Lenny & Lexie

We headed out for a few days in Blue Ridge, Georgia with Lenny and Lexie, and this trip ended up being the perfect mix of exploring, relaxing, and just slowing down for a bit.

It wasn’t perfect (thanks, Atlanta traffic 😅), but honestly—that’s what made it real. And it turned into one of those trips we’ll remember for a long time.

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Day 1: The Road to Blue Ridge (and That First Night Magic)

We left early Sunday morning, excited to get there—but the drive? Brutal.

Between all the construction and traffic around Atlanta, it took way longer than expected. One of those drives where you keep checking the GPS like, “Are we there yet?”

But once we got into the winding roads near Blue Ridge, it all started to feel worth it.

We had booked our stay through Shiny Apple Cabins, and the cabin we chose was The Bear’s Creek Retreat…. it was perfect.

The cabin sits up a quiet, curvy road with its own little private parking spot, and right away it felt like—okay, this is exactly what we needed.

Walking up, we were honestly so impressed. It was just as beautiful in person as it looked online—if not better.

And the best part? A fully fenced-in yard for Lenny and Lexie.

Lenny especially loved it. The yard had this soft wood mulch, and every time he went to the bathroom, he’d kick it up behind him like he’d just scored a touchdown 😂
At home, he does that in the grass and nothing happens—here? He was living his best life watching it fly.

Once inside, the pups did their full inspection tour, and then we made our way down to the creek.

And y’all… that sound.

Instant calm.

We ended up sleeping with the windows open every night just to hear it.

Since we got in later than planned, we kept dinner simple and ordered takeout from Papa’s Pizza.

The pizza was great, but the real standout was the Greek (Mediterranean) salad—they loaded it up with feta in a way I truly appreciated 😂

After that, we just relaxed, watched a little TV, sat outside by the creek for a bit, and called it a night.

Oh—and I have to mention the shower. It had a rainfall head, a regular shower, and a handheld… basically coming at you from every direction in the best way possible. After that drive, it was exactly what I needed.

We ended the night with the windows open, the creek in the background, and two very happy dachshunds.

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Day 2: Slow Mornings, Wine & Downtown Wandering 🍷🛍️

We started the day slow—with coffee out on the deck (actually… a couple cups).

Sitting out there, listening to the creek, never got old.

Around late morning, we headed out to Bear Claw Winery, where we did the Grizzly Wine Tasting Flight—a mix of reds and whites.

We grabbed a charcuterie board and just took our time. That place is perfect for just hanging out, walking around, and enjoying the atmosphere.

After that, we went to Bob’s Eatery for lunch.

We shared a Benji pizza, and then got their famous milkshake—The Banana Bonanza—which had a whole slice of cheesecake on top.

It was one of those desserts where you just sit there like…
“Yep. Worth it.” 😂

They were also so sweet to Lenny and Lexie and brought them pup cups with cookies—which they absolutely loved and of course they had to have a few pepperoni’s of their own which the owner Bob was more than happy to feed to them!

After lunch, we walked around downtown Blue Ridge, popping into shops and just enjoying the afternoon.

Back at the cabin, we relaxed for a bit, had some playtime with the pups, and then headed out for dinner at Tapas & Tequila.

They make the guacamole fresh right in front of you, which is always a win.

We ordered fajitas (so good), margaritas (also really good), and of course the pups got their own little treat—chicken tenders.

They also had the cutest little phone booth photo spot, and I couldn’t pass up getting a picture of Lenny and Lexie in it.

We ended the night back at the cabin—just relaxing, watching TV, and winding down.

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Day 3: Orchards, Wineries & a Cozy Night In 🍎🍷🔥

We started the morning the same way—coffee out on the deck, listening to the creek.

At one point, I had a small cut and went looking for a band-aid, and that’s when I noticed something really thoughtful—this cabin had two pet first aid kits.

It’s those little details that really stand out.

From there, we went to Mercier Orchards, which ended up being one of our favorite stops.

We tried their apple wines (both of them), and they were so refreshing—definitely something different.

Quick note if you’re bringing dogs: it’s not necessarily a fully dog-friendly indoor space, but since Lenny and Lexie were in their stroller, they let us bring them in. Definitely felt like a little VIP moment.

After that, we went to The Waterfront Bar & Restaurant for lunch.

We started with seared ravioli with ricotta, spinach, and marinara—so good.

Then we shared a Philly cheesesteak with fries, and Lenny and Lexie got a little burger of their own.

From there, we took a quick detour to the Georgia–Tennessee state line and got the cutest picture—Lexie in Georgia, Lenny in Tennessee.

Then we headed to Roo’s Winery, where we did a red wine flight and just relaxed.

They even gave Lenny and Lexie the cutest little bandanas.

Before heading back, we stopped at Ingles to grab groceries for dinner, and then made a planned stop at Black Bear Antiques.

I had already decided I wanted to add a bear to the cabin’s scavenger hunt, and when I saw the name “Black Bear,” I knew we had to stop.

Sure enough—they had the perfect one.

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A Cozy Night In 🍝🍷🔥

Back at the cabin, we stayed in—and it ended up being one of our favorite nights.

First, we did the scavenger hunt, which has over 160 bears hidden around the property.

We found 157 of them, which we were pretty proud of 😄

Then we added our own little bear to the collection for the next guests to find.

After that, we played a few rounds of cornhole, just enjoying the night.

For dinner, we cooked spaghetti with chicken, garlic bread, and a Greek salad, poured a glass of wine, and relaxed.

We spent some time out by the fire pit, listening to the creek with Lenny and Lexie, and then ended the night all piled up on the couch watching TV.

Simple, cozy, and honestly perfect.

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Day 4: Heading Home ☕🚗

Our last morning came way too fast.

We had one last cup of coffee out by the creek, took a few final pictures (maybe a future calendar contender 👀), and packed everything up.

Not long after leaving, Scott realized a migraine was coming on—auras and all.

We pulled over near Mercier Orchards, I ran in to grab the apple wine I had forgotten, and then we switched so I could drive.

We stopped at Bigfoot Biscuit for breakfast before getting fully on the road. We wanted to eat so we wouldn’t have to stop again during the six-hour drive home.

By then, his auras were gone but the headache had set in. We were hoping breakfast might help… but it didn’t.

I drove the first half, and then he insisted on driving the rest, even with the headache.

When we finally made it home, we unloaded everything, and I told him to go rest.

He got comfortable, laid down on the couch, and took a nap—with Lenny and Lexie right there beside him.

I finished unpacking and getting everything settled.

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Final Thoughts 🐾

This trip was exactly what we needed.

A little bit of exploring, a lot of slowing down, and so many small moments that ended up meaning the most.

From mornings by the creek, to winery stops, to the scavenger hunt and leaving our own bear behind—it’s those little things that made it special.

And of course… getting to experience it all with Lenny and Lexie just makes it that much better.

If you’re looking for a place to unwind but still have things to do—Blue Ridge is absolutely worth the trip.

And this cabin?

We’d go back in a heartbeat.

And of course….. a few more pictures because I couldn’t help myself!

Dog-Friendly Places We Visited

• The Bear’s Creek Retreat: https://shinyapplecabins.com/
• Bear Claw Winery
• Bob’s Eatery
• Tapas & Tequila
• Roo’s Winery
• The Waterfront Bar & Restaurant
• Bigfoot Biscuit