The season is settling in and we’re starting to adjust to its new compliance of appropriate clothing, time differences, etc. We’re waking up in the dark, bundling in jackets and slowing planning for the Holiday’s many transitions! The good food, fellowship, gifting and more are carefully crafted in our own little traditional ways. As exciting as it all is, it is coupled with traffic, crowds, family arrangements and more demands. The holiday season might slow down some people’s professional life and other’s personal lives. However, one or the other catapults during this time! Nevertheless, it arrives at the same time every year. So start preparing yourself for the crazy of it all by going on a “Fall Getaway.” This year, my husband and I decided Chattanooga would be a good start for us. This quaint Tennessee town is just two hours from Nashville and offers a serenity that just can’t be bought.
To give you some background, my parent’s hardly ever spent a holiday apart. If they did, it must’ve been before my time. I watched my eldest brother and sister-in-law behave the same way. No matter how many stops they had to make, they did it together. Which meant getting on the same page beforehand! As magical as it sounds, when I met Alex, I had an inclination that he would be my husband. Therefore, the unspoken requirement was made: “We will never spend a holiday apart.” I didn’t care if we had to go to ten people’s houses in one day. We would do it together. For 8 years until to date, Alex and I have spent every holiday together. However, this is our first season as husband and wife. It’s also a time where we wanted to bond before entering into different settings! Whether you are heading into the holiday season “solo dolo” or with the Brady Bunch, you deserve to reset before you forge into elaborately lit evergreen Forrests! Families can be complex and intense! Emotions fly high during this time. For me, I’ll always think of my dad, Grandad, and cousin who I’ve lost around this time. Alex will always think of his grandad and his line brother who he lost around this time. Moreover, Financial strains and stresses can simply weigh people down. Did you know there is such thing as Holiday Heart Attacks? It estimated that the U.S. experiences an almost five percent higher rate of cardiac deaths during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, as well as other deaths from natural causes.
If this isn’t a reason for you to slow down and take a step back before you begin Santa’s marathon, I don’t know what is. As noted before, Alex and I chose Chattanooga. It’s a hop and skips away from home for us. This means inexpensive and a day trip! You could even do a staycation. Get out of your normal surroundings. Get away from your normal to-do list. Let yourself breathe and live for a day or two.
Here’s a break down via picture’s and synopsis’s that tell you how our Fall Vacation benefited us!
After sitting in traffic for what seemed to be an eternity, we arrived at our destination: The Chattanoogan Hotel. It’s a beautifully architectured peace haven in the middle of Downtown Chattanooga. Traffic is little and noise is light. The best part is waking up to a view of the mountains from your cozy bedroom! The ambiance is just what you need to get into the holiday spirit, but conserve some energy for what is to come!
Fall Vacation Traveling Tip: You’ll want to be sure you pick somewhere without the hustle and bustle too!
The next day, we mosied around the hotel enamored with its beauty. I landed at the spa and the husbands plummeted near a tv to watch Saturday football. All was calm through the halls of the Chattanoogan!
Fall Vacation Traveling Tip: Make no early morning plans! You deserve to sleep in. In addition, if you’re bringing along your significant other, allow for some time for each of you to do what you want to do with half of the day!
The late afternoon arrived and Alex and I regrouped and walked the 10 blocks to the Tennessee Aquarium. We tend to take the weekends off from working out. However, a serene walk through Chattanooga’s downtown gave us our cardio fix! We stopped to take pictures and stare at each other – something our busy work schedules don’t always allow!
Fall Vacation Traveling Tip: Instead of hopping in an uber or a train to get to your next destination. Take your time. Enjoy the moment and take it in, step by step. Also, don’t try to do every tourist attraction available. Remember, this vacation is intended to truly wind down. I wanted to do everything from Ruby Falls to Rock City and more. Thank God I have a chill husband who is willing to tell me when I need to slow down.
Moreover, can we talk about how magnificent the Tennessee Aquarium is? It houses every kind of fish you can think of. We even saw Nemo and Dory. I was so inspired I even decided to touch a snake! Alex and I even got in the shark cage in case you were wondering if we got arrested while out of town. Ha!
Lastly, taking a break from cooking and having awesome meals prepared by a 5-star chef at The Broad Street Grille was the highlight of my trip. My favorite meal was the dessert! After all, I am Mrs.Sweet. The S’mores dip was phenomenal and I may try that one at home!
Special thanks to The Chattanoogan Hotel and The Tennessee Aquarium for hosting us! Plan your visit to Chattanooga today!
