The Opryland Hotel has long been a favorite of ours both for their amazing Christmas light displays and for the general wonder one feels when wandering through the gardens, or taking the boat ride through the Delta.  When we heard they were opening an indoor/outdoor waterpark, we were delighted and this past week we finally got to take a staycation and check it out!  SoundWaves made a huge splash in our opinion!

To access the waterpark you either have to book a room night and choose the waterpark package, OR you can rent out a party room that includes wristbands.  We took advantage of the Davidson County Resident discount and spend the night so we could have two days of water fun!  (They also have a TN resident package discount if. you live elsewhere in the state.). We timed our adventure well as kiddos here are already back in school but the summer weather is still going strong.  The hotel and park were both virtually empty [one lifeguard said they had only sold 158 passes for the days we were there!] and we felt totally comfortable with the COVID measures in place in the hotel - all the staff were masked and occupancy was so low we barely saw any other guests and it was easy to social distance.

The park itself is immaculately clean, well-laid out and boasts incredible attractions like a wave pool, tons of water slides, a Flowrider surfing/knee board simulator, lazy river and lots of splash pad areas for littles.  Stretchy wristbands make it simple to access the park and never loose your ticket and there are lockers and cabanas available to rent to keep your valuables safe if you don't want to leave them in the room.  

Our favorite attractions were the "Record Launch" centrifuge tube slide, and the Up Tempo Rapids River.  We highly recommend wearing a life jacket in the Rapids so you can pick your feet up and just float along!  We probably spent half our time there just floating this thing in circles as our daughter loved it so much!  They also have an adults only area with an infinity pool and other relaxing spaces that we didn't get to check out on this trip.

Overall, we give this 5 out of 5 stars and while we definitely want you to stay at The Carriage House while you're in town, you might just want to add a night to your trip to make some waves before heading home!

A distance panorama of the wave pool.  They play fun music videos on that huge screen!

The park is so massive that it's impossible to get a photo of the whole thing - but this is the outdoor slide complex with the splashpad.  The building to the left is the indoor part of the park including enclosed slides that are open year round, and the giant wave pool is behind me!

Hilton Head Island has long been on our list of places to visit.  One dreary day last January, our need of something to look forward to happily coincided with a Southwest Airlines fare sale and we booked our tickets to finally make it happen.  We had an amazing trip (so amazing in fact that we've already booked a return trip in September) and I've had a few people ask for recommendations so I thought I'd put together a little Hilton Head guide of all the things we loved!

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

1. Toll Bridge - There is a toll bridge that leads on to the island that is cash only.  The toll collectors are a sassy bunch and prefer you have exact or nearly-exact change ($1.25 for our big SUV, not sure if it goes up if you're pulling a trailer or in a large van?).  You CAN avoid this bridge by simply driving around the island.  It adds about 3 miles and 5 minutes or so to your trip, but not a huge deal especially depending on which end of the island you're staying on, and could save you some cash over the course of the week depending on how many trips to Wal-Mart you'll be taking.  
2. Sea Pines Entrance Fee -  Sea Pines is a popular resort area with lots of shops and restaurants, a golf course, horse stables and the popular HarborTown lighthouse.  To enter Sea Pines by car, there is a $9 per-car fee that has to be paid each time you enter.  You are not allowed to enter through the front gate on bicycle, however you CAN ride your bicycle into SeaPines if you ride in on the beach and not the street.  There is no charge to leave SeaPines by car, and you are allowed to leave on bicycle via the road.
3. Getting Around - Hilton Head Island is pretty flat and the sidewalks are wide.  There are also bike lanes and trails almost everywhere you'll need to go which is great news in that its a great place to walk/jog/run/bike/rollerblade.  However, if you plan on driving your vehicle everywhere, you'll want to be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists.
4. Getting There - If you're headed to HHI and can't or prefer not to drive, then you have several flight options.  There is a small regional airport on Hilton Head that supports flights on American, Delta and United that is a great option if you want to fly in and be right there.  Because Nashville/BNA is a hub for Southwest, we found some great direct flights into Savannah/SAV on SW which was perfect for traveling with a toddler and lugging tons of beach gear with us..  SAV is only about a 30-45 minute drive, so we grabbed a rental car and headed over, and then enjoyed lunch at Forsyth Park ahead of our flight home the day we departed.

WHERE TO EAT:

• FishCamp On Broad Creek - We chose this as a nice night out and it was top-notch.  The outdoor seating was beautiful including an area with patio furniture if you have to wait for your table, and a gorgeous view of the river.  Our toddler loved dancing inside the wooden rowboat to the live band and the whole atmosphere was the chill-yet-lovely vibe we were craving.  And speaking of craving...even as I type this my moth is watering thinking about the ahi tuna two ways appetizer we started our meal off with.  If you want to just say, "We'll have what they're having," the rest of our order included the blackened Carolina catfish, Daufuskie Island Blue Crab Cakes, and for dessert the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse w/whipped cream & oreos.  Check out our instagram post from our visit for food and atmosphere photos.
• Java Burrito - Normally I'm skeptical when places claim to be good at more than one thing so when a friend recommended Java Burrito to us I assumed that either the coffee would be good, or the burritos would but could not wrap my head around the possibility that they would excel at both.  I've never been more delighted to be proven wrong.  This place makes both a fantastic cup of coffee and and staggeringly delicious burrito.  (Their mixed drinks are mighty yummy too so really, they could advertise themselves as a bar as well and no one would argue.). I didn't write down our orders for this one, but just go. Go and drink all the coffee and margaritas and eat all the burritos and thank us later.
• SlapFish - A friend who frequently visits HHI recommended this to us and we're so glad he did.  The atmosphere is clean, simple and fast-casual (think Chipotle) but the food is downright delicious.  A roll of brown paper on the wall tells you the catches of the day and where they came from and even our tiny one scarfed down every bite of her food.  We'd recommend this as a great lunch option if you planned on a light dinner later, or a great dinner if you wanted to just walk in, order and sit down.  

THINGS TO DO:

• Coligny Beach - Hands down one of the nicest public beaches we've ever been to, Coligny Beach is at the center of HHI and we found it to be clean, not terribly crowded (although we were not there at the peak of beach season) and well equipped with restrooms, foot washes, and a cool mesh boardwalk into the sand.  No admission or beach badge is required and there is a large parking lot conveniently located as well as beach shops, ice cream and treats just across the street.  Definitely a great beach option if you are driving in for the day or staying somewhere that doesn't have it's own beach access.
• Pirates Island Adventure Golf - There are 3 mini-golf places on HHI and being the trip planner than I am, I deliberated at length over which would be the most memorable experience for our beloved 3 year old (who, you know, won't remember it anyway.).  I looked on TripAdvisor, Yelp, you name it and read all the reviews and decided that Pirates Island looked like the best option.  My decision was solidified when I mentioned heading to play mini golf to the guy at the bike rental company and he said verbatim, "Oh, do the pirate one.  The other two aren't good."  We ended up playing "the pirate one" twice during our stay and had a blast both times.  (Our return trip was due in part to having been given a free game token when we went the first time).  It was also reasonably priced: kids 3 and under play free and their website has a coupon for $1 off an adult round of golf (which I showed the front-desk. guy on my phone instead of printing it out.)  The course was clean, well-maintained and well-laid out/decorated, and I personally enjoyed reading the pirate facts at each hole.  There are two course options...an easier one and a harder one.  We played both and I think you'll enjoy it no matter which course you choose.  To see pics from our pirate adventure, check out our instagram post here!
• Island Life Bike Rentals - One of the best investments of the week for us was getting 2 bikes and a bike trailer from this awesome rental company.  Located just about a 2 block walk from our condo, they helped us get bikes that were the perfect fit for us and a helmet for our little one.  The sidewalks on HHI are wide and the island is pretty flat, so even if you didn't buy a pandemic-Peloton, you should be all set to peddle around to your hearts content.  There are also bike lanes almost everywhere you want to go, and you'll see lots of folks of varying skill levels riding around. We road over 20 miles one day and the giant baskets on the front were perfect for bringing groceries home from the Piggly Wiggly.  One insider tip we got was that while you can't ride bikes through the front gate of SeaPines, you CAN ride them into the resort on the beach which helps you avoid the $9 entrance fee, and is a really gorgeous ride; one of our favorite parts of our entire week.  The sand down near the water's edge is smooth and easy to ride on even though we were towing our toddler in a bike trailer, and it was the perfect way to get in on our ride to the lighthouse.  There are lots of other companies to choose from should Island Life not have any bikes available, and most places rent not only bikes and toddler trailers, but kiddie seats, tagalong kid extenders, tandem bikes and adult tricycles so you can ride in whatever kind of style you choose.
• Lowcountry Celebration Park - We stumbled across this gem on our first day walking from our condo to the beach and it was a hit every single day.  The park itself is gorgeous (and the restrooms are super clean and there's even free Wifi!), but it was the pirate ship playground that really did it for us.  It is truly the playground that dreams are made of and we loved that there were many parts of it that were accessible for those with wheelchairs or who need to accommodate other special physical differences.  If you have kiddos say age 10 and under, this is an absolute must-do.
• HarborTown LightHouse - This adorable lighthouse has 114 steps to reach the top and it's worth climbing every single one.  There are some great displays, history and memorabilia located along the wide and easy to navigate staircase and a gift-shop located at the top of the lighthouse itself.  We had fun picking out souvenirs for friends and family because when else can you say, "hey I bought you this at the top of a lighthouse?" If you want to check out the view from the top before you go, or be able to say "hi mom" while you're there, just log onto their live webcam feed.***Note that there is a $9 fee to enter Sea Pines resort where the lighthouse is located if you enter by car, so you'll want to figure that amount into your budget for the day.  Admission to the lighthouse itself is $4.95 per person, children ages 5 and under are free.

WHERE TO STAY:  

• "Hilton Head Happy Place" - We were lucky enough to find this adorable condo through a random AirBnB search.  Located about .4 miles from Coligny Beach, this condo is spacious, bright, clean, and well laid out.  The host Grayson is super easy to communicate with and I've actually already booked a return stay to his place in September.  Read my AirBnB review of his place below, and be sure to give him your business (and a 5 star review)...just leave some space on his calendar for me!  :)

"Grayson’s condo was the perfect place for a week at the beach with my husband and our 3 year old. The unit itself was clean, bright and larger than I thought it would be and the whole condo complex was quiet, party-free, safe and well-maintained including a great pool area.  Location was excellent - my daughter loved the proximity to the pirate ship playground at the local park, and my husband and I loved the short walk to the beach made shorter by the excellent wagon provided for carting our stuff there. (Also provided for guest use was 1 adult and 1 child size folding chair, assorted sand toys and a beach umbrella.) The bed was super comfy (as was the twin bed that our daughter slept on) and having a bathroom in each bedroom was a huge plus. We had a couple small questions during our stay and Grayson was always immediately reachable, kind and helpful. We actually ended up changing our travel plans and staying an extra 2 nights. As an AirBnB Superhost myself for almost five years, I’m pretty picky, and I’m happy to say I would highly recommend and stay again!"

Before my parents moved to the quaint little town of Ardmore, TN right on the TN/AL state line a few years ago, I had never in my life heard of the sport or tractor pulling.  If you’ve never heard of it either, the best way I know to explain it is Nascar and Monster Truck Jam had baby and that baby was a really strong tractor.  Confused? Yeah, I was too.  Let me break it down for you a little more.

The tractor pull is a classic test of strength…who can pull something heavy the furthest.  Competitors invest lots of time, money and expertise into making their tractor (or pickup truck…there are classes for those as well) the strongest, toughest piece of equipment possible.    The tractor or truck is then hitched to the front of a “sled.” No one is going to take this particular sled down a hill in the snow however….these sleds are serious business.  They look like a flatbed trailer with a small cab similar to what would be on a backhoe or other heavy equipment on the back.  The sled is equipped with weights that are on a track.  The weights slide forward as the sled moves forward making it increasingly difficult for the tractor or truck to pull it and eventually they come to a hard stop at the end of a straight dirt track.

The contest is divided into classes depending on the size and type of the vehicle doing the pulling and the sled is loaded with different amounts of weights depending on the competitor class.  Competitors must pull the sled from one end of the track to the other end without swerving outside the boundary lines.  The one who pulls the sled the furthest wins.

Now that’s you’re all well-educated on how the sport works, I’ll throw it out there that I’m honestly not into cars or car-racing.  I’m not really into farm equipment and I kind of hate loud engine noises.  I’m basically the least-likely candidate to enjoy this particular event but it’s one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever attended and every time I go, I absolutely can’t look away.  While the Ardmore Pull is the only one I’ve ever been to, The MidSouth Pullers Association puts on a whole long list of events through the year and by all accounts from people I know that have attended, they do a really great job on all of them.
I’ll leave you with some photos and videos from this year’s pull.  If you’re looking for a family friendly event, we highly recommend.  Just bring some earplugs for yourselves and some headphones for your littles.

One of my favorite parts about traveling is stumbling across unexpected fun things and seeing what is down the side roads.  We headed about 3.5 hours up the road this past weekend to a friend’s wedding in Columbus, IN - a town I had never visited and knew nothing about.  Saturday morning we woke up and did a Google search for “Best Brunch near Columbus, IN” (as one does in a new town). Several options popped up and the first on the list that seemed to meet our location & non-chain criteria was called Blackerby’s Hangar 5.  We thought we were heading to a downtown storefront with an industrial vibe and aviation-themed decor.  However, as we drove through cornfields and over cute bridges it became obvious that our predictions were wayyyyyy off, but what was waiting for us was much more fun than what we had pictured.

​The GPS took us straight to the parking lot of the Columbus, IN Municipal Airport - a tiny building that seemed to cater only to private planes and possibly small charter flights or regional airlines.  A polite teenager clad in a “Flying Fords” tee-shirt flagged us down as we pulled in - they were having a free airshow that weekend; we could park in the field, the restaurant was straight ahead in the main building.  Blackerby’s itself is actually inside the airport itself - through the front door and to the left.  It has a fantastic retro-diner vibe and while the airshow had obviously brought a  few extra customers with it, we were immediately seated at an empty booth with a great view of the runway and all the airplanes on display.  The “Flying Ford” it turns out was the headliner of the weekend - an 1928 Ford Tri-Motor plane nicknamed the “Tin Goose.”  200 of these planes were originally built and only 5 are still in flying condition.  Festival attendees could take a 20 minute ride on the antique aircraft for $77 per person and although we didn’t have time to take flight, we loved watching it take off and land while we ate.

Our niece was in town this week so we decided to day trip up to Kentucky and re-visit Mammoth Cave which has always been a favorite of ours.  We were super excited to find that they had made some upgrades since we'd last been there including improvements to their welcome center as well as the walkways and handrails in the actual cave itself.

​We have done the Historic Tour four times now just because we love the overview of the cave, the history and some of the fun parts like Fat Man's Misery, but plan on taking a different route next time to see other parts of the cave as well.  You can view all the available tours HERE. 

​You'll need a car to get to this attraction, and its about 1 hour and 30-45 minutes one way.  From the Carriage House, head north on I-65 (in the direction of Louisville, Kentucky) and you'll turn off a little bit after you travel through Bowling Green.

MAMMOUTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK

1 Mammoth Cave Parkway ~ Mammoth Cave, KY 42259
(270) 758-2180

​Distance: 99 miles ~ 1 hour, 36 minutes 
Admission:​ Tours range from $3 - $60 per person.
What’s Going On: Go underground and check out the sights and history on one of many amazing tours that range from quick and easy for everyone all the way up to more technical spelunking adventures.
Tips: Tours sell out quickly and CANNOT BE BOOKED DAY-OF, so we encourage you to plan early and book your tour online.  Our personal favorite is the historic tour (and yes! there are restrooms halfway through the cave!)

This weekend we took a quick trip to see my parents that live on the Tennessee/Alabama line.  For lunch we decided to head a few miles down the road to Elkmont, AL and I thought I'd share a couple of great photos from three worth-the-stop local spots.

​Our first stop was for lunch at The Red Caboose Cafe and everything was delicious Southern cooking.  Our waitress was very kind and helpful (dining with a 15-month-old is always an adventure, right?) and the sweet tea was just as it should be.  The cafe itself was adorable, and kiddos will love being able to see an actual red caboose just across the street.  You can check them out on their Facebook Page where they post daily specials and menus.  

Next we headed across the street to Fromagerie Belle Chevre, a goat-milk creamery.  We stopped in their tasting room and picked up some fantastic goat-milk hand cream and were amazed at all the ice-cream & cheese products available to taste and purchase.  While we didn't have time to do the tour (which includes getting to meet and pet some of their herd of goats), it's definitely on our list to go back and do that soon. (see more info in the yellow box below)