If you live within driving distance of the Great Smoky Mountains, visiting Dollywood is a rite of passage. Country legend Dolly Parton put her name on the theme park back in 1986 and since then, millions have flocked to the area, transforming sleepy Pigeon Forge, Tennessee into a bustling tourist town filled with hotels, restaurants, […]
May 1, 2018
Just 30 minutes from Asheville, Maggie Valley has all the ingredients for a fun-filled family vacation in the North Carolina Smoky Mountains. Check out my tips for the perfect winter weekend vacation! This post was written in partnership with Visit North Carolina Smokies and Travel Mindset. I’m a sucker for a good winter vacation. I […]
January 24, 2018
Planning a Panama City Beach family vacation? Here are a few things you’ll want to know before you go! Unexpectedly, Panama City Beach has stolen my heart. I love it for its high-rise condominiums, which guarantee me a vacation filled with mornings waking to sounds of the surf and panoramic views of the Gulf of […]
January 12, 2018
From thrilling outdoor adventures to great restaurants, shopping, and children’s activities, St. George, Utah has all the ingredients for a memorable family vacation – and winter is a great time to beat the crowds! This post was written in partnership with Visit St. George. To know my family is to know we love hiking and […]
December 28, 2017
Knoxville, Tennessee is the perfect place for a holiday weekend getaway! As soon as we arrive in downtown Knoxville, fat flakes of snow begin drifting down from the sky as if on cue. It lends a decidedly festive feeling to this historic city, already festooned with Christmas lights, ribbons and greenery. We’ve decided to begin […]
December 13, 2017
One of the world’s rarest wonders is just three hours from Nashville. We gathered around the raft on a beach lit only by the full moon. Just around the river’s bend was the mighty Cumberland Falls, aptly nicknamed The Niagara of the South. As my husband and two children climbed inside the raft and perched […]
August 9, 2017
I wondered whether Gatlinburg was ready for tourists after last year’s wildfires. I’m so glad we gave it a chance and scheduled a Gatlinburg vacation this summer — Tennessee’s most famous mountain town is back, and better than ever. Thanks to Visit Gatlinburg for hosting our weekend getaway. Like most Tennesseans, my ties to Gatlinburg are […]
August 1, 2017
My son knows what he wants … at least until he doesn’t want it anymore. The streets of downtown Gatlinburg are lined with storefront windows, all filled to overflowing with souvenirs. There are airbrushed t-shirts and leather handbags, knives and swords and cowboy hats, billowy caftans and homemade fudge, lace tablecloths and wood carvings — […]
July 26, 2017
Whether you love food, shopping, interactive museums, or the great outdoors, you won’t run out of things to do with kids in Columbus, Ohio! Here are 30 of our favorite family activities. This post was written in partnership with Experience Columbus. If you’re looking for the perfect spot for your next family vacation, I can’t […]
July 13, 2017
This post was written in partnership with Twin Creeks. It only takes a few episodes of Gilmore Girls to become smitten with the series — But the real reason I stuck with it over the years was less about Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and more about where they lived: Stars Hollow. In this charming (and, unfortunately, fictional) […]
June 23, 2017
