Finding Our Future Hometown: A Sweetwater Stop Full of Possibilities
Not every stop on our journey is about scenic hikes and delicious food—sometimes, it’s about searching for home. This leg of our travels brought us to Sweetwater, Tennessee, with one main goal: finding our future home base.
Sweetwater & Athens: A Perfect Middle Ground
After searching in several places without that “this is it” feeling, we were feeling a little discouraged. But Sweetwater and its neighboring towns gave us hope. Just south of Sweetwater sits Athens, TN, a town that checked a lot of our boxes.
🌲 Small-town charm with a close-knit community.
🛍️ An hour from both Chattanooga & Knoxville, offering a perfect balance of rural living with easy access to bigger cities.
🏡 Surrounded by cute small towns—Sweetwater, Etowah, and Riceville—each with its own unique charm.
🛒 Only 30 minutes to Cleveland, where we could still get big-city conveniences without losing that peaceful countryside feel.
While we don’t have a ton of photos from this stop, it’s because most of them were of potential properties and homes—each one a possibility, a step closer to finding our perfect spot.
A Few Fun Finds Along the Way
Of course, house hunting wasn’t the only thing we did. We stumbled upon Mo Mo’s, a fantastic Thai food truck, proving that even in small-town Tennessee, you can find amazing international flavors. (And trust us, after all that driving around looking at properties, a good plate of Pad Thai was well deserved!)
We also took a trip to Fort Loudoun, a historic 18th-century fort with stunning lake views, and I was lucky enough to sneak in another Knoxville day with Mandy—because girl time is always a priority!
Next Steps: Heading South, But Not for Long
While we didn’t close on a home just yet, we narrowed down the area we want to settle in, and that’s a huge win. With that peace of mind, we’re heading south for the winter, but Sweetwater, Athens, and the surrounding area have stolen our hearts—so come Spring, we’ll be back ready to plant our roots.
Until then, it’s time for warmer weather, more adventures, and maybe another round of Mo Mo’s Thai!
