Meyer-Meeks Disney Vacation Club Hilton Head Trip

[SunshineGirl]

I'm finally ready to do my trip report! We had a blast last week, first hitting Chattanooga for a couple of days and then heading on to Hilton Head. I've got a whole photo gallery on my site (http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/hiltonhead2008.htm) but I'll add just a few pictures to the trip report as well.

The Who: Meyer Family (me, SG, DD7 and DD5), Meeks Family (MissAngie, Angie's DH, Angie's DD9 and DS13)

The What: Joint family Spring Break trip

The Where: From Indiana to Chattanooga, Hilton Head, Savannah, and Knoxville

The When: April 4-12

First Stop: Chattanooga (Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday)

We headed out after work on Friday in two separate cars. The plan was to drive to Chattanooga to spend the weekend. We used Hilton Honors points to get FREE rooms at the Homewood Suites in Chattanooga. What a deal--included free breakfasts!

Checked in late Friday night and started out Saturday morning buying a three-way ticket to Ruby Falls, Rock City, and the Aquarium.

Ruby Falls: It took us about an hour and a half to walk down the caves and back to see the falls. It was really odd if you have never been in caves before. They did a great job of explaining the history of the caves and the falls. If you are the least bit claustrophobic, watch out!! Here are the girls in one of the walkways:

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0589.JPG

The Falls themselves were amazing. In an age where everything seems to be man-made, a natural fall like this is just awesome.

Lookout Mountain and Rock City: Absolutely beautiful! It was an overcast day, but we could still see for miles. Here was one of my favorite parts. Angie is afraid of heights and we convinced her to go across the scary rope bridge. Toward the end, I started rockin' it pretty good to freak her out.

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0636.JPG

This picture was taken REALLY high up--next to something called Lover's Leap. You can supposedly see like seven different states from up there. My kids thought it was awesome.

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0641.JPG

Aquarium: By the time we got here, the kids were getting a little worn out. We had been walking for miles. You can do it all in one day, but you had better be prepared! I loved the penguins and sharks in particular. You can see how tiring the day was:

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0675.JPG

Last stop--dinner! We found a place called Sticky Fingers and had some terrific barbeque. I would definitely recommend it.

Headed back to the hotel to get a good night of sleep before heading on to HH the next day.

[ligrumpygirl]

YEAH! I was waiting fo this TR...can't wait to hear about Hilton Head! :cooldance:

[bartleby1]

Sounds like a fun time!

Wow, I would be TERRIFIED on that bridge! I honestly don't think I could do it! MissAngie deserves a big pat on the back to cross that if she is afraid of heights!

Can't wait to hear more!

[icartjetta]

Tricia, your girls look like they've grown about a foot since I saw them in Oct.
Looks like you guys had fun.

[SunshineGirl]

Second Stop: Hilton Head Island (Sunday)

We slept in on Sunday and leisurely made our way to Hilton Head. We didn't pull into the resort until about 4pm. Check-in at the Disney Vacation Club was very informal and easy. I was a little bit bummed that our room had no real view. We couldn't see the pool, the marsh, or the ocean. What's vacation without a view? I did find out later that the Meeks could see the marina out of one of their bedroom windows.

We rented a 2 bedroom villa. Pretty standard for DVC. Master bedroom with big tub and separate shower. Main area with fold out couch and kitchen. It had a need corner eat-in kitchen table with booth that actually seated 5. Kitchen was fully stocked with utensils, pots, pans, etc. There was a cute little "mud room" with a bench and coat hooks. Opposite it was the washer and dryer. It led to the Meeks' room, which had two beds (full maybe?) and a separate bathroom. Along the back of the villa ran a deck with a nice sized picnic table and two rocking chairs. Much nicer than the decks we have had a Wilderness Lodge.

The overall "feel" though was a lot like Wilderness Lodge in terms of the nature, woodsy thing. Each villa was only two stories high per HH codes and no rooms were on the first floor. Everything was at least 7 feet off the ground.

Angie and I headed to the Piggly Wiggly for food. This was shocking to us--the grocery stores did not sell liquor! And the liquor store was closed on Sunday. So we settled for groceries, beer, and some malt beverages.

Back at the room, we made sub sandwiches and ate quickly to make it to the Campfire. The two middle kids liked the campfire, the oldest and youngest didn't really. I really enjoyed the smores. LOL!

Here's a nice vacation-like picture to set the mood of the rest of the trip:

http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0690.JPG

[Hedy]

Can't wait for more!

[lmroyea]

Oh, really like it so far. Can't wait to hear more about Hilton Head. And you were in Savannah too? It's almost like you did my Honeymoon! (We did a road trip to Kentucky, Hilton Head, Savannah, and then the Disney Cruise and a few days at Grand Floridian) It's fun to "re-live" it. Keep it coming with the TR, that's why we love them!

[m 'n c]

Ugh another state that doesn't sell liquor at the local grocery store/walmart/gas station? Can I tell you that was the biggest shock of moving to Texas? I tried going to Kroger to pick up Vodka and there was none to be had. I find out later you have to go to the liquor store. Back in Louisiana those places can be kinda shady.

[linanglab]

If you shook the bridge on me.....I may not be a sassy person, but you would have heard some sass by me! LOL

Those palm trees look beautiful! Can't wait to hear more.

[Hedy]

Prep yourself if you come to Boston in August-it's fairly rare to have booze in the supermarkets here.

[jakeandsophiesmom]

Gosh I really miss those palm trees!!

So glad you had a great trip and can't wait to read more!!! Hate that I couldn't get down to have those drinks with you and Angie, so I hope you had one for me!

As for the liquor, we are a very strange state indeed. No liquor sold in ANY grocery stores, etc. only in liquor stores and not on Sunday and not past 7 o clock. Most restaurants do not serve it on Sunday either, they have to pay extra to serve on Sundays. Also in most counties, beer and wine cannot be sold on Sundays either (Lucky for you Beaufort Co. is not one of those). We've made many a trip on Sunday across the border to NC!!

[SunshineGirl]

Hilton Head Day Two (Monday)

The weather on Monday started off terrible! We slept in and ate breakfast in the room. We headed to the rental place to get bikes for everyone. They were out of the tandem, so we ended up with 3 bikes (one for DD7, one for SG, and one for me with a pull-behind cart for DD5). I think it was about $100 for all of them for the week. And they came with helmets, locks, etc. We paid for ours using Disney Gift Cards. Here's me on the solo bike later in the week when it was warmer:

http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0770.JPG

The Meeks rented fishing and crabbing gear and did a little fishing and crabbing on the pier.

We decided to ride the bikes over to the Disney Beach House to check out the beach. It was about 1.5 miles and a little bit tough because of a lot of construction. But we made it! It was overcast and windy but we did get a little taste of the beach.

http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0699.JPG

We ate lunch at the counter service restaurant at the Beach House. Prices were reasonable and they had a great selection. We used out Disney Gift Cards to pay for this meal. People were actually swimming in the pool because it was warmer in the heated water than what the air was. They had a VERY small arcade there.

We rode back to the resort and took some naps. We had signed the kids up for Kids Night Out and Teens Night Out. So we dropped them off for 3 hours for pizza and a movie at the cinema (again using gift cards to pay the $20 per kid rate).

We headed to dinner at Kingfisher, which is right next to the resort. Great seafood. We were all pleased with our selections. And we got 10% off as DVC members.

We then headed to the liquor store to get some real alcohol. Woops! Liquor stores are not only closed on Sunday, but they all close at 7pm! No liquor for us again. So we picked up the kids, put them to bed, and played euchre (girls won as usual).

Verdict on the first day--I wasn't really jazzed about the vacation. Seemed a little dull and slow to me. Thank goodness, the week started looking up.

[Hedy]

What does Teens night out do?

[SunshineGirl]

What does Teens night out do?

For that particular night, they went to the movies and saw 21. There was another one on Wednesday that was mini-golf and video games. Plus they had Teen Kayaking a couple of times.

[askomsky]

Sounds fun so far! I love the pic of you on the bike!


Well then NO ONE wants to move to PA..... We have the worst (or best depends on how you look at it) liquor laws. State owns all liqour stores so you can ONLY buy bottles of wine/liqour there and their hours are strict. we just passed a law that some of the stores are opened on Sat's. Beer has to be bought at a beer distributor if more then a 6 pack. Otherwise some bars can sell 6 packs but nothing bigger. So really you have to go to at least two different places to buy your "adult" drinks. Restaurants have their license to sell by the drink and can anyday of the week any time.

[SunshineGirl]

Hilton Head Day Three (Tuesday)

Although we thought that Tuesday was going to be our first nice day and had planned for the beach and the pool, we were sad to wak up to find that it was cold again. But we had promised the kids water, so water they got.

We headed to the big pool at the resort. There was a hot tub, a baby pool, and the regular pool, which had a big slide. It was cold but because the water was fairly warm, the kids didn't mind. They had life vests for the little kids and boats for sale at the mercantile. They could also play with beach balls and other small toys.

We brought the kids back to the room for lunch, and the deck proved a perfect place to make wet kids eat.

Everyone took naps in the afternoon (I read the new Valerie Bertinelli book). We then prepared for our first big activity--the Edmunds Family Low Country Boil.

This is where the trip really turned around. The "story" of the resort is that it was owned by the Edmunds family as a place for the whole family to gather each year for vacation and just grew and grew until Disney bought it. So this shrimp boil was held at the beach house. $25 for adults and $10 for kids (we paid with gift cards!!). They had face painting for the kids and live entertainment (B'Lou Crabbe playing instruments). The food was FABULOUS!! So much that I want to have my own shrimp boils at home now. It was a great buffet with seafood, gumbo, cornbread, catfish, etc. The kids kicked off their shoes and danced by the pool. At one point, they even played old fashioned instruments as a part of the "band."

We hit the beach for just a bit after that and grabbed a few small shells. Then back to the resort with full bellies and great memories. :)

[missymouse]

Tricia,

Enjoying the trip report and missing HHI. Can't wait to go back there. Did you play Goofy Bingo?

[SunshineGirl]

Tricia,

Enjoying the trip report and missing HHI. Can't wait to go back there. Did you play Goofy Bingo?

We tried! But by the time that we got back from the Low Country Boil, they were full. :(

[missymouse]

Maybe next time you will catch it. Everyone had a blast and got chocolate for prizes. :)

[mollyeilis]

Oh this sounds like a nice trip!!!

Funny how we all are commenting on the liquor situation. I was going to say what jakeandsophiesmom said, but she's still there so she said it better! :p I went from CA where liquor is in the grocery store, to WA but I had just barely turned 21 by the time I left there so *buying* booze wasn't a big part of my time in WA, then out to SC where it was all so weird! I hope you guys didn't try to go to a bar while in SC and order just one Long Island Ice Tea....

OK but back to your trip. :sunshine:

[piglet-for-me]

I've been waiting to read about your trip. I can almost feel as if I'm there through your vacation! It sounds like a lot of fun!

I'm glad you enjoyed the shrimp boil - it's my favorite as well.

We found the same thing with the liquor. In fact, they suggested we drive over to GA to buy some as SC is so strict. I'm sure a lot of people do just that.

I'm looking forward to hearing about the rest of your week. :cooldance:

[Blessing and Miracle]

Great report! Sounds like you guys had a wonderful time. Okay, crazy question? Where is Hilton Head? I thought you guys were in Florida at Disney! :confused:

Let me go researcch Hilton Head!

[bajam]

It's in beautiful SC. HHI is my favorite place to vacation. I hope you had a good time. I'm jealous I was stuck here in the rain doing regular work:)

[SunshineGirl]

Hilton Head Day Three (Wednesday)

I had forgotten where I was with this. LOL!

Wednesday was an AWESOME day.

We started the morning with the Dolphin Trip. Because it was DVC member day, we saved 10%. And we used our Disney gift cards to pay for it!

We could only fit 6 to a boat, so the Meeks took one and we took another. We were joined by 2 DVC members from England.

The trip was about 2 hours and took us down the Broad Creek. While the dolphin part itself was really cool, the trip was even better. We learned about the ecosystem of the island, who owned the big houses, how their tourism works, etc. It was extremely educational and just beautiful. Our guide, Dante, was awesome. Here are a couple of pics of that.

http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0731.JPG

Meyer Family on the boat

http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0730.JPG

It was too hard to get good pics of the dolphins because they are so fast. But you can see by the waves in the water just how close the dolphins got to the boat. This one was swimming back and forth under us!

Next we did the Pirates of the Calibogue family activity. It was a scavenger hunt of the resort led by B'Lou Crabbe. AWESOME!! We worked as a group to solve clues and search the far ends of the resort for a missing key. They had a whole back story to it, which I won't spoil. Suffice to say that after we found our keys, we did indeed get some pirate loot at the end!

Next we headed to the beach for a REAL beach day. We rode our bikes over to the Beach House. The sun shone brightly (I'm still peeling from my sunburn). Here's a funny picture of the men. Someone gave us these little boards because they didn't want to take them home with them.

http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0734.JPG

The kids made sandcastles. Angie and I bathed in the sun. The water was cold, but everyone still played in it. We also got some shells. We learned from Dante that there are not many good shells on Hilton Head because of the sandbar that runs along the island. But it was still fun and we got some pretty small ones.

That night, we went to Scotty's for dinner. It is the other restaurant really close to DVC and we got a 10% member's discount. Great seafood. Casual environment. You could eat outside but we chose not to because the wait was longer. Nice variety on the kids menu. One of my kids actually got pasta. I had seafood, of course. Grouper with lobster sauce. And Angie and I had some good frozen adult beverages.

Everyone was exhausted that night!! We went back to the room, put the kids in bed and ate some NutsOnTheNet peanuts and cashews while watching tv.

[wilsonfamily4]

This place sounds great for families!

[missymouse]

This place sounds great for families!

I will attest to the fact it is great for families. Lots of planned activities, beach, two pools, fishing off the pier. Highlights for us last summer where catching crabs, fish and a few small sharks. It is actually illegal to fish for sharks, but the sharks don't seem too good at obeying the law. :rotfl:

[piglet-for-me]

I can't wait to go back. Reading your report makes me feel like I'm there. Thanks.

I will attest to the fact it is great for families. Lots of planned activities, beach, two pools, fishing off the pier. Highlights for us last summer where catching crabs, fish and a few small sharks. It is actually illegal to fish for sharks, but the sharks don't seem too good at obeying the law. :rotfl:


I can second - or third - that. We love it there. As much as we are Walt Disney fans, a trip to Disney's Hilton Head Island is like no other vacation we ever take. It's main focus is relaxation and family time.

I had no idea it was illegal to fish for sharks. We have the same non-law-abiding ones nibbling our hooks. ;)

[askomsky]

Keep it coming! It sounds and looks like so much fun!

[pbhall13]

Tricia....

I am really enjoying this report. I have been wanting to try HH but didn't know much about it, so this is great info for me to try to plan a trip!!!

Pamela

[amarazas]

Sounds like an awesome trip so far! I'm really enjoying reading about it.

[PSL1013]

I'm also enjoying your trip report, you make it feel like I was right there with you! :rotfl: It does seem more like a vacation geared for families....how would it be for 2 empty nesters who own DVC, would it be worth it to go, is there enough adult stuff to do? :)

[LauraLea]

DH and I are empty nest DVCers and we really enjoyed HH. DH golfs and I love reading on the beach. Lots of nice places to eat. Next time DH wants to bring fishing gear with him to use on the pier.

We arrived the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and the place was packed!!!! Lots and lots of families, but by Monday morning it felt like we had the place to ourselves.
Picking a time when most kids are in school is a good time to have a very nice laid back vacation.

[SunshineGirl]

I'm also enjoying your trip report, you make it feel like I was right there with you! :rotfl: It does seem more like a vacation geared for families....how would it be for 2 empty nesters who own DVC, would it be worth it to go, is there enough adult stuff to do? :)

The couple from England who took the Dolphin tour with us were DVC empty nesters. :)

[Sunni]

Sounds like a great family trip! I have enjoyed reading about it. It sounds like a great area. I love the picture of you on the bike. Miss Angie was very brave on that bridge. I have a height problem and I don't even know if I could have gone on it. Thumbs up to her! The shrimp boil sounds delicious. I have never tried anything like that. I love seafood.

[sammielynn]

I never, never walk across that swinging bridge at Rock City! (sorry I'm a litle behind on the story line) I take the safer rock bridge just to the right of the swinging bridge. We love Sticky Fingers, when ever we are in Chattanooga we try to go there.

[SunshineGirl]

Hilton Head Day Four (Thursday)

Day Four was pool day! The kids had a great time in the pool at the resort. There is a "baby" pool, a hot tub, and a regular pool with a great big slide.

Funny story about that slide. The kids convinced the dads to go down and then tried to get the moms to go down. I said "no way" and Angie said that if I didn't go, she didn't have to go. So I asked if that meant that I *did* go, if she would then have to go. She said it did. But we had a pact not to go. Guess who stripped down to her suit just so Angie would have to go? Yep! I did it. It was a little scary for me but a blast. Angie followed suit and actually went twice! I'm not putting pictures of me on here, but if you visit the full picture site (http://helpingmomsconnect.com/hiltonhead2008.htm), you might find one. ;)

Here's crazy Sunshine Guy.

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0763.JPG

In the afternoon, we took the "Behind the Ears" Tour of the resort. It was really interesting. A lof of information about why Disney had to make the decisions that it made (like not having a restaurant on site and only having two story buildings). They also told us that HHI was an experiment to see if a non-Disney based DVC would work. Because it has gone over so well, they expanded to Vero and now Hawaii.

She also showed us a lot of Hidden Mickeys (which would come in handy on Friday). A lot of the signs on the buildings had interesting stories behind them. Definitely a tour worth taking, especially for Disney fans.

After a trip back to the room and showers, we headed to Savannah. Angie and another friend there from our area really wanted to eat at Paula Dean's restaurant, The Lady and Sons. I must confess that I knew nothing about it. LOL! But we were able to make a reservation in advance because there were 13 of us.

We got in immediately and had a great buffet dinner. Fried chicken, smooth mashed potatoes, the works. I especially loved the sweet potatoes. One of my kids ate nothing but corn on the cob!! (the same kid who ate Fruit Loops for dinner every night of our last Disney cruise--weird!!) Everyone was stuffed and happy when we left.

Tomorrow....time to say goodbye. :(

[Hedy]

Why didn't Disney put a restaurant on-site? Seems very un-Disney.

[SunshineGirl]

Why didn't Disney put a restaurant on-site? Seems very un-Disney.

Basically, because the resort is seasonal and not very big, they didn't think that they could support their own restaurant. There is a huge turnover in restaurants down there because of the low tourism in the winter months. With only about 180 villas--factoring in the number of people who cook in the villas plus the number of existing restaurants within walking distance plus the number of people who eat counter service, Disney just didn't think it would be economically feasible.

That said, DVC members do get 10% off at the two nice restaurants closest to the resort (about a 2 minute walk). So it sounds like some deals were made when Disney came in.

[askomsky]

Ohhh looks and sounds fun!!!! Off to hunt on the other site for pictures! :)

Found it, what a GREAT action shot! :)

[m4travels]

Hilton Head Day Four (Thursday)

After a trip back to the room and showers, we headed to Savannah. Angie and another friend there from our area really wanted to eat at Paula Dean's restaurant, The Lady and Sons. I must confess that I knew nothing about it. LOL! But we were able to make a reservation in advance because there were 13 of us.

GREEN with envy here. LOVE Paula Dean!

[SunshineGirl]

Friday--Last Day in Hilton Head :(

Friday was checkout day, but we still had a few last things that we wanted to do. After eating breakfast and packing the car, we went ahead and checked out.

We headed to the lodge and picked up the papers to do the Hidden Mickey Hunt around the resort. It was really fun! All of the kids participated and we found Mickeys hiding in some very obvious places as well as some very well hidden places.

This is one of my favorites:

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0792.JPG

After hunting Mickeys (and the kids getting prizes), the girls went to their last official DVC activity--The Unbirthday Party. I'm not sure exactly what they did, but when we got there, they were on their tummies eating birthday cupcakes without their hands. LOL! They seemed to have had a great time.

While the kids were at their party, we took time to play shuffleboard, which I love. It's just one of those relaxing games where you can talk and have fun while you are playing.

We got some cute pictures around the resort before we left:

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0821.JPG

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0803.JPG

And that's the end of my trip report! I can't believe Angie hasn't jumped in to add anything that I have forgotten! It was so much fun. We're already planning to go back next Spring Break. The family time just couldn't be beaten.

[spring]

Thanks for the great TR, Tricia. I really enjoyed reading it!:sunshine:

[disney_girl]

Great TR! Sounds like you all had a great time with family and friends! Being DVC, I've often wondered about HH, but didn't know anything about it. While it's not WDW, it does sound like a great relaxing family vacation!!

Thanks for sharing!

[lmroyea]

Hilton Head Day Four (Thursday)

After a trip back to the room and showers, we headed to Savannah. Angie and another friend there from our area really wanted to eat at Paula Dean's restaurant, The Lady and Sons. I must confess that I knew nothing about it. LOL! But we were able to make a reservation in advance because there were 13 of us.

We got in immediately and had a great buffet dinner. Fried chicken, smooth mashed potatoes, the works. I especially loved the sweet potatoes. One of my kids ate nothing but corn on the cob!! (the same kid who ate Fruit Loops for dinner every night of our last Disney cruise--weird!!) Everyone was stuffed and happy when we left.

Tomorrow....time to say goodbye. :(

LOVE The Lady and Sons! We ate there on our honeymoon. Except we had to wait in the line of people in sweltering heat. They actually had a water jug outside so no one would get dehydrated! My favorite were the green beans. We actually bought the cookbooks and I've made them several times. Never as good as the real thing, but close.

[bajam]

I've enjoyed following your trip report. Just seeing pics of HHI made me feel relaxed. Was it busy or is spring break time the start of high season there? It was quite a shock to see how dead it was in Oct.

We tried to go to The Lady and Sons when we were there. We got there at 10 and the earliest reservation was for 7 that night. My son was quite upset that we took his beach time away to go and look at the outside of Paula Dean's building:rotfl:

[chipndale]

Glad to hear that you are planning another trip back. We have gone to Kiawah Island several times and have talked about going to HH but just have never done it. We have a trip to Kiawah Island planned in August so maybe we will take a day trip done and check out HH.

[chipndale]

Sounds fun so far! I love the pic of you on the bike!


Well then NO ONE wants to move to PA..... We have the worst (or best depends on how you look at it) liquor laws. State owns all liqour stores so you can ONLY buy bottles of wine/liqour there and their hours are strict. we just passed a law that some of the stores are opened on Sat's. Beer has to be bought at a beer distributor if more then a 6 pack. Otherwise some bars can sell 6 packs but nothing bigger. So really you have to go to at least two different places to buy your "adult" drinks. Restaurants have their license to sell by the drink and can anyday of the week any time.

Our state is really terrible for buying alcohol! We have friends from WV and everytime they come to visit, they just freak out that you can't even buy beer in the grocery store.

[Anna]

I'm finally ready to do my trip report! We had a blast last week, first hitting Chattanooga for a couple of days and then heading on to Hilton Head. I've got a whole photo gallery on my site (http://www.helpingmomsconnect.com/hiltonhead2008.htm) but I'll add just a few pictures to the trip report as well.

The Who: Meyer Family (me, SG, DD7 and DD5), Meeks Family (MissAngie, Angie's DH, Angie's DD9 and DS13)

The What: Joint family Spring Break trip

The Where: From Indiana to Chattanooga, Hilton Head, Savannah, and Knoxville

The When: April 4-12

First Stop: Chattanooga (Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday)

We headed out after work on Friday in two separate cars. The plan was to drive to Chattanooga to spend the weekend. We used Hilton Honors points to get FREE rooms at the Homewood Suites in Chattanooga. What a deal--included free breakfasts!

Checked in late Friday night and started out Saturday morning buying a three-way ticket to Ruby Falls, Rock City, and the Aquarium.

Ruby Falls: It took us about an hour and a half to walk down the caves and back to see the falls. It was really odd if you have never been in caves before. They did a great job of explaining the history of the caves and the falls. If you are the least bit claustrophobic, watch out!! Here are the girls in one of the walkways:

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0589.JPG

The Falls themselves were amazing. In an age where everything seems to be man-made, a natural fall like this is just awesome.

Lookout Mountain and Rock City: Absolutely beautiful! It was an overcast day, but we could still see for miles. Here was one of my favorite parts. Angie is afraid of heights and we convinced her to go across the scary rope bridge. Toward the end, I started rockin' it pretty good to freak her out.

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0636.JPG

This picture was taken REALLY high up--next to something called Lover's Leap. You can supposedly see like seven different states from up there. My kids thought it was awesome.

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0641.JPG

Aquarium: By the time we got here, the kids were getting a little worn out. We had been walking for miles. You can do it all in one day, but you had better be prepared! I loved the penguins and sharks in particular. You can see how tiring the day was:

http://helpingmomsconnect.com/HPIM0675.JPG

Last stop--dinner! We found a place called Sticky Fingers and had some terrific barbeque. I would definitely recommend it.

Headed back to the hotel to get a good night of sleep before heading on to HH the next day.

As a native of Chattanooga, I can honestly say I love this area!

Tricia, Sticky Fingers is an awesome restaurant. They are online and owned by a couple of locals. They have really grown. You can order their stuff online too. Check it out! If you join the Stick-E-Club you get a FREE meal on your birthday! It is about a $20 value (half slab of ribs and the fixin's, drink, and dessert). We always go on or about our birthdays! You can join online and use your emailed coupon if you are in the area again.:sunshine2:

[Anna]

Ugh another state that doesn't sell liquor at the local grocery store/walmart/gas station? Can I tell you that was the biggest shock of moving to Texas? I tried going to Kroger to pick up Vodka and there was none to be had. I find out later you have to go to the liquor store. Back in Louisiana those places can be kinda shady.

No booze in Chattanooga grocery stores either. Have to go to the liquor store to get that here. :D

[Anna]

I never, never walk across that swinging bridge at Rock City! (sorry I'm a litle behind on the story line) I take the safer rock bridge just to the right of the swinging bridge. We love Sticky Fingers, when ever we are in Chattanooga we try to go there.

Awww...the swinging bridge isn't that bad...albeit has been there since I was a small child and probably long before which is a scary thing in itself! :rotfl:

[Pooh's Pal]

Just happen to read this, great report, thanks for sharing it with us. Sounds like a fun time...I'll have to try it sometime and would love to do Vero also. :D