Alli Talley

June 18, 2019

Looking For an Adventure? Check Out The Smokies Summer Giveaway!

Alli Talley

June 18, 2019

What are your summer plans? Y'all know how we love a good road trip. The only thing that would elevate the trips we've been taking in our little Toyota Rav4 would be if we could hop in an RV. How much would Sally love that?!?

With that in mind, we recently learned that RVshare is doing an incredible giveaway, with a four-day, three-night trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. You can enter the giveaway here!

We drove through he Great Smoky Mountains last month, and were obsessed with the endless forests and panoramic views. The Great Smoky Mountains encompass over 187,000 acres of forest spread across 2 states. What you probably didn't know is that it is the most popular national park in the USA, ahead of the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. Have you been? Hopefully you're starting to realize that you're missing out.

For the giveaway, the grand prize winner will receive a free RV rental, a free campground stay, and a $1000 cash prize. To enter, you must live in the US, you must be over the age of 25, and you should probably love the RV lifestyle. The winner will be selected at random, and you can increase your entries by doing the following:

refer friend to enter by sharing the link with them
follow RVshare on social media
retweet the giveaway on Twitter
answer RVshare's bucket list question
and more!

You can enter to win the Smokies Summer Giveaway anytime between June 3rd, 2019 and July 1st, 2019, which gives you only two weeks to get as many bonus entries as you can – so act fast! We can’t wait to find out who wins and to share the thrill that RVing gives millions of families every year. Thanks for playing and good luck!

Nothing better than exploring National Parks!

Alli Talley

May 29, 2019

USA, Tennessee

We See You, Knoxville

Alli Talley

May 29, 2019

USA, Tennessee

We’ve gotten a lot of questions this road trip, everything from “Why did you bring your dog along?” to “Do you two fight ALL the time?” but two of the most frequent questions we’ve gotten are “What’s your favorite stop so far?” and “Has anywhere surprised you?”

While it’s too hard to pick a favorite (every city has been SO different, you really can’t compare), we without a doubt can answer which city surprised us.

Knoxville, Tennessee.

Now, we could say the typical “It’s really up and coming!” and “It’s such a foodie city!” (which is all true), but Knoxville deserves more than that. It’s special. It has the charm and approachability that we would assume Nashville had before it really commercialized. It’s a small town, yet modern, and the people are all so incredibly kind and proud of their city. (And after having spent a couple of days there, we felt proud of Knoxville too!)

Instead of trying to convince you on just how epic Knoxville is, we figure we’ll let our experience (and the pictures) do the talking. Here’s what we did:

ATE OUR WAY THROUGH KNOXVILLE

If we’re being honest, we’re probably still full from Knoxville. This city has more restaurants and cafes than it knows what to do with - and they’re good, too! From modern taco shops like Chivo Taqueria and Good Golly Tamale, to artisan pizzarias like A Dopo Sourdough Pizza, to mouthwatering bakeries like Wild Love Bakehouse and Paysan Bread, the Knoxville foodie scene has a little of everything. And if you don’t end the day with a dipped cone at Cruze Farm Ice Cream, you’re doing it wrong!

Morning bagel deliciousness at Paysan Bread (and Remedy Coffee right next door)

Good Golly Tamale has some golly good tamales

Sally wanted the tacos at Chivo Taqueria

Yassin’s Falafel House is a great quick dinner

Can you see the SPARKLES?!?!?! Cruze Farm is AMAZING!

DRANK OUR WAY THROUGH KNOXVILLE

If you love beer, you will have a serious love affair with Knoxville. There are 15 local craft breweries in town, and every brewery has a story and a theme. Schulz Brau Brewing Company serves German style beers in a castle, Pretentious Beer Co serves their ales in hand-blown glasses that are made on site, and Last Days of Autumn has the best taco tuesday in town! (Paired with a habanero IPA, of course!)

How do we know so much about these breweries, you ask? We took the famous Knox Brew Tour - and we highly recommend it! This 3-hour tour took us through four craft breweries, where we not only learned more about the beer-making process, but we enjoyed twelve tastings, and made some new friends along the way. (No joke - we all went out to dinner together after!) We can’t say enough about how fun the tour is, and how great the people are that run them. The next time we’re back in Knoxville, you better believe we’ll be doing another Knox Brew Tour.

And while beer was definitely a highlight, we would be remiss to leave out our daily fuel - coffee. Of course there are amazing coffee shops in Knoxville. Some of our favorites are Honeybee Coffee, Remedy Coffee, Wild Love Bakehouse, and Awaken Coffee (and there were more that we wanted to visit - next time!).

Hand blown glass can be found all over Pretenious Beer Co, and you can buy some amazing glasses!

Our guide Zack, aka Taco, is a beer guru that makes the tour so much fun!

We left with more knowledge of beer, but also some new pals!

Wild Love Bakehouse for coffee and treats!

Honeybee is bright, spacious, and has some yummy coffee

SWUNG, ZIPPED, & WALKED OUR WAY THROUGH KNOXVILLE

Thanks to the folks at Navitat Canopy Adventures, we were able to see Knoxville in a whole new way… from the trees! We spent an afternoon conquering their tree-based zipline and aerial course, and it was quite the thrill! USA Today has called their zipline course “One of the best in the nation”, and it definitely lives up to the hype. Adventure seekers, this is reason enough to put Knoxville on your radar!

Prefer walking on solid ground over balancing on ropes? You’re in luck too! Knoxville’s downtown is incredibly walkable. We rarely used our car while we were there, which we loved! We stayed at the Hilton Downtown, which was just a stone’s throw away from the picturesque Market Square, where there were plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops to explore. Oh, and we can’t forget about Strong Alley (just parallel to Market Square)! This colorful artist-designated alley has dozens of unique and expressive murals - our favorite was the painting of the iconic Dolly Parton!

Before we embarked on our adventure at Navitat Canopy Adventures

Bobby flying through one of the more challenging courses!

Beautiful night to explore Market Square

Dolly Parton is one of the first to greet you as you stroll into Strong Alley

SALLY PAWED HER WAY THROUGH KNOXVILLE

Knoxville is just about as dog friendly as they come. Not only do most restaurants have dog friendly patios, but many downtown shops allow dogs inside! We had the best time shopping with Sally in Mast General Store, where she got ample attention from friendly shoppers, and we were able to stock up on some needed roadtripping essentials.

Popular pet brand Pet Safe has their headquarters in Knoxville, and has outfitted the city with spacious dog parks and even a pet resort and spa! We frequented the Pet Safe Downtown Dog Park, where Sally was able to get her wiggles out and make some new friends.

Most breweries are dog friendly, including Alliance Brewing Company, Balter Beerworks, and Elkmont Exchange (see a full list here). Many of which will bring water bowls to your table and have puppy treats on hand, that’s true Southern hospitality right there!

Sally getting her wiggles out at the Pet Safe Downtown Dog Park

Mast General Store has treasures everywhere

So many great spots for Sally to get her photo taken!

Moral of the story? Knoxville is really cool. It surprised us, and we think it will surprise you too. We can’t wait to go back.

Alli Talley

May 21, 2019

USA, Tennessee

Our Memphis, Tennessee Top 10

Alli Talley

May 21, 2019

USA, Tennessee

What’s the first thing that you think of when you think of Memphis, Tennessee?

Elvis Presley?

Us too! Up until a few weeks ago, our knowledge of Memphis was very limited. We knew it was in Tennessee (because #obviously), we knew it’s where Graceland is located (because #iconic), and we knew it’s the birthplace of Justin Timberlake (because #priorities) - but beyond that, Memphis was somewhat a mystery to us! And that’s our favorite way to enter a new city - with limited knowledge and preconceived ideas/expectations. It gives us the ability to fully immerse and explore the destination, and come to conclusions on our own. Well, after spending three full days in the “Home of Blues, Soul, and Rock n’ Roll”, we’re happy to say that we love Memphis. It’s a city full of heart, history, mouth-watering food, and really incredible music… It’s safe to say that if you love those things, you’ll love Memphis too!

Here’s our Top 10 Not-To-Miss Memphis spots!

10. BASS PRO SHOPS AT THE PYRAMID: Sure, you’ve probably been inside a Bass Pro Shop or two in your life, but this one is NEXT LEVEL. What used to be “The Pyramid Arena” (a sports complex inside a giant pyramid) has now turned into a Bass Pro Shops superstore, with ample shopping, restaurants, aquariums, a bowling alley, a hotel, and more. Kinda hard to wrap your mind around, huh? You have to see it to believe it! You could easily spend hours exploring inside, and the store is dog-friendly, too!

The Bass Pro Shop at the Pyramid stands out on the Memphis skyline

9. CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE: Speaking of giant indoor metropolises, you have to see the Crosstown Concourse! What once was a Sears mail-order processing warehouse is now a 1.5 million square foot urban village. (Say what?!) There’s a grocery store, fitness center, health clinics, charter school, restaurants, offices, apartments, and MORE! It’s the coolest, biggest, and most revolutionary live/work spaces we’ve ever seen… and a perfect place to spend the day if you’re wanting to stay indoors!

8. CENTRAL BBQ: Ask any Memphis local where to eat, and chances are they’ll send you to Central BBQ. This award-winning BBQ restaurant specializes in “fall-off-the-bone meat”, southern hospitality, and good times, and we can most definitely say they delivered just that! No matter what you order, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed… and make sure you try their famous banana pudding for dessert!

7. SUN STUDIO: Known as the “Birth Place of Rock n’ Roll”, Sun Studio is not only the recording studio where 18 year-old Elvis Presley recorded his first song, but it’s also where iconic artists like Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others started their musical career. You’ll get to hear fascinating stories, see the original recording room, and listen to some legendary BTS clips from when Elvis was recording. Make sure you book your tour in advance! (You can do so here.)

Countless rock legends have recorded on this microphone!

6. NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM: Built around the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (the former Lorraine Motel), this extensive and beautifully done museum traces the history of the Civil Rights Movement from the 17th century to today. It’s powerful, raw, and incredibly moving. You can even see Room 306, the hotel room in which Dr. King spent his final hours.

Outside the National Civil Rights Museum

5. THE PEABODY: Dating back to 1869, the historic Peabody Hotel has become a main attraction for Memphis visitors, not only for its stunning architecture and award-winning restaurants, but also for their resident ducks! Everyday at 11am and 5pm, onlookers can watch the “Peabody Duck March” where the resident ducks march to and from the lobby fountain. It’s basically the cutest thing ever. (And if you visit Memphis and don’t visit the Peabody ducks, we’ll be very disappointed in you.)

4. BEALE STREET: If you love live music, you’ll love Beale Street! Named the “Home of the Blues” by an act of Congress, it’s a street packed with restaurants, bars, and live music venues that will have you laughing, dancing, and singing all day (and night) long! Our suggestion? Grab a drink to go and leisurely explore the three blocks of musical entertainment bliss… and make sure you catch the famous Beale Street Flippers in action!

3. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB: Our favorite live music venue on Beale Street, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include B.B. King’s Blues Club on our list! It’s a restaurant and bar, dance floor, and music venue all in one - and their soulful performers are unparalleled. Wear comfortable shoes, as you’re bound to be dancing all night long!

2. GUS’S FRIED CHICKEN: We can’t stress how absolutely phenomenal Gus’s Fried Chicken is (hence why it’s #2 on our list). We’ve tasted a lot of fried chicken over the years, and Gus’s puts them all to shame. Go in the mid-afternoon when the lines are short, order fried chicken (you can choose whether you want white or dark meat), their famous mac n’ cheese, and whatever other sides you’re craving. All it takes is one bite, and you’ll know exactly why we’re so obsessed.

1. GRACELAND: We’ll just say it now. You can’t go to Memphis without visiting Graceland. Not only can you tour the place that Elvis once called home, but you can walk through his gardens, board his aircraft, and admire thousands of legendary artifacts and personal mementos of the king of rock n’ roll. The rooms are captivating, and beautifully preserved. It's a must-see. AND the audio tour is voiced by John Stamos - absolutely genius! *Little known fact: Elvis fans can now get married at the new “Graceland Wedding Chapel in the Woods”! (They’re even making a Hallmark movie featuring the chapel!)

Alli enjoying the audio tour at Graceland

So, there you have it. Our Memphis Top 10. Honestly, we could’ve easily written a blog on our “Memphis Top 20” because of all we saw, did, and ate, but we figured that might be pushing it. ;) For those that might be wondering, we stayed at the Hotel Indigo Memphis Downtown - and we loved it. It’s clean and modern and walking distance to all of the downtown sights. And very dog friendly, too!

Sally living her best life at the Hotel Indigo Downtown

Super fun layout and design at the Hotel Indigo Downtown!

Did we miss anything on this list? We’d love to hear your favorite Memphis spots, for when we return again.