A Lovely Mountain Adventure…

“The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things where the beauty lies-” Laura Ingalls Wilder

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to live in the moment more, which is a tall order for the planner in me but so important in this season of life with young children.

Embracing this spirit and presented with an extra day off from school and work, our family made the spontaneous decision to head north for a mountain adventure.

We checked in to the Omni Grove Park Inn just in time to admire the breathtaking sunset from the grand lobby. Our room was in the traditional section of the hotel, and Eloise was fascinated by the elevator tucked away behind the stone fireplace.

After a delicious dinner at Vue 1913, we rocked by the fireplace and tucked into our room.

While we knew the weather would be chilly we had no idea that we would wake up to flurries! It was a dream come true for our Frozen fanatic, and baby was in awe of her first snow.

Bundled up, we set off for a day of exploring Biltmore. In addition to touring the estate and expansive grounds, Biltmore is featuring an indoor Downton Abbey exhibit showcasing costumes, props and more from the series.

Our family made special memories during this brief getaway and more adventures will be in store for 2020!

Here are a few hotel travel tips that our family has found helpful:

1. Research your hotel in advance to make sure they can accommodate small children. The Grove Park is very child-friendly offering the girls a welcome backpack full of fun activities at check-in.

2. Request to have a crib set up in your room and a roll away bed if needed.

3. Bring your own supplies- from snacks and drinks for the mini fridge to toys and distractions for little hands. See my Amazon Child Travel List for ideas!

4. Book the early bird special. We always make an early dinner reservation to keep kiddos on schedule and to disturb the least amount of people in the restaurant as possible.

5. Pack your patience and live in the moment!