The Andon-Reid has always been a great place for couples. The Inn has been known as a great romantic getaway for anniversaries, honeymoons, babymoons, parent weekend escapes and just normal couples’ vacations. Additionally, Waynesville is a great central location for day trips to the Biltmore and to amazing hiking and natural sightseeing. However, there are many other reasons and ways to stay at the Andon-Reid and we’ve seen firsthand how much fun folks have using the Inn as a base for unique gatherings and social events. We wanted to share some of the awesome ways that people utilize the Inn that don’t include your typical 2-person getaway. We love to see Andon-Reid used as a central hub for these unique types of trips:
Golf Vacations
With a backdrop of stunning mountains and year-round moderate temperatures, Western North Carolina boasts amazing opportunities to hit the links. Near the Inn, some of the popular public courses to play a few rounds include Springdale, Laurel Ridge, Lake Junaluska, Sequoyah National and Maggie Valley Country Club (all with gorgeous mountain surroundings and views). Many of these courses have recently undergone major investments and the new changes are quite exciting. And, of course, we are not too far from Asheville gems like Omni Grove Park.
Motorcycle Touring
During the spring, summer, and fall, Western North Carolina is undoubtedly one of the better places to ride and enjoy the freedom and exhilaration of the motorcycle. There are so many great options to tour the area on scenic country roads and byways. The Blue Ridge Parkway is, of course, a spectacular place to ride, but there are also amazing roads, overlooks and scenery in other areas like the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. The loop from Waynesville to Sylva/Dillsboro to Highlands/Cashiers/Brevard and back is amazingly beautiful and tours some awesome small North Carolina towns. Check out our detailed route suggestions on our blog post about waterfalls. A bit further afield, one of the most popular options for motorcycle touring is the Tail of the Dragon route on the edge of the Smokies, which many of our guests have come here specifically to enjoy. Plus, there’s a great museum dedicated to motorcycles in Maggie Valley called Wheels Through Time.
Mother-Daughter Trips and Girls Getaways
Of the guest stories that we cherish the most are the ones where mothers and daughters reconnect throughout the years. One of our favorite stories is of a mother who has hosted separate trips for all three of her grown daughters in the same room at the Inn. Waynesville also has great options for girls getaway weekends with some great wellness and spa options like Maggie Valley Wellness & Waynesville Yoga plus great restaurants and two awesome wine stores in Bosu’s and the Classic Wineseller.
Family and Friend Reunions
We’ve also hosted some truly memorable trips for family and friend groups. We’ve had groups take advantage of our Whole House Rentals to reunite generations of far-flung families to celebrate birthdays and graduations and we recently hosted a group of sorority sisters who have been friends for 50+ years! We’ve also hosted a full house of friends connected by a unique affinity for vintage Porsches, which was a super fun weekend for everyone! With the spectacular outdoor setting, game room, and fully stocked guest lounge, reunions and intimate social gatherings are the perfect use of the Andon-Reid.
Fishing Trips
With an abundance of beautiful rivers, streams and lakes in the area, the Inn is a great home base to spend a dedicated vacation fishing. A great place to start planning a trip is by visiting Tuckaseegee Fly Shop, who will have all the info and gear to make sure you do it right. They also have guided fishing tours for those want a little more direction and expertise in finding the best places to go.
Working Vacations
When we purchased the Inn in 2022, one of the first investments we made was upgrading the Wi-Fi and the network at the Inn. We’ve heard from guests that the network is so much more reliable now and provides all the bandwidth needed for their streaming and working needs. In this post-COVID age where people and companies have learned to work from anywhere, where else would be better for a little working vacation than a peaceful and quiet retreat surrounded by gorgeous mountain views and a daily delicious gourmet breakfast!?!?
And that’s not all…
In the winter, one of the more popular attractions around is the Cataloochee Valley Ski Resort, which is no more than 15 minutes away from the Inn in Maggie Valley. A hearty breakfast at the Inn followed by a day on the slopes and then back to the Inn for a nice cup of hot chocolate, tea (or wine!) by the fireplace sounds like the perfect winter day to us!
And all year round, Waynesville, Maggie Valley and the surrounding areas boast some great antique and consignment shopping options. You could definitely spend an entire 2-3 days exploring and doing some fabulous antiquing without driving more than 15 minutes from the Inn in any direction. Additionally, Western North Carolina has always been known as a great place to find great homemade furniture and fantastic woodwork from amazing local artisans.
We can’t wait to hear about all the other creative vacations and getaways our guests plan in the future. We’ll see you at the Inn for your next unique trip!
— Brenda and Peter
