We spent Saturday evening settling into the mountain home we rented before digging into a hearty lasagna dinner and hopping in the hot tub as the sun went down. It was a wonderfully relaxing way to kick off our vacation!
Sunday was a bit busier as we tried to make the most of our first full day of vacation. We woke up slowly in the morning and hung out in our pajamas for a few hours as we ate muffins and eggs and sipped on hot coffee while we enjoyed beautiful mountain views and attempted a Scramble Squares puzzle.
Have you guys heard of Scramble Squares? The puzzle’s tagline claims it is “perhaps the world’s most challenging puzzle” and I’m pretty sure it had all of us ripping our hair out as we passed it along and each gave the puzzle our best shot. We WILL figure it out before this vacation is over!
After a lazy morning, we were ready for a more active afternoon and my sister, brother-in-law, Ryan and I piled into Ryan’s car with the dogs and headed out to the base of a trail to hike to Catawba Falls. (Big thanks to my mom for watching Chase! My dad will be flying in from Jacksonville to join us today. Woo!) I wasn’t sure how hiking would go with my broken pinky toe, but I taped it up and we walked slowly and carefully to the falls. I was pleasantly surprised with the way my toe and foot felt during the hike, especially since I wasn’t sure if I’d have to opt out of all hiking on our vacation.
The majority of the hike followed a stream and it was so neat to be able to hear water rushing and look down and see crayfish and small fish below. The trail was an out-and-back trail which isn’t usually my favorite (I definitely prefer a loop) but we all loved this hike and agreed it was a great one to tackle to kick off our trip. The Catawaba Falls far surpassed our expectations and were much larger and more impressive than we imagined.
The dogs had a blast jumping in and out of the stream and swimming at the base of the falls while we snapped pictures before making our way back up the trail to our car.
We arrived back at the house a little after 1 p.m. and timing was perfect because Chase woke up from his nap 10 minutes before we walked through the door. We ate a lunch of leftover lasagna before quickly heading back out to spend the afternoon in downtown Asheville.
This was our first visit to Asheville and we decided to spend our first couple of hours in the city wandering around and popping in and out of various hot spots. Our first stop of the day took us to Wicked Weed Brewery where we stopped for a couple of beers.
I liked the Pompoen pumpkin sour ale with charred ginger and the flavor almost reminded me of a pumpkin spice kombucha (and I mean that as a compliment). Chase liked the dogs and waving at everyone around him!
Our second stop of the day took us into Vortex Doughnuts for an afternoon pick-me-up sweet treat! We ordered a box of doughnuts to try and I owe you guys a big thank you for recommending them to us because they were fantastic!
With sugary doughnuts in our bellies, we walked along for another 45 minutes or so before we figured we should make our way back to our house. We stopped by the grocery store before driving up the mountain and spent the rest of the night grilling out, eating ice cream and hanging out in our pajamas.
We have a full day ahead of us today and I cannot wait to explore the Biltmore in a few hours! I’ll be sure to share the fun with you guys soon!
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Gorgeous views of the waterfall, love a good hike and some beers on the weekend. Now I’m craving a good fall pumpkin beer, those are my fav. And I can’t wait to see pics of Biltmore, I’ve always wanted to go.
Ah, I love Asheville! It’s small and unassuming, but is so stunning and quaint. Glad to hear your toe held up for the hike! Have fun today, the house was one of my favorite parts of our visit.
Is Chase walking yet? My son also named Chase didn’t get the hang of it until 14 months.
Not without his walker yet! 🙂
What a fun trip!!!! My family and I are hoping to do something similar in June (far away, I know, lol). They all live in AZ and we’re also here in Charlotte!! Right now, we’re thinking Boone/Blowing Rock but Asheville looks like it could be awesome too b/c of the Biltmore!! We did that two years ago and loved it!!
Hope you enjoy your vacation, Julie!!
-Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
Looks like so much fun!!! Chase always has the CUTEST little face in all of your pictures! He looks like such a happy little boy =) Also, those doughnuts look AMAZING!
My mom wants our next family trip to be in that area so I’m looking forward to all of your reviews!!
I never really liked donuts until I was introduced to gourmet donuts. Is that an oxymoron? Who cares! Hand crafted locally made donuts are the BEST!
Glad you’re having fun in Asheville! That hike is sooo pretty! Fresh pizza in Black Mountain is good, since you’re staying out there!
Your diaper bag backpack is so cute! Who makes it? I love that my husband could use it too. Have a wonderful vacation.
Thank you! It’s Ju-Ju-Be legacy diaper bag and we love it — so many pockets and especially great for travel. I bought it from Nordstrom: http://bit.ly/2dH4e0x
I live 30 minutes away from black mountain in Morganton, NC. My husband and I love black mountain!! If you’ve never ate at a place called My Fathers Pizza, it’s AMAZING. We drive to black mountain just to eat there some weekends. They have the best greek salad!
I can’t help but notice Sadie wearing a shirt in one of the pictures above! It makes me laugh! Glad your toe injury didn’t stop you from enjoying the mountains!
Haha! Yes! She’s such a little baby in cold weather and it was in the 40s in the morning. 🙂
Looks like a fun trip already! We’ve been to Asheville many times, including the always fabulous Biltmore, and love it more every time. It’s a slower pace and definitely easy to feel at home immediately.
So glad you guys are having a blast already – and that you can hike with your broken toe. Phew!
XO, Jessica
http://www.semisweettooth.com
What a fun and BEAUTIFUL weekend!! There’s nothing better than outside time with your family!
Looks amazing!!!! I’m actually travelling to Asheville and Black Mountain at the end of the month for a wedding, so these posts are perfect 🙂
What beautiful photos from the falls!
If you’re going to be in the AVL area a little longer, I suggest you check out the BEAUTIFUL Sierra Nevada Brewery (just a quick 20 minute drive from downtown).
Let me know what you think if you do go! 🙂
That brewery is on our list! Thank you, Hillary!
The hike you guys went on looks gorgeous!
Some of my maternal grandmother’s family is in North Carolina, though I haven’t been there to see them since I was a kid.
I was camping on Biltmore grounds from Thursday to Sunday for an expo, and went to see the house for the first time. It’s really stunning, you will have a great time! You should also do the Land Rover course if you’re into that kind of thing 🙂 We had a blast, I can’t wait to go back and explore more of downtown.
So cool!!!
Sounds lovely already! You’re getting me so anxious & excited for a week with my family on the San Juan Island in Nov!
Ohh donuts and family puzzles! You’re having my kind of family vacation!
Hi! I am curious what kind of diaper bag backpack you have in the last photo? It looks super roomy!
Thanks!
It’s the Ju-Ju-Be legacy diaper bag! I LOVE it and highly recommend it – especially for travel! I bought it from Nordstrom: http://bit.ly/2dH4e0x
Love the pic of you and Ryan next to the falls! What a great idea – I was at a waterfall with my husband last weekend, and wished I would have thought of that!
Thanks so much for giving us a peek into your vacay, it looks like it’s marvelous. Hope you’re all having a great time! Don’t forget to try Tupelo Honey at some point! 🙂 Sweet potato pancake!
Def would love info on your diaper bag!! Love the Ashville area!! Have fun!
Yes! It’s the Ju-Ju-Be legacy diaper bag! It’s wonderful and can actually be a backpack or a shoulder bag. I LOVE it and highly recommend it – especially for travel! I bought it from Nordstrom: http://bit.ly/2dH4e0x
Hi! I read your blog almost every day and love it. I have been thinking of starting a blog of my own for awhile, mostly just for personal use to get all my thoughts out in one place, haha and to hold myself accountable. Do you have any advice? Also, what blog base do you use? There are so many platforms out there and I don’t mind have to pay a little if it’s for the best!
Looks like y’all are already enjoying your trip. If you take a drive on the parkway, check out the Folk Art center. Lots of local handmade crafts. Sierra Nevada offers beer tours. Enjoy!
Asheville is one of my all-time favorite places! my grandparents live there and I’m obsessed 🙂 Love this post <3
xoxo, Christine
http://www.shesjustmysister.com
My husband and I love Asheville. Such a perfect time of year to be visiting.
Where did you get your orange pullover? Looks so comfy and cute!
Thanks!
Thanks! It’s New Balance!
Looks like such a fun trip!!
Your vacation looks incredible so far! That photo of you and Ryan at the brewery is adorable. Enjoy!
That waterfall is gorgeous!
This sounds amazing! Three of my favorite things: hiking, donuts, and beer. Love this recap!
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Such a cute little family 🙂 Have fun and be safe! xo
Your vacation to Asheville looks amazing! Thanks for sharing the tips – hiking Catawba Falls is now on my list of must do’s.
Side note… 🙂 Your photos in this post are flawless! Can you share what camera you used to take these shots? Thanks, Julie!
Hey Julie!
You might have already commented on this in an earlier post but I love your backpack diaper bag! I have been searching for one for a while and was wondering what type is it? Your trip looks awesome!
Hey from the mountains! 🌲 Just read about your awesome day in Black Mountain, and it sounds like you guys are having a blast! Catawba Falls looks stunning—I’m adding it to my must-hike list. Also, big shoutout to your mom for babysitting Chase, so you could enjoy that hike guilt-free. 👏 Now, I’m curious—how did you manage that Scramble Squares puzzle? We’ve got some brainiacs in the family too, and I’m always on the lookout for fun challenges. Keep the updates coming; I can’t wait to hear about your Biltmore adventure! 🏰✨
Black Mountain sounds like such a charming place to spend a day exploring! 🌄 I love how you describe the vibrant downtown area and the delightful boutique shops. The Berliner Kindl German Restaurant seems like a great spot for lunch, especially with accommodating options for food allergies. 🍽️ And browsing through Common Housefly for unique kitchen gadgets sounds like a fun adventure. 😂 I’ll have to add Black Mountain to my list of places to visit. What are some of your favorite hidden gems in town? 🛍️✨