Living in Florida, we all know that any given beach is about 30-45 minutes away depending on how far you're willing to drive. Florida is known for its beautiful beaches and warm weather year-round (don't forget the awful humidity) but all of these things are what makes Florida, Florida.

This summer I have been up and down Florida, whether it has been to the emerald Destin beaches or to Orlando to visit Disney World. While all of those things have created a summer of a lifetime, this summer I decided to take the path less traveled by. I planned a trip to the Smokies with my best friend.

The idea of going to the Smokies all originated when I realized I had never really seen mountains before. The only other time I've really left the state of Florida was to make a trip to NYC and I knew that going to Tennessee would be a whole new adventure. If you know me, you would know that I'm always looking for something new to do and new places to explore.

At first, the idea of going to the Smokies just two girls was a bit scary just because of the fact it is a place we were completely unfamiliar with. I remember doing so much research on different hiking trails we could do and also looking up pictures of the kind of scenery we were going to encounter. Seeing all of the pictures made me that much more excited, I was beyond ready for a new change of scenery!

Arriving in Gatlinburg, Tennessee was a whole adventure of its own! Being from Florida, the only "mountain" I've had to drive over were the speed bumps leaving campus! The winding roads and the sharp turns are no joke! It really is a crazy feeling looking over to one side and seeing the drop of the mountain and praying you don't get dizzy and follow that path. While it was hard at first, it was not impossible. The roads were one thing, but everything else that mother nature had to offer was another.

I was blown away by the views that the trails had to offer. It really was something special when you feel so small around scenery that seems ever-growing. From the sunsets to the sunrises and from the bear sightings to the cool, bug-free nights, Tennessee was quite the gem.

Being there for five days was not nearly enough to make a dent in all that is has to offer but now that I've been there once, I know that I will not be taking as many trips to the beach anymore. Try going to the mountains for your next summer trip, you won't regret it!