Bret and Mary 
In 2022, my wife Mary decided to make her 80-year-old dad’s longtime dream of spending Christmas in Asheville NC come true. She planned a terrific trip that included two “bucket list” items– the Biltmore Estate Christmas Candlelight Tour and the Polar Express Christmas Train Ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. … Read more
15 Ways to Celebrate an Asheville NC Christmas, including Biltmore Christmas, National Gingerbread Competition, Lights at NC Arboretum & more.
[Updated October 19, 2023] In my 25+ years as a professional travel writer, I’ve been extremely fortunate to travel to some amazing destinations all around the world. But, as a lifelong resident of the state, I always come back home in time to spend Christmas in Georgia. I grew up in the city and spent … Read more
Located near the southern shores of Lake Santeetlah, the small town of Robbinsville NC is utterly unlike most of the 50+ Blue Ridge Mountain towns we’ve visited over the last 3 years. The population of Robbinsville, North Carolina is less than 600 people, so even Downtown Robbinsville feels fairly quiet and sleepy. Much like Hot … Read more
Most of us are familiar with Groundhog Day, wherein a large rodent (a.k.a. Woodchuck) checks to see his shadow on February 2 and helps to predict when Winter will end. But have you ever heard about how one quaint North Carolina mountain town uses a fuzzy caterpillar known as the Woolly Worm to make similar predictions? Held … Read more
We’ve been empty nesters for a few years now. But family-friendly fairs and festivals are still one of our favorite ways to celebrate the arrival of Autumn. Our home state of Georgia can get miserably hot and humid during the dog days of summer. But Fall brings cooler temperatures, lots of fun outdoor activities, and … Read more
[Updated August 15, 2023] Did you know that North Carolina is the 7th largest apple producing state in the USA? Or that Hendersonville Apple Orchards are the most prolific apple producing orchards in the state of North Carolina? There are a whopping 19 Hendersonville apple orchards, which is pretty amazing for a Blue … Read more
I’ve been a big fan of hiking for as long as I can remember. My love of nature was inspired by my parents, who led our church youth group on camping trips to hike the Appalachian Trail in Georgia and explore the North Carolina mountains when I was a young boy. In my 20s, I … Read more
My lady and I are HUGE lake day lovers, and have been for years. Since travel is work for us, a day at the lake feels like a vacation, with time for swimming, enjoying a lake float, grilling food, watching birds and butterflies, and just hanging out with friends and family. We’ve been going to Lake … Read more
After managing various restaurants in Atlanta for 7 years and reviewing restaurants professionally for 28 years, I’d like to think I know a few things about the culinary craft. You can’t go into small mountain towns expecting the same diverse array of options you’ll find in larger cities like Asheville, Charlotte, and Roanoke. But in our … Read more