When we think about family vacation destinations, typically overcrowded Orlando, overpriced Europe or lacking-in-excitement Washington D.C. comes to mind. But sometimes, the best things in life are unexpected and offbeat, like Western North Carolina. Nestled within the Appalachian Mountains, Western North Carolina is the perfect destination for families who enjoy the great outdoors.

Whether for its recreational value offering activities like hiking, fishing or camping or for its serenity as an oasis, Western North Carolina is an ideal outdoor setting. With choices ranging from a gated mountain community like Headwaters to a lake community like Lake James or a mountain and equestrian community like Bright’s Creek, all members of the family, young and old, can appreciate Western North Carolina as an affordable and unexpectedly pleasant vacation or second home destination.

Headwaters is a gated mountain community with 2 lakes with waterfalls overlooking Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests and its golf course. Headwaters boasts 4 mild seasons where visitors and residents enjoy fly-fishing, golfing and walking trails in the warmer months and skiing in the winter.

The  Lake James is a scenic lake community offering excellent topography for kayaking, fishing and camping. Lake James offers a clubhouse to organize recreational activities and for renting equipment.

Bright’s Creek is a golf community with gated entrance. This is the hub of it all in Western North Carolina; Bright’s Creek offers the finest equestrian facilities in the state and a well-known golf course that attracts visitors from all over.

The advantage that Western North Carolina has over all other vacation destinations is its serenity. When the endless amusements run dry, one can sit back and relax in this refuge. Take pleasure in the peaceful mountain views and relax to the sounds of nature in Western North Carolina.

disclosure: This post is brought to you by SoutheastDiscovery.com.

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The following post is sponsored by Take-A-Seat:

This is so cool, you guys. Take-A Seat attaches to a trailer hitch and transports three bikes, or holds cargo like a large cooler securely in place, or unfolds to make a convenient seat! Take a look:

Take-A-Seat’s heavy duty box steel frame is powder coated to protect it from wear and tear, and it attaches to either a 2″ or 1-1/4″ hitch. A cover is included to protect it from the elements when not in use. The fabric that makes up the tailgate seat is UV protected and coated with polyurethane to stand up to any weather. Black is the standard fabric, but you can jazz it up by choosing one of the optional colors (costs extra) – Blaze Orange, Burgundy, Cardinal Red, Hunter Green, or Royal Blue.

The seat adjusts to 40 different heights and holds up to 500 pounds for the 2″ model, and 350 pounds for the 1-1/4″ model. Perfect for tailgating at a game, watching fireworks, listening to an outdoor concert, or while camping. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention, it comes with two attachable cup holders! Gotta have those!

There’s also a very cool tilt feature that lets you move the hitch out of the way so you can open up the rear hatch of your vehicle.  For one product that combines three things in one – bike carrier, cargo holder, and bench seat – the price of  Take-A-Seat seems really reasonable to me. Check it out at www.discountramps.com and see for yourself!