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)