Nifty Tourist Town: "Alpine" Helen, Georgia

For our spring break surprise destination trip for G, we wanted to reach Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia.  Looking for a nearby place to stay, Kim found a place she'd heard of but had difficulty picturing: Alpine Helen, Georgia.  It turns out Helen is a lovely little tourist town that is constructed to look like a Busch Gardens-esque interpretation of Bavaria. It's actually so very Busch Gardens looking that G asked where the rides were.

Smaller than Gatlinburg, Tennessee, but bigger than Calabash, North Carolina, Helen was the perfect little base for our road trip and would also make a nice base for local hiking (and waterfall seeking) in North Georgia--there are several state parks very nearby and, for saving for when the kids are older, river tubing options.  The village has intriguing putt-putt places, many souvenir shops, some nifty boutique stores like Jolly's Toys, and a good number of German restaurants.  Allow for a few hours of shopping and strolling in town.  We enjoyed a modest German lunch at Hofer's of Helen, and Bodensee was also recommended to us as a quality option. While there, don't miss Betty's IGA General Store, a nice stop for groceries that is a fun place to experience in itself.  Good news for travelling families: the highly imaginative, family-owned roadside attraction HO-scale model train exhibit Charlemagne's Kingdom is set to reopen.  Rumor had it was opening a few days after we left, meaning we'll have to go back.

If you go, know that Alpine Helen is off the beaten path.  GPS an exact address, don't expect a ton of mobile connectivity in some areas, and do expect to feel like you are in a rural environment near a hidden treasure--not an extremely advertised one.  In other words, there won't be a bunch of billboards guiding you in.  Once in town, there are plenty of nearly-equivalent hotels: we stayed at the modest but wonderful Quality Inn Helen, and the Heidi Motel also had a cute setup.  There's not a ton of family-appropriate nightlife, although there is a Huddle House 24/7 restaurant that had delightful service.  Expect to walk place-to-place in town, and check the town calendar for special events, notably Octoberfest and a hot air balloon event.  If traveling with small ones, you are close to Babyland General Hospital.  It was suggested that, when we return to the area, we explore the relatively-nearby Dahlonega Gold Museum as well.

Upstate Carolinas: More than Just Driving Through

It may be common in our social circle to travel to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and to Atlanta, Georgia, as well as to have a layover flying in Charlotte, North Carolina.  However, we don't hear friends talking fondly of the drive through the broader nearby region--and that's really a mistake. On a recent surprise destination trip for G to Babyland General Hospital (the home of Cabbage Patch Dolls), we decided to do some exploring.

On the way south, Kim took Nana Lana, along with us, to Charlotte's Billy Graham Library.  Kim, Justin, and E had been a few years ago, but we figured Nana would particularly enjoy this site and that it would make a lovely stop again.  The Library makes an interesting (and free admission!) stopover easily accessible from the interstate system for anyone interested in recent movements in Christianity and/or recent American history.  The museum includes significant biography of Billy Graham and pictures of Graham meeting with various world leaders, although we've been disappointed twice not to see a picture of Graham and Pope John Paul II.  Do expect the site to encourage conversion to Christianity.  Kim, a "Heinz 57" Christian of multiple denominational backgrounds, does feel comfortable being from a non-Southern Baptist denomination there.  There's a gift shop as well as lovely, compact grounds to explore, including a simple grave site memorial to Ruth Graham, Billy's wife, which you see G admiring above.

On the way back north, we stopped to explore Greenville's much-photographed Falls Park on the Reedy, a truly lovely serpentine urban park showcasing the natural beauty apparent in the city.  We found a small, free parking lot right at the beautifully-engineered Liberty Bridge, affording awesome views of the falls. Yes, Kim and G climbed out on them--and you can, too, especially if you wear non-slip water shoes (slippery river rocks) and clothes you are comfortable getting wet.  Open 7 AM - 9 PM daily, the park has winding paths, manicured green spaces fitting for a picnic, and attractive benches as well as inventive seating like porch swings.  If you take time to do a little research in advance, you can also easily connect to restaurants and accessibility features like elevators.

Simply put: Don't let the interstate system numb you from the beauty and culture around you.  Stop driving every now and then.  You might even find less-unique but still fun and value-laden shopping stops like the Gaffney Outlet Marketplace, which we "found" twice on this trip as well.

Childhood Legacies: Babyland General Hospital

If you grew up in the 1980s or had kids growing up then in the US, you undoubtedly know the Cabbage Patch brand.  Kim had a few dolls: Kerry Ann, a preemie, an astronaut; Justin had some as well.  Kim also remembered her dad telling stories of seeing some people fight over them at a Roanoke, Virginia, Hills store--they were a BIG deal.  So big that a related tourist site emerged in Georgia: Babyland General Hospital.  Basically, it was the place the Cabbage Patch Kids were born--a center where you could pick them out from a "nursery."  Once in a small building, it graduated in 2009 to a custom-built mansion in Cleveland, Georgia.  This became a perfect surprise destination trip for G this spring break.

Babyland General Hospital is a truly delightful location for young kids interested in dolls, about age 7 and down, that inspires the imagination as well as some shopping. Free admission makes your visit easy, and you can come anytime and wander the large combination simulated hospital-birthing tree-doll nursery-large gift shop.  You shop from the displays, which include cribs full of dolls and a "cabbage patch" of dolls as well as more conventionally-displayed items. Various souvenirs include T-shirts, postcards, limited edition dolls, baby accessories, and the like.  If you ever visited the now-defunct Boyds Bear Country, you have the idea.

We spent about two-and-a-half hours on site on an extended visit with a very impressed G.  She particularly enjoyed the large number of stuffed animals available (that's what she wanted to take home) and the birthing tree, a little show where a Cabbage Patch doll is "delivered" by a patch nurse or doctor every 45 minutes or so.  The delivery features a lot of vague references to actual childbirth and results in a new Cabbage Patch doll the audience names.  G helped name two dolls while we were there: Gwen Amelia and Elijah Alexander.  All of the staff are dressed as medical staff, and the dolls are transported about the center in cradles and incubators.

If you go, this is an affordable outing.  Admission is free, parking is easy, and signs to Babyland abound once you are within about 5 miles.  Some of the dolls are priced upward of $200--but the hard-to-find smaller dolls are plentiful here and start at around $9, the various souvenirs are affordable, and there are sales on overstock dolls also with very reasonable prices.  The site itself is large (so large that the ballroom hosts weddings), and you could easily take a picnic (bring a blanket) and eat on the grounds.  Babyland General Hospital is not, however, super close to the interstate system, so you will be getting off the beaten path.  The nearby small town of Alpine Helen, Georgia, can provide you a place to stay.

Lost in an Adventure: Lost World Caverns, Lewisburg, WV

Kim adores a good cave, commercialized ones included.  There's something about living in the mid-Atlantic and seeing all these fascinating underground spaces.  In the Lewisburg, WV, area, there are around 2,500 known caves--what awe that thought can inspire!  E has been to several caverns, as historic readers of this blog know, but he recently reported he had no memory of those visits.  G, well, she hadn't been to any.  So, really, we all know what happened next.

Enter Lost World Caverns, a family-owned tourism treasure just over the state line from Alleghany County, VA, on I-64.  To arrive, you turn off the paved road (almost always a good sign).  Their self-guided cave tour is a perfect adventure for a "first cave" and young visitors to the cavern scene.  The pace was perfect because we could control it, allowing Kim to explain to G that caves were a magical world, not a scary one, and allowing E to shine a flashlight they provided into many interesting crevices.  The visitor paths are winding and full of stairs, also adding to the kid-interest factor.  We particularly enjoyed the Smurf Village formations (yes, they look like Smurf houses) and Goliath, a massive column like the name suggests.  (E wanted to name a nearby smaller formation David.)  We spent a little over an hour in the cave and about thirty minutes in the spacious gift shop.  And the gift shop? There were several reasonably-priced items, including Kim's favorite souvenir Christmas ornaments, as well as a small fossil exhibit with items loaned from the Smithsonian.  The science of this cave is truly in progress, and a prehistoric bear skeleton, significant in dating the location of various animals in the area, was found just a few years ago.  It's also a place of popular culture legend for those interested -- the home of Bat Boy, which you can buy in plush form in the gift shop.

If you go, know that this cave is beautiful with lighting that adds to the splendor (similar to Lost Sea Adventure).  You will descend to (and leave from) the cave via a long, steep tunnel with stairs, and the visitor pathways are a bit narrow, uneven, and often feature stairs.  In short, while there are no steep drop offs or similar heights, this is a cave for the surefooted.  We took a stroller into Shenandoah Caverns--you wouldn't do that here.  Really, though, this is all part of the charm and engagement, especially for young kids.  Kim has been caving in wild caves twice, and the overall effect of Lost World Caverns is that it closer to a cave adventure feel than most commercialized caves can accomplish.  Visitors with kids a bit older than us can enjoy wild cave tours; same-age visitors will probably be equally fascinated with the flashlight they loan you for touring.  On the day of our visit, there were people rappelling into the cave from the natural entrance--very nifty.  We've not seen a lot of ads for this attraction, but their digital brochure is helpful in planning.  Also, check Groupon for discount entry--and also consider adding the frequent Groupon coupon codes on local activities for a steeper discount.  Remember jackets as needed for comfort--the cave is about 50 degrees F.  For your interest, here's another family's take on the cave.  Nearby Lewisburg, WV, is an interesting town on its own and has been proclaimed one of the nation's best small towns--just get away from WalMart and to the small town part.  Visitors are also in reach of Alleghany County, of which there is a LOT on this blog, but one of our favorites for kids there is the C & O Railway Heritage Center.

And E?  Well, he remembered visiting caverns once he arrived in this one.

Well-Designed Design in Roanoke: A Mellow Evening

It had been a long week, and Friday came well-deserved.  We wanted to relax, have fun, be out, be with family.  Turns out that we designed an evening of design.

Thankfully, Kim knew it was a late night at the Taubman Museum of Art, and E and Kim went to check out exhibits while G finished her nap.  Friday nights at the Taubman=An absolutely outstanding atmosphere of art and fun relaxation, in this case including live music.  We parked in a free-for-Friday-evening garage, took a brisk walk to the museum, and smelled delicious things wafting from the restaurants downtown.  We delighted in the look of the Taubman at night with its lit staircase.  E made me smile so broadly as he enjoyed the live jazz. Check the online schedule--late nights happen about twice a month.

Our main purpose in visiting was to check out Follicular: The Hair Stories of Sonya Clark, an exhibit of hair-related art including unique hair braiding.  E adored the comb sculptures, and strong signage made reflecting on the artist's purpose highly accessible.  Importantly, this exhibit makers for a unique way to reflect during Black History Month.  There are themes of conformity, resistance, change, personal struggle, community, and more, and thanks to the solid curation, these can be explored by even more casual visitors.

We also dashed into a more expansive exhibit of the folk art of Reverend Howard Finster (closed 2.5.17). This exhibit drew you in with its color and made you think about community, arts education, religious notes in art, and more.  

After picking up Justin and G, we headed off to Tanglewood Mall's American Association of University Women's biannual used book sale, a great place to find gently-used academic, travel, and children's books.  Favorite finds this time included a 1970s illustrated children's Bible, classics like Robin Hood adapted to elementary reading levels, and a set of encyclopedia-looking books full of children's stories.  Find out more about the AAUW sale here.  Ignore the worn carpet in the former Dollar Tree and enjoy.

If we haven't told you,  we just enjoy Tanglewood.  It's Roanoke's less-bustling indoor mall.  We expect it to be redeveloped, but for now, go and enjoy lighter crowds, special events, and Roanoke's easier-to-shop, typically-better-stocked JCPenney and Belk locations. Plus, Tanglewood is home to my favorite biannual kids' consignment sale, Back on the Rack, which is next open on March 18.

And then dinner... One of J's Christmas gifts to K was a Mellow Mushroom gift card to help us finally try out Roanoke's new location. We were delighted by the modern, spunky, and cozy atmosphere as well as by the pretzel bites with dipping cheese.   Go Mellow when you have time to relax.   Making your pizza may take 30 minutes, but it is worth it.  There's outdoor dining in season, but this time of the year, enjoy the "living room" fireplace instead.

The Gettysburg Cyclorama: North America's Largest Oil Painting May Be Closer Than You Think

North America's largest oil painting?  It's not in an art museum; it's not in a huge city.  It's the Gettysburg Cyclorama, on display at Gettysburg National Military Park.  If you are unfamiliar, a cyclorama is a giant painting you kind of enter--connected canvas hang all around you in a circle, and you view it from a center platform.  In another era, they traveled the country on display.  Recently lovingly restored across five years and housed in a special round barn-like building designed for it, the Gettysburg Cyclorama is shown as it was long ago, making for quite the immersive experience. You'll understand why veterans who saw the cyclorama were said to weep with its authenticity when you visit.

To see the cyclorama, go to the Gettysburg National Military Park's Visitor Center.  You'll pay a reasonable fee ($15 for most adults, $10 for many others--or avoid the fee by joining Friends of Gettysburg) and see a nicely-done film, much of which is voiced by Morgan Freeman, discussing the complexity of the US Civil War.  Then, there's an escalator ride to the cyclorama viewing platform where you will have ample time to hear about the painting and view it.  You can move around on the platform, too, and non-flash photography is allowed.  The painting is 42 feet high and 377 feet in circumference--take your time.  Impressively, the display is as it was long ago, and scenery at the "bottom" of the painting gives everything a truly 3-D feel.  Ask the docents questions--obviously, the presentation doesn't include everything about the painting.  Be sure to find Lincoln, painted in the battle scene (no, he wasn't really there), and the artist himself among the soldiers.

If you go, your entry to the cyclorama also gets you in to the Visitor Center's museum, a focused telling of the story of the US Civil War, truly an epic in American history.  It serves as a detailed introduction to the war if you are not a professional historian, and if you visited the "old" Visitor Center that closed before 2008, this one will be much more modern than you remember.  If you are a first-time visitor to Gettysburg, the cyclorama itself will help you understand how the story of the Battle of Gettysburg was told at the time, an essential part of understanding the US Civil War in American memory.  You'll find the best parking and less crowded viewing very early in the day or in the off season, basically January-March.

National Park Service for the Win: Storytime in Gettysburg, PA

No regular reader of our blog will find it a surprise that we Haltermans are National Park Service (NPS) fans.  We adore the NPS sites we've explored and appreciate the efforts that NPS employees put in to create quality interpretation of all sorts of things-history, natural resources, and much more-to modern audiences.  On a recent trip to Gettysburg National Military Park, one of our favorites, we discovered a special winter children's storytime series: Winter Reading Adventures.  On the date of our trip, Bettye Stroud's The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom explored the role of the Underground Railroad.  Our friends and travelling companions had seen it advertised on Facebook, so we came out to participate.

Storytime events at cultural sites are a great idea--but they can be a little hit or miss.  This one, however, was a HIT.  The Rangers were very well-prepared and used a print book, also displayed using AV technology on a big screen, as well as physical artifacts like quilt squares and lanterns to engage the children.  There was a scavenger hunt of the facility for various quilt squares, and participating kids earned a special high-quality metal bookmark with a seal for the day's book.  There was also a tie-in to other local history, including information about a real Underground Railroad stop at Dobbin House Tavern, a place we often go in town for dinner.  As an added bonus, the bookmark yielded a 15% off book discount on The Patchwork Path in the gift shop.

If you go to a similar event, arrive early in the day for best parking and consider joining Friends of Gettysburg.  We are family-level members this year since we plan more than one trip to the area in 2017, and membership will pay for itself in terms of Cyclorama admission, Wills House admission, and the like for our family of four.  The friendly representatives at the Friends desk at the Visitor's Center can give you immediate membership--and easy upgrades--as well as tips.  For instance, we learned that our membership card will sometimes yield discounts in town at non-NPS sites--just ask!  Again, we found out about this event on Facebook; our experience is that there are many various events including lectures and films often.  This late winter/early spring, there will be a special series on the farms in the area, and J would like to take in an Evening with the Painting event in the Cyclorama.  Not sure what a cyclorama is?  Here's the Halterman Weekend at the Gettysburg Cyclorama!