Tennessee vs North Carolina

So we know what some of you may be saying….you’re still traveling??? Before we detail out the trip, we want to make it clear that we take this pandemic very seriously but also understand the need for some type of therapeutic activity in whatever form that may be for you. For us it’s always been travel and we have been disappointed in the fact that we’ve had to cancel so many international trips this year but wanted to be safe. Although the trips have been postponed, the blessing in disguise was being able to have time to explore more of the US. This was precisely what this trip was about…literally exploring our backyards. We were driving home one night and both were feeling the stress of our jobs and needing a release. We knew we wanted to be in nature and wanted a more low-key trip where we didn’t have to be around people to remain safe. Just us and God’s green Earth. Correy started reminiscing about the mountains in Tennessee. He went to school not to far from the Smoky Mountains and talked about how beautiful it was this time of year. That got me to thinking about the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, a few hours from where I grew up. That was it! We would check out both of these places while showing the other things that were near and dear to our hearts. So with that….the trip was set. We would be visiting Gatlinburg, TN and Asheville, NC. And because we’re both competitive this became the Tennessee vs North Carolina trip! Who did it better?? We rated each city in terms of activities, hiking (nature), and food or what we’ll call in this post….sights, hikes, and bites!

We decided to utilize the Thanksgiving holiday so we wouldn’t have to take as much time off and could end the trip by visiting our families. Because this was spur of the moment, we wanted to keep the budget low for flights, lodging, and any outdoor activities that we would do while there. In total, for 2 people, we ended up spending about $1,200 for the entire trip. This did not include food but that varies depending on how fancy you are and how much you eat.

Gatlinburg, TN

First stop was Gatlinburg, TN. We decided to fly into Atlanta, GA as it was a lot cheaper to fly in there than Knoxville, TN because of it being a major hub. The one way ticket was $100 on United Airlines. It was a small plane and only had two seats on each side of each row so fortunately we didn’t have to worry about sitting directly beside anyone else. We’ve flown once before during this pandemic and are very aware of the different airlines and their social distancing guidelines. There are some that do it better than others (*ahem Southwest and Delta) but all mandate mask wearing for the entire flight unless you are eating and drinking. If you want to know more about traveling during the pandemic, check out our other post where we detail that out. Once in Atlanta, we rented a car and drove to Gatlinburg to check into the Airbnb. Because we were in the mountains, our only must haves for the Airbnbs were hot tubs, fireplaces, and amazing views. This one didn’t disappoint with the views! The view of the Smoky Mountains was breathtaking! It looked like a fake backdrop honestly.

Sights

The major attraction in Gatlinburg is obviously the Smoky Mountains. Now driving through the mountains at night was very intimidating but seeing it in the morning was absolutely amazing. As we drove through Gatlinburg, it was hard not to take our eyes off of the beautiful fall leaves on the trees and the crystal blue mountains in the distance. Because Gatlinburg has become a popular destination, the city and adjacent town of Pigeon Forge have a ton of touristy things to do. Outside of nature activities, there is a whole strip for people to do tastings, arcades for kids, games, and restaurants. Very family friendly. We decided to try some of the tastings inadvertently while were were waiting for our to-go order at a restaurant. Right beside the restaurant there was a distillery, Junction 35, where they were doing $5 tastings….moonshine tastings. All we can say is…we weren’t ready. We tried flavors ranging from apple pie to bubble gum. There was a winery next door so….we decided to stop there too. Blame it on the alcohol. We ended up buying a couple bottles of wine from there to take home.

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We’ll give Gatlinburg a 6/10 in this category.

Hikes

Whenever we travel we always have to find a good hike to do and we both have a preference (some may call an obsession) for waterfall hikes. All Trails app is what we use to find trails for our skill level and find beautiful hikes! It gives you reviews and pictures so you know what you’re getting into in advance. We hiked Rainbow Falls Trail and while we can say the hike itself was great and had a lot of beauty leading to the top, the top in itself was kind of a disappointment. We were expecting this grand waterfall and got one that looked like it was on its last leg. Thankfully there were plenty of pretty and peaceful streams along the way. The journey made the hike. This trail in particular has a gradual incline the entire time you’re hiking up to the waterfall. We just need y’all to be aware. There were a lot of trails in the area to choose from, our advice for whatever trail you do, would be to wake up early to beat the crowds and to still have daylight as it turns pitch black around 6pm and you don’t want to be in the woods when that happens! Also dress in layers! It was 30 degrees when we started the hike and closer to 60 degrees when we ended. Oh and did we mention we saw a black bear! That was definitely one of the highlights of TN!

We’ll give Gatlinburg a 8/10 for the hikes.

Bites

We won’t say much about food as we did takeout for our entire trip due to Covid-19 and not wanting to sit in restaurants with other people. I will say this is tough for us because typically sitting inside a restaurant and getting the ambiance is just as important as the food but it is the responsible thing to do in these times. From what we saw there were a lot of chain restaurants there and for that reason the score is 5/10.

Asheville, NC

Next stop was Asheville, NC. After staying a couple days in Gatlinburg, we got in the car and drove about 2 hours to Asheville. This is where we spent the rest of our trip. We booked a very unique Airbnb for Asheville. It was a tiny house! And was so cute! The tiny house was on a farm so you could pet the horses and other animals that were out there. The best part of it was we were still close enough to the city (about 15 mins) to where we got to enjoy both. Of course it had a hot tub. That was a must!

Sights

Biltmore Estate

One of the planned outings in Asheville was the Biltmore Estate. Because we were going around the holidays, and Christmas at the Biltmore is wildly popular, we did end up paying more than normal for the ticket. $115 per person to be exact. The tickets get you access to the Biltmore house, the gardens, and a complimentary wine tasting at their winery. You reserve specific days/times online for the tour and the wine tasting. The house was beautifully decorated with Christmas decorations and poinsettias from top to bottom but was a little too packed for our liking. The conservatory in the gardens was absolutely stunning! So many pretty tropical plants! Everything was so colorful and the plants were huge. Some of them we have as indoor house plants and it definitely never crossed our minds that they could grow to be that big! After leaving the conservatory, we took advantage of the complimentary wine tasting at their winery. They had this set up nicely with plexiglass in between you and the person serving you the wines. They allow you to try 5 different Biltmore wines and then you have the opportunity to buy any you enjoyed at the store. And yes….we bought some more wine if you were wondering. Some advice with the Biltmore Estate….it’s huge! It takes time to get between each of the sites especially if you have to ride the parking shuttle. Give yourself some time to walk/drive to different parts of the estate.

Downtown Asheville

We also got a chance to walk around downtown to check out the shops and even stopped at a craft brewery and tried some local beer on their outdoor patio while we were waiting to check into our Airbnb. There are a lot of cute boutiques and shops throughout downtown if you’d like to do some shopping while visiting. Before going to Asheville we knew that they were known for their breweries so researching the best ones to visit was a definite. The name of the brewery that we went to was Dssolvr and we thoroughly enjoyed our beers there. The list I looked through was here.

Asheville was definitely a well-rounded city with a lot to do and see so we’ll rate it a 7/10.

Hikes

Of course we wanted to see a waterfall here so we used the handy dandy All Trails app again. We found a couple we were interested in. Because these hikes weren’t as difficult as the ones in Tennessee we decided to do two hikes! We did Catawba and Crabtree Falls. Interesting enough, these trails were the complete opposite of the trail in Tennessee. Not much to look at on the way up but spectacular waterfalls at the end of the hike! With the Crabtree Falls you find yourself walking downhill to get to the waterfall but let me tell you its a round trip and right after the falls the trail goes straight up so be prepared. Catawba Falls was definitely a leisurely hike but the most beautiful waterfall we’d seen on the trip.

We’ll give these hikes a 8/10.

Bites

There’s some great food in Asheville to try! We tried to order from different places to get a variety. Some of our recommendations would be White Duck Tacos (so many fun and unique tacos!), 9 Mile (Caribbean inspired food with huge portions), and Sunny Point Cafe (great breakfast/brunch food!).

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We’ll give the food in Asheville a 9/10.

Overall, it turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. Fresh crisp air, sunshine, nature, and relaxation! Now what you all have been reading for, the results are in. The popular vote, during the trip Instagram poll, goes to Tennessee, however North Carolina swept the electoral vote with its progressive, engaging vibe. There was so much to do in the city and it felt like a place you’d want to be anytime. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Asheville and therefore it took the crown in this battle. Tell us which one you think was better! If you’re looking for a covid-friendly vacation this is the one!

Let us know if you need help in your planning! We’d love to support you any way we can! Looking for a nature getaway??? Let us know in the comments!