Bret and Mary 
[Updated September 21, 2021] From Amicalola Falls and Anna Ruby Falls to Raven Cliff Falls and Panther Creek Falls, the Blue Ridge mountains offer an excellent array of North Georgia waterfall hikes. But of all the waterfalls in Georgia, few offer quite as much of a picturesque bang for your buck as Minnehaha Falls, GA. … Read more
As professional travel writers/photographers, our trips are usually tightly packed with adventures. So much so that we often come home feeling like we need a vacation from our “vacation.” But our stay at the Cottages at Spring House Farms, which offers dog-friendly cottages and cabins near North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, was very different. Other … Read more
[Updated September 24, 2021] More than 20 years ago, I practiced my budding photography skills while exploring many of the hiking trails with waterfalls in Georgia. From Amicalola Falls and Anna Ruby Falls to Tallulah Falls and Panther Creek Falls, these North Georgia waterfall hikes tapped into my lifelong love of nature and eventually inspired me … Read more
[Updated July 31, 2021] Over the last decade, Asheville has emerged as a progressive haven of arts and culture in the middle of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is known for its fiercely independent spirit, with myriad “green” restaurants, brewpubs, and countless Asheville art galleries and artists’ studios popping up over time. It’s … Read more
[Updated September 21, 2021] Among the 100+ North Georgia waterfalls, Anna Ruby Falls was both the first I remember visiting as a child and the last one we visited in 2020 before travel was discouraged. Not to be confused with Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Anna Ruby is one of the four most impressive waterfalls … Read more
In the years leading up to my daughter leaving home for college, I became increasingly conscious of time. The 18 summers we have with our kids seemed to pass all too quickly, leaving us precious few moments to establish strong bonds we hope will last a lifetime. So the timing of our trip to the … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] As a boy growing up near the North Georgia mountains, I tended to take the Appalachian food of my family’s roots for granted. Fortunately, traditional Southern food has come a long way over the last few decades, as has the culinary scene in little mountain towns like Blue Ridge, GA. When … Read more
[Updated on 7/20/21] Growing up in Atlanta, the mountain town of Helen, Georgia seemed like another world, with its festive Christmas in Helen GA celebration and fun Alpine architecture, biergartens, bratwurst, and annual Oktoberfest Fall Festival. But even as a kid I was much more attracted to the natural beauty of Unicoi State Park, which … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] The Expedition Bigfoot Museum is a uniquely intriguing roadside attraction in Cherry Log, GA. Located along Highway 515 just minutes outside of Blue Ridge, it’s truly a weird and wondrous must-see for anyone visiting the North Georgia mountains. You don’t have to be a diehard believer in Bigfoot encounters to get … Read more
[Updated November 9, 2021] Visiting Blue Ridge, GA in the ’90s (and even as recently as 2009), there was little indication that this tiny town would soon become a tourism hotspot. Spanning just 2.6 square miles, with a population of less than 1300 people at the time, it felt like any number of other sleepy … Read more