Most of our guests rent Honey Hollow for a weekend. They check in on Friday and check out on Sunday, meaning they have one full day to experience the area. Some never leave the cabin, which makes sense to me - it's a great place and I don't enjoy "getting away" by adhering to a jam-packed itinerary, either. We just recently took our kids to Disney World (we figured this is the least crowded it will ever be in our lifetimes, pending another pandemic) and by day two, our son was ready to call it. It's my fault for making reservations at a restaurant inside Epcot and then underestimating the amount of time it took to get to the park and then to walk to the restaurant. I think I was literally dragging him while speed walking at one point. Turns out taking two kids who have been in the house for an entire year to a massive theme park with tons of walking was not my brightest idea. Thankfully, Orlando and Blue Ridge have two different paces entirely. So this itinerary is for the folks who come for a weekend to relax but may want to get out and do just a little something - nothing that requires a change of clothes and it has you back at the cabin by dinner:
9:30am: Leave Honey Hollow for downtown Blue Ridge. (15 minutes to drive and park)
9:45am: Have a quick breakfast and a tasty coffee at Das Kaffee House. They served margarita-flavored macarons recently and I missed it. I'm still upset about it.
10:30: Pop into Out of the Blue next door and pick up a bottle of wine to have with dinner later, as well as some water and gourmet snacks for this afternoon's (very easy) hike. Or drink the wine on the hike - it's vacation.
10:45am: Leave downtown and head to the Aska Adventure Area. (15 minute drive)
11:00am: Arrive at The Lily Pad for a little fishing, gem mining, and mini golf. Don't feel like you need to have kids with you as an excuse to visit this place - come live out your low-key Gold Rush dreams (without the constant equipment struggles on the show). There are also some sweet pets on the property, in case you're like me and miss your dog when you travel and just need some animal time.
12:30pm: Head just up the road to the Toccoa Riverside Restaurant for lunch. This award-winning restaurant has a lot to offer but the dessert menu alone makes me want to be a better person.
2:00pm: Leave for the Toccoa Swinging Bridge area. (30 minute drive)
2:30pm: Arrive at the Toccoa Swinging Bridge. A short walk from the parking lot is a trail that includes crossing a 270-foot long, bouncy, swinging bridge over the Toccoa River. On the other side of the bridge is a great picnic spot (whip out those snacks) and a waterfall. This is a great area for getting all your iconic, outdoorsy, mountainy photos to fill up your social media. You didn't choose the Mountain Life, the Mountain Life chose you.
3:30pm: Head back to Honey Hollow. (60 minute drive) Order food delivery, crack open that wine and hop in the hot tub. You deserve it!
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