Monday, November 12, 2007

Seven Places I've Never Gone...in my own Hometown

We go on vacation to see all the exciting things in other places, and we wonder aloud when our friends or family who live there say they've never been to some of the places the tourists all flock to. Then someone comes to visit US, and we find that we are just as guilty of ignoring the vacation in our own backyard.
So, the next time you need a break but can't quite afford the time or expense of a vacation, just take a day and pretend you've taken a trip, then go visit the sites that are all around you. What would some of those sites be for you?

My list of possible hometown vacation destinations:
1) Gatlinburg Ski resort--I've been to Gatlinburg for other things (only when I have no choice), but two major things keep me from skiing there: The Crowds, and the fact that I can't ski.
2) Three Rivers Rambler--this is a riverboat that travels down the Tennessee and has several "special" outings throughout the year, including a Christmas river ride. I think it also includes a meal on board. This is actually high on my list of things to do.
3) Downtown haunted walking tour--don't remember the name for this event, but it happens, of course, around Halloween every year. It is a walking tour around some of the more historic sites around the downtown area, replete with the tales about the spirits that allegedly haunt the area.
4) James White's Fort--at one point, I worked within easy walking distance of this site; it's still just a 5 minute bus ride away...but somehow I just never make it. James White was one of the city founders.
5) The Dogwood Trails--each Spring, the city hosts a Dogwood Festival which includes a number of trails in each area of town. The trails are all marked with painted dogwoods along the road, so you can drive the route without even a map. The nice thing is that these trails don't just take you to the great big, expensive "Home Beautiful" kind of homes--there are a variety of different areas, some are older neighborhoods and some are newer, but they are all beautiful at that time of year. I HAVE driven down some of the trails, but would like to visit every trail one year.
6) Hiking trails and waterfalls--We live close to the Great Smoky Mountains, where thousands of folks come just to hike and see some of the beautiful waterfalls...again, I HAVE done some of these but I'd love to add some new ones to my "completed" list (although I'll have to get the knees working a bit better...former soccer goalies don't make good old people!)
7) The Sunsphere--remnant of the World's Fair, the Sunsphere is one of the more popular landmarks downtown. I was there during the Fair, but in recent years it had been closed and in a bit of disrepair; it was re-opened to the public not long ago, and I keep meaning to go but just haven't made it yet.

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