Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #1

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination
The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love.

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1 - Home Sweet Home

We hope our #1 favorite Christmas destination doesn't disappoint our readers. But the fact is, as much as we enjoy travel, camping, and adventure, sharing Christmas day at home with our extended family is most important.

As a rule, the entire Richardson family comes together at Granny and Paw Paw Richardson's home for a Christmas day brunch each year, exchanging gifts, and visiting with brothers. sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles. It's a lot of fun, and it's a family tradition. We live next door to Granny and Paw Paw, so it's really easy to have our traditional early Christmas morning at home, then walk (or ride) up the hill for our late morning meal.

We are fortunate to live in a rural north Georgia setting surrounded by family where we can run and play to our heart's content. Many of the outdoor things we like to do on the road are also available right here at home. We can shoot our bows and arrows, ride Herbie (our golf cart), fish, and play with our animals (we have four goats, three bunnies, two cats, and eight chickens). 

This year, we decided to add some new outdoor goodies to our stable. Santa brought two motorcycles and two ATVs, perfect for our little family. I suspect these new toys may lead to a whole new set of adventures.

So, there you have it. The Richardson Tribe's absolute favorite place in the whole wide world to spend Christmas day is home sweet home. Now, the day after Christmas, that's another story. We'll be heading for the Smoky Mountains and some snow skiing at Cataloochee ski area, maybe Dollywood, and maybe the Biltmore Estate. We are excited to be staying at a new place in Maggie Valley this year. Who knows what other adventures we might discover.

Merry Christmas everyone. Now, go somewhere and do something!

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #2

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination

The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love.

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#2 - Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Considering some of the other Christmas destinations listed in our top twelve, our number two choice may be a bit of a surprise. Well, as I mentioned previously, this was put to a vote, and the kids were unanimous on this selection.

It's understandable. Dollywood has tons of Christmas decorations, shows, and music. Add to that dozens of amusement rides and games, crisp cool Smoky Mountain air, and a real steam locomotive, and the environment is perfect for unlimited holiday fun.

The park's general theme, besides the affiliation with Dolly Parton, is southern country charm. It's not a put-on. Folks that work here are typically real southerners, and in some cases, related to Dolly herself. There are numerous shops that sell the work of local artisans including leather goods, musical instruments, and candles. There is also a blacksmith demonstrating his trade.

Regarding amusement rides, there is a surprising variety from spinning tea cups to monster roller coasters. Most of the fast rides have cameras stationed at the most scary parts to capture your worst, most terrified expressions. Here we are riding the Mystery Mine, and Heath's expression is that of absolute terror. The funny thing is, after the ride was over, the first words out of his mouth were "let's do it again!"

There are many impressive things about Dollywood, but the park's cleanliness and staff's professionalism are perhaps the most obvious. Everyone seems to have a job to do, and they do it with a smile.

Dollywood is located in a very popular area on the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains National Park. Pigeon Forge and nearby Gatlinburg are known for their musical and comedy shows, go carts, helicopter rides, museums, miniature golf, candy shops, rock shops, and pretty much anything related to tourists and the Smoky Mountains. There is an awesome aquarium in Gatlinburg that must be mentioned.

When visiting Dollywood, we typically RV camp at nearby Townsend KOA. It's far enough away from the crowds to be peaceful, but near enough to be convenient. The campground has lots of activities for the kids, and the riverside campsites are very picturesque.

So there you have it. Our second favorite Christmas destination is Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Tune in tomorrow when we reveal our absolute favorite place to be on Christmas.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #3

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #3 - Cataloochee Ski Area - Maggie Valley, North Carolina We voted democratically, and the kids quite adamantly expressed their opinion: Snow skiing is awesome! Cataloochee Ski Area, just up the mountain from Maggie Valley, North Carolina (near Asheville), is a great southern snow ski destination. There aren't many that fit this category (southern ski area), but Cataloochee does a respectable job fitting the bill. Another benefit of Cataloochee is the snow. For our northern friends, this may seem strange. But southerners don't see much snow, so when we do, fake or not, it's a big deal. Last year (2011) we visited Cataloochee at Christmas Break, and the kids all participated in ski school. They were assigned an instructor that worked with just the four of them, and he was awesome. He was so patient and great with the kids. By the end of the day, they were going up the lift and skiing down the big slopes (cautiously). We expected that they would be exhausted and ready to go back to the camper, but they didn't want to leave. Cataloochee is a ski area, not a resort, so the "lodge" is actually just a place to rent equipment, eat, shop, and warm up. It's not a place to stay overnight. Don't worry, there is plenty of lodging available in Maggie Valley and the surrounding area. In past seasons, we have RV camped locally at Stone Bridge RV Resort, but we weren't pleased with the condition of the campground last time, so we're trying a new place this year (shhhh, it's still a Christmas secret). Locally, there are many other things to do. There is a snow tubing facility, a motorcycle museum, gem mining, restaurants, the Smoky Mountain National Park, Cherokee, Asheville, and another of our favorite Christmas Holiday Destinations, the Biltmore Estate. So, Cataloochee Ski Area is the Richardson Tribes third favorite Christmas destination. For lots more pictures and details about Cataloochee, click here. Come back tomorrow when we reveal our #2 pick. The Smoky Moubntains are beautiful here at Cataloochee.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #4

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #4 - Fort Wilderness - Disney Resorts, Florida Ok, we love state parks, nature, and low cost vacations, so why is a Disney property on our list? Well, it's because Fort Wilderness is actually an affordable way to visit Disney and other surrounding attractions. It's also an awesome campground with an incredible list of amenities. As a Disney property, you can imagine. First, the full hookup RV campsites are large, level, and private with lots of surrounding tropical vegetation. There is a massive year-round pool (with water slide and entertainment), rental boats, a beach, stores, shows, restaurants, horseback riding, hiking, wildlife, golf carts, and shuttle busses that will take you anywhere within Fort Wilderness. I need to point out that golf carts, bikes, and shuttles are the primary modes of transportation within the park. Cars are expected to be left at the campsite. Perhaps the most popular mode of transportation at Fort Wilderness is the ferry that carries guests across the lake to the Magic Kingdom. No waiting in line here. If you are a guest of Disney resorts, you move straight to the front. Returning to Fort Wilderness from Disney's Magic Kingdom is just as painless as getting there. Guests board the ferry at the Magic Kingdom back gate and are dropped-off just a few yards from their bikes and golf carts. The pool is especially popular with the kids at Fort Wilderness. There is constant entertainment, music, games, all targeted at the youth. When was the last time you could relax in the warm sun and let someone elsse take care of entertaining your kids. Sorry folks. Everyone needs a break every once in a while. The evenings are awesome at Fort Wilderness. The campsite decorations are incredible, but the Magic Kingdom fireworks are even more spectacular. There is also an amphitheater that shows movies after dark. This event is a lot of fun for the whole family because it includes a bon fire and s'mores. If you would like to see more pictures and details about Fort Wilderness, click here. Come back tomorrow when we reveal our 3rd favorite Christmas holiday destination.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #5

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination
The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love.

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#5 - Stone Mountain Park - Stone Mountain Georgia

Stone Mountain Park is a southern icon, and it's also the Richardson Tribe's 5th favorite Christmas holiday destination. Stone Mountain has lots of features that make it a favorite. First, and most obvious, is the mountain itself. Billed as the world's largest piece of exposed granite, Stone Mountain is very unique in its looks and its origin. The vertical face of the mountain features the largest bas-relief sculpture in the World. The sculpture is a memorial of three key Confederate figures: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. This side of the mountain is also the site of a spectacular weekend (April thru October) laser and fireworks show. Additionally, Stone Mountain Park has the largest campground in the state, hiking, biking, a passenger train, 4D theater, miniature golf, Duck rides, a gondola ride to the top, farm animals (of course), and much much more.

During the winter months, the large hillside opposite the massive sculpture is converted into a tubing slide and snow play area called Snow Mountain. Even with 60 degree weather, they'll still be making snow. The process is pretty interesting to see. For a fee, visitors can spend a couple of hours enjoying the tubing experience. There is also a kiddy slope and a snow play area. It's as close to a white Christmas as many of these southern kids will ever see.

As the Sun sets during the Christmas season, the park's two million plus Christmas lights and decorations come to life. There are special Christmas shows in the village, Santa is in attendance, and plenty of yummy treats can be found in the restaurant and shops. Evenings are concluded with a fantastic Christmas themed fireworks show.

When visiting Stone Mountain, we RV camp at the park's campground. If you visit the PB&J Adventures website, you will find that we have very mixed emotions about the campground. It has so much potential, and some of the campground is ok, but most of the sites are in pretty rough shape. Still, regardless of the campground's condition, the view across the lake, especially at sunset, is second to none.

If you would like to see more pictures and details about the Stone Mountain Park, click here. 

Come back tomorrow when we reveal our 4th favorite Christmas holiday destination.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #6

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #6 - Biltmore Estate - Asheville, North Carolina This nominee caused a little dilemma in the Richardson household. The Biltmore Estate is very near another beloved destination on the countdown list, and we considered combining the two. However, after several votes and re-votes, we determined that the Biltmore Estate could stand on its own. Honestly? It was probably the animals at the farm that closed the deal. Yes, we love animals, and the Biltmore Estate has a small farm complete with goats, horses, chickens, and a variety of other farm animals. But that's really not the main attraction. Let me explain... The Vanderbilt home was built between 1889 and 1895 as a Summer home by George Vanderbilt, one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time. Over the course of six years, hundreds of designers, architects, artisans and craftsmen were employed to complete the 135,000 square foot chateau. The home features 250 rooms, an indoor lighted pool, a two-lane bowling alley, a work-out room, an intercom system, elaborate horse stables, and hundreds of priceless antiques, artworks, and various other furnishings. Visiting the home is a memorable experience (and you will have to remember it, because no interior photography is allowed). The adult admission (as of 01/01/2011) is $75 which seems a bit steep, but Kids nine and under are free. That makes it a decent value for a large family, especially considering it's an all day event. Christmas is extra special at the Biltmore. Imagine how the wealthiest Americans might decorate their home for the holidays. There are Christmas trees, wreaths, candles, and all sorts of ribbons and colorful wall hangings dedicated to the festive Christmas holiday. The Biltmore Estate is a place you really should visit during the Christmas holidays. The beauty is astounding. Cataloochee Ski Area, While visiting the Biltmore Estate, we like to RV camp in Maggie Valley. The area provides multiple opportunities for fun, food, education, and outdoor activities. Maggie Valley is host to an awesome motorcycle museum, gem mining, great restaurants, entertainment, and one of our favorites, the Cataloochee Ski Area, If you would like to see more pictures and details about the Biltmore Estate, click here.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #7

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination
The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love.

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#7 - James Island Park - Charleston, South Carolina

James Island Park consists of thick forests, lush green lowlands, and thriving tidal marshes crisscrossed with smooth winding bike paths, one of which leads to a creek and fishing dock. This area is a natural host to alligators, crabs, birds, kayaks, outdoorsy types, and fishing.

Every year during the Christmas season, James Island hosts a festival of lights. This event features a three-mile driving tour displaying hundreds of decorations and millions of lights. Santa's in attendance for photos and special Christmas requests. There is a carousel, a rock climbing wall, concerts, arts and crafts, train rides, carnival rides, food, hot cocoa, and so much more, all climaxing with a fireworks extravaganza on New Years Eve!

The campground at James Island has slightly rustic full hookup sites surrounded by tropical vegetation. Everything in the park is within walking or biking distance from the
campsites. In warmer weather, the water park, a five minute walk, is a very popular in-park destination.

Of course, being this near Charleston means there are literally hundreds of great places to go and things to do. Fresh seafood abounds year round here, so finding a delicious meal is a pretty simple task. We also enjoy riding downtown to the market to browse the hand-made goods and admire the old buildings. Imagine all that gingerbread architecture decorated for Christmas. It's absolutely beautiful!

So there you have it. Our #7 favorite Christmas Holiday Destination is James Island Park in Charleston, South Carolina. Click here If you would like to see more pictures and details about this awesome destination. Come back tomorrow to discover #6.

Note: James Island offers up to 40% off on RV sites during January and February. 

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #8

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #8 - Helen, Alpine Village - Helen, Georgia Ok, I admit it's a bit crowded and touristy, but Helen has to be one of our favorite Dixie Christmas holiday destinations. The "ginger bread" architecture of the simu-German alpine village lends itself to the Christmas season. Enjoy Christmas music and bratwurst as you browse through dozens of nic-nac shops offering-up all sorts of candy, fudge, t-shirts, knives, and otherwise, pretty cool stuff. The Chattahoochee River flows through Helen, barely a creek at this point. In the summer season, visitors can "shoot the Hooch" in inner tubes and kayaks. Tubers can pull over and enjoy a brew and sandwich before proceeding downstream. The water is a little too cool this time of year for such activity, but you will still enjoy sitting by the river enjoying a hot beverage as the sun sets. Then the light show really begins. Everything in the village is outlined with lights, even the horse-drawn carriages. It's an awesome experience. On one particular visit to Helen last winter, the kids found a phone booth. They had never seen a phone booth, but soon discovered the cold hard fact about public phones, they seldom work. While visiting Helen, we like to camp, pan for gold, and collect rocks at Gold n Gem Grubbin' in Cleveland, Georgia. Helen is also very near Unicoi State Park, Vogel State Park, Blairsville, Dahlonega, and Brasstown Bald, the highest point in the great state of Georgia. So, there you have it. Our #8 Christmas destination is Helen, Georgia. Check- in tomorrow to see what our #7 favorite Christmas destination is.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas - #9

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #9 - Noccalula Falls Park: Gadsden, Alabama For today's destination, we head north to Gadsden, Alabama. With a full-hookup campground, an open air passenger train, a village of century-old buildings, a vintage covered bridge, lots of cool animals, a killer playground, and some rather spectacular waterfalls, Noccalula Falls is already an awesome destination. Add thousands of Christmas lights, holiday decorations, and Santa, and this quaint small-town park becomes a magical Christmas holiday destination. The legend of the waterfall and the Native American (Creek) princess Noccalula are the central theme of this popular little park. Actually, it's not just one little park, it's several smaller parks that, when combined, make for one awesome destination. . While the legend is tragic, and the falls can be spectacular, the city has made this place much more. I believe the falls could dry-up, and the park would still draw visitors. It is a historic and beautiful place that we'd recommend to anyone.   If you read about just a few of our adventures, you may begin notice a common thread:ANIMALS. We really love animals! Noccalula Falls has an unusual collection of species, mostly farm animals, but some a bit more exotic. A stand-out memory in all our minds is the encounter we had with a young buck in the petting zoo. He was such a beautiful creature, and he licked the kids hands. He was no reindeer, but he was cuddly.   So there you have it, our 9th favorite Christmas Holiday Destination. For lots more pictures and details about Noccalula Falls, click here. Come back tomorrow to see our 8th favorite Christmas holiday destination.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas - #10

A Countdown of our Favorite Southeastern Christmas Destinations

The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will publish a new destination each day until we reveal our #1 Christmas holiday destination.

#10 - Silver Springs, Nature's Theme Park: Silver Springs, Florida

Now we continue the theme of non-traditional winter vacation spots with Silver Springs park in central Florida. By late December, the Richardson Tribe is ready for a few days of balmy weather. Warmth makes for a nice break in the dreary wet cold days just a little further north.

Silver Springs, located near Ocala, Florida, is an ancient source of relatively warm water that proliferates lush vegetation and abundant wildlife including birds, gators, snakes, and monkeys. Yes, monkeys. They're everywhere, as are the Christmas lights.

Silver Springs is a natural paradise that has been retrofitted (emphasis on retro) for the 20th..... uhhh, 21st century. I say this because many of us southerners visited Silver Springs as kids about long long ago. Silver Springs is a legendary southern destinations that dates back to the 1870s when an early entrepreneur built the first glass bottom boat. The water here is crystal clear, and the view of the aquatic life and vegetation is spectacular. Today, the famous Silver Springs glass bottom boats still take tourists on scenic and educational tours of the river fed by the ancient spring.

When the sun sets during the Christmas season, Silver Springs becomes a winter wonderland. There are thousands (maybe millions) of lights that illuminate the park's many natural features. It's a truly spectacular sight.

While visiting Silver Springs, we recommend RV camping at Salt Springs Recreation Area. It's located in the Ocala National Forest, and features a pristine warm spring with a family of manatee residing just beneath the glassy warm water.

So, there you have it, our 10th favorite Christmas destination. Visit us tomorrow to discover the vacation spot we consider #9.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas - #11

A Countdown of our Favorite Southeastern Christmas Destinations The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will publish a new destination each day until we reveal our #1 Christmas holiday destination. #11 - Cumberland Island: St. Marys, Georgia The Carnegie family, one of the most prestigious and wealthy dynasties in the Americas, once spent their Christmas with their loved ones here on Cumberland Island. Today you can visit this once exclusive nature preserve for little to nothing. Cumberland Island, an official National Seashore, is a barrier island paradise known to few. Located near St. Marys, Georgia, Cumberland is at the southern-most portion of the Georgia coastal plane. To access Cumberland Island, you will take a ferry from the town of St. Marys. The marina where the ferry resides is really quite charming with multiple sailboats docked nearby. It almost has a "New England" feel to it. The ferryboat ride is just long enough to be a "ride," but short enough to remain interesting to the kiddos. The ferry will stop at two locations on Cumberland Island. We recommend the second stop because bicycles are available for rent there, and because the narrative at the first stop can be quite lengthy (but informative). The island has several miles of barren unoccupied beach, but the real attractions involve dunes, live oaks, armadillos, and wild horses. There are few places\ on earth that would compare to Cumberland Island's natural beauty, vegetation, and wildlife. While visiting Cumberland Island, we recommend staying at Crooked River State Park or Big Wheel RV park. If you want a natural surrounding, Crooked River is the place to stay. If you want an RV site with cable and full-hookup, then we suggest BigWheel RV Park. If money is no object, and you would prefer an exclusive room on the island, check out the Greyfield Inn. For more information about Cumberland Island, including dozens of pictures and a PB&J Adventure Journal entry, click here. Tomorrow we'll be heading south to another favorite southern Christmas destination. Tune in to solve the mystery.

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas - #12

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #12 - Parks at Chehaw: Albany, Georgia Albany Georgia may not register high on some lists as an ideal winter destination. They would be wrong. Chehaw is especially inviting this time of year. The air is cool and crisp, the campground is beautiful (virtually empty), the creatures in the wild animal park are in plain view sunning themselves, the native snakes are hibernating, and the seasonal Festival of Lights is pretty spectacular. It's hard to define our favorite feature of this destination. The Jim Fowler (Wild Kingdom) designed  Animal Park is most definitely one of the nicest we've ever visited. However, the kids would have to rank the playground as one of the best they've ever seen too. The bike riding is easy here because it's very flat. In fact, once you're here, you can ride bikes pretty much anywhere you'd want to go in the park. Albany is just a short drive from the Parks at Chehaw and features many entertainment and dining  opportunities. We especially enjoyed bowling at the local lanes and eating delicious seafood prepared locally at Blackbeard's. For details about the Parks at Chehaw, including dozens of pictures and an Adventure Journal entry, click here. So there you have it. the first of our Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas starts in Albany, Georgia. Where from there? Tune in tomorrow to solve the mystery.