It was a beautiful summer morning in the Smoky Mountains when I met up with Nikki and her family at a little spot in Wears Valley. 
What was your favorite part of vacationing in the area? We love being outdoors and in the mountains. At home everything is flat and filled with cornfields unless you head into Chicago for the skyscrapers. We love the mountains, hills, and forests.
Does your family have any unusual traditions? Honestly, I don’t think so. Probably our most unusual tradition is to buy scratch off lottery tickets every Christmas Eve in honor of my Grandparents who used to give them out as gifts, hoping someone would hit it big, lol.
Is there any particular attraction or place that you enjoyed? We did a lot of hiking on trails the kids could handle and enjoy. We did Laurel Falls, Grotto Falls, Alum Cave Bluffs, Clingman’s Dome, Cade’s Cove. We had fun seeing the waterfalls, the old homesteads, and all the wildlife! We saw a momma bear and two cubs (awesome!), a rattlesnake, an owl, and so many others. We also had fun at Dollywood and Splash Country!
What makes your family unique? I don’t know how unique we are, but we just love hanging out togther. Watching movies, making smores at a campfire, taking a walk, it doesn’t really matter. We just enjoy each others’ company.
What made you decide to come to the Smoky Mountains? It’s a different type of vacation for us. We did the hectic Disney World last time and we wanting something more laid back. We all love being outside, staying in the woods in a log cabin, but still being able to go out to eat if you feel like it. The Smokies are perfect for all of that.
Photography: Knoxville Wedding Photographer — Star Noir Studio
