Anyway, I was going to get my act together to think of something new and creative to do for our anniversary. I wanted to forgo the usual dinner and movie. I kept searching the Internet for ideas and had the best intentions, but with preparing for summer school and a trip to see my parents, I completely flaked.
Luckily, Dan didn't! He planned a surprise trip, courtesy of a Groupon he bought to this historic inn in Luray, Va. You definitely have to make your own fun in Luray, which consists of about five stop lights, but he knows how much I can't get enough of the mountains. Love this man.
Anyway, here's the classy front of the hotel. Kind of looks like a place made for a mint julep.
We basically spent the first day just taking in the landscape and dipping in the hotel's pool. I forget how much I love the mountains until I see views like this again.
What else? Oh, Luray had one cute sandwich place that we checked out, and I just wanted to share the charming inside. I loved the bike and the old school card catalog. There is something very cozy about a bookshelf so tall that you need a ladder.
Luray is not really known for its culinary scene, so we just had greasy mexican for dinner to mark the 'ole six year. Sidenote: It's very hard to snap an iPhone pic at arm's length and hold up six fingers at the same time, so excuse the awkwardness.
Beers and rocking together on the front porch = two old souls just kicking it
The next day, we continued to celebrate with our little field trip to Luray Caverns. Yes, it was as cheesy as it sounds. Our guide deserved a Mr. Luray Caverns 2012 sash with being so sweetly enthusiastic and eager to tell his cave jokes throughout the entire tour.
Our guide: "This formation is what we call "The Ice Cream Cone'. Can anyone guess what flavor??
No?
Anyone?
ROCKY ROAD!"
This guy had his audience eating out of the palm of effing his hand. You would have thought he was Will Ferrell.
There's also an organ that creates music by vibrating off stalagmites. Our guide dubbed the music: "Tunes from 'The Stones'."
You know the jokes on the candy wrappers? If Hubba Bubba gum ever needs new writers, this guy would be a shoo-in.
Still, it was kind of neat to see the caverns I used to walk through as an awkward eleven year old on our family camping trip... while wearing a fanny pack... and tapered jeans... and a sweatshirt I had glammed up with puffy paint.
Memories.
Anyway, we finished our trip with a picnic at Lake Arrowhead:
Not much to say about this. We just ate and took a paddleboat around this scenic lake:
Two more summer to do's coming this week!
4 comments:
What a sweet anniversary. My 15 year anniversary is coming up next month and I have been obsessively trying to plan something. I hope what I come up with is half as good as your trip sounds :)
What a fun anniversary for you two! How perfect -- I'm so glad you had a happy one!
xo Josie
What a great trip! I love the cute little sandwich shop. I miss the mountains too...although after growing up in the southwest I have to say the east coast mountains are a little disappointing. You need to plan a trip to Colorado or Wyoming to get some real mountains!
Oh my goodness, what a wonderful time! Beautiful hotel, and time to relax... Ahhhhh!
I can't believe the part about the awkward 11 year-old family trip to Luray - we did the same thing, and I was also 11, I think! I remember the piano like it was yesterday! I also remember that I wrapped my retainer in a napkin at a diner on the way down and lost it (for the THIRD time) and my parents had to drive back, and they made ME help the kitchen staff paw through the garbage! What awful (I mean awesome, responsible, OK I get it) parents! Luray memories for 11 year-olds...
Great post! Oh, and happy 6th anniversary!
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