A Fall Roadtrip to Nowhere in Particular
My husband and I love to go for drives with no particular plans other than experiencing new and unique scenery. We head in a certain direction and let our eyes direct us to destinations unknown. This particular Fall, we headed toward the Georgia mountains, in search of foliage changes. Equipped with camera, we were ready for gold, red, rust and yellow leaves, when we came upon a quaint little village called Dillsboro, North Carolina. Of course we stopped, and were pleasantly surprised with our treasure.
Strolling through the town, which consisted of a large square, we found small, charming cottages lining the streets, each filled with unique wares. Most cottages were housed by artisans, devoted to the arts and crafts of the Smokies. Many of the artist allowed us to watch them practicing their craft. There were paintings, metals, precious gem stones, quilts, pottery, hand blown glass, jellies, homemade candles and scents of every variety known to man. There were shops with cheeses, coffees, chocolates and confections. One particular shop had home-made fudge, with more flavors than I knew possible. I can still smell and taste the pumpkin fudge as I pen the memory. It was “yummy.” Fashion boutiques, home furnishings stores, and the town’s General Store, complete with an old-fashioned soda fountain, offered strollers a feel of times past.
We found several inns and restaurants with lots of rocking chairs on big southern porches. Happily, we made use of the rocking chairs, before visiting the train we had seen earlier in the morning. Awaiting us, was the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The depot was like stepping back in time, just like the rest of the town. We did not indulge that day, but found that the train treks through the beautiful Smoky Mountains, offering a ring-side seat to its beauty.
Leaving Dillsboro, we were pretty proud of our discoveries, but memories were still to be made. Deciding to go a little further down the road, into the hills of Georgia, we were in for yet another surprise. At this turn, we found a small town called Dillard, Georgia, just a few miles further south of Dillsboro. The town was also quaint, but the star attraction, this time, was a restaurant and inn, the Dillard House. Our pallets still hold the memory of that eventful day. Expecting only a good meal, in a beautiful setting, we were shocked at the Southern culinary event. The food was generous in portions and were home-made Southern dishes, served family-style. Recipes were from past generations of the Dillard family, and satisfaction and hospitality abound. The food was fresh and cooked from locally grown ingredients. It seems as though we had stumbled upon a restaurant that had been the recipient of numerous awards for their superb food. We enjoyed every dish brought to our table that day.
With full bellies, we decided to head back to the Tennessee hills, taking with us a whirl of new memories. On the way back, we took a different route, and continued to fill our heads with more memories… and then we saw a sign… Harrah’s Casino! But that’s another memory for another day!
