Imagine a place where the suburbs are only fifteen minutes away from a thriving downtown filled with street performers, booming restaurants, blaring music, drunk peddlers and captivating architecture all while having the vivid awareness that you are surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. On any day you can hike an abundance of beautiful trails within a forty five minute drive or swim in fresh watering holes and rivers and then end the day with a delicious meal downtown. This is Asheville. We rented a house through Airbnb, called "The Nest". I strongly recommend families to consider renting this centrally located and spacious home when in town. The kids were enthralled by the indoor game room, most magical tree house and engaging back yard with swings and even a zip line! Grownups will equally be delighted by the house, helpful hostess and how well stocked and spotless it is. A four and a half hour drive from Kiawah Island, where we were surrounded by beaches, completely transported us to a mountainous terrain with waterfalls, rivers, creeks and the best weather we could ever hope for. The mornings and evenings are in the sixties and made us nostalgic for those perfect, sunny, Fall NYC days. Below is a glimpse of what you can expect if you ever choose to visit too. Asheville Urban Trail The best way to thoroughly familiarize yourself with a city is to walk its' sidewalks as much as possible. The Asheville Urban Trail takes you through downtown as you search for thirty art sculptures, historic landmarks and notable buildings. It takes about an hour and a half to walk the trail and it ensures you cover almost all of downtown while nudging you to notice little details you may miss otherwise. Downtown Asheville Downtown Asheville is vibrant and magnetic offering an eclectic mix of stores, a booming culinary scene, a mix of architectural designs, a plethora of street performers, live music on many corners, a rainbow of people from every race, gender, creed and age, and only has one notably negative aspect: a lot of homeless people who are both mentally ill and also clearly using drugs. They take up many corners and parks in down town and often walk up to people attempting to engage them. There is a major drug usage problem here and the city doesn't seem to care enough to attend to it. Our kids have been exposed to homelessness as NYC natives. The homeless population here is drastically different and scarier. This problematic situation along with the city's not-so-great public school system removed Asheville from first choice on our list of possible places to make a permanent move to. Tupelo Honey (Downtown Location) This well-known restaurant did not disappoint! Their unique southern menu made it difficult for us to choose so we just ordered a bunch of different things so we can taste everything that caught our eye! My son went for the Shoo Mercy Griddle which in true southern fashion included brioche french toast, buttermilk fried chicken, spiced pecans, powdered sugar and two fried eggs. He LOVED it. I devoured my blackened seared catfish and its' side of mac & cheese. The best dishes were the macaroni and cheese bites and fried cauliflower starter. The friendly service exceeded our expectations and the food was outstanding. Mable Slab Creamery Upon entering this neighborhood ice cream shop you suddenly begin to feel anxious- there are soooo many delicious flavors that you will become overwhelmed by all the options and which to choose. Adding to that, they can add toppings into your ice cream and mix them into your flavor choice for an even greater sugar high. The kids loved this place so much, they chose it over Ben & Jerry's twice! Social Distancing in Downtown Asheville Before I move on to some of the more nature related activities we enjoyed, I wanted to share with you some scenes from downtown. This was by far the busiest place we have visited since hitting the road in early July. There were swarms of people and very few of them were wearing masks. No social distancing guidelines were in place. We were extremely surprised by the scene. Asheville is known to be a very liberal city. The media has painted a USA where blue states wear masks and red states do not. Clearly someone has this message wrong. Historic Biltmore Village This charming village is approximately two miles outside downtown Asheville. It's filled with restaurants, people and shops and has quaint English-manor influenced architecture at the entrance to the former Vanderbilt's mammoth 8,000 acre complex ; The Biltmore. We had a delicious Mexican lunch in Cantina's outdoor patio followed by a stroll through the small village admiring its' unique personality. Craggy Gardens This is a moderate, one mile hike that leads to a majestic look out point which has an elevation of 6,000 feet. We were literally over the clouds. Simply put, Craggy took our breath away. Blue Ridge Parkway An added bonus to visiting Craggy, and a few other sites highlighted below, is driving through the spectacularly windy roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway. No words can describe how exhilarating it was to share the drives with those who I love most in the world, with the sunroof fully open, radio cranked to some seriously good 80s tunes and a huge smile plastered on my face. There are hundreds of look out stops throughout the parkway and each of them promises a memorable perspective. North Carolina Arboretum This Arboretum has over four hundred acres of trails, bike paths, and stunning gardens designed by Frederick Olmsted, the same landscaper that designed Central Park and Prospect Park. We opted for the North Carolina Trail and the Bentwood Trail which took us about ninety minutes to complete and in return gave us a beautiful connection to nature. We passed by rolling brooks, beautiful butterflies, and endless trees that kept us shaded and comfortable. We spent approximately two hours here but you could easily spend a full day getting lost in the well marked trails throughout the property. Catawba Falls This hike is 2.4 miles and immediately teases you with small creeks along the way that build anticipation for what awaits you in the climb ahead. This was the most crowded trail we visited, although it was Labor Day so the crowds may not be indicative of what it is normally like. The trails are narrow and the majority of hikers did not wear masks. This was annoying as the steep inclines leave even the most fit breathing heavily. When we arrived at the falls we were greeted by a deluge of people who reached the peak before us. We were initially discouraged but we luckily spotted a small trail on the right that led us to the very top of the path, away from the crowds, where we were gifted with unobstructed views of this beautiful water fall. Mother Nature is so darn stunning. She never seizes to amaze us. Looking Glass Falls This waterfall is right off the road in the Pisgah National Forest and it does not require a hike to view its' alluring and roaring falls. Skinny Dip Falls These water falls were probably my favorite. First, the hike was very manageable at .9 miles. Secondly, we had the falls and the pools all to ourselves, no other souls in sight. Finally, the scene is just so stunning and the falls cascade into many crystal clear pool formations that would be so wonderful to swim in on a hot summer day. The water temperature was ice cold which deterred my crew from entering but we couldn't stop staring and climbing the boulders to access different vantage points of nature's wonderful creation. Graveyard Trails We opted for the 3 mile hike to the Upper Falls. This was a pretty challenging trail with lots of climbing, muddy patches, rocks and the obvious challenges that come with a long hike. However, when we completed it I felt like a champion and left completely empowered. As soon as we began this adventure, we were greeted by a sign warning us of the many bears in the area. Our kids immediately went into freak out mode and I assured them that if we make some noise, which we do brilliantly on all occasions, that we would be safe. We did not encounter any bears. We did, however, walk along narrow pathways hugged by blueberry bushes. Sadly for us, it is not blueberry season but watching them prepare to ripen was exciting in itself! There are many trails to choose from here, at all levels. Lake Fontana Ninety minutes outside of Asheville awaits the most pristine lake tucked in the Great Smoky Mountains. The lake's waters are so clear and surprisingly warm; they were eighty two degrees on a slightly chilly morning. We rented kayaks from the Fontana Village Resort Marina and embarked on the most serene and spiritual journey feeling at one with nature and all her glory. Clingmans Dome Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 6,643 feet. The Appalachian trail also runs through it and many hiking enthusiasts explore the various trails here. The .5 mile hike to the observation tower is quite difficult as it is a continuous incline. Once you get to the top, you quickly forget about your efforts as you are distracted by sheer awe. You are literally in the clouds. After seeing some pretty spectacular clouds on this road trip our kids have recently expressed curiosity about how they feel like. They now know. Clingmans Dome is almost two hours away from Asheville but very close to the Great Smoky Mountain region of Tennessee which we are heading towards. Asheville and its' surroundings are undoubtedly stunning and visitors will be instantly entranced by its' energy. We had the most incredible time here connecting with nature, being extremely active and enjoying the outdoors from morning till evening. Speaking of time, I have another special memory in Asheville. I connected with a childhood friend that I have not seen for thirty years. When she mentioned how much "time flies", I thought "not really". There we were, thirty years later, talking like no time has passed. More and more I am learning that time is a construct created by humans to measure what should just be an unmeasured continuum that ends at different moments for different people. Yes, it unarguably expires. There is no timeline for when death occurs so why do we want to plot every detail of our life on a time line? Life is life until it is death. I am more determined than ever to live my best life, as the best version of me, and to see and share as much as I can. The beauties and wonders of nature are humbling me in a way I never expected. I am also committed to continue to reach out to old friends in cities we visit along the way. If I am thinking of these old friends in reality they have never left my life at all. In the grand scheme of things time can actually stand still depending on how we look at it.

Kiawah Island is designed for those looking to master the art of laziness. The island inspires its' visitors to slow down, connect with nature and stroll through the days with no cares in the world. You will be immediately enchanted and drawn into the present moment, you will never want that moment to pass. A typical day on the island looks like this: head over to village for morning coffee fix, walk on over to the beach, go home to relax, bike through the thirty miles of trails around the island. Repeat. The island has over ten miles of beautiful beaches. Since summer is practically over, we pretty much had the beach to ourselves and bathed ourselves in the warm waters for as long as we cared to or until we spotted or got stung by a jelly fish. On the first day I thought I saw a plastic bag floating in the water but upon closer inspection we realized it was a gigantic jellyfish, the largest one we have ever seen before. We ran out of the water, as fast as we could. However, that did not deter us from reentering the next day, the water is too inviting and just too tempting to pass on. Once again, jelly fish flirted with us and our oldest son got stung. Imagine this, despite the sting, he wanted to stay in the water- that's how magnetic Kiawah's beaches are. You can't seem to pull away, until your son gets stung a second time. So once again, we left sooner than anticipated but also not too soon, we had ample time soaking the sun and sea before its' critters toyed with us. As you can probably predict, we returned again the next day. Nothing could break the spell of the water's call luring us in to her magical embrace. There is something about the lush, Jurassic Park-esque landscaping that, like Hilton Head Island, makes me want to get fit and active. This island propels you into the outdoors at its' every whim. I am not a runner, I actually detest running but I decided we would all start the days running together for forty five minutes (with walking intervals in between). Of course my kids complained about this new routine but although they didn't officially acknowledge it, I can tell they felt empowered afterwards. I certainly did. Also, bribing them with ice cream later in the day at Ben & Jerry's in Freshfields Village, the town square, helped motivate them through their run. The village is so well maintained and offers a host of upscale shops with many restaurants that have outdoor seating options. Although we opted to cook at home for our meals, we really loved starting our day there at Java Java for coffee and an easy awakening. VayK Gear had our bikes delivered to our home before we even arrived and they also pick them up upon check out. Super easy. Riding bikes is the best way to explore the island and get lost in its' endless trails. Nothing is more exhilarating than cruising through trails with wind in your hair and your family in tow while you discover new things together. There is plenty of wildlife on the island and luckily mosquitoes have not been a problem here. We encountered deer on a regular basis and got a chuckle out of the alligator crossing signs smack in the middle of bike lanes. The Sanctuary Hotel is the island's five star golf resort. It is massive and boasts twelve restaurants and four pools. Although it is quite beautiful, I would not personally stay here. It was packed. So many people, not all wearing masks. We were uncomfortable with the crowds and rushed through our visit to Beaches & Cream, the hotel's ice cream parlor. We rented our home through ESPM Vacations and were very happy with their service and property selections and mostly having our own space, crowd free during Covid. For those who love golf, Kiawah has five golf courses all perfectly integrated into the island. On our last evening, we decided to head to the beach for a sunset swim and mark our last beach day of summer. Kiawah Island is definitely our favorite beach destination out of the ones we explored this summer. I cannot imagine moving here full time, I don't think many here are year round residents, but I can absolutely envision having a vacation home here and even retiring here. Kiawah Island is my top choice for a second home location or a place to settle down later in life. New Yorkers love the Hamptons, but Kiawah is a tick-free no brainer. A flight into Charelston and drive over to the island is quicker than a drive from NYC to the Hamptons on summer weekends. Its' close proximity to Charleston (45 minutes away), manageable size, abundant wildlife, easily digestible summer temperatures, lush landscaping, beautiful homes, quaint main village, abundant bicycle trails and spectacular coast makes it a destination I can totally imagine living in one day. Just not quite yet. Thank you Kiawah Island for your grace, warmth and beauty. You are remarkable.