Family Car Trip Across the South

I just returned from a great family car trip across the South. We went through seven states in seven days. The highlights of our trip were stops in Chattanooga, Pigeon Forge, Asheville, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

We hit the road at 5:00 a.m. on a Thursday morning. It's amazing how a long car trip to a vacation destination doesn't seem as long as the trip back! We pulled into the Holiday Inn Chattagnooga Choo-Choo hotel a little after 9:00 p.m. The Choo-Choo is a historic hotel in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. It's really a complex of building including an old train station which houses the front desk and restuarants. There are 3 buildings on the property that appear to be built at different time periods as hotel rooms. Each building has its own swimming pool. I was a bit concerned about staying here after reading several negative reviews on the Internet, but it turned out to be a great experience. Some people complained about a musty smell when you walk into the hotel lobby. The building is old and probably needs renovating, but it is beautiful and historic. The smell does hit you upon entering the lobby, but quickly fades away. I suppose it's a matter of perspective. The man who checked us in was great. He gave me coupons, advised me of places to eat, and gave me directions and maps to the places we wanted to visit. He even called our room each day to make sure we were happy. Customer service was 100% top notch.

Another concern I had about the the Choo-Choo was also based on online reviews. A number of people claimed the hotel rooms were dirty. The front desk told me our rooms were recently renovated. The room was nice (standard room with two double beds, non-smoking), and very clean. Each day the room was cleaned thoroughly by housekeeping. I have no complaints.

Since we came in late all of the hotel restuarants were closed. The front desk told us about a place down the road called City Cafe Diner (901 Carter StChattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 634-9191‎). The service was great, the food was good and reasonably priced, but it was the enormous cakes that made our mouths water! They have dozens of 3 layer cakes in every flavor you can imagine. I tried the Strawberry Shortcake - delish... We went back one morning for breakfast, but it was too crowded, and we didn't want to spend our time waiting. They have an "atlas" of a menu - everything from breakfast to dinner.

Friday morning we spent some time exploring the hotel. We ate breakfast at the Garden Restuarant. I'm sorry to say I can't honestly recommend it. We had the breakfast buffet. It was a small buffet, the food was cold, and way over priced. We decided not to eat there again. Next we walked around the Choo-Choo complex. There are shops, a railroad museum, a trolley (you can take a ride around the complex), an old time photo studio, and an arcade. You could easily spend a day just hanging out at the hotel. Some of the areas of the building could handle some maintenance and renovation, but for the most part, the hotel is an fun place to stay, especially if you like staying at historical hotels. You can even elect to stay in an authentic train car!

After exploring the Choo-Choo we headed out to the Chattanooga River Walk. This area came about as a major revitalization effort on the part of Chattanoogans. We took the free shuttle bus next to the hotel down to the Tennesse Aquarium on the Chattagnooga Riverfront. We've been in a number of large aquariums, so we decided to skip this attraction. We did hear a number of people say it's a great aquarium. Next to the aquarium is the Chattanooga Visitor's Center, and outside of the aquarium is a built-in "stream" where children can splash around (or grown-ups can cool off their tired feet). We walked over to the Walnut Street Bridge, the longest pedestrian bridge in the world, but due to time we decided not to walk across the bridge. We had a reservation for lunch on the Southern Belle Chattanooga Riverboat. Lunch was nothing to brag about (sandwich fixings, chips, cole slaw, cookies, and a drink), but it was a fun and relaxing trip down the river. The trip takes about an hour and a half. During the trip, the captain entertained the guests with stories and jokes.

One of the things he mentioned was that the Moon Pie factory was across the river. We asked a lady if they had tours. She said no, but they did have a gift shop. After we got off the riverboat we took the shuttle back to the hotel to get our car. We needed to make a trip to Walmart, and the Moon Pie factory was on the way. When we drove up to the Moon Pie factory, my husband was positive we would not find anything there, but I insisted we go in and see. We walked into a small lobby through the front door. There was a small glass case with a few souvenirs and a small display of Moon Pies. We waited behind a man who was buying three cases of Moon Pies. We thought we would buy a few Moon Pies and go, but we were delightfully surprised when we were told we could each have one of each flavor of Moon Pie for free! If you have never had a fresh Moon Pie, you are missing out on a real treat. They have four flavors: chocolate, banana, strawberry, and vanilla.

After our trip to the Moon Pie factory, we headed back to the hotel for a swim and dinner. Our section of the hotel (# 3) had the best pool with a hottub, waterfall, and smoothie bar. After drying off and changing clothes we headed over to the Station House for dinner. The price wasn't too bad when you consider you get an all you can eat shrimp and salad buffet with your entree. The food was okay, not terrible, but not to die for either. Our server was prompt and sweet, but the highlight of the evening was getting to see her sing on stage! All of the waitstaff at the Station House take a turn entertaining the guests in song. They are known as the singing servers. Eating at the Station House is a unique and fun experience. Couples will appreciate the candlelight atmosphere.

Originally I planned a day at Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park, but after looking at the website, my son thought it looked lame, so we decided to skip it. After a relaxing day on the riverfront, my kids had a change of heart. They were ready for some thrills, so we decided to head down to Lake Winnie (the park's nickname). In order to get there you must take a little trip through the mountains. After passing several residential areas and crossing into Georgia (about a 20 minute drive), you might wonder if you will every find it, but don't worry, it's really there. We only had a couple of hours to explore the park before closing. We bought the kids unlimted ride passes and a few tickets for ourselves. The park was clean, the rides were fun, and the lines were short. Lake Winnie is definitely a fun, family park. As it turned out, we could have easily spent the day there.

On Saturday we drove to Lookout Mountain and spent the day visiting Ruby Falls, Rock City, and riding the Incline Railway. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and stable shoes (tennis shoes or hiking boots). Expect to do a lot of walking and stair climbing. If you are sensitive to cold you might want to tie a light sweater around your waist. It can get a bit chilly walking through the caverns at Ruby Falls. I highly recommend taking a small ice chest with bottles of water. You will need the water and will save money bringing your own.

We began our journey at Ruby Falls. After you get your tickets (you can save a little money buying tickets for all three attractions together) and take a restroom break (you definitely want to go to the restroom before you begin your tour), you get in the tour line. You will take an elevator deep down into the caverns. Your tour guide will take you on a near mile long trek through the caverns, pointing out interesting features and telling you the fascinating story behind the falls. After your walk you will enter a large, open cavern with an amazing waterfall. The site is breathtaking and well worth the trip. Once you go back up you can grab a bite to eat and pick up a few souvenirs in the gift shop.

Our next stop was at the Incline Railway. The Incline Railway climbs the historic Lookout Mountain, and has the unique distinction of being the steepest passenger railway in the world. You can begin your journey at the top or bottom of the railway. Since we visited Ruby Falls first, we went up the mountain to the top of the railway. After passing through the gift shop and snack bar, we had to stand in line for quite awhile waiting for our turn. Once you board the train, you sit down and enjoy the mile long trek down the mountain. At the bottom of the track you must get off and get back in line to get on again. Before going back up the mountain, you can take in the gift shop, have an ice cream, or go across the street to Mr. T's Pizza and grab a bite to eat. The pizza was hot, fresh, and tasty. We got back in line to head back up the mountain when we lucked out and were offered the opportunity to pass everyone up and get on the train (since we were only going one way). There was a catch - we had to stand up! Try standing up in a train car on a mile steep climb up a mountain. I hope the man standing behind me forgave me for stepping on his toes.

I really didn't know what to expect when we got to Rock City. We were pleasantly surprised. We walked through beautiful gardens up the mountain and through Fatman's Squeeze (I was excited I made it through and only had to turn sideways slightly), across a swinging bridge (if only the kids in front of us didn't jump), and up several steps to a beautiful panoramic view of seven states. We took the opportunity to rest, grab something to drink, climb a rockwall, pan for gems, and take pictures before heading back down. The trip down was enchanting as we walked through a fairyland. We could have easily spent an entire day at Rock City.

We spent the evening enjoying the entertainment at Jukebox Junction. We had the pleasure of watching two variety shows with music, dance, and comedy: The Rock n' Roll Revue and Elwood Smooch's Choo-Choo Cha Boogie Show. We didn't realize we were getting two shows for the price of one until we got there. The talent was great and the shows were fun.

The next day we checked out of the Choo-Choo and headed down to Pigeon Forge to spend the day at Dollywood. We've been to Pigeon Forge and Dollywood once before. You can spend days in the Smoky Mountains shopping, seeing shows, going on outdoor adventures, being entertained, and eating pancakes (we decided it must be the pancake capital of the world since it has so many pancake houses). Dollywood is a great, family friendly theme park. You can't beat the cool mountain air, short lines, fun rides, and great shows for a reasonable price. Go after 3:00 p.m. and get the next day free. My bones are still shaking after riding the Thunderhead Roller Coaster.

After a great day at Dollywood we spent the night at the Fairfield Inn & Suites. The room was clean and the bed was comfortable. We skipped the free breakfast the next morning and chose to eat at the Red Rooster instead. You can't miss it. It's right on the Parkway and has a red roof. I had the pineapple upside down pancakes...yum.

On Monday we decided to take the scenic drive through the Smoky Mountains. We stopped at the Smoky Mountains National Park Visitor's Center before beginning our journey. If you are the outdoors type who loves camping and hiking, you will definitely want to spend time exploring these beautiful mountains. Our trip through the mountains was slow. We had to stop and take pictures! We ended up taking a lot more time than planned reaching North Carolina. By the time we made it to the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville it was 4:00 p.m. Asheville is more spread out than we imagined. The freeways are a bit confusing, so it took us extra time to find our way around. We planned a visit to Chimney Rock Park, but were afraid we didn't have time to get there. After checking into our hotel, we decided to go for it. We were told it would take us 45 minutes to an hour to get there. Since it was barely 20 miles away, we didn't quite believe it, well, not until we started going up the very curvy mountainside. We made it into the park before closing and head straight over to Chimney Rock. My husband and kids wanted to climb the steps up to the rock, but I knew I couldn't hang, so I took the elevator. I walked through a delightfully cold tunnel, pushed a button and waited for an attendant. We took a 30 second trip on an elevator carved out of the mountain. At the top I went through a gift shop and snack bar before heading out the glass doors to the rock. I had to climb 44 steps to the top, but the view was worth it. After waiting for about 15 minutes, my husband and kids appeared. They informed me I was the smart one taking the elevator. The climb up was a bit tough. We took pictures, ate a hotdog in the snack bar and then we went back down in the elevator. We only had an hour left before the park closed, but we decided to try and make it up the Hickory Nut Trail to the waterfall. About 10 minutes into our journey the rain came down in cold plops. We were soaked (and laughing) by the time we made it to our car. There are a number of trails and views at Chimney Rock Park. Hikers will want to make a day of it.

We were grateful to arrive back at our hotel. We were wet, cold, and hungry. The Crowne Plaza Resort is a beautiful hotel set in a scenic area and surrounded by a golf course. The room was well appointed and clean. My daughter quickly claimed the gift bag on the bed filled with lavendar spray, lotion, and an eyemask. After drying off we decided to go and find something to eat. The closest restuarants that were open were a Denny's and a Pizza Hut. We went to the Pizza Hut and enjoyed a rare hot pizza (we are so used to delivery).

After a great night's sleep we drove over to Biltmore. The "wow" factor doesn't begin to describe your first reaction when you lay eyes on the largest home in America. At 175,000 square feet, Biltmore is three times as large as the White House. The house itself covers 4 acres. The grounds are amazing. We chose to pay an extra $8 a person for the audio tour. The house goes on and on. It's hard to believe a family actually lived there. After the tour of the house we decided to eat lunch at the restuarant on the grounds. Unfortunately we paid dearly for a mediocre meal. We walked part of the gardens (you could spend a day in the gardens alone), and then headed over to the winery. Biltmore is a beautiful place, and we regretted not having enough time to explore it further. In the future, I would love to stay at the Inn on Biltmore Estate and spend a few days there. You can go on guided tours of the house and grounds; carraige rides, horseback riding, bicycling, hiking, kyaking, and even on segway tours. Of course, everything you do is charged an extra fee. It's a wonderful spot for couples looking to escape for a few days of romance. We enjoyed a self-guided tour of the winery and the complimentary wine tasting. They even gave the kids grape juice. We picked up three bottles of wine to bring home. My new favorite wine is the Century Rose. Unfortunately we didn't make it to River Bend Farm. I recommend planning at least two days to explore the Biltmore Estates.

You live a little, you learn a lot. We learned to never, ever plan more than a six hour drive when heading home after a vacation. We were totally fried (tired from so much walking and exploring) when we began our trip from Asheville to New Orleans. We got a late start and a bit lost before we made our way towards Greenville (heading to Atlanta). We stopped to eat at a Huddle House located in conjunction with a Stuckey's and a Bojangles. We had never eaten at a Huddle House before, but we were rather hungry by the time we came across it. The breakfast food was great and the service was good. We now feel confident stopping at a Huddle House on future trips.

Our planned stop was a bit aggressive, but worth it. We went to the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta. We thought we were running in for a quick, 30 minute tour, but two hours later we figured out we would not make it to New Orleans until late into the night. The World of Coca-Cola tour was really cool. We watched a video, walked through the interesting history of Coke, looked at tons of memorabilia (including original Norman Rockwell paintings and several real torches from different Olympic games), and tasted different Coca-Cola products from around the world. The tour was fun and informative. Of course we came home with bottles of Coke and souvenirs. After our tour, we were starving, so we headed over the Hard Rock Cafe - Atlanta for a burger and t-shirts.

We decided to push it and went on to New Orleans. We arrived around 2:00 a.m. and after feeling our way around the city, we finally found the Drury Inn. Since we called ahead and let them know of our late, late arrival, they had us checked in and the room ready. We were grateful for the comfortable bed. We love staying at the Drury Inn. The one in New Orleans is a historical hotel and quite lovely. No other hotel beats their amenities for the price, including a hot breakfast. After checking out the next morning we drove down to the French Quarter. We noticed a number of new businesses, and several closed down businesses after Katrina. We parked and walked over to Cafe Du Monde. The kids loved their first beignet, and dad loves his new coffee mug.

On the way home to Texas, we stopped in Henderson, Louisiana for lunch. If you ever drive through here, trust me when I say you absolutely have to take the exit in Henderson to Pat's of Henderson. They have the best shrimp (or crawfish) etouffee you will ever eat. Henderson is between Baton Rouge and Lake Charles.

We loved our trip across the South, crossing through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia before heading back home to Texas. The scenic drive was beautiful, and we even found gas for $3.67! We felt as if we went on a buffet vacation, tasting a little bit of everything. We tried to plan something for everyone in our family to enjoy. We discovered many surprises along the way and had a great time, but in the end, we were relieved to see the exit sign that led to home.

I will post pictures a.s.a.p. I'm a teacher and it's back to school time. I have to get my classroom in order.