ClaireBNB: Five Stars For Blue Ridge, GA

I was hoping for a 3-day getaway to the nearest beach, but I waited until the day before I wanted to leave to book it during spring break season. *not recommended* There wasn't much to choose from.

So, I kept searching through Airbnb. There's a feature on the site that allows you to enter your criteria, and then search for what's available using the map. I kept scrolling north from Florida and discovered "Mountain Log Cabin w/Private Hot Tub!" It was located in Cherry Log, Georgia. I hadn't heard of it, but the photos looked beautiful, pets were allowed, and it was a six hour drive, so I booked it and left the next morning. 

Come to find out, it was just outside of Blue Ridge, GA, and several of my Facebook friends had visited there and had great recommendations. Also, this was my first solo trip and first trip with Blue the beagle. Blue = Blue Ridge. When I was puppy searching back in November, I wrestled with whether or not to get her, as she was 9 hours away and pretty expensive. I decided to go with my gut and make the trip, and since I knew she had one blue eye, I had already made up my mind to name her Blue. On the way there, I passed at so many things named Blue, like Blue River Bridge, Blue Mountain Road, Bluestone whatever, etc. Kind of cool, right?

The cabin was perfect! It's tucked up several miles into the woods, and is cozy and private. It features 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, a wood-burning fireplace, a gas grill, a full kitchen, and a covered outdoor hot tub on the deck. 

The deck has a gate that closes fully, which means Blue could hang without escaping and that was a major plus. As soon as we got there, I gave the pup some time to get comfortable and explore while I tested out the hot tub.

It worked.

Later, I went to find some dinner. The cabin isn't far from historic downtown Blue Ridge, which has great shopping and dining options. I went to Chester Brunnenmyer's Bar and Grill and ordered a local craft beer and a cheeseburger. 

It turns out a man had paid my tab as he was paying his, and had left before I could thank him. About 20 minutes later, a group of five women celebrating a birthday came in and wanted to sit at the bar. I moved down so they could all sit together, and so they bought me a drink to say thank you. Is this trip fate or what? 

Oh, and just a few doors down is this lovely footwear store. 

The next morning we hiked around the cabin and then went downtown. The entire downtown area is really dog-friendly. Nearly every store allows dogs inside, and many of the restaurants have dog-friendly patios. 

We hung out for a couple of hours, and then I picked up some Blue Jeans Pizza, and headed back to the cabin to eat, soak in the hot tub, read and take a nap. That night, I went back downtown for a glass of wine at Vine and and a cocktail and appetizer at Treo.

Check out was at 11 the next morning and I still hadn't done much hiking, so I packed up and drove to Toccoa Riverside Restaurant, one of the most popular restaurants in Blue Ridge. It overlooks the river and is known for its trout. I was hoping to find a certain trail nearby that led to a waterfall, and so I stopped in the restaurant to ask. It was further away than I wanted to travel, and they recommend a closer one, Fall Branch Falls, which was just down the road. It was only a 15 minute hike, was pretty easy, and included a waterfall. Perfect.

It was beautiful, Blue loved it, and it wore her out for the drive home. 

Blue Ridge offers breathtaking views, hiking trails, gorgeous mountains, and waterfalls. It has great shopping, local craft breweries and a variety of restaurants downtown. Plus, it's dog-friendly and the people are nice. I can't wait to go back. I give it five out of five stars.

Traveling alone is cool too, by the way. It's not as scary as it seems.

If you want to check out where I stayed, here's the link to the Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/16938708?s=51