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My family would like to get out of the heat & humidity of Florida this summer for a month or so. Is it possible to beat the 95 degree/100% humidity in Florida by traveling to Asheville/Boone or somewhere else ? If so, are there ample activities for a 7-year-old like bike trails, public swimming facilities, camps, etc. We would like to rent a condo/townhouse for a month but if that's not feasible, could make do in a hotel. Wouldn't be all vacation for me, as I have the ability to work remotely.
Last edited by Soup Not See; 05-05-2011 at 12:19 PM..
Our neighbors come in from Florida each summer to get away from the high heat and humidity. It's really not that bad here in the summer... especially in comparison to Florida. We moved to McDowell County about 4 1/2 years ago and haven't used A/C since. Now, I know that not everyone living here would tell you the same, but I don't find the heat and humidity all that bad...
There are quite a lot of things to do around this area and McDowell County isn't that far away from Asheville. There is Lake James here in McDowell with bike trails and swimming. There's also the Linville Caverns and Falls, There are just too many other places around western North Carolina to be able to list them all. Here's a website for Tourism in McDowell County... McDowell County - Tourism Development Authority
There are also, depending on what you are looking for, ther are some nice vacation rentals around the area. My brother and sister-in-law rented a house in south McDowell County for a week last spring that was really nice...
I've just never understood people saying "it's not that bad, here," heat-wise during the summer. No, it's not like being in Florida, but it's still not a cakewalk. I'm sorry, but hot is hot -- there are just varying levels of it.
That having been said, high 80's to low 90's with something like 70%-80% humidity isn't comfortable, at least not to me.
Agree with Hymnsinger, Boone is the place to be. If you can stay in a great hotel with a great view for at least the first part of your time, the concierge can point you to children's activities, OR you can study online at various websites of Boone for specific children's stuff, since activities in general are quite varied and numerous. See can you find a petting farm with Alpacas (mini Llama type creatures), perhaps some VERY limited water tubing for kids, lots of biking trails all around and I think a number are in Blowing Rock on some reserve type place... sorry, all this info slips my memory, but online should help.
Now, last summer, we had a hot one, but so did the entire South, it was the longest, hottest summer in my memory, and I've been here since 1982. Every TV weather map's temps were the SAME no matter where in the South it was. See, decades and decades ago before there was air conditioning in existence, all Southerners, especially flatland plantation folk, made it a practice in summer to head for the mountain altitudes or the beach breezes to beat the heat. This was partly what made the western NC mountains a resort area (the other was the creation of national parks, with the Blue Ridge Parkway up here established as a park connector for Virginia's and NC's national parks). Matter of fact, when I first came up here in 1980s, before global warming was recognized, NONE of the homes I looked at had air conditioning, it just wasn't needed, maybe a window unit in a bedroom or something.
It is May right now, and we've had more of our normal weather this year, varied and cool. Last two early mornings it's been in the 30s, and some days have been very breezy, and we've had plenty of cooling rain. It is absolutely fabulous outside today, very sunny, temps got on up to 66, and I think that's great. We DO usually get two summer "heat waves" that last a couple weeks each, towards the end of June and beginning of July, and that means it'll get up in the low 90s. Which when I first moved up here, I overheard someone say, "Gosh, it's just so hot out there!" and I didn't get it. But once I became acclimated, I noticed what I thought were also warm temps, to really be low when I paid attention to the TV temps of other places, ESPECIALLY Florida. Lots of Florida folk come even here to Asheville and buy summer homes to LIVE during long periods of summer, and eventually retire here, altho most of our population is indeed North Carolinians. Boone is similar in that regard, too.
Now, if you go on up to Boone, it truly is quite cool, breezes, you will just feel fabulous up there in summer (bring a few sweaters and socks/shoes). Just make sure your car brakes are in good order before you leave Florida! GG
My family would like to get out of the heat & humidity of Florida this summer for a month or so. Is it possible to beat the 95 degree/100% humidity in Florida by traveling to Asheville/Boone or somewhere else ? If so, are there ample activities for a 7-year-old like bike trails, public swimming facilities, camps, etc. We would like to rent a condo/townhouse for a month but if that's not feasible, could make do in a hotel. Wouldn't be all vacation for me, as I have the ability to work remotely.
I doubt you will have to be concerned about anywhere near that kind of heat or humidity in the western NC mountains. As for activities for a 7 yr. old for a month? Probably not a good idea, he/she could be bored to tears.
Get closer to an area that has more activites, if you want your child to go to a camp, you may be too late to get a spot. There are many summer camps here, day camps etc., but you have to Google for a list and contact them in advance of your stay.
Why people want to be so remote here is beyond me ... the activities here are in and near Asheville, Hendersonville, Waynesville, Black Mountain. A 7 yr. old is going to get pretty sick of going to gift shops and looking at mountains. Most adults get tired of it too. There are SO many activites in the more populated areas.
You definitely want to go to the High Country. Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, places like that. It's much cooler up there than it is 1000 feet lower down here in Asheville. Asheville has a lot of fun things to do in the summer such as concerts, art stuff, etc., but it is much much hotter here. Also, there is plenty to do up in the High Country, and you can go to other areas near there and do some sight-seeing. I think Appalachian Virginia is cool, and West Virginia is even cooler (not talking about temperature here, but it is true for the most part).
So yeah, head for the hills, the higher the better. Asheville is not high enough to get the relief you want, in my opinion.
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