South 2025

Wednesday, November 5

Leave after work and start driving south through the night towards Asheville, NC (12 hours, 753 miles)

Breakfast/lunch at Simpl Cafe (menu)

If time allows, hike the Laurel River Trail (AllTrails)

Early afternoon arrival in Weaverville, NC.

Check into Marriott Hotel (map)

Dinner at Twisted Laurel (menu)

Breakfast at Yellow Mug Coffee Lounge (menu)

Check out of hotel.

5:00pm: Arrive at Asheville Airbnb house

Wedding Activities

Leave rental house and drive towards Gatlinburg, TN (2 hours, 100 miles)

Breakfast/early lunch at Haywood 209 Cafe (menu)

Pick up GSMNP parking pass at Greenbrier Grocery (map)

Enter Great Smokey Mountains National Park (Lily’s 1st NP!)

Hike options
- Grotto Falls via Trillium Gap Trail (2.6 miles RT / 521 ft elev gain / AllTrails)
- Fighting Creek Nature Trail (1.4 miles RT / 124 ft elev gain / AllTrails)
- Cataract Falls (1 mile RT / 32 ft elev gain / AllTrails)

Check into Airbnb (map)

Dinner at Howard’s Restaurant (menu)

Breakfast at Stillhouse Restaurant (menu)

Hike options
- Cucumber Gap Trail (5.4 miles RT / 790 ft elev gain / AllTrails)
- Meigs Creek Trail (3.5 miles RT / 738 ft elev gain / AllTrails)

Dinner at Josef’s Deli (menu)

Leave hotel and drive towards Red River Gorge (4 hours, 200 miles)

Breakfast at Sunliner Diner (menu)

Lunch at Red River Gorge Coffee Co.

Hike options
- Natural Bridge Trail (5.4 miles RT / 1,112 ft elev gain / AllTrails)
- Whittleton Arch Trail (2.5 miles RT / 321 ft elev gain / AllTrails)

Check into Airbnb (map)

Dinner at Miguel’s Pizza (menu)

Breakfast at Daniel Boone Coffee Shop (menu)

Hike options
- Auxier Ridge Trail (4.2 miles RT / 731 ft elev gain / AllTrails)
- Star Gap and Skyview Arch Trail (5.6 miles RT / 777 ft elev gain / AllTrails)
- Gray’s Arch Trail (2.4 miles RT / 298 ft elev gain / AllTrails)

Dinner at Red River Rockhouse (menu)

Breakfast at Daniel Boone Coffee Shop (menu)

Check out of Airbnb and start driving home (8 hours, 534 miles)