Fall Journey Starting in Maine, Evacuation in Asheville, Chattanooga & on to the Sunshine State
- stephaniemilligan4
- Mar 31
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 31
We arrived at Holden Family Campground in Holden, ME on September 1st for 3 nights. We then made our way to Wells, ME on September 5th and stayed at Thousand Trails Moody Beach Campground for 5 nights. We had stayed at this campground a couple of years ago and really liked the area. We especially enjoyed day trips to nearby Wells, Kennebunk, Ogunquit and Pat went out on a fishing trip from Kennebunkport, but unfortunately, the boat needed to turn back after going about 10 miles due to rough seas.
Quick stay in Maine
On September 10th, we spent one night at a Cracker Barrel in Holyoke, MA, and then headed to the Villages of Turning Stone in Verona, NY, where we stayed for two nights. The Villages of Turning Stone is part of the Turning Stone Resort and Casino, a large complex that includes a casino, hotel, spa, golf course, restaurants, and shops, and is also a well-known entertainment destination. During our stay, my mom, stepdad, Aunt Rina, Uncle Rick, and my brother, Michael, and sister-in-law, Nina, joined us. We had a wonderful time together and enjoyed some spa time, a little gambling, and a nice dinner. The next morning, Michael, Nina, Pat, Myah, and I went on a hike at nearby Chittenango Falls State Park. The falls were beautiful, and the weather that day was picture-perfect! We really appreciate any time we can get together with our family.
Spending time with family at Turning Stone and a wonderful hike.
On September 13th, we traveled to The Ridge Campground in Mount Morris, NY, for a 3-night stay to celebrate our nephew Tyler's wedding. Aunt Carol and Uncle Jay drove down from Rochester and stayed at the campground, too. The ceremony took place outdoors in a picturesque rural area, with a lovely rustic barn serving as the venue. The stunning sunset that evening provided a perfect ending to the day. It was wonderful to reconnect with Pat's family before we resumed our journey south.
Tyler and Brooke's country wedding.
On September 16th, we stayed at Hershey RV Campground for 4-night stay. We had stayed at this RV park as it is included with our Thousand Trails membership and made for a nice stopover location.
Our next destination on September 20th was Stone Bridge Equestrian Center, a fantastic Harvest Host spot, for a one-night stay. This center is situated in a beautiful rural area surrounded by grassy hills. We parked the RV beside the horse barn and enjoyed seeing the horses poke their heads out near our window to greet us. Myah was captivated by the horses and befriended a few of them. I made friends with the beautiful resident collie.
We also found time to visit nearby Natural Bridge State Park and enjoyed a pleasant walk through the limestone gorge by Cedar Creek. We had a wonderfully peaceful night's sleep at the equestrian center and would certainly return if we're ever in the area again.
Equestrian Center and Natural Bridge State Park.
The next day, on September 21st, we drove to Asheville, NC, and made Wilson's Riverfront RV Park our home for what was supposed to be a 7-night stay. However, during our visit, we realized a significant amount of rainfall was due to hit the area on September 26th, with Hurricane Helene possibly striking on the 27th. Thankfully, we evaluated our options, and due to the fact that the RV was perched directly on the banks of the French Broad River (which is known to flood), we decided to be proactive and evacuate on the 25th. We were happy we made this decision because literally hours after leaving, the park became submerged under several feet of water! We were shocked watching the news and seeing aerial views of the area we had just left flooded beyond recognition with a few RVs floating down the river. Unfortunately, the RV park is closed indefinitely.
Before we left, though, we were able to enjoy a few days exploring the area, and we even made it to the iconic Biltmore Estate. The sprawling French Renaissance château, built by George Vanderbilt between 1889 and 1895, is renowned for its stunning architecture, expansive gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and its status as America's largest privately-owned home. We were pleasantly surprised to learn there was a Chihuly exhibit during out time there. We are big fans of the talented glass artist, so this was a nice bonus! We toured the inside of the 250-room mansion during the day and took Myah back in the evening for a stroll around the beautiful gardens and grounds.
Biltmore Estate and Gardens
The next day we visited The North Carolina Arboretum and had a great time exploring these unique gardens and especially enjoyed the bonsai exhibit.
We also drove to Pisgah National Forest and reached the summit of Mount Mitchell, which is the tallest point in North Carolina at 6,684 feet. The drive through the forest was stunning, and we enjoyed a hike on one of the trails. We caught a glimpse of a black bear along the roadside before returning to the RV park!
Pisgah National Forest
We sincerely hope for a swift recovery for Asheville from this disaster and deeply sympathize with the residents who have lost loved ones and their homes. We would love to go back someday in the future.
We relocated to Thousand Trails Forest Lake RV Park on September 25th for a 3-night stay to escape the flooding in Asheville. Luckily, there was a park included in our membership that was far enough from the hurricane and had availability. Having visited this park before, we took the opportunity to relax. After a brief overnight stop at Bass Pro Shop in Bristol, TN, we reached Raccoon Mountain Caverns & Campground in Chattanooga, TN on September 29th for a 2-week stay.
We had such a busy but fun time during our time in Chattanooga! One of the must do highlights in the area is a tour of Ruby Falls. The waterfall is located within Lookout Mountain Cave, which features narrow passageways, stalactites, stalagmites, and other fascinating rock formations. Upon reaching the falls, they lit them up with colored lights to enhance their spectacular appearance.
We ended the day with a nice dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary at Stir, a downtown Chattanooga restaurant. This chic spot is renowned for its artisan ice, so naturally, we had to try a drink to see what all the excitement was about. We walked around town after and even found the the infamous "choo choo". It was a pleasant ending to a great day!
Ruby Falls and downtown Chattanooga
Rock City Gardens, located on Lookout Mountain just six miles from downtown Chattanooga, is a stunning natural attraction known for its massive rock formations, lush gardens, and breathtaking panoramic views. It's a unique blend of natural beauty, whimsical fairy tale themes, and historical significance. Additionally, there is a overlook where you can view 7 states on a clear day. Since this was dog-friendly and on the must-see list of attractions, we spent a few hours exploring this magical place. We would highly recommend a visit here if you are in the area.
Beautiful day at Rock City.
We spent the rest of our time in Chattanooga visiting the Tennessee Aquarium, hiking just over the Georgia border in nearby Cloudland Canyon State Park and enjoying this amazing area.
Cloudland Canyon hike and Aquarium visit.
The two weeks in Chattanooga passed quickly, and soon we were traveling again. After two single-night stops in Forsythe, GA on October 13, and Lake City, FL on October 14th, we settled at Sherwood Forest RV Park in Kissimmee, FL, on October 15th for nine nights. We had previously stayed here during our last visit to Florida, but our main reason for returning was its proximity to Disney World. We purchased an annual pass again and enjoyed visiting the park whenever we wanted, spending as much or as little time there as we liked. This kind of approach definitely takes the pressure off of visiting the most magical place on Earth.
Getting our steps in at Disney and Kissimmee.
On October 24th, we traveled to Venice, FL, to stay at Ramblers Rest RV Park for 16 nights. While it wasn't the best park we've visited, it is included in our membership and is relatively close to our son Ryan, who resides in Sarasota. We spent time with him and assisted him in finding his ideal car.
Time with Ryan in Venice.
The upcoming blog post will feature more of our winter in Florida as we head south to Miami and then to a month-long stay in the Florida Keys. Thank you for continuing to join us on our RV adventures.
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