Had enough winter .. ready for summer

I've been to Boone before in the dead of winter. With friends but I'm not sure what I would do with a 4 and 5 year old there???? I've been living in SC for about 17 years now Hemo. I want to go up to gem mountain http://www.gemmountain.com/ with the kids. Maybe do a little hiking then work my way up north some time next summer when it gets really hot down here. I just need to find enough kid friendly things to do along the way. Maybe Columbia zoo then up to the mountains?? Thought of going to stone mountain too durning the summer. http://www.stonemountainpark.com/default.aspx

Truthfully I would like to go to Lake Tahoe but to much Daddy entertianment there. LOL. To bad its such a long ways away.

Core: Never been to Gem Mountain, but the area around Franklin is noted for its ruby mines. There's Cherokee Indian Reservation for the kids, Ghost Mountain in Maggie Valley, Lake Lure has vacation facilities and it's a lovely place (also where portions of Dirty Dancing were filmed). There's the Great Smoky Mountain Railway, which offers lunch and dinner train rides and runs between Dillsboro and Bryson City and another leg runs from Bryson City to Murphy. If you do go to western NC and are up to it, Joyce Kilmer National Forest has some of the oldest growth trees on the eastern seaboard. Great hiking and worth the visit. The grave of the chief of the Cherokee indians, Junaluska, is located In Robbinsville, NC, and there's a lake named after him in the mountains.

Just some suggestions. Merry Christmas!

We used to have a place in Beech Mountain and can attest the Boone area is a great place for kids. Methinks you only remember the places young adult guys hang out? LOL

You probably skipped the Tweetsie Railroad and the crooked house which little kids love. Buying penny candy (which costs a dime or more now) in the Mast Store is fun for all ages. Beech Mountain, and all the other ski areas, have great ski schools for kids starting at age 3 and when was the last time your kids saw snow? They would probably love to build snow forts and go tubing down hills. Probably the best thing is just running up and down hills. A kids imagination takes over and they can have more adventures in unstructured activities than you could imagine. They also tire out earlier allowing you some extra relaxing time in the evening.

No, no. Believe me. I'm old enough to be the granny to those young adults! I targeted the western mountains because I thought that was easier for you to get to, straight shot up I-26, but yes, Boone has much to do as well.

Ardesia, I agree with you that kids, left alone, can use imagination in many ways, no doubt about it. In fact, that's what we had to do when I was growing up in the late 40s and early 50s! Not too many toys available like today. Imagination is the most wonderful gift of all.

LOL, I meant Core in the young adult male comment, not you. I know Core personally, he is the same age as one of my sons so I take the liberty of "lecturing" him on occasion just like he was one of my own. :-)

Another of my sons lived in Bryson City for a while and the western mountains are fun. Friends recently came back raving about the Lionel train museum.

43°FCurrent:Clear
Wind: E at 2 mph

It's a darn COLD 2mph!!

Not so bad in the sun, tho.

Deb

97° 65% humidity
Wind 0

My greenhouse!

Lol

X

LOL (and envious too)

Ardesia: Thanks for clearing that up for me. Wouldn't want my grandchildren to think I'm competing with them for the young ones!

We're finally getting some more winter-like weather here again and I, for one, am glad. Warm days are nice and welcome when we get closer to spring, but not now. It just messes things up.

Ardesia is right.

Most ski places have the skiwee program if I remember the name right. I'm sure they would enjoy that. Just playing in the snow would be fun for them. We have zero clothes meant for snow though. The favorite toys on my street right now are swords, light sabres and sticks. LOL. The boys can play for hours with those. Easily entertained which is good since they're all banned from going inside every weekend. LOL> Have to say Sydnee doesn't much like the boys games.

We will see if I come up with a plan for after new years.

Not to hijack the thread, but you all have to see the thread in the Plant ID forum.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/931834/

Lorie in Cola (where it was very cold last night at

Lorie: I had missed that one. Very funny. Thanks for the laugh. :)
Looks like, down here neat the coast, we're in for some nice mild weather for several days.
Deb