Have you ever explored your hometown the way a visitor would?  I had five days off work, so I tried “getting out there”, to make the most of my staycation.  But, we were hit by a storm and it was pretty cold, so I didn’t venture out as much as I would have liked.  However, I did manage to fit in some pretty cool stuff on my holiday break.

I captured this sunrise from my backyard.

Before the storm hit, I was able to make it to “the falls”, which is a popular hiking destination at the base of the mountain.  This was the first time I’ve been to the falls in the winter.

The river that winds through town is also a popular destination, especially in the summer.  It has miles of walking trails, bridges, picnic spots, wildlife, and is usually full of people enjoying the outdoors.

River walk solitude

Downtown is small, but up-and-coming, with new shops, bars, and some pretty cool back alley finds.

Our dogs were able to enjoy the ample parks in the area and romp through the fresh snow.

My staycation ended with a visit to our newest hot spot – a trendy, home grown distillery, where today they taught a holiday infusion class.

Now there are two mason jars of custom infused vodka in our kitchen just waiting for us to crack them open when the time is right.

Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to discover the opportunities in your own backyard.