Our stay was full of area activities and a return home to a beautiful home, gorgeous scenery, silence except for the amazing hummingbirds, a babbling river to hear and see, trees full of foliage (our time of year with the leaves turning was stunning), and a good book!
We are very active and there are so many options in the area! We rode the Virginia Creeper bike trail which is fun for cyclists and anyone who can stay upright on a bike. One rides downhill where a train used to go uphill, along a beautiful mountain stream! Renting kayaks and a shuttle is a fantastic experience. The temps in October were in the 50s and 60s and we still LOVED getting out on the river to navigate around eddies, paddle a bit, and float a lot!! Hiking is dreamlike in the mountains! Grayson Highlands and Mount Jefferson are just two of the many where one can see the waterfalls, the sun beams filtering through the trees, and feel the exhilaration of being in the outdoors!
In nearby Mt. Jefferson, we enrolled in an art class at the Florence Thomas Art School to join in the barn quilt art craze that we saw on so many area barns and homes. They are beautiful and fun to learn to do, plus the gallery has wonderful works by local artists! We visit Blowing Rock and never miss a chance to have Kilwin's Ice Cream. Within ten minutes is the River House where we sit on the veranda with a glass of wine to relax before an incredible dinner. Of course, breakfast at Shatley Springs is an experience to be had! Our timing missed getting to see the maple syrup being collected on nearby farms, but we did get to see the hillsides full of growing Christmas trees! A few years back we were here in April to enjoy Merle Fest, so check it out.
The home is immaculate with pristine wooden floors, solid wooden doors, spotlessly clean, soft calming colors, wonderful artwork, kitchen stocked with everything we needed and more, comfortable mattresses, beautiful pottery plates that match the area so filled with artists, spacious rooms with beautiful views that still give one that cozy feel, a dynamic stone fireplace, and the feel that someone truly loves this place to have it so perfect within its environment. You would think Frank Lloyd Wright designed it. He didn't.
Five stars, FOR SURE! Take care of this place. We will return.