Last weekend was a weekend of adventure, mystery and fun. Yes, Dan took me on a surprise getaway for what was our first trip alone since I was pregnant with our son (nearly five years ago). He planned, he booked and I drove following the GPS to our surprise destination.
Dan had booked a night at a lovely bed & breakfast in a cute little town with fun shops, a state park and lots of places to explore. His destination requirements? A couple hours away, a certain budget and a place neither one of us had ever been.
You see, we love to explore somewhere new. Now I know that this may sound contradictory to the fact that I hope to vacation with our family every other year at Walt Disney World (oh and if you are planning a trip, see here for 10 tips for planning your trip). But, that is different. Really, it is!
For other trips, ok more normal trips, we love to explore the area, travel the unbeaten path and discover the gems of a town. So here are the adventures of a ‘rich-in-blessings and not-at-all-famous’ couple off on a weekend getaway.
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| A cool building in town. |
It was our first Bed & Breakfast experience and we loved it. We met interesting new people and felt very at welcomed by the B&B owners. The house itself was built in the 1800’s, rich in history and 9000 sq ft! (And Dan thought I wanted a big house! This house was three floors of incredible rooms and high ceilings.)
We quickly settled in and then headed into town. We checked out a cool bridge, did a little shopping and even walked through a cemetery. I have always found cemeteries interesting. I love seeing what the different stones record . . . and sometimes discover something beautiful or even unusual.
Here is the beautiful:
It says:
My flesh shall slumber in the ground,
‘Till the last trumpet joyful sound;
Then burst the chains, with sweet surprise,
And in my Saviour’s image rise.
Here is the unusual, yet incredible at the same time:
John’s 3 year old daughter was stolen by the
Indians while playing outside the cabin. John
overtook the Indians after the third day &
got his daughter back without force.
Died Sept … 1840
Crazy, huh? We explored the local state park, visiting the lodge and taking a mile hike through the woods. (I love hiking!) We drove across town to a winery with a scenic look out. The view was beautiful . . . and the six cats were thrilled to have some visitors. We grabbed dinner at a local restaurant where I devoured a giant slice of chocolate peanut butter pie for less than $2.00. See how easy we are to thrill?
Filled with good food and dessert, we headed back to the B&B for friendly company with the owners, guests and of course . . . March Madness. (And by the way, I’m not doing so well in
my picks!)
The next day, we were supposed to enjoy a morning of sleeping in . . . something rare in my house with early rising children. But this time the early rising fell to my husband. So we took advantage of the new found time and headed out for an early morning walk. We had about an hour until breakfast, so we put on our walking shoes and headed through the neighborhoods to the local park/playground.
We came across this covered bridge that was built in the 1800’s but relocated in 1980 to this spot in the park. It is a good vacation when you can easily delight in the little things. Dan picked a great bed & breakfast and a fun location for our weekend getaway. But truthfully, I would have been happy where ever he took me. Just spending time with him and being explorers for the weekend together was the treat.
After our delicious breakfast, we made a quick stop to pick up more pie (Mmmm!) and then hit the road home. I will confess that I was super excited to see the kids when we got back. I kept looking over at Dan in the car and asking him if he was excited!
Isn’t it funny how even a short trip can revive you and cause you to feel like you were away for a longer span of time? What I didn’t mention was that this “weekend” trip was only a little more than 24 hours. But, it was a great weekend! And Dan thinks we better stick with 24 hour trips until I am a little more used to being away from the kids . . . and I agree . . . for now. 🙂
What have been your favorite getaways? I’d love to hear!
My name is Kristen. I'm a former Wedding & Event Planner blogging about fun ways to celebrate each and every day and the special occasions of life. Here you'll find inspiration for family fun, children's activities, party planning and a faith-filled life. 
Sounds like the perfect getaway! That BB is huuuge! I’d hate to clean 9k square feet! 🙂
The weekend getaways are often the best – and yours certainly was beautiful! For a kid-free getaway, I’m all about state parks. Someplace quiet, where I can center on just me and my hubby.
I’d love to visit some of the small towns in area too. Looks look you had a fun weekend!