Some of you know that I have had no break from school. I started summer college classes before I had even graduated from high school, and since I will be going back to college in a few weeks, I felt the need to get away from it all. I love to travel, but with only two weeks left until the fall semester begins I knew I would have to do something short and affordable. Many people had been telling me about a little town up in Tennessee called Leaper's Fork, and how that I would enjoy it because it was very artsy. So, on the spur of the moment I decided to get up and drive an hour and a half to Leaper's Fork. My mom wasn't too crazy about the idea of me going alone, but after promising to call her when I got there she gave me her blessing.

Taking a solo trip has been something that I've wanted to do for forever, and I will probably do again for a much longer(and farther away) trip. I didn't feel scared about going by myself, and ended up thoroughly enjoying my day. I got up early so that I would have plenty of time to spend in the town, and then hit the road. When I arrived at Leaper's Fork I was immediately entranced. The town was the picture of peace and country living. It was one of those places were if you blink then you'll miss it. There were three art galleries, an antique store, many little shops, a grocery store, a couple of restaurants, and a sprinkling of boutiques. I stopped in the art galleries first and loved looking at all the talented work on display. I left each art gallery feeling inspired, and as I sat in the local cafe drinking sweet tea while eating a blueberry scone I wished I had brought my sketch book. After viewing the art I window shopped for a few more hours before deciding to take the twenty minute drive up to Franklin, Tennessee. I hopped into my car then hit the road. The drive was beautiful, and my view from both sides of the car where filled with gorgeous mansions and ranches.

If you are a history buff then Franklin is for you. The town is a Civil War battle site, and there are three houses that survived the war and are still standing today. I park on the far side of the square and walked everywhere. The square and the surrounding area were filled with tons of shops and eateries. My first stop, however, was a little bookstore. I went inside and spent a long time slowly browsing the shelves and just soaking up the wonderful feeling of being surrounded by books. Then I left to explore more of the town. I stopped in a store that sold tons of Christmas ornaments, a shop filled with comic books, and a couple of clothing boutiques. I stopped at a visitor center to get a few maps, and then decided to go find a place to eat. I ended up eating in a place called 55 South. I had heard stories of solo travelers saying how eating alone can be awkward, but it wasn't. If anything I got a little bored while waiting on my delicious shrimp poboy, but once I sat down I didn't think much about being alone. After eating lunch I walked all the way across town to one of the historical homes called the Lotz House. I didn't take the tour, but I did strike up a lovely conversation with the little old lady who ran the gift shop. We talked for a good hour, and I left feeling glad that I'd made the trek to the site even if I didn't look through the house. After that I decided to grab me some ice cream from a sweet shop that I could smell the caramel from the street. As soon as I walked inside I knew I'd made the right choice because they were playing Disney songs over the speaker. I ordered an orange soda float, and enjoyed every minute of it. After being refreshed I decided it was time to head home, so I walked back to my car and drove home.

I loved my trip, and intend on returning because there was so much more I wanted to do that I didn't have time for. I also enjoyed taking some time to be by myself because there was something very refreshing about going into a shop without first asking if that was okay with the rest of the group. If I wanted to go into a store all I had to do was walk inside. I didn't have to change my pace to suit anyone, and I didn't have to rush. It was a wonderful experience. If anyone is thinking about taking a day, or weekend, trip then I would suggest checking out both Leaper's Fork and Franklin. They are charming places with some amazing people