I’ve been a bit awol lately, because we took a trip to visit my parents back East! When I was pregnant with Gwendolyn, I flew back home at 8 months pregnant (red-eye and everything; not fun), and that wasn’t great. Since I’ve still not seen my parents’ newly renovated new home in-person, and once I hit a certain point, I’ll be out of wanting to fly the rest of the year, it was now or never.
We took 9 days, and did all the things. Todd has only been out in the summer the time I was pregnant (record temperatures, too, of course), so I was excited to have him experience the best of my childhood. My parents live in Virginia, right along the Tennessee border, so this family-friendly travel guide will cover some of the best of that entire area!
Grayson Highlands
If you’re hoping to spot horses in the wild, then this is the hike for you. Though I have brought Todd there before, Gwendolyn, obviously, loves ponies, so we just had to take her, too! There’s lots of trails about, but if you’re just going for the horses, the hike isn’t long.
We went our first day there, so naturally Gwendolyn insisted that I was the only person who could wear her up into the hills. Then she promptly fell asleep, and was complete deadweight. But If a 23-week pregnant lady can carry a toddler up on her back, most hikers should manage it easily.
There were less horses around than there were other times I’ve been, but that was largely due to groups of loud people (especially children) spooking them off. Hot tip: don’t be crazy around wild horses.
Luckily, Gwendolyn woke up in time to see them. There were even a couple of mamas with babies. She’s only ever seen larger horses, so I think it was really neat to show her some variety in their natural environment!
Creeper Trail
I have many fond memories of biking as quickly as I possibly could down the 17-mile trail from White Top. In fact, I love it so much, I have been telling Todd as long as I’ve know him that he needs to ride on the creeper trail. (Though he’s now made the ride, he still needs to go again in the Fall.)
Bring your own bike, or rent at one of the shops in Damascus, then take a shuttle to the top, and enjoy coasting practically the entire way back. Seriously. When we stopped for lunch, I asked Mom if we were 2 or 3 miles in….we were in 9! Though it took about as long as I remember (3 hours), it felt much faster. But maybe that’s because I didn’t have to pedal as fast the entire time being a pregnant grown person now and all. Earlier in the year, we were wondering if it’d be okay for me to bike that trail at this point in my pregnancy. But since I’ve been exercising 3 times a week the whole time, I was prepared. Except pedaling is hardly necessary, it turns out. The trail was a bit bumpier than I expected, and I think I definitely jostled baby as low as he could go—right onto my bladder—but it was otherwise easy-peasy.
Todd had a great time, and has now biked both of my favourite places, and Gwendolyn had a blast riding with him.
Date in Historic Abingdon
Also while in my hometown, Todd and I went on our first date sans baby since Gwendolyn was born! With our particular attachment parenting style, we’ve not been keen on going out—mostly me. For a while now, we’ve been tossing around the idea, but this was finally the perfect situation.
We simply went our for lunch—at White Birch—then walked Plum Alley to Anthony’s Desserts. It’s basically what we would do even if Gwendolyn were with us, except it was just us. to be perfectly honest, we talk a lot, so I was unsure we’d have that much conversation, but it was really nice. Sort of our last chance to go out just the two of us before we have a second baby.
Though I really love a lot about where we live, historic Abingdon has always sparked my imagination. Walking around all the old buildings was truly delightful, and I enjoyed sharing that with Todd.
Pigeon Forge
While on our trip, we made a mini-trip to Pigeon Forge for the aquarium, and Dollywood.
I have held the belief for years, after seeing many aquariums that Ripley’s Believe It or Not Aquarium is the best aquarium. The shark tunnel is particularly long; it’s cool. Gwendolyn was very excited to see sharks (because of The Little Mermaid). I was surprised how long we were able to stay. There are so many different sea creatures, and this was only her second time at an aquarium (first in memory), and she was there to take it allll in.
Favourites were: of course, the shark tunnel, a mermaid show, and watching the penguins get fed.
The next day, we were off to Dollywood. This is another childhood spot that I’ve not stopped telling Todd he’s been missing out on. It had been over a decade since I’d been last, and going while pregnant does cut down on the number of rides you can enjoy. However, there are a ton of new toddler-appropriate rides, which were just perfect for Gwendolyn! With my belly, I couldn’t go with her, but luckily she’s got a very skinny Mumsy, so she had a ride buddy for everything she wanted to ride on. Todd went on a few roller coasters, and even talked my dad into going on one with him, so everyone had a great time. We ended up walking 4 miles in-park, and even after 6 hours, Gwendolyn was in a great mood.
Favourites were: the rockin’ roadway, the toddler ride section, the carousel, and the frog ride in Wildwood Grove
When it comes to food in Pigeon Forge, apparently there’s not much, especially if you’re looking for a more interesting, or just healthy, meal. We stopped at the Local Goat. The food was a bit different (hello, pimento cheese burger), and their fries, and peanut butter pie were just excellent. I would definitely recommend you eat there, if you’re in the area.
I’m so glad we took a detour to visit our old vacation spot. It was lovely to see Gwendolyn having so much fun, and to finally have Todd experience a couple of my favorite places as a kid.
And that was our trip! It was the perfect balance of fun, and chill. There are so many fun things to do in that part of the world—I hope this guide helps you find something new, or convinces you to give something a go. Is the VA/TN border an area you’re familiar with? If so, let me know your favourite local activities!
