from nearly 200 offers ranging from 40% off Eastern Shore lodging to a free concert ticket in Northern Virginia.





Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Mountain Tennis and Soccer Camps for Kids This Summer!

Do you vacation in Blowing Rock? RDUTennis has teamed up with the Chetola Resort located in the High Country’s most beautiful town in Blowing Rock, NC.

Camps will run the week of 6/29 and 7/6. Camp is run 9am-3pm (Mon thru Thurs) for resort guests and others who would like to come. Price is $200 per child with lunch included from the Resort. Ages 5-14 welcome!

REGISTER at www.rdutennis.net for two locations:

CHETOLA RESORT IN BLOWING ROCK
When: 4-day sessions June 29-July2 and July 6-9 (Rain Make-Up on Fridays)
Who: Ages 5-14
More Information:. http://rdutennis.net/?page_id=112

BUCKEYE LAKE RECREATION CENTER
When: 4-day sessions June 22-25 and July 20-23 (Rain Make-Up on Fridays)
Where: Buckeye Lake Recreation Center in Beech Mountain
Who: Ages 5-14
More Information:. http://rdutennis.net/?page_id=117

RDUSoccer Camp- 2 Locations
REGISTER at www.rdusoccer.net for both camps
BUCKEYE RECREATIONAL CENTER
When: June 15-18, August 3-6, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Where: Buckeye Recreation Center in Beech Mountain
Who: Children ages 5-12
Highlights:
Fee: $125 per child
More information: Click here to register

BANNER ELK SCHOOL Soccer Camp
When: July 6-9, July20-23, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Where: Banner Elk Elem Field
Who: Children ages 5-12Fee: $95 Avery Co Students, $105 otherMore Information: http://rdusoccer.net/?page_id=24

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Breathtaking Scenic Drives

Skyline Drive
Front Royal to Rockfish Gap, Virginia
Distance: 105 miles

Built between 1931 and 1939, with sections of the route constructed as part of the New Deal relief effort, this sweeping road through Shenandoah National Park crests the Blue Ridge Mountains (hard to believe that noisy Washington, D.C., is just 75 miles away). You'll see oak trees and evergreens on your leisurely trip, in addition to white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. Just make sure to stop at Range View Overlook (at mile 17.1) for a first-rate view of the fog-veiled mountains.

Big Meadows, at mile 51, boasts 130 acres of wildflowers in spring, summer, and fall. You'll also see doe and their tiny fawns during the warmer months (540-999-3500).



Newfound Gap Road
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to Cherokee, North Carolina
Distance: 40 miles

It's the only route that completely crosses Great Smoky Mountains National Park, rising out of Pigeon Forge (yes, the home of Dollywood) before climbing 3,000 feet and descending across the state line. You'll pass through hardwood and evergreen forests and get a glimpse of Clingman's Dome, the highest point in Tennessee.

You won't see an actual sign, but keep an eye on your odometer and stop at mile 21.5—this is Newfound Gap (5,048 feet), where FDR dedicated the park. Even better: You can stand in two states at once (865-436-1200).

Provided by: AARP Magazine

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Spa Packages in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley

The Homestead Spa Renewal Package
Hot Springs
Package Price: $399*
Through Saturday, December 19, 2009

Stonewall Jackson Spa Package
Harrisonburg
Package Price: from $525
Through Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Body, Mind, and Soul Spa Package
Staunton
Package Price: $268/couple/night
Through Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Homestead Classic Spa Package
Hot Springs
Package Price: $399*
Through Monday, December 21, 2009

The Homestead Golf & Spa Your Way Package
Hot Springs
Package Price: $399*
Through Monday, December 21, 2009

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Twenty Things To Do in the Mountains of Western North Carolina!

North Carolina’s mountain region is an outdoor playground, a natural wonderland, and a historical treasure. In fact, there are so many things to see and do here that it might be hard to decide which to conquer first. Visit NC has compiled a list of twenty places that you have to go before you can say you’ve completely experienced the NC mountains.

Take a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway - It is America’s Favorite Drive, and after a few miles it’s easy to see why. The Blue Ridge Parkway has spectacular scenery, year-round color, and hundreds of hikes, overlooks, and charming just-off-the-road towns to explore. Whether you go for an hour or for the weekend, NC’s 250 miles of this national treasure are hard to beat.

Drink a toast to the day at a Yadkin Valley Winery. One of the hot new wine regions in the United States is right here in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley. With a perfect grape-growing climate and some spectacular scenery, a handful of visionary viticulturalists have transformed rolling farmland into a wine-tasting wonderland. Find a wine you love and enjoy a glass on a vineyard patio as you look out onto rows of stately grapevines.

Picnic by a waterfall in Transylvania County. There are no vampires in North Carolina’s Transylvania, just waterfall after beautiful waterfall. Millions of years of erosion and 80 annual inches of rainfall has blessed this scenic corner of the state with more than 200 large waterfalls, including Whitewater Falls and its amazing 400-foot drop. While you’re there, have some fun: You can drive under Bridal Veil Falls, walk under Dry Falls, and slide down Sliding Rock.

Shop in the Mast General Store, Valle Crucis. Step into the Mast General Store and you step back in time to an era when the local merchant supplied all of a community’s needs, ‘from cradles to caskets’. First opened in Valle Crucis back in 1883, the store still stocks a little of everything and a lot of merchandise that you’ll never find in a mall. The business has grown to include several locations, but if you want the real deal, visit the original in Valle Crucis.

Bask in the opulence of Biltmore, Asheville. George Washington Vanderbilt fell in love with Western North Carolina after his first visit there, and by Christmas Eve 1895, he was welcoming guests to his brand new estate in Asheville. The Biltmore was (and still is) the largest private residence in the world, with 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, and more priceless works of art than anyone can count. Biltmore is also home to spectacular gardens, wonderful outdoor opportunities, and America’s most visited winery.

Feel the spirit at the Churches of the Frescoes, Ashe County. These aren’t your grandfather’s stained glass windows. In these two tiny churches in the small mountain towns of Glendale Springs (Holy Trinity Episcopal Church) and West Jefferson (St. Mary’s Episcopal Church) there are a trio of Ben Long frescoes that are both inspiring and breathtaking. The artwork, painted between 1974 and 1980, has brought these little parishes international acclaim and about 60,000 visitors each year.

Witness history as art in Unto These Hills, Cherokee. North Carolina is home to nearly 100,000 Indians, the largest Native American population east of the Mississippi River. Of the dozen tribes that call NC home, certainly the Cherokee is the most familiar. The Cherokee story, from the arrival of the Spanish in 1540 to the tragic Trail of Tears in the early 19th Century, is the subject of Unto These Hills, one of the country’s oldest and most popular outdoor dramas. It’s been staged at the Mountain Theatre since 1950 and has entertained more than five million visitors. In 2009, the production will open its 60th season on June 9.

Get into the groove at Merlefest, Wilkesboro. It all began with a gardener who wanted to raise funds for gardens on the campus of a rural NC Community College and musicians who wanted to honor the memory of local blues guitarist Merle Watson. It grew to an internationally renowned music festival and fundraiser that contributes more than $17 million to the region. It's MerleFest, and if you like bluegrass, blues, and folk music, you need to be here on the last weekend of April. Regional musicians are the backbone of this festival, but legendary musicians such as Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and the Indigo Girls have also graced its stages throughout the years.

Melt your cares away at Hot Springs. Up in the mountains northwest of Asheville, nearly to the Tennessee state line, is a place where waters bubble up from the ground at more than 100 degrees. Folks here have harnessed North Carolina’s only natural hot springs into hot tubs overlooking the French Broad River and Spring Creek, where visitors can soak their cares away… and soak in the beautiful view. In addition, the Appalachian Trail runs right through downtown Hot Springs, so day hikers (or through hikers) can get a workout on the trail and then melt away the soreness in the healing waters of Hot Springs.

Wander through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is America’s most popular National Park, and it’s no surprise: from spring wildflowers to fall foliage to cascading streams, this is truly one of the most amazing places on Earth. The park was established in 1934, and at 520,000 acres (about 800 square miles) it’s one of the largest protected areas east of the Rockies. Recommended stops include Clingman’s Dome, Fontana Dam, Newfound Gap, and the beautiful drive through Cades Cove. The park is open daily, and unlike many other national park, admission is free – the Rockefellers insisted on this after they donated $5 million for the park’s creation.

Choose and Cut an NC Christmas Tree. Want to bring back the feeling of an old-timey holiday? There’s no better way to do it than to head up to a North Carolina Christmas tree farm to pick out the family tannenbaum. NC has more than sixty choose and cut tree farms in the mountains, and some enhance the experience by adding hayrides, bonfires, and visits from Santa. When you get home, the evergreen aroma will fill the house, and your fresh cut tree will stay full and green throughout the holiday season.

Stop and smell the rhododendron, Roan Mountain. At the peak of rhododendron season (usually around mid-June), pink rhododendron blossoms cover 600 acres of Roan Mountain at an elevation of 6,285 feet, which is likely the largest and highest natural flower garden you’ll ever see. If you can’t get to Roan, then get to Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. Rhododenron shrubs are common, but the view of an entire mountainside covered in pink blossoms is not.

Learn a craft at Penland. The arts and crafts that symbolize North Carolina have many homes, but in the mountains in particular, people seem to have a way of creating beautiful and functional things with their hands. Penland, just north of Spruce Pine, celebrates those skills by hosting some of the world’s most talented artists. This school is the oldest and largest of its kind in the country, and students come from all over the world to learn from the masters of Appalachian weaving, pottery, glass blowing, woodworking, music, and more. Some studios are open to the public, and there are exhibits year-round.

Take a hike in Mount Mitchell State Park. Mount Mitchell has wowed outdoor enthusiasts since 1916, when it became North Carolina’s first state park. At 6,684 feet, it’s the highest point east of the Rockies, and the summit tower offers panoramic views of six peaks more than 6,000 feet high. Take a jacket, though, Mount Mitchell’s annual snowfall exceeds 100 inches, and measurable snowfall has fallen in all twelve months of the year. The park provides a haven for many rare species, but it’s the scenery that keeps people coming back.

Enjoy a breakfast feast at the Shatley Springs Inn, Crumpler. When you’re ready for a real, hearty, country breakfast, look no farther than this NC Highway 16 landmark about 35 miles northeast of Boone, which has been serving it up “old school” since the 1920s. The menu at Shatley Springs Inn is almost unending: eggs, bacon, country ham, sausage, tenderloin, grits, potatoes, baked apples, cereal, strawberry preserves, gravy, juice, coffee, and mouth –watering biscuits to die for. Grab a plate – you’re guaranteed to leave full and happy.

Climb Chimney Rock. Don’t worry. By ‘climb’, we don’t mean you’ll need ropes and crampons. In fact, there are two ways to get to the spectacular views from the Chimney – you can either climb up the 400+ stairs from the parking lot, or ride the elevator up a 26-story shaft blasted through solid granite. Either way, bring a camera. From the top, you’ll be able to see Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure, and on a clear day you’ll see all the way to Kings Mountain – some 75 miles to the east! The park offers many other hiking, climbing and sightseeing opportunities on its many acres.

Enjoy the warmth of the Grove Park Inn fireplace, Asheville. Edwin W. Grove didn’t want to keep the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains all to himself, so he built a hotel to share the experience with others. Grove broke ground in July 1912, and when the mule teams and workers had finished toting the last of the massive granite blocks up the mountain, it was hailed as one of the finest resort hotels in the world. The Grove Park Inn is one of NC’s most famous landmarks, and if you want to spend some time in a place that evokes a bygone hospitality, then make the drive to Asheville.

Slip slide away at Hawksnest, Seven Devils. Everyone knows that North Carolina has some great Southern skiing, but did you know that the state is also home to the largest snow tubing area on the East Coast? Hawksnest is a former ski resort now totally dedicated to snow tubing, with 20 lighted runs and daily snowmaking in the winter. A perfect place to have some winter fun with the kids or those whose skiing and snowboarding skills are not quite ready to hit the slopes.

Cross the swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain. Rising 4,000 feet above the Catawba River Valley, Grandfather Mountain is a great place to get a bird’s eye view, and a protected habitat for 42 rare species. Privately owned by the Morton family for more than 120 years, the state purchased much of the property in 2008 and officially turned it into a State Park in 2009. You can hike, bird watch, take in the scenery, and stroll across the famous “Mile High Swinging Bridge.” Bring a sweater, though… the average temperature here is only 45 degrees, and the winds are legendary.

Feel poetic at the Carl Sandburg Home, Flat Rock. Most people know that Carl Sandburg was one of this country’s most beloved poets and biographers. But few know that this literary great, remembered for giving a voice to the downtrodden, moved to Flat Rock in 1945 and spent 22 years quietly pursuing his craft in a farmhouse that he called Connemara. All told, one-third of his published works sprang from these mountains. Today, the site is managed as a National Historic Site by the National Park Service. You can also tour the grounds, which are maintained as a living farm. The Sandburg Home is open year-round except for Christmas Day.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Smoky Valley Rally Scheduled for June 2009

Lenoir City, Tennessee, Loudon County. Tennessee will welcome motorcycle enthusiasts to the best riding pavement in the U.S. June 4-7, 2009 for the first annual Smoky Valley Rally. This inaugural rally will help fill the gap left by the canceled 2009 Honda Hoot, giving riders a new opportunity to ride the twists of the Dragon and a host of lesser known roads during this long weekend of live music, street parties, self-guided tours, and one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the South.



Smoky Valley Rally will feature planned rides every day for all registered attendees. Planned rides include RT 129/the Dragon; Fall Creek Falls, Cherohala Skyway, and a poker run. Attendees also can take a riverboat breakfast cruise on the Watts Bar Belle riverboat and kayak on the Tennessee River, among other activities.

Smoky Valley Rally general activities will begin daily, rain or shine, at Loudon Municipal Park at 8:30 a.m. Daily passes are $10 and an event pass for all four days is $25. This year’s event will feature live music every evening at the park along with contests, vendor displays and demonstrations, and concessions.

For general information about Smoky Valley Rally, please call Loudon Parks and Recreation at 865-458-7525. For information on accommodations, call the Loudon County Visitors Bureau at 888-568-3662 or visit our website.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Experience North Carolina Wine Country

Over the past three decades, North Carolina has gone from just a handful of wineries to more than eighty. And that number just gets bigger every year. For visitors to NC wine country, it means a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for tastings and tours, and wineries that have distinctive flavors and settings. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or a newbie, whether you prefer whites or reds, merlot or muscadine, North Carolina wineries will have a bottle just right for your taste… and enjoyable experiences that will keep bringing you back.

If you’re traveling from the Charlotte area to the mountains around Asheville (or vice versa), this five-winery trail is a perfect sampler of the North Carolina Wine Country experience. From the muscadine wines produced at WoodMill Winery to the classic varietals grown at Rockhouse, from the small family-run operations at Owl’s Eye and Green Creek to America’s most visited winery at Biltmore, you will see and taste a wide range of NC wines and can explore the methods by which they’re produced. Plus, you’ll see some amazing North Carolina scenery along the way!

Family Fun Destinations

Beach at Lake Lure: Stretching out unexpectedly in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains just south of Asheville, the Beach at Lake Lure offers beautiful vistas in a relaxing setting. Gaze up at Chimney Rock as you float on the lake; then dry off in the sun before stopping for a bite or an ice cream cone at one of the restaurants on the shore. Lakeview Restaurant offers spectacular views. www.rutherfordtourism.com

Sliding Rock, Brevard: This 60-foot natural water slide in the Pisgah National Forest is not to be missed. Wear your old blue jean cut-offs to sit and slip down the rock into the pool below, where 60-degree water beats summer heat. Sliding Rock is a few minutes drive from Looking Glass Falls located on US 276 about five miles past the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest. The 60-foot falls were featured in Last of the Mohicans. www.visitwaterfalls.com

Linville Caverns, Marion: In the caverns, you’ll find a constant 52-degree temperature. After remaining a mysterious secret for centuries, North Carolina’s only show caverns near Boone allow visitors to glimpse nature at work "inside" the mountains. Slow moving ground water created underground labyrinths forming an incredible series of rooms and passages and spectacular formations. www.linvillecaverns.com

Boomerang Bay Water Park, Carowinds, Charlotte: Carowinds Boomerang Bay Water Park added a new, 600,000-gallon wave pool, rental cabanas with chair-side service and numerous other amenities. Bondi Beach, Carowinds second wave pool, totals 34,000 square feet with 275 feet of “beach frontage” (shallow end width), giving guests ample opportunity to sunbathe as they watch the waves roll in on the zero-depth entry. www.carowinds.com

North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro: This world-class zoo is home to more than 1,100 animals from Africa, North America and Australia. In April 2008, the zoo opened an $8.5 million expansion of its elephant and rhinoceros facilities called the Watani Grasslands Reserve. Visitors can stroll through a rainforest of tropical birds. Gaze across a prairie filled with bison. Sit face-to-face with polar bears and enjoy the Australian Walkabout hopping with kangaroos. Take a ride on the zoo's 36-foot Endangered Species Carousel featuring figures of polar bears, zebras, bears, sea lions, elephants, gorillas and other animals. www.nczoo.org

N.C. Transportation Museum, Spencer: If planes, trains and automobiles make you tick, Spencer Shops allows you to explore antique locomotives, rail cars, automobiles and more. Spencer Shops was once a national hub for steam engine repair and employed 3,000 people. Take the train ride around the historic 57-acre site, enjoy the many family-friendly special events and learn how transportation helped build North Carolina. The museum is located just minutes off I-85, about an hour's drive from Charlotte, Greensboro or Winston-Salem. The museum is featured in the new George Clooney film, Leatherheads. www.nctrans.org

Old Salem, Winston – Salem: Old Salem Museums & Gardens is one of America's most comprehensive historical attractions. Old Salem’s four museums - the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), the Old Salem Children's Museum, and the Old Salem Toy Museum - engage visitors in an educational and memorable historical experience about those who lived and worked in the early South. www.oldsalem.org

Experience America's Favorite Drive!

The Blue Ridge Parkway, nicknamed "America's Favorite Drive," is a 469-mile scenic route connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads and historic structures complement spectacular views of distant mountains and neighboring valleys. Meandering through two national forests the surrounding area offers campgrounds, picnic areas, lodges, restaurants and countless scenic overlooks.

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America’s most visited national park.


Working closely with partners Great Smoky Mountains Association and the Friends of the Smokies, and with neighboring communities, www.GreatSmokies75th.org has been developed as the "Virtual Visitor Center" for all the exciting opportunities surrounding the 75th Anniversary.


On this site you will find a rich and evolving variety of information on the park’s history, current issues, and future visions. Throughout 2008 and 2009 you’ll find information about a wide array of activities and events in the park as well as officially recognized events in all our many neighboring communities.

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain, one of the best-known landmarks of the Blue Ridge, is more than just a mountain. Towering 5,946 feet above northwest North Carolina, Grandfather Mountain is operated as a scenic travel attraction and is the only private park in the world designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. A Mile High Swinging Bridge was built to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking views from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak.



Marvel at 360-degree views of mountain ridge after mountain ridge retreating to the horizon and let our knowledgeable staff help you find your own perfect mountain adventure.

http://www.grandfather.com/

Springtime in the Mountains

Get acquainted with Western North Carolina's gardens this spring:

Asheville
Biltmore Estate – 800-624-1575
The Botanical Gardens of Asheville – 828-252-5190
The North Carolina Arboretum – 828-665-2492
Richmond Hill Inn – 888-742-4536

Boone
The Daniel Boone Native Gardens – 828-264-6390

Cherokee
Cherokee Botanical Garden and Nature Trail – 828-497-2315

Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock Park – 800-277-9611

Clyde
The Campus Arboretum of Haywood Community College – 828-627-2821

Wilkesboro
Wilkes Community College Gardens – 336-838-6294