Chateau Elan Winery & Resort

Braselton, Ga

What a gorgeous place! We went on a Monday night to walk around and grabbed a bite to eat. We didn’t have a reservation, just drove up, parked and walked around until we found a restaurant.

May is such a beautiful time to visit. Just look at these stunning flowers and landscaping!

I’m happy we live reasonably nearby so that we can visit as often as we’d like. We’ll definitely be back for their memorial weekend activities.

There weren’t many visitors on this particular Monday evening which was fantastic. We took a leisurely stroll throughout.

In between the grapevines there were these two hammocks. How sweet!! All you need is a good book and a glass of wine, or take a nap. Absolutely loved these hammocks!

Headed inside for a cocktail. It wasn’t the best, and especially for the price ($15) for this I expected a bit more pizazz. I got the Aqua de Fuego.

The ambiance was great tho! Lots of patrons around. And yes, we were the only ones with kids. We ordered drinks and food to go and ate it outside. Food was a 7/10 IMO. Would I come here to specifically eat? No. I would come back just for the ambience.

This was the downstairs with another restaurant. It was so beautiful.

They have these cute nooks all over the place. I especially loved this one because of the color combination.

Taking you back outside. I mean, how fun is this?? There are various outdoor games throughout. Guests are quite entertained if you’re staying there.

Another look at the grapevines. I could just sit here all night and stargaze.

All in all we had a great time. There was no entry fee. We just drove right up, parked and went about our adventure. As you can probably guess, everything is more expensive. For instance, my small Caesar salad was $37 . You’re paying for the atmosphere and amenities. Parking was also plenty.

City Rock Gardens 🌸

Lookout Mountain, TN

Just look at this stunning view!!

This trip was by far my favorite adventure with the family. It just felt like a magical place. The best part was that it was not crowded at all because we went on a weekday. We had the place to ourselves pretty much. It was worth the $50 admission, kids 2 and under are free.

It was just breathtaking. It was not as windy as I would have expected. Overall it was just a fantastic day. The weather was great.

This part was so much fun! Our toddler loved it. It was a nice reprieve from the heat because it was chilly inside.

One of thing amusing things you’ll find inside the cave.

Entrance to the cave.

The walkway is quite narrow, not for double traffic but doable. I can’t imagine being in here on a busy day! I’m a bit claustrophobic.

This is a place you’ll have to be in person to really enjoy it. It was too dark to take a lot of pictures because it doesn’t do it justice.

I can’t wait to go back!! It’s a two hour drive from Atlanta, where I’m currently at.

I have too many photos!! This was a stairway that was part of the Fat Man Squeeze. It was very narrow! But fun 🤩

We ate lunch here. What a view! It was quite windy though. They served alcohol as well my friends 😄

Notes from the Park

• Parking was easy in and out

• $25 ticket

• Kids 2 and under are free. They do have discounts for military and others.

• Starbucks right outside gate for last minute caffeine.

• Plenty of bathrooms and food places inside the park!

• Mask required indoors.

Stone Mountain State Park 🦖

Stone Mountain, Ga

For this year’s Mother’s Day we decided to do a little family outing to Stone Mountain. We didn’t hike it, just visited the attractions.

If you’re a first timer, make sure to ask the guard where to best park, depending on what you’re doing. We got a little lost trying to figure out where things were. We had a map and that was somewhat helpful.

The entrance to the attractions area. Parking was pretty spacious considering it was a weekend. We went a little later in the day at 2pm. The attractions closed at 5.

Our first stop was to see the dinosaurs. I must say it was quite entertaining! Lots of dinosaurs to see.

They were larger than life.

My toddler was amused 🤓

There were just so many to look at. Much more exciting than the Fernbanks museum.

It was surprisingly not crowded so we got a chance to just explore on our own without a crowd to contend with.

So that was the dinosaurs portion. We also walked around a little. Since the attractions closed at 5 we only had time for another event, which was the scenic railway. Now, I must say it was quite disappointing because it was not very scenic at all. All we saw were trees and more trees. Nonetheless it was an experience for the kids. Would I do it again? No.

This was the view for about 95% of the ride.

Things we saw along the train ride.

Finally got to see the mountain as we got closer to the end.

Inside the train.

He got sleepy lol.

Final view of the mountain before the train stops. It was an ok experience. Best to do it during the cooler months!

Next, we walked around the town and got some food and drinks.

This was part of the Historic Square that we didn’t get to see much of because it was closed.

There were plenty of bathrooms so that was a plus. Lots is sweet treats as well and stores.

This was the Summit Skyride that we didn’t get to do due the windy condition. I’d love to come back and do this!

Overall, we had a great day! ☀️ very tiring lol but worth it. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes!

Notes From The Park

• Ask the entrance guard for directions depending on what you’re there for if you’re first timer.

• $20 for parking, not included in the entrance fee.

• Plenty of restrooms.

• Drinks and snacks are welcome. There are plenty you can purchase there as well.

• Make sure to get a wristband first at the checkout counter. You. An add additional attractions at the counter too.