The Hop

Pretty much my favorite-ist ice cream place ever, The Hop, has one-upped themselves by introducing homemade hot fudge syrup! Tonight we stopped in to see a group of kids from a local music school putting on a fiddle / guitar recital and scarfed down some vanilla bean ice cream topped with a generous portion of hot fudge the likes of which I have never come across prior! It was so rich and flavorful that I could have eaten a cup of it straight up.

The Hop is my family's way-too-often guilty pleasure for a several reasons: 

• Both locations are convenient to my house (Merrimon Ave north of downtown / Haywood Rd in West Asheville).
• In addition to tried and true chocolate and vanilla, there are always some creative flavors on the menu like lavender vanilla, Chinese 5 Spice, or Thin Mint for when I am feeling adventurous (see below for a sample daily menu board). 
• Both locations have a sweet little play area for the kids to make friends and have fun while the adults relax and chat. 
• There is typically some kind of entertainment on a weekly basis, from hip hop for kids to ballet performances (check the calendar on their website for details).
• Their ice cream is seriously the best ever. 

Example of what The Hop might be serving up! Check it out!

Skinny Dip Falls: My #1 Must-See Local Swimming Hole

My first "Get Dirty" post is about my favorite outdoor spot in all of Western North Carolina: Skinny Dip Falls. You can bask in the glory of the multi-level falls, hike up and down the river on huge rocks, and get wet in multiple swimming holes. This is possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been and I LOVE IT!!

Getting there is simple enough: Take the Parkway south out of Asheville for about 45 minutes, park in the pull-off area at mile 417, and cross the Parkway to the easily visible trailhead.

The hike is relatively short and easy. You'll be greeted early on by this completely awesome looking tree, which may or may not be an actual dragon trapped in time by a wizard.

The hike in is quick, about 15-20 minutes for a typical hiker. This is a well-used, easy to follow trail. It is rocky, sometimes muddy, and almost completely downhill on the way in. There are well-built steps and a bridge crossing over the river for easy access. The best place for little ones to get wet will be to your right: a shallow, crystal clear area to play with rocks, look for fish, and splash around. For the more adventurous, there are two good jumping rocks to your left once you cross the bridge.

You can also hike upstream on the rocks, which I highly recommend if you are physically able to do so. There are several additional small water falls and swimming areas, along with great places to sit and ponder the beauty of life.

For those interested in camping options, keep hiking once you cross the bridge and you'll come across several great spots to set up a tent for the night. There is less foot traffic here than some of the other camping areas available nearby, so it makes for a nice quiet weekend in the woods. 

Things to know about Skinny Dip Falls:

• The water is freaking cold. I am talking mountain stream COLD.
• Although it is tempting to wear sandals since this is a swimming hole, I would recommend you wear your hiking shoes and toss some water shoes in your Camel Back.
• The rocks are slippery, especially where you see moss. Step carefully and help the little ones up and down the rocks.
• Lots of people bring unleashed dogs on the trail (just a heads up if you are afraid of dogs or if you have little ones).
• Although this place is called Skinny Dip Falls, please leave your clothes on! 
• Pack a snack for the kids. Nobody wants to hear a toddler screaming in the background while they are meditating and stacking rocks. Trust me, I've learned the hard way.
• Please pick up after yourself. Everyone hates to see trash in the woods.
• Don't forget your camera!

Splasheville!!

I am so excited for summer! Yes, I love sitting on the deck drinking wine, having daylight until 9pm, and cooking out ... but I am most looking forward to letting my little girl play in the fountains downtown! I am fairly certain the only reason she started walking was to splash around with the big kids in the water!

That's my girl, front and center.

Splasheville was in the works for many (many) years before it became a reality and we all waited with bated breath for the spectacularness it promised to be. And I must say, now that it's complete and the bathrooms are functional, it is pretty damn awesome.

There are actually a couple of fountains downtown, the many geysers of Splasheville of course holding center stage in front of the Court House. The other is a small fountain tucked behind the Vance Monument at Pack Place. Little kids love crawling under it and older kids like to climb and run circles on top of it. It is clearly posted not to let your children climb on the fountain, but some people apparently care less about safety than letting their little banshees run wild.

My daughter and nephew at the Pack Place fountain. How happy is that?

Long story short, let your kids bring a dry set of clothes and plan to spend an hour or so cooling off after lunch at Splasheville. It is an easily supervised area, so you and your better half can chill and chat about how beautiful life is while listening to your little ones squeal and giggle. 

Things to know about Splasheville:

• Public bathrooms are located in an easily accessible building at the west end of the park.
• Bring a towel because the kids will be drenched. This is not a "just get your toes in" kind of fountain. If you sit nearby, you will be soaked.
• If you bring your dog, please deposit all of their deposits in the clearly marked receptacles at the park entrances. Seriously, PLEASE clean up after your pets.
• The fountains are off during special events. This can be unpredictable and so disappointing!
• There is close parking on Marjorie Street, on the other side of Pack's Tavern. This is open and free after 5pm and on weekends. If you only see one space open, please save it for me!
• Don't forget sunscreen and a hat! 

Splasheville is also awesome at night.

White Duck Taco Shop

White Duck Taco Shop is easily one of my favorite places to grab lunch (or a quick dinner) in Asheville. Settled at the north end of the River Arts District in the historic Hatchery building, White Duck offers an assortment of creative tacos made with high quality, fresh ingredients.

I am a huge fan of White Duck and try to visit 1-2x per month. I could easily eat here 3x per week if my budget allowed! My favorite is the Steak and Cheese taco, served with lettuce, pico, and sour cream. Once I had that, I was ruined for all other tacos! The steak is seasoned to be mild yet flavorful, and the toppings round it out perfectly. Sometimes I wake up in the morning thinking about these tacos and then cannot rest until I have had one (two, actually)!!

My beloved steak and cheese is seen on the right.

I can also vouch for the Crispy Chicken BLT taco and Black Bean taco, which are alternates if I don't want two steak tacos on a visit. But let's be honest, I almost always want two steak tacos. I also recommend sharing some Chips and Queso with a friend! It is creamy, mild, filled with chunks of onions and peppers, and delicious. Sometimes I will even splurge and get a watermelon salad along with my tacos. Their house made salsa is also fantastic, so try that out if you have enough people to warrant a table full of food.

Other interesting (and delicious, according to my friends) menu items: Bangkok Shrimp, Thai Peanut Chicken, Jerk Chicken, and Fish Tacos. There are rotating taco options, so you may run across something new at each visit. 

Another thing I love about White Duck is that there is typically sangria on the menu. The watermelon and fall sangria are both awesome and reasonably priced. There is always at least one bottled beer option for those Beer City folks in the crowd. 

The only downside of White Duck is that picky eaters (aka 4 year olds) may have trouble finding something they want to eat. Sometimes you can get a plain cheese quesadilla and a side of black beans, but other times you'll just have to let them fill up on chips and queso. There is nothing wrong with that once in awhile!

Things to know about White Duck Taco Shop: 

• There will likely be a line if you are going during normal lunch (11:30am-1pm) or dinner (5:30-7pm) hours. The line moves quickly, so don't worry!
• You order at the counter and they bus your table.  
• The menu is a la carte so you can mix and match. Take advantage of this to sample a few different tacos and share with friends!
• Everything is served on corn tortillas unless you specifically request flour tortillas. 
• There is both indoor and outdoor seating available. Please wait until after ordering to snag a table.
• They have shortened winter hours and are closed on 
• Leave a cash tip at the counter, they deserve it!

Get some tacos!