Summer Vacation Part One: Asheville & Blue Ridge Mountains

We headed to the beach to celebrate Amy's 40th birthday, but to break up the trip we stopped to spend a couple of days in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.

View from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway

A.J. & Essie

Mom & Dad

Don't forget Chloe!

The rhododendrons were in bloom!

 

Chloe

Rhododendron

Chloe

Essie

Fog and wind settled in when we got to the peak.

Essie

Cold and windy for mid-June!

We thought this Asheville restaurant seemed right up our alley.

We were right - great burgers!

Before getting our exercise on day two, we had some awesome donuts at Vortex Doughnuts.

Weather kept us close to Asheville, so we checked out the North Carolina Arboretum.

Essie "teaching a nature class"

Mom enjoys a sandwich at Which Wich.

With rain in the forecast, we headed inside to watch Disney's Aladdin remake.

Everyone wanted to go back to the hotel for a nap, but Dad got in some more hiking on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Dad sees a bear in the wild for the first time ever!

More great food at the Cornerstone restaurant

After a nice time in Asheville, next stop: the beach!