Our Life - Travel Guides & Photography » Fall Trips

Triple Falls

admin — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:03:34 +0000

Triple Falls is one of the 3 waterfalls of Little River in DuPont State Forest, North Carolina. It was featured in the movie “Last of the Mohicans“. Triple Falls gets its name from its three different cascades :-

Upper Triple Falls
Middle Triple Falls
Lower Triple Falls

Triple Falls is accessible from the Hooker Falls Parking Area on Staton Road by a trail going upstream along the Little River. You can visit Triple Falls after visiting Hooker Falls which is near the parking lot. From the parking lot, you need to cross the bridge over Staton Road and you will find stairs that go down to the trail head. The trail is roughly half mile long and is moderate in difficulty.

Lower Cascades

Just before the trail begins heading uphill, there is a side path that leads out to the river. If the rocks are not slippery and the water levels are low, you can walk over the rocks and go up to the base of the lower section of the falls. The lower cascades are beautiful and you can enjoy the water sprays.

Upper Viewing Area/Overlook

The main Triple Falls Trail runs parallel to the river and ascends a steep slope leading to a Viewing Area on the left. You can get a complete view of Triple Falls from this Viewing point.

Middle Triple Falls

There is a wooden staircase that leads down to the Middle Section of Triple Falls. The middle section is relatively flat and you can sit back and relax over here. You can walk up to the base of Middle Cascades and view the Upper Cascades from a distance.

Here are some photos from our trip to Dupont State Forest.

Cape Henry Light House

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:57:37 +0000

Cape Henry Lighthouse is located within Fort Story military base in the City of Virginia Beach. The lighthouse silently guards the entry way into the Chesapeake Bay. The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first lighthouse authorized by the U.S. government, dating from 1792. It is 26 feet in diameter at its base, and 16 feet at its top. The Old Lighthouse stands near Cape Henry Memorial and First Landing Cross – the spot where Captain Newport raised a cross in 1607, to offer thanks for their safe crossing of the Atlantic. The Old lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark. Within view of the old Cape Henry Lighthouse is its 1881 replacement. The new Cape Henry Lighthouse is equipped with electrical and mechanical systems which still guides sea traffic safely into the harbor.

The Lighthouse is opened to the public on a seasonal schedule. To visit the lighthouse, you must pass through the security gates of Fort Story, and you need to have Photos Ids. You can enjoy beautiful views from the Observation Platform atop the old Lighthouse. The beach near the Lighthouse is wonderful and you can take a stroll and relax without worrying about the bustling crowds.

Here are some photos of Cape Henry Lighthouse from our Virginia Trip.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:52:24 +0000

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) is a 23-mile (37-km) long bridge-tunnel crossing the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and connecting the Delmarva Peninsula’s Eastern Shore of Virginia with Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads, Virginia. It is a modern engineering marvel and is considered the world’s largest bridge-tunnel complex. It was opened in 1965. It includes two one-mile (1.6 km) long tunnels beneath Thimble Shoals and Chesapeake navigation channels, four artificial islands, two high-level bridges over two other navigation channels: North Channel Bridge and Fisherman Inlet Bridge, Fishing Pier and more. The CBBT promotes the bridge-tunnel as not only a transportation facility to tourist destinations to the north and south, but as a tourist destination itself.

There are 2 Scneic Overlooks where drivers may stop to enjoy the views of the Atlantic – at the north end of the bridge and at Sea Gull Island, near the south end. At Sea Gull Island, passing ships may include U.S. Navy warships, nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, as well as large cargo vessels and sailing ships. The CBBT authority runs a restaurant and gift shop on the island. Fishing is encouraged from the 625-foot (191 m)-long pier, which is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Restrooms, fish-cleaning stations and a certified weighing station are at the pier.
Toll collection facilities are located at the both ends of the facility. Tolls are paid in each direction. For Toll Information, please visit the Official Site.

Here are some photos from our Trip to Chesapeake Bay.

Pisgah National Forest

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 06:25:47 +0000

Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. The Pisgah National Forest covers 510,119 acres of mountainous terrain in the southern Appalachian Mountains, including parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Balsam Mountains. Elevations reach over 6,000 feet (1,800 m) and include some of the highest mountains in the eastern United States. Mount Mitchell, in Mount Mitchell State Park, is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River and lies just outside the boundary of Pisgah National Forest. The forest also includes tracts surrounding the city of Asheville, the town of Brevard and land in the French Broad River Valley.

The Cradle of Forestry (Biltmore Forest School), located in the southern part of the forest, was the site of the first school of forestry in the United States. There are numerous hiking trails, picnic areas, camping sites, and waterfalls in the forest. There are so many waterfalls in this area that Transylvania county is nicknamed as “Land of the Waterfalls”. Pisgah National Forest is extremely beautiful in Fall.

These are some of the attractions of Pisgah National Forest. You can easily spend a day or 2 enjoying the attractions of Pisgah National Forest.

Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway (NC 276) - Traversing the Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania and Haywood Counties, the 79 mile loop winds its way through areas of outstanding natural beauty rich in forest history. You can read more about this scenic byway here.
Looking Glass Waterfalls – A beautiful 60 foot high waterfall that can be seen from US 276.
Moore Cove Falls – A 50 foot free-fall in front of a deeply recessed rock cliff, that allows you to walk behind the falls.
Sliding Rock – A 60 foot natural Waterfall slide where people can slide down the gentle slope of the smooth rock into the pool below. Bathrooms and showers are open during the summer swimming season.
Cradle of Forestry - A 6500 acre National Forest Historic Site in North Carolina. America’s first school of forestry known as Biltmore Forest School was established over here in 1968.
Sycamore Flats Area – A large picnic area named for the numerous Sycamore trees that grow along the banks of the Davidson River
Pink Beds Area - Picnic area located in a high mountain valley. The valley gets it’s name from the beautiful rhododendron, mountain laurel and azalea that bloom in the spring and summer
Davidson River Campground – A popular campground where you can relax and enjoy the National Forest. There are hiking trails, fishing streams, evening programs and even warm showers.
Looking Glass Rock – A monolithic piece of exposed Whitesides granite that rises from the valley floor in the midst of the Pisgah Ranger District. There are trails which lead to the top of the rock.

Here are some photos taken during our trip to Pisgah National Forest during Fall 2009. We drove the Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway stopping at different attractions like waterfalls and picnic areas.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:57:45 +0000

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the United States. It is situated in both Tennessee and North Carolina. It encompasses the ridge line of the Great Smoky Mountains – a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. The park is well known for its Black Bear population. The park has ample opportunities for hiking, camping, sightseeing, fishing, bicycling, horseback riding, wild water rafting, water tubing and motor touring. There is no entry fee to the park. The park also has a number of historical attractions, rivers and waterfalls.

The main park entrances are located along U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) at the towns of Gatlinburg in Tennessee and Cherokee in North Carolina.

Sugarlands Visitors Center, Gatlinburg
Oconaluftee Visitors Center, Cherokee

US 441 – Newfound Gap Road is a very scenic highway through the park with access to many trail heads and scenic overlooks. New Found Gap is the lowest gap in the mountains and is situated near the center of the park on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, halfway between the border towns of Gatlinburg and Cherokee. On clear days, Newfound Gap offers the most spectacular scenes accessible via highway in the park.

The most popular attractions of the park include:

Cades Cove – Historic Buildings, Sightseeing, Trails, Camping, Picnicking
Roaring Fork
Catalochee
Elkmont
Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill at Oconaluftee
Clingmans Dome – Highest point in the park offering spectacular views
Laurel Falls – Beautiful 80 foot waterfall
Newfound Gap

Fall Colors put up a spectacular show throughout the park during Oct and early November. At higher elevations, colors change during the first 2 weeks of October. Good places to view Fall Colors would be Clingmans Dome and New Found Gap. During the last week of October and first week of November, colors would have peaked at lower elevations. Cades Cove, Catalochee and Oconaluftee will be good choices.

Here are some photos taken during our trip on Oct 17th and 18th, 2009. On Oct 17th, it snowed at higher elevations of the park. It was a spectacular sight with beautiful fall colors and snow covered tree tops. We visited Oconaluftee, New Found Gap, Clingmans Dome, Meigs Falls and Cades Cove. NC 441 was very beautiful with fall colors at higher elevations.

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Sightseeing

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:16:40 +0000

Blue Ridge Parkway is America’s most scenic drive and extends from Virginia to North Carolina. Linking Shennandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a 470-mile, linear National Park with many stopping points along the way. Mileposts along the parkway start at zero at the northeast end in Virginia and count to 469 at the southern end in North Carolina.

You can spend days on the Blue Ridge Parkway enjoying the breathtaking panoramas specially during spring and fall. From Milepost 0 to Milepost 217, the parkway lies in Virginia. From Milepost 217 to Milepost 470, the parkway winds through North Carolina. The parkway is extremely beautiful between Blowing Rock (Milepost 290) and Asheville (Milepost 390) with lot of overlooks, parks and hiking trails.

We visited Blue Ridge parkway on Oct 11th, 2009 to view Fall Colors. Our trip started from Blowing Rock and went on till Crabtree Meadows. The fall colors were near their peak on most of the parkway between Blowing Rock and Asheville. We had planned to visit Mt. Mitchell and Craggy Gardens on the same day but we were slowed down by Nature’s Beauty, trails and overlooks, where we spent more time than planned. We will have to go back again another sunny day to view Mt. Mitchell and nearby places on the Parkway. Biltmore Estate is also another place we plan to visit late October.

As you drive south on Blue Ridge Parkway from Blowing Rock to Asheville, these are some of the attractions you get to see:-

Julian Price Memorial Park (Milepost 296) – An amazing place with miles and miles of greenery, a beautiful lake and good fall colors. There are restrooms, picnic tables and campgrounds. There are some beautiful streams and creeks which flow through the park.
Rough Ridge (Milepost 302.8) - A short trail to the summit offers beautiful views of Grandfather Mountain and Linn Cove Viaduct.
Linn Cove Viaduct (Milepost 304.4) - There is a visitor center with restrooms and a short trail leads you beneath the Viaduct.
Grandfather Mountain (Milepost 305) – The highest peak in the Blue Ridge mountain range and one of the most visited attractions on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Grandfather Mountain Overlook (Milepost 306) – A scenic overlook with great views of Grandfather Mountain.
Linville Waterfalls and Gorge (MilePost 316.4) - Beautiful waterfalls and gorge with picnic area and lot of trails.
Chestoa View Overlook (Milepost 320) – Scenic overlook offering views of Linville Gorge and Table Rock Mountain and a 30-minutes loop trail with good views.
Orchard at Altapass
Crabtree Meadows and Waterfall (Milepost 339.5)
Looking Glass Waterfalls (Milepost 412) – Take US 276 from MP 412 to view the beautiful waterfalls.
Mt. Mitchell
Craggy Gardens
Biltmore Estate
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Milepost 469.1)

Blue Ridge Attractions

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:16:36 +0000

Blue Ridge Parkway is the most scenic National parkway and is known as “America’s Favorite Drive”. It runs for 469 miles mostly along the Blue Ridge mountains, a major mountain chain which is part of the Appalachian Mountains. The parkway starts from the north at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and goes up to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. This scenic byway is especially beautiful during Fall and Spring. Check out Fall Photos of Blue Ridge Parkway here.

Fall Colors Blue Ridge Parkway

Mileposts along the parkway start at zero at the northeast end in Virginia and count to 469 at the southern end in North Carolina. Major towns and cities along the way include Waynesboro, Roanoke, and Galax in Virginia; and in North Carolina - Blowing Rock, Boone and Asheville, where it runs across the property of the Biltmore Estate.

Blue Ridge Parkway

These are some of the beautiful places you can visit during your drive through Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina region.

Blowing Rock
Grandfather Mountain
Linville Waterfalls
Linville Caverns
Chimney Rock State Park
Lake Lure
Julian Price Memorial Park
Rough Ridge
Linn Cove Viaduct
Grandfather Mountain Overlook
Chestoa View Overlook
Crabtree Meadows and Falls
Looking Glass Waterfalls
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Pisgah National Forest
CumberLand Knob
Doughton Park
E. B. Jeffress Park
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
Mount Mitchell State Park
Craggy Gardens
North Carolina Arboretum
Biltmore Estate
Mount Pisgah
Graveyard Fields
Looking Glass Rock
Waterrock Knob
Black Balsam Knob

Blue Ridge Parkway in NC

Places to Visit in North Carolina During Fall

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:40:25 +0000

Fall is around the corner and most of us would be interested in doing some leaf peeping. North Carolina is extremely beautiful during fall. Though Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont may top the US states for viewing Fall Colors, North Carolina is definitely not behind.

Fall in North Carolina

These are the some of best places in North Carolina during Fall Season. Fall starts around mid September at elevations higher than 6000 ft and lasts till mid November in lower elevations of North Carolina. An autumn visit in October or early November will reward you with beautiful fall colors. Leaves begin their color change on the highest peaks and gradually work down to the lowest elevations. So begin visiting places at higher elevations during early October and then move on to Piedmont areas and Asheville early November.

Oct 1st -15th (Elevations above 5000 ft start showing colors and reach peak)

Mt. Mitchell (Peak Fall: Oct 1st and 2nd weeks)
Craggy Gardens (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd week)
Cold Mountain - (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd week)
Grandfather Mountain (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd week)
Graveyard fields (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd week)
Clingmans Dome (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd week)

Oct 8th-21st (Elevations above 4000 ft start showing colors and reach peak)

Blue Ridge Parkway (Blowing Rock to Asheville) (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd and 3rd week)
Julian Price Memorial Park (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd and 3rd week)
Blowing Rock (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd and 3rd week)
Moses Cone Park (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd and 3rd week)
Boone (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd and 3rd week)
Devil’s Courthouse (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd & 3rd week)
Mount Pisgah (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd & 3rd week)
Black Balsam (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd & 3rd week)
Waterrock Knob (Peak Fall: Oct 2nd & 3rd week)
Linville Waterfalls (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd week)
Crabtree Meadows and Falls (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd week)
Maxpatch Mountain (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd week)

Oct 15th – Oct 28th (Elevations above 3000 ft start showing colors and reach peak)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Looking Glass Rock (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Cradle of Forestry (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Looking Glass Falls (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Sliding Rock (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Pisgah National Forest (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Nantahala National Forest (Peak Fall: 3rd and Oct 4th week)
Waterfalls near Highlands and Cashier - (Oct 3rd and 4th week) – Whitewater falls, Toxaway falls, Horsepasture falls, Dry Falls, Glen Falls, Cullasaja Falls
Hanging Rock State Park (Peak Fall: Oct 3rd and 4th week)
Dupont State Forest (Peak time to go: October 4th week)

Oct 22nd – Nov 5th (Elevations below 3000 ft start showing colors and reach peak)

Asheville – Biltmore Estate (Peak time to go: October last week and November 1st week)
NC Arboretum (Peak time to go: October last week and November 1st week)
Pilot Mountain State Park (Peak time to go: October last week and November 1st week)
Waterfalls of Brevard (Peak time to go: October last week) – Rainbow falls, Turtleback Falls
Cades Cove (Great Smoky Mountains)
Black Mountain
Maggie Valley and Cherokee

Nov 1st – Nov 15th

Charlotte (Peak Fall: Nov 1st and 2nd weeks)
Chimney Rock (Peak Fall: Nov 2nd and 3rd week)
Lake Lure (Peak Fall: Nov 2nd and 3rd week)

If you are staying in Charlotte, you can view beautiful colors during the first 2 weeks of November. If you do not want to drive for 2-3 hrs, be sure to visit the following places near Charlotte for spectacular foliage.

Lake Norman State Park (Peak Fall: Nov 1st week)
Crowders Mountain State Park
Kings Mountain State Park

We visited the following places during Fall 2009. Click on the links to see the photos taken during our Fall Trip 2009.

We visited the following places in North Carolina during Fall 2008. We had a spectacular time viewing colors. Click on the following links to see the photos taken during our Fall Trips.

World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, Georgia

admin — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:49:26 +0000

World of Coca-Cola was the second place we visited in Atlanta, Georgia after Georgia Aquarium. It is situated right opposite to Georgia Aquarium at Pemberton Place. The World of Coca-Cola was opened in May 2007.

It’s a beautiful place to explore and learn the history of the world famous drink – COCA COLA. There are about 1200 artifacts from around the world.

You get to taste more than 60 varieties of drinks from all around the world. That was a really interesting tasting experience. We got to taste some good flavors like Bibo - a kiwi drink. There is a 4D show (3D with moving seats) which is quite good.

You also get to see a fully functional bottling line and get to take home an 8 ounce bottle of COCA- COLA.

There is a 7 foot tall Polar Bear who is always ready to pose with you for your snaps. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Visit the official site of World of Coca-Cola here.

Here are some photos from our Trip.

Here is the Gallery View of all Photos. Click on the thumbnails to view larger images.

Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta

admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:13:58 +0000

Atlanta is a beautiful city, and is the capital of Georgia State. It is a major business center and is equally famous for tourism. Atlanta is 4 hours drive from Charlotte, North Carolina. We had decided to explore Atlanta on Martin Luther King long weekend in Jan 2009.

Georgia Aquarium was the first place on our List. Georgia Aquarium was opened to the public on November 23, 2005. It claims to be the world’s largest indoor aquarium. Georgia Aquarium features more animals than any other aquarium in more than eight million gallons of water. You will love every minute you spend in the aquarium. The White Beluga Whales, Giant Whale Sharks, tiny garden eels, lovely Pacific Sea Nettles will make you fall in love with under water creatures.

The aquarium is divided into different sections – Georgia Explorer, River Scout, Cold Water Quest, Ocean Voyager, Tropical Diver and so on. You also get to see Deepo’s UnderSea 3D WonderShow at the 4D Theater but you need to pay extra for that.

There is also a special Behind the Scenes Tour which requires a separate ticket.

Titanic Aquatic is a new exhibition which again requires a separate ticket. It brings to life the story of the fated Titanic through authentic artifacts and hands-on interactive experiences. Titanic Aquatic includes a vast collection of more than 190 artifacts recovered from Titanic’s debris field including 40 that have never been seen before.

The visit to Georgia Aquarium was absolutely entertaining and fascinating. It was a good educational experience for us. You can spend an entire day in the aquarium viewing the amazing varieties of the Under Water World.

Click here to visit the Official Website of Georgia Aquarium.

Here are some snaps from our Trip. Enjoy!!!

Here is the Gallery View of all Photos.