I love small towns! Love! So when I first tubed down the Green River and stayed at an inn in Saluda, I fell in love. I fell in love with the pull of the freezing water, the canopy of trees above me. I fell in love with the bitesized adrenaline rush, with the warm trout and cold stout at the Purple Onion. And, the slow pace. I liked grabbing inspiration for my own small hill town to bring home from this successful, albeit small, downtown.
Here's a good weekend trip itinerary: (Take Friday off!)
Thursday- arrive at a super cool airbnb right on the river. We stayed at the Green River Gorge House. It holds a large group, and has a pool table. The Orchard Inn is also beautiful, but more expensive per person for sure. So.... let's assume you stay on at the Green River Gorge house. Head to the Purple Onion for supper... Live music starts at 8pm!
Friday- Rise and Shine, make yourself a strong cup of coffee and and some cheese grits bowls. Sit on the porch and read a little. Or rise and shine much earlier and give your fly reel some action. We took a little hike to Pearson Falls (bring $5/person). Swing by the Saluda Outfitters for a can of Rose` and some great shopping. Now that your adventurous spirit is peak and possibly only half sober-- go tubing! Go on, you can do it! We used Wilderness Cove $10 for a 2 hour trip. (Pack a lightly cushioned bag of drinks and they will stay cold in the river tied to your tube.) Go back to the Gorge House proud, start a campfire, and eat that homemade chili you brought! Or fish you caught!
Saturday- It's getting "reel" if you haven't caught a fish yet. Hope you brought some pumpkin pie spice for your coffee, cause it's brisk this morning. We used Saddle Up Trail Rides ($35/person) and took a 1 hour trip through Pisgah. (It's about a 40 minute drive.) We then headed up the road only ten more minutes to hit Sierra Nevada Brewing. Awesome day with live music and a walk through their still impressive late season organic garden. (Of course, there is more stout to be had.) Don't forget the FOOTBALL! Sierra Nevada has incredible small plates, so grab some bison carpaccio and flatbread for a lupper (late lunch/early supper).
Sunday- Go back outside and say your thank you's for such a majestic environment. Check out is at 10am, but there's still time to shop downtown Saluda and grab brunch at Wildflour Bakery.
I had a work trip to Gatlinburg. I know it's known for its cheesy tourism, but I was super shocked at the abundance of wilderness just around the block!
There is a bit of a lack of great food, that I was able to find, but I truly DEVOURED my meal at Wild Plum Tea Room, "derived from the mountains of Austria."
