FALL AVAILABILITY AT BLACKBERRY MOUNTAIN

Spanning 5,200 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains, with 2,800 acres dedicated to land conservation, Blackberry Mountain continues the legacy of sister property Blackberry Farm and the Beall family’s world-renowned hospitality. One of only four Relais & Châteaux resorts in the world to earn the designation before opening, Blackberry Mountain is an adventurous retreat for family, friends or business, offering modern-day luxuries in an unencumbered natural environment. Blackberry Mountain offers guests equal parts of Blackberry Farm’s renowned hospitality, with seasonal food and beverage menus designed to complement the property’s diverse offerings and panoramic views. From restorative treatments in the spa to outdoor exploration, Blackberry Mountain fosters wellness with its own adventurous spirit and style celebrating its home adjacent to one of America’s most beloved national parks, Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

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ACCOMODATIONS

ROOMS: Six Watchman Cabins, 21 Stone Cottages and a variety of multi-bedroom ( 2-5 ) Azalea Gap and Mountain Homes that each feature a full-size kitchen, dining room, living room with stone wood-burning fireplace and an all season screened porch with a second stone wood-burning fireplace.

NOTES: we personally love the stone cottages for couples and the mountain homes for families or multi-generational trips, however the reality is the mountain is almost always sold out so we take what we can get.

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DINING

THREE SISTERS: signature fine dining located within the Lodge at Blackberry Mountain. Think pan-seared fingerling trout with roasted carrots and toasted amaranth. The restaurant also features a curated list from VicePresident of Food & Beverage Andy Chabot personal favorites, which include small, family-run wineries that make world-class wine without undue manipulation.

FIRETOWER: casual, 72-seat dining room and intimate 13-seat bar with stunning 360-degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains. Chef Joel Werner, who has been at Blackberry Farm since 2015, oversees the menus which include breakfast, lunch and snacks, bowls, pizza and mussels and weekend dinner.

NOTES: Additional dining amenities include picnics and live fire and trail-side cooking excursions led by chefs Edwards, Feathers and Werner. Guests on the mountain can eat at their sister resort's The Barn Restaurant for dinner as well.

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ACTIVITIES

OUTDOOR: Clay shooting, paint ball, wine and whisky tastings, adventure ropes course, sunrise yoga, creek side meditation, endurance climbs, trail running, rock climbing, bouldering, mountain biking, fly fishing, horseback riding, and lake opportunities such as water slides, kayaking and paddleboarding.

INDOORS: An art studio, half basketball court, an indoor rock climbing wall, yoga and fitness classes.

SPA: Nest features eight treatment rooms, a tranquility lounge, sauna, steam showers, salon and an outdoor, year-round heated pool with scenic infinity edge.

NOTES: guests can also participate in the nearby farm's adventure and activities programming such as guided shooting, water sports, cycling and mountain biking, paintball, hiking, geocaching, garden tours, culinary schools, and wine and spirit classes and tastings.

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WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

DATES AVAILABLE: September 30th-October 3rd, October 3rd-7th, October 13th - 17th and October 21st-24th

MAPPS X BLACKBERRY MOUNTAIN: 15 percent off daily nightly rate and spa credits.

LOCATION: 30 minutes from Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport by car.

IDEAL GUEST: families, multi-generational trips, couples and ladies looking for a long weekend getaway.

Photos courtesy of Blackberry Mountain

BROWN V.S. THE WILDERNESS: A JACKSON HOLE ADVENTURE

This past June, my 15 year old daughter Finlay and her Brentwood bestie headed out west to spend part of their summer with the team at Wilderness Adventures Camp. I decided to head out early with them for a few days to explore Jackson Hole, a picturesque valley and wilderness recreation area in western Wyoming that borders the jagged peaks of the iconic Grand Tetons. We arrived on American Airlines newest direct route from JFK to JAC in under five hours ( the Klein’s arrived in 2 hours via LAX on United ) to an unprecedented west coast heat wave... 97 degrees, but who is counting?

Jackson is an idyllic paradise year-round, drawing more then 2.6 million visitors annually who come for the epic ski conditions in the winter and to explore glorious Mother Nature’s offerings in the summertime. It is also a gateway to many National Parks.

Over the past few years, the landscape of this Wild West town has added some modern elements and we are not mad about it. While we are big fans of Amangani and Four Seasons, some new boutique hotels have popped up such as Hotel Jackson, Caldera House and the Cloud Veil, alongside creative restaurant concepts and shops.

In true MAPPS fashion, we left no stone unturned and only recommend what we truly loved.

The details below — E

P.S. I had to be dragged home when this trip was over… I seriously could live all summer in Jackson, it was that perfect as was the time with my daughter.

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STAY

Amangani is a 40 suite luxury property in the foothills of the breathtaking Grand Tetons. This beauty is located only 7 minutes from downtown Jackson and 10 minutes from the nearby snow-sports paradise of Jackson Hole Mountain by car.

Amangani looks directly out across the Grand Teton Mountains and plains of the Snake River Valley. Each suite ( 7 categories ) has either a terrace or patio, all have a fireplace and are decorated with a blend of that Amanesque minimalism that they are known for while staying true to the pioneering spirit of the Old Wild Wild West.

It is no wonder this property time and time again is one of our client’s favorite stays in the US #Amanjunkies

Mapps X Amangani: VIP priority upgrade, complimentary daily breakfast and resort credits. #MappsWasHere

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EAT & DRINK

OUR HIT LIST

Downtown Jackson Area

Glorietta ( Italian )

Colette ( farm to table )

Hand Fire Pizza

Snake River Brewery

Teton Tiger ( Thai )

King ( Sushi )

Persephone Bakery ( brunch )

Bin 22 ( wine and tapas )

Local (meat )

Healthy Being Cafe & Juicery ( juice and smoothies )

Teton Village Area

Teton Thai

RPK 3( lunch or apres ski )

Old Yellowstone Garage

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SEE & DO

MAY-SEPTEMBER: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Kayaking, White Water Rafting, Fly Fishing, Rock Climbing, Horseback Riding, Hot Air Balloon Rides, Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole Rodeo, ATV and Clay Shooting.

DECEMBER-APRIL: Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, Dog Sledding, Tubing, Ice Skating, Heli and Cat Skiing and Fat Biking.

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WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

GETTING HERE: The town of Jackson and Teton Village ( ski mountain area ) are both located roughly 20 minutes from Jackson Hole Airport ( JAC ) by car.

IDEAL GUEST: We love this for anyone who wants to get out and explore the great outdoors, especially families and multi-generational crews who want an active holiday to keep everyone busy.

MAPPS TIP: we highly recommend renting a car as there is so much ground to cover and you do not want to be at the mercy of Uber. We rented ours through Hertz at the airport and it was a seamless process.

*white water rafting photo compliments of Jackson Hole White Water and Wildlife photo compliments of Amangani.

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ON OUR RADAR: UTAH'S NEWEST KID ON THE BLOCK

On July 1,  Aman Hotels unveiled it’s latest masterpiece, Amangiri Camp Sarika, a luxury camping experience situated on 136 breathtaking acres of land in the glorious Utah Desert. Camp Sarika is comprised of 10 luxurious tented pavilions, covered by soft canvas made from recycled plastic bottles and house custom designed furniture. There are one and two-bedroom options, each including a living area, dining area, bar, and fire pit. The encampment is just a short 10-minute drive from its sister resort, Amangiri, a MAPPS fav. While the camp site has it’s own pool, restaurant and bar, those staying at the camp will also have full access to the resort’s facilities and adventure team, delivering an epic experience like never before. From horseback riding to hiking Antelope Canyon, from rock-climbing and repelling to a hot air balloon ride or a helicpoter over Bryce National Park or boating on Lake Powell, there is something for everyone. Ready to go glamping? So are we, so send us an email to start planning. A sneak peek below —

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CAMP SARIKA

THE CLIENT POSTCARD: FAMILY ADVENTURE IN JACKSON HOLE

Hotel: Caldera House, an intimate boutique hotel offering unparalleled access to adventure in a setting to die for. Each of the eight suites is more like a self-contained home than a hotel suite, with a lavish kitchen and living and dining areas in addition to the bedrooms. Half of them are 5,000 square feet with four bedrooms each, plus a copper hot tub on the terrace, and the rest are 1,500 square feet with two bedrooms. 

“ We loved absolutely everything about Caldera House! The spectacular setting, service, style and our accommodations were next level, matched only by the extraordinary attention to every detail of our stay. Always relaxed, never stuffy, our needs were anticipated and met at our every turn. As if whatever we needed, or wanted, was there before we even asked. Being at Caldera was like being at home…only with a full-time staff, dreamy surroundings and luxurious accommodations. It was really hard to leave."

Trip Highlights: 

“The Via Ferrata guided climbing experience was one of the best family activities we’ve ever done and it was right outside the door of Caldera. Rafting along the Snake River was pretty epic (family member going overboard optional) and while the boys golfed, we girls had a private yoga class in our room which was really lovely.”

Dianne’s Tips: 

The fresh waffles at Corbett’s Cabin at the top of the tram on Jackson Mountain. Hard to know what’s better…the view or the waffles. 

Finally, do yourself a favor and don’t leave Jackson without a trip (or two or three) to Persephone. We rented bikes at Caldera and pedaled our way there. SO worth it! Plus you can work off some of the calories you’ll clearly be piling on. Coffees, pastries, breakfast & lunch specials, salads, sparkling rose, cocktails, take & bake treats, gifts for the home…I could go on. Dare you to go just once. 

Editor’s Note: Not only does Dianne have great taste in hotels, she is also an organizational and design genius. Check out her website www.savvy-spaces.com and follow her on insta @savvyspaces99