From St. Louis to Crossville: Bourbon, Buc-ee’s & Beautiful Scenery 🥃🍂
Our travels from St. Louis to Crossville, TN included a quick overnight in Kentucky, and we hit the jackpot with an amazing Harvest Host stop at Casey Jones Distillery. Now, neither of us are bourbon fans, but we figured—why not give a tasting a try? Maybe we’d been missing out? Nope. It’s confirmed—we are still not bourbon fans. 😆 But the tour itself was fantastic, and the property was absolutely beautiful for an overnight stay.
Once in Crossville, we set up camp at the KOA, a perfect spot midway between Nashville and Knoxville. We had heard great things about this quaint little town, and Cumberland County did not disappoint.
First Stop: Buc-ee’s—An Epic Gas Station Experience ⛽🐿️
We finally got to experience the hype of Buc-ee’s, and let me tell you—it’s not just a gas station. It’s a food court, shopping mall, and road trip paradise all rolled into one. We may or may not have stocked up on brisket sandwiches, beaver nuggets, and way too many snacks. Totally worth it!
Scenic Beauty: Cumberland Mountain & Fall Creek Falls 🌲🍁
We made sure to soak in some Tennessee beauty, starting with a visit to Cumberland Mountain State Park and then heading to Fall Creek Falls, home to one of the tallest waterfalls in the eastern U.S. The whole area was stunning, especially with fall colors in full swing.
Scouting for a Future Home Base 🏡🚗
One of our big goals for this Tennessee leg of the trip was scoping out potential home base locations. That meant a lot of driving through different towns and communities. One place that stood out? Sweetwater—home to the adorable Sweetwater Valley Farm. We stopped in for some of the best cheese and got to take in the rolling hills and peaceful scenery. Definitely adding it to our list of possibilities!
Reconnecting with Friends—The Best Part of Traveling ❤️
A big highlight was meeting up with our good friend Mandy, who recently moved to Tennessee from Minnesota. We met up for dinner in the Knoxville area and took a day trip to visit the whole fam. It was so good to catch up!
We also made a stop in Sparta to see our friends Jason and Angie, who we originally met in South Dakota during our first year on the road. One of the best things about RV life? No matter where we travel, we always find friends along the way!
A Little History & A Lot of Good Food 🏰🍖
Of course, no trip would be complete without a little history, so we swung by South Point Fort in Kingston for a quick stop. And as usual, we enjoyed plenty of delicious food, great drinks, and of course, Nick’s legendary smoked meat.
This leg of our journey was a perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, and reconnection. On to the next stop! 🚐✨
