Sometimes you need a good excuse to get out of town — and few are better than the impending doom of a massive Cape Verde hurricane. When it seemed to be barreling toward our south Florida town, my wife and I made a decision: bundle the kids up and drive to Bristol, Tennessee.
I’d like to pretend that we enjoyed ourselves during the drive up, but that... well, it would be pretending! Three children ranging in ages from one to eight who are trapped on evacuee-choked highways do not a pleasant trip make. However, that all changed once we got to our destination.
"Three children ranging in ages from one to eight who are trapped on evacuee-choked highways do not a pleasant trip make. However, that all changed once we got to our destination."
Bristol is that rare kind of city that straddles two states, lying half in The Volunteer State and half in Virginia. The GEICO gecko immortalized the incongruity by standing on the state line and proclaiming that he was in Virginessee. Other than its obvious dividing line, Bristol is best known for The Birthplace of Country Music museum and the Bristol Motor Speedway, which draws hundreds of thousands of NASCAR fans at a time.
Indeed, some kind of race was on when we arrived in town, but we chose other activities during our impromptu trip. The Pinnacle, a brand-new shopping center, provided plenty of diversions for my clan, including an incredible indoor trampoline park.
"As far as more natural attractions go, the Bristol Caverns offer an amazing peak into the area's subterranean wonders. Swooping swathes of stalactites plunge multiple stories before landing in a nearly ice-cold subterranean river."
As far as more natural attractions go, the Bristol Caverns offer an amazing peek into the area’s subterranean wonders. Swooping swathes of stalactites plunge multiple stories before landing in a nearly ice-cold subterranean river. Take a guided tour to learn a little more about the amazing discovery of the Caverns.
To my children, though, the most enjoyable part of our trip was hanging out at Warriors’ Path State Park. This wooded 950 acre stretch boasts biking and hiking trails aplenty, as well as a stream to splash in. But what my kids really loved was the Park’s Boundless Playground. Not only does it contain all of the usual play equipment, it has a giant tree house and an eight-station walking path that tells the story of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Bristol might not make it onto too many must-visit lists, but I’d argue it has tons to offer young families — especially when hurricanes threaten!
"As far as more natural attractions go, the Bristol Caverns offer an amazing peak into the area's subterranean wonders. Swooping swathes of stalactites plunge multiple stories before landing in a nearly ice-cold subterranean river."
"As far as more natural attractions go, the Bristol Caverns offer an amazing peak into the area's subterranean wonders. Swooping swathes of stalactites plunge multiple stories before landing in a nearly ice-cold subterranean river."