Close to Home with The Flying Ham & Tristar Adventures

Today's guest blogger is Morgan Gliko --

Escaping with The Flying Ham camping staycation is a great way to explore Tennessee.  It will also introduce you to the Tristar Adventure brand.  This awesome company can fulfill all of your outdoor apparel needs for the weekend adventurer.    Too often we focus on the big extravagant vacations that cost a small fortune and miss out on all the beauty that the outdoors of Tennessee has to offer

The Flying Ham

makes it easy, especially if the idea of camping makes you a little uncomfortable.  You pick your spot or campground, and we deliver. Our campers are 2015 Shasta Airflyte trailers that are reissued and look exactly like the original 1961 Airflytes but with modern conveniences like a bathroom, stainless steel appliances, LED lighting, and Bluetooth speakers both inside and out!  We also provide a record player and records.  The Flying Ham will drop off and set up the camper or ham as we prefer to call them at your location of choice. All you have to do is show up. After your vacation is over, we will pick up the ham and that is it. It works just like a hotel stay. If you plan on staying in the Nashville area, we are proud to offer free delivery, no need to tow the camper!   Our hams will make your stay unique and very comfortable whether it’s your first camping adventure, or you just want to try something different. 

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If you haven’t explored Tennessee’s state parks or campgrounds now is the time, especially in the fall.  With the leaves turning their magical colors and the weather a little cooler, a night in the ham or a hike in the woods can create the memories that couples and families remember forever.  The Flying Ham would like to suggest a few of our favorites within the Nashville area to give you a head start. 

The first is Montgomery Bell State Park. Montgomery Bell State Park is 37 miles west of Nashville.   It provides some very nice creek front camping sites along with some hiking in the green hills of Tennessee.  You can also throw your line in the water at Lake Woodhaven for bass, bream or catfish.   If you are tired of roughing it though, the park also has golfing, boating and swimming on a lake beach. You can even enjoy some casual dining at The Forge Restaurant located within the park.  You just can’t beat the overall camping experience you get from a stay at Montgomery Bell, and of course in a ham.

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 Our second featured campground and a must for the hiking enthusiast is the 900 acre Cedars of Lebanon state park.  Cedars of Lebanon state park is 32 miles east of Nashville. The most notable hike and one that children can enjoy as well is Hidden Springs trail.  This trail is roughly 4 miles long and filled with amazing sinkholes, caves and very dramatic rock formations.  The best part is after your adventure you can cool off in their Olympic-sized pool that is 12 feet deep with a diving board, and a smaller two foot wading pool for children.  I would also recommend for a more private camping experience to stay in the campground 2 section.

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If the lake is more your style then you won’t want to miss a chance to stay at the Safe Harbor RV Resort.  It is 13 miles from downtown Nashville on Percy Priest Lake.  It has lakefront sites, sand beach, pool, and playground. They also have kayak, paddleboard, and boat rentals.   We also enjoy a relaxing weekend at Cedar Creek in Mt. Juliet and Bledsoe Creek State Park in Gallatin.  These two campgrounds offer great views of the lake while you make your s’mores at a very affordable price.

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We hope this has given you a little help in deciding the different ways to enjoy the outdoors of our beautiful state.  However, if you truly want a staycation The Flying Ham can bring the camper to your driveway or backyard.  The hams are great for extra house guests, birthday parties, photo shoots and weddings.  We can also accommodate longer adventures to Falls Creek Falls or the Smoky Mountains, just tell us where and we will make it happen. 

For more information on the campgrounds we have listed visit our places to camp section on our website www.theflyingham.com or on Instagram at @flyinghamrentals.  Also, don’t forget to pick up some awesome outdoor apparel from our friends at Tristar Adventures! Follow along on Instagram at @tristaradventures and visit their website at www.tristaradventures.com.

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Happy Camping!

Where to Wander in Tennessee

Tennessee's top places to           see in the Spring

In the near future we will launch our new T-Shirt line, Tri-Star Adventures.  The initial design acompanies Instagram Tennessee's love of photography with the Tri-Star Adventures spirit of wanderlust.  That spirit of adventure inspired this blog post as we highlight some of our favorite places across the Volunteer State.  

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Fall Creek Falls 

Picture courtesy of Uriah Young.

Fall Creek Falls is Tennessee's largest and most visited State Park.  The park is located in Pikeville, TN and is around a 2 hour drive from Nashville or Knoville and is about an hour and 15 minutes from Chattanooga. The dramatic 256 foot waterfall is the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River and it gives the park its name. This is a must see, so be sure to go after a few days of rain for even better photos.  The park also offers over 50 miles of hiking and biking trails.  Make time to check out the Cane Creek suspension bridge that is over 150 feet long located near the nature center. 

For more information check out Friends of Fall Creek Falls.

Lookout Mountain 

Chattanooga as seen from Point Park on Lookout Mountain courtesy of Earl Ayers.

Lookout Mountain, TN is a fantastic place to spend a spring day.  Park in Historic St. Elmo at the base of the mountain and ride the Incline Railway to the top of the mountain. Commonly reffered to as "America's most Amazing Mile" the incline Railway offers riders a unique experience up the mountain.  Once at the top, don't forget to take in the view from the observation deck and then walk a few blocks down the street to Point Park. Point Park is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Civil War Battlefield.  Here in November of 1863 the "Battle above the clouds" was fought.  Be sure to check out the Visitor's center to learn more about the battle and take the short hike to take in the views of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River Valley. 

Clingmans Dome 

Clingmans Dome pictured at sunset courtesy of Marc Crosby.

At 6643 feet Clingmans Dome is Tenneessee's highest point and is located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Enjoy the breathtaking views as you drive through the park and be sure to pull off at some of the overlooks.  The road to Clingmans Dome ends in a large parking lot, from here a strenuous half mile hike awaits to reach the summit.  The trail is paved, but can be quite steep at times and temperatures often vary 10 - 20 degrees from nearby lowlands so bring a jacket and water.  The cool wet conditions near the summit actually make the area you are hiking through a coniferous rainforest. An observation tower at the summit offers you 360 views that can stretch 100 miles on a clear day.  If possible, try to make the trek for sunrise or sunset and tag your photos #InstagramTennesse.