Asheville, North Carolina
My love of adventure stemmed from going on short trips with my family. My dad always enjoyed hitting the road and that influenced me to share the same love for travel. Here, I am sharing a few of the first travel experiences I embarked on with my family. The first adventure is from 2009, to my very first road trip (besides trips to Walt Disney World).
My dad decided we should head out on the road and visit Asheville, North Carolina. First stop on the trip was Savannah, Georgia. This was the first time I had ever visited this small city and fell in love; the quaint city had so much charm. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront in Downtown Savannah which overlooked famous river street. We only stayed the night so we could rest up before getting back on the road (mind you, getting out of Florida takes forever when you’re down south in Miami).
Finally, we made it to Asheville! Snow covered mountains were an inviting sight, something I had never seen before. Our first stop, The Smoky Mountains! There was heavy snow fall the previous week, the National Park was closed to tourists, so we admired the view from afar (this time around). The next day we headed up the mountains to visit a small town right at the top. It was an intense drive with winding curves and steep heights, no railings either, but we made it and the view was worth it! This small town had a gorgeous river running through the heart of it. After some hot chocolate and dessert that night, we awoke the next morning to snow covered roads. Great way to end our first road trip!
Atlanta, Georgia
In 2011, we decided to head back on the road. This time, we were going to visit good old Atlanta, Georgia! We took a pit stop in Savannah (great mid-way stop to recharge), then headed north to Atlanta where the weather was chilly and the folks were sweet. We explored downtown Atlanta by foot, stopping by the Fountain of Rings. We also visited the CNN Center and took a short tour which is a must see in Atlanta). There’s also the famous World of Coca-Cola.
The next day we took a drive to Stone Mountain, where tourists can explore 3,200 acres of nature. There’s snow castles and snow tubing in the winter to enjoy. A cable car takes you up to the top of the mountain, where can see all of Downtown Atlanta. To finish off our trip, we visited the Georgia Aquarium which is one of my favorite places to visit! There is a variety of species of fish to see, a tunnel that takes you right into the middle of it all for the best views of the marine life, and of course Whale Sharks. It’s an incredible sight.
