The last time my mom visited us was 3 years ago. That was also the first time, my husband and I got a kid-free weekend. When you do not have any relatives living close by and/ or move constantly, getting a weekend away from the children is almost impossible. So we ensured to schedule a weekend getaway while Oma was here.
Right before lunch on Friday, Derrick and I waved our goodbyes and took off for 2 days in Cookeville, TN. Cookeville is only a 90 minute drive from us and the area around the small town is known for its hiking trails and waterfalls. We wanted to use that time not only to spend quality time with each other but also to explore some possible short family vacation spots.
The first stop on our trip was Cummins Falls and it was a doozy. While this waterfall looked beautiful from above, it was a treacherous way to get close to it. This is Tennessee's eighth largest waterfall, in terms of volume, and a popular student hang out in the summer.
Of course, Derrick had read the reviews and suggested not to go up close, but if you know me, I like to take on a little challenge. Wearing only sneakers didn't help as one needed to cross the water at least twice before reaching the waterhole/ fall.
Well, I slipped right in the beginning and banged up my elbow and knee and then got soaked when I slipped a second time. But I did make it to the waterfall (while Derrick stayed back and relaxed in a sunny spot) and it was pretty.
I made it:
And back, all soaked:
By the time we made it back up the trail to the parking lot, it was past 5pm and time to head to the hotel and take a hot shower. Our time in the hotel was limited as we were only there in the mornings and evenings but enjoyed to just kick back, chat, watch a show/ movie and not to be woken up by little kids before 7am.
The next morning after a leisurely breakfast, we drove to Falls Creek Falls State Park, which is home to one of the tallest waterfalls in the Eastern U.S. It is also one of the state's largest and most visited parks due to the many different activities it offers to all outdoor enthusiasts. This park also features several waterfalls and one can explore them by hiking from one waterfall to the next. Our hike started out on Cane Creek Cascades, where one has to walk over a suspension bridge to cross the river.
At the bottom of Cane Creek Cascades:
River Crossing:
From there, we hiked up to Cane Creek and Rockhouse Falls:
On our way to the namesake of the Sate Park: Falls Creek Falls.
Falls Creek Falls has the largest single plunge east of the Mississippi, approximately 250 ft. The water flow is controlled by a dam; hence the limited water falling on this particular day.
Here is a picture of the waterfall in full flow by http://www.gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/fallcreek.shtml:
Overall, we both really enjoyed this park and plan to come back next summer with the children. The trails were easily manageable with children and the water hole is very accessible.
After a quick bite to eat, we went to Burgess Falls State Park, which is also home to multiple waterfalls. The trails to the waterfalls in this park were also very accessible and a short walk away.
Some Photo Ops:
And we reached the waterfalls:
Burgess Falls is large and unusually shaped but very impressive.
And that concludes the hiking/ waterfall tour. For dinner, we found a small place that sold Mediterranean food and freshly made pizza, which we took back to the hotel. After being out and about all day, we needed a hot shower and some downtime. The restaurant was right in downtown, which consists of maybe 3 blocks: small but cute.
On Sunday we slept in and after a late breakfast, we ended our weekend getaway with a massage. The perfect ending for a much needed and great couple's getaway. But do not worry, Oma took very good care of her grandchildren and spoiled them "just a bit" while we were away.
No comments:
Post a Comment