I recently flew to Connecticut to meet up with my good friend, Naty, and we road-tripped cross country down to Florida together. In between lots of driving and less than 5 hours of sleep each night, we had a blast exploring cave waterfalls, castles, canyons, and more in four different states. I can’t wait to show you all the cool places we visited.
~ Testimonial Gateway, New York
Our first stop was added to the trip itinerary last minute. Lately, I have been super inspired by castle/renaissance/princess and royal core aesthetics. A Google search for local castles led me to this adorable archway. The Testimonial Gateway tower was constructed in 1907 and formally served as the entrance to Mohonk Mountain and now sits on the Mohawk Preserve. The gateway was the most adorable little castle of sorts and my unexpected favorite stop of the trip.
If you plan to visit, please note that the few reviews online seem to be outdated. There was no fee to enter and there was a parking lot with restrooms.
~ Minnewaska State Park, New York
Our next stop was Minnewaska State Park. We planned to hike to the bigger waterfall here, but the rain sent us back to the car almost immediately. We did get to see this tiny waterfall, however, it was already raining when this quick picture was taken and we did not want to risk our gear.
~ Devil’s Bathtub, Virginia
We stopped in Virginia on the second day of our trip. We didn’t end up getting into the woods until late in the day, which was beyond stressful. It was raining a good portion both ways and getting dark on the way back so were SURE we were going to get stuck out there in the dark. Luckily we made a mad rush after our photoshoot back to the car and made it before sundown. Since it was just before dark when we arrived at the Devil’s Bathtub, this allowed us to take our photos in private, so I’d say it all worked out.
The hike to Devil’s Bathtub is not for weak hikers. The bathtub is located on a 3-4 mile looped trail marked with yellow markers, very reminiscent of the yellow brick road. Unless you’re up for the 7-mile hike, make a left at the second creek crossing. There are roughly 13 creek crossings and a lot of climbing on this trail.
The Devil’s Bathtub itself is a kidney-shaped bathtub-sized natural pothole filled with a pool of blue-green water. Be warned - it's cold, dark and deep once you get in it! There is a waterfall behind it as well. If you’re up for the hike, the views are spectacular and unique.
~ Ruby Falls, Tennessee
Our next stop was Ruby Falls, a 145-foot waterfall located inside a cave. Ruby also happens to be the largest of its kind open to the public in the United States. If you've never been on a cave tour, this is the one to see!
The tour is around an hour long and starts with ride in a glass-front elevator 260-feet into Look Out Mountain. During the tour, we were lead through the caverns while learning about the different structures and history of the Ruby Falls.
A series of very well-done videos conveyed even more about the history, discovery, acquisition and construction of Ruby Falls. The videos are quick and educational and really bring Ruby Fall’s founder, Leo Lambert's, vision to life. I love learning fun facts like the fact that the castle-eque exterior of the building was actually created using limestone removed from the cave, always makes it seem so much more special.
Near the end of the tour, we were lead into the main cavern space. It was dark and music was playing to set the mood for the reveal of the waterfall. Not long after, the colored lights came on and illuminated and enhanced her natural beauty. Cheers echoed through the cavern, making the experience even that more awe-inspiring.
Tours of Ruby Falls are timed and you must purchase your tickets ahead of time online. Included with your ticket, you will also receive access to Lookout Mountain, where a colorblind viewfinder is located. This viewfinder allows those with colorblindness to also be able to enjoy the colors of the mountains on this scenic lookout. We opted to take the daytime cave tour but if you’re looking for an even more unique experience, the same tour is offered at night by lantern.
If you can fit this into your travel plans, it's a must stop!
~ Downtown Chattanooga
After Ruby Falls, we wandered around the shops in downtown Chattanooga, specifically around Frazier Street. For locally made and sourced goods, Locals Only Gifts & Goods is the spot. For the new age group, All Things Groovy. For Chattanooga/TN gear we shopped at MoonPie General Store, Boxcar General Store, and I can't forget to mention the smoothies from Tienda La Antigua. For lunch, Mamacita had a wide variety of Mexican flare with delicious vegan and vegetarian options, which are hard to find.
~ The Englund Estate, GA
For our lodging in Georgia, we stayed at the Englund Estate. The England Estate is a restored 1840 Greek revival-style home and event venue. The highlights of this beautiful home were definitely the antique tub and backyard boxwood garden. We grabbed bath bombs and facemasks and Rounding down the trip here was the perfect restful activity between driving and hiking.
~ Providence Canyon, GA
We spent the final day of our trip at Providence Canyon. Nicknamed Georiga’s Little Grand Canyon, these huge craters and cliffs were actually caused by improper farming practices. It’s really beautiful at Providence Canyon and in the south, we don’t have landscapes such as this. We had a blast exploring the miles of trails and little caves.
I hope you enjoyed hearing about our cross-country road trip! I was so fortunate to be able to take time away to enjoy this epic adventure with Naty. If you’re ever traveling along this route do yourself a favor and stop at as many of these locations as you can. You will not regret it.