Last weekend Southeast Toyota Distributors gave me a 2014 Corolla to drive up to Blue Ridge, GA for two nights. I had been wanting to do a mini fall getaway with Troy this season, so it was perfect timing. Blue Ridge is only about two hours north of Atlanta and is especially beautiful this time of year with the leaves changing color.
This was basically my outfit for the two days we spent wandering around the north Georgia mountains:
Fantas Eyes sunglasses • J. Crew jacket • So Worth Loving tee • black pashmina (similar here) • Gap jeans • Jeffrey Campbell boots • Fjällräven backpack
Even though the downtown is growing fast, there aren’t really enough restaurants for all of the tourists. So, if you take a trip up to Blue Ridge during the fall, make reservations at the nicer restaurants a week ahead of time.
I didn’t make any reservations ahead of time, so Troy and I missed out on Harvest on Main, the most popular Blue Ridge restaurant. Nevertheless, we did have excellent meals at Black Sheep, Joe’s BBQ, and Blue Ridge Brewery. Joe’s BBQ was my favorite. It’s so small and so popular that the restaurant usually runs out of food by the afternoon.
We stayed at the Aska Lodge Bed and Breakfast and loved it. It’s only a five minute drive from downtown Blue Ridge and has that perfect lodge/cabin feel that you want in the mountains. There are only four rooms (each with a bathroom ensuite) so it’s really intimate and cozy. Troy and I loved the owners, Janet and Ric, and really enjoyed eating breakfast with the other guests. My favorite part was the communal snack area, which included homemade cookies.
Our room had its own private section on the upstairs porch. It was perfect for reading with a cup of hot cocoa and for applying makeup 😉 I also took full advantage of the fake fireplace/heater next to our bed.
In addition to spending a few hours exploring downtown, there are a number of other things you can do in the Blue Ridge area.
We spent a morning at Mercier Orchards, which has been around since 1943. The place is huge! There’s a market, gift shop, deli, and bakery.
It’s a little too late in the season to pick your own apples, so Troy and I just ended up buying half a bushel of Black Arkansas apples (recommended by Ric from our B&B), and then had a mid-morning snack that included an apple dumpling and the amazingly, delicious fried apple pie.
Blue Ridge isn’t far from the start of the Appalachian Trail so there are tons of outdoorsy things to do if you’re staying in that area. It’s also close to Amicalola Falls, the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. With so much beauty and so many trail options in the area you would think Troy and I spent a good part of our trip hiking. Well, we’re not outdoorsy types, so we chose the shortest and closest (and I think best-named) trail to our B&B: Fall Branch Falls.
I really don’t think it gets more perfect than beautiful scenery, an awesome place to stay, a sweet ride, local BBQ, and drinking hot cocoa on the porch on a chilly morning. Even though the trip was only two days, it’s one of our favorites we’ve taken. Troy and I already want to bring all of our friends on a Blue Ridge road trip next month.
I’ll leave you with this last photo from Mercier Orchards. Happy fall!
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Dearest Lar,
Troy and I spent the whole weekend talking about how beautiful Blue Ridge is. . . and then I saw your photos from Perthshire. Whoa! Blue Ridge is beautiful, but Perthshire is like magical unicorn beautiful.
I think you and Matt would really like Blue Ridge. It would be so fun to do a couples trip up there some day. It also made it really fun to drive a new, fancy car. I’ve never driven a car that has a backup camera and a touch screen audio system – exactly what you’d need for a road trip. Makes you kind of miss America, doesn’t it?
Only twelve more days until we see each other again!!!!
xoxo, Cath
Wow Blue Ridge looks beautiful. Fall really is the prettiest of all the seasons!
Oh my goodness, Kitcath! That Corolla looks beeeyotiful and sounds much fancier than the manual Corsa we took up to Perthshire. I’m so glad it got you guys a lovely stay in the Blue Ridge Mountains! You know, I’ve actually been with Matt’s family. camping! I like your mini-hiking, beautiful (Twin Peaks esque) B&B way of doing the mountains. Looks absolutely stunning.
Magical unicorn beautiful. Hehehe. So true.
Hope you have a wonderful week!!! T minus 12 DAYS!!!
LOVE,
Lar
I forgot you went camping up there! I think I try to block all memories of camping – even if they’re not my own 😉
I didn’t even think of Twin Peaks when we were staying at Aska Lodge, but now I love it even more!
love you too!! xoxo, Cath
Blue Ridge really has changed and may get a second look from us. Know how we can get our hands on Fiat 500? The accordion roof, Gucci edition, se non ti dispiace ; )
Shoot. I need to get out of Atlanta more!!! The pics are beautiful and your trip sound fantastic 🙂 Now I really want a fried apple pie .
I seriously think they put crack on those fried pies. Troy and I only bought one to share. We should have bought 10 of them.
Cath,
I spend a lot of time in Blue Ridge and your trip really showed off the many of the special places that it offers. You looked adorable and the little Corolla was cute too. When you go back be sure to ride the train to see beautiful views of the river to Copperhill.
Hey Sue!
The train was on my list, but we ran out of time. The other couples staying at our B&B all took the train and loved the trip. It just means that I”ll have to return to Blue Ridge soon!
looks like you had a great trip!
p.s. i LOVE your booties! i have a similar pair myself that i have been wearing nonstop.
They’re definitely my new favorite. I’m tempted to pack them when I go to Scotland next week, but I’m worried my ankles will get cold 😉
this is so awesome!! i love finding out about these day trip / getaways close to Atlanta. 🙂
I can’t believe I had never been to Blue Ridge before. You always hear about Chattanooga, Highlands, and Dahlonega, but never Blue Ridge. I’m so glad we “discovered” it. Definitely worth the trip!
Looks like you & Troy had a ball at Blue Ridge, honey! When I saw the photo on IG I couldn’t wait to stop by. been hella busy. You look fab as always & that Toyota looks really cute. A ’97 Corolla was my 1st car & I’ve been hooked to Toyota ever since (on my 3rd–lol State Farm can testify-LOL). LOVE, love, LOVE their cars for too many reasons to name. Those trees are soooo gorge! Fall is my FAVE. Talk soon!!!
I’ve never driven a Corolla before and now I am in love – it made the trip even that much more fun. Troy and I really did love Blue Ridge – you should absolutely drive up for a visit!!
UHHHH supes jealous of this adorable roadtrip. must put on my to-do list!
Please come back to Blue Ridge and see all the new restaurants that we have – all unique (no chains downtown) and we will be having the annual Light Up Blue Ridge again this year but better than ever!!!
thanks for visiting our wonderful town! Recently ranked by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 10 cities in the US to retire to!!