by Sharon Smith

Created on: November 01, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

There is nothing more breathtaking than the mountains in the fall,so my husband and I decided to pack up the five kids and go to an off the map location in Tennessee called Fairfield Glade.

Traveling down the one lane, winding road to reach our condo was awe inspiring. Between the mountains and trees were quaint mom and pop shops that sold local woodcraft's, quilts, and the best home cooking that's not from mommas kitchen.

When we reached our destination, we were in disbelief of our accommodations! There were three levels with two bedrooms that slept eight,with three porches. Of course it came complete with a full kitchen, washer, dryer, and all the amenities of home. In the master suite was a jacuzzi that easily sat 7 (We know this for a fact, as we tried it out). The fireplace was ready and waiting with fresh cut firewood outside the door along with starter logs for the novice.

Of a morning, we went on brisk walks to the shopping plaza located on site, but through a wooded path for a fresh cooked morning breakfast. In the afternoons, we went hiking, shopping, site seeing, swimming, hot tub bing, and warmed up with the steam room, in the indoor pool area located at the main lodge.

On our many hikes, some navigated, some not, we found "uncharted caves", arrowheads, footprints from animals that we made up along the way, one of which we are all still convinced was bigfoot or Shaquille O'neille.

And all of that was free, unlike the vacations we take with our families in this era of theme parks and dinner shows.

At night, we would take turns starting the fire and seeing who had the best fire, the hottest fire, the fire that burnt the evenest, the prettiest, so everyone won. Through the whole vacation, everyone won.

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