Jonathon Engels 
[Updated September 13, 2023] Chasing waterfalls in North Carolina is serious business. Transylvania County (which rightfully bill itself as “the Land of Waterfalls”) alone has an estimated 250+ NC waterfalls within its boundaries. The massive Pisgah National Forest and Nantahala National Forest are both chock full of alluring cascades. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and … Read more
[Updated September 12, 2023] My wife Emma and I have lived on our homestead near Elkin NC for years, and we traveled the state frequently for years before that. Yet still we’re constantly amazed by the sheer volume of exciting things to do in NC. There’s such an abundance of great places to visit in North … Read more
Having worked in restaurants for 9 years through college and grad school (including everything from a casual café to fine dining), I’m always curious what eateries will be offering where I travel. In recent years I’ve become a homesteader in North Carolina, which puts me in touch with food in a different way and makes me appreciate … Read more
[Updated August 12, 2025] Late Summer and early Autumn are among the most popular times to be outdoors in Tennessee, particularly in the mountains, where the temperatures turn downright pleasant and the leaves start to change. It’s also the best time to find a fair in Tennessee, and Tennessee fairs are huge fun! They’re typically … Read more
The city of Winston-Salem is centrally located in North Carolina’s Piedmont region, between the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and the NC low country. It’s about an hour west of Durham, an hour north of Charlotte, and 2 hours east of Asheville. Salem has been a settlement since the mid-1700s, before the state of … Read more
The state of Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Southern Appalachia and are all widely recognized for their musical influence, both historically and currently. On a personal level I’ve been equally blown away by regional talent at the Blue Ridge Music Center’s amphitheater and British post-punk shows in Richmond’s awesome venue, The National. I’ve traveled up and down … Read more
The state of Tennessee in Fall is a truly a glorious sight to behold. Its climate conditions are just right for a long Autumn, because it’s far north enough to have true seasons. And the Smoky Mountains are especially spectacular at this time of year. Fall foliage in Tennessee is the stuff of legend because the place is … Read more
There are many fine Cherokee NC campgrounds that make a fantastic hub for exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway is at the national park’s entrance, just 3.5 miles north of Cherokee and the Qualla Boundary. Other awesome attractions in … Read more
Although there are always a myriad of things to do in our home state, hiking in North Carolina ranks high among my favorite activities. Many of the best North Carolina hiking trails involve hiking in the mountains in the western part of the state. But the Central Piedmont and Atlantic Coast also have some stellar places … Read more
[Updated August 8, 2023] North Carolina’s state history is deep and sometimes sordid, with lots of interplay between cultures, humans and nature, and even some inexplicable phenomena. From the mysterious disappearance of the “lost colony” of Roanoke Islan) to the dark history of the Cherokee removal and the Civil Rights era, this history is riddled … Read more
