5 Reasons to Enjoy a Mountain Vacation

If you’re like me then you’re not much of a mountain vacation person, but rather more of a beach vacation person.  Truth be told, I haven’t ever been on a mountain vacation until last spring.  Once I experienced a mountain vacation for the first time, I realized that I had enjoyed it.  Of course, the vacation is more enjoyable with the company you keep- however, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed exploring the mountains.

Regardless, I love to spend time on the beach and I was not sure what to do on a trip to the mountains.  When I went to Gatlinburg last year, I went to my friend’s 30^th birthday celebration so she had planned a whole itinerary for us to do.  However, it got me thinking about planning a future mountain trip (either to the Ozarks or the Smokies) and I wasn’t sure what to do.  So, I thought other people might be in a similar boat as me and I wanted to dedicate a blog post to enjoy things to do on a mountain vacation. 

Without further ado, check out my tips on how to enjoy a mountain vacation below.  Also, check out my previous post on tips to enjoy a beach vacation.

Go Zip-lining

I have gone zip lining on a beach vacation before so I was curious about zip lining on a mountain vacation.  I’ve heard that it’s such a fun experience to go zip lining on the mountains.  While I’ve never zip-lined on a mountain vacation before, I have been on a roller coaster on the side of a mountain.  As crazy as it sounds, it’s pretty fun- check out the picture below.

Anyway, back to talking about zip lining on the mountains.  If you’re an adventurous person and want to try new things then this activity is made for you.  There are many locations around the more popular mountainous locations like the Smokey Mountains, etc., that offer zip lining.  It’s worth a try!

Hiking

When it comes to going on a mountain vacation, hiking is the first thing that comes to mind.  Most people, like myself, assume that hiking involves miles and miles of walking a trail.  However, that is not always the case.  Many mountain locations have shorter trails, or as they like to call it – beginner trails, made for people like me, who are not hikers.

If you enjoy walking and you love to walk outdoors then hiking is a fun activity for you.  You can sometimes see beautiful waterfalls during your hike, like the one I saw in the picture below.  While I do enjoy a good walk outdoors, I’m always wary of hiking in the trails due to more bugs, bears, etc.  Make sure to wear cool, breathable clothing that mostly covers you (to avoid bug bites), use bug spray, carry tons of snacks such as granola bars, and wear hiking shoes (trust me, it’s a lifesaver).

Hot Tub Reading

Most cabins in the mountains, usually come with an indoor or outdoor hot tub.  Depending on how big the cabin is, you can have about 2-4 hot tubs within the cabin.  Hot tubs are a lot of fun, even though they are small and tight.  You can fit about 3-6 people in each hot tub- just depending on how big the hot tub is in the cabin.  I like to enjoy hot tubs because the feel of the hot water on a chilly night is a different kind of experience.  My first time in a hot tub was a couple of years ago but it was at a friend’s house, in the dead of summer.  So when I visited Gatlinburg, TN in March 2021, you bet I was excited to sit in the hot tub in chillier weather.

Hot tubs are extremely enjoyable on a vacation in the mountains – especially after a long hike.  The warm water helps your muscles relax.  In addition, enjoying a nice relaxing dip in the hot tub after an adventurous day is an amazing feeling – no matter how you want to put it.  If you’re not a mountain vacation person, you’ll enjoy sitting in a hot tub on a cabin in the mountains. 

Stay in a Cabin

In this day and age, there are many hotels and Airbnb’s that can be booked- no matter where you go.  Instead of staying in a gorgeous hotel, I highly recommend staying in one of the cabin rentals.  Any mountain that you chose will have a cabin that you can rent out.  Depending on how big your group is, you can get a cabin accordingly. 

During my Gatlinburg trip, my friend booked a 10-bedroom cabin, since we were a group of almost 20 young adults.  Each room had an on-suite bathroom so you don’t have to worry about sharing a bathroom with anyone.  The cabin also had two balconies, one with two hot tubs, a huge kitchen/dining area, living room, game room, and theatre room.  Every morning, everyone from the group would wake up and drink their coffee/eat breakfast on the balcony.  We had views of the Smokey Mountains and it was a beautiful/peaceful way to wake up in the mornings. n

If you have never stayed in a cabin before, this is your sign to rent a cabin in the mountains.  It will make your vacation more enjoyable since you’ll get an authentic experience. 

Swimming in the Lake

Unlike a beach vacation, where you can swim in the open ocean, there are limited places to swim on a mountain vacation trip.  However, if you happen to go to the mountains in the summer, you can always swim in a lake.  I have not swam in a lake yet but, I have heard it is quite enjoyable.  Especially swimming in the lake water in the mountains, since it tends to be warm and made of natural spring water. 

In addition, this activity is super fun for those who want to enjoy a swim on a vacation but are limited to nearby beaches when visiting the mountains.  Try to look for a nearby lake that is suggested for swimming and take a dip!  You’ll see many others also enjoying a dip in one of the lakes that are located in the mountains.

I hope you enjoyed my tips for how to enjoy a mountain vacation, especially coming from someone who did not enjoy mountain vacations.  As stated many times in this post, I’m not much of a mountain vacation person but some of these adventures/tips made me appreciate a trip to the mountains.

Which one of these tips has been the most useful to you?  Let me know in the comments below!

Much Love,