Beautiful Belmont

It has rained here every day for almost two weeks but I was not going to let a few drizzles stop my husband and I from enjoying our day off together.  With our son settled for the day at a friend's house we made the quick twenty mile journey to the nearby town of Belmont, NC.  I had been before and knew it was charming but today I wanted to look at it through the eyes of a traveler ... a tourist.  I like the idea of "collecting" small towns.  Yes big cities are full of excitement and lots of things to see and do but the small town experience can be just as fulfilling if not more so.  This is what I want to blog about ... my experience in the small towns of NC as I every weekend continue "collecting" them.  Hope you join me!

Our first stop was Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. www.dsbg.org  The sky was gray but the gardens were a splendid display of color.  We strolled the brick paths reading the names of the exotic plants.  Fountains splashed, butterflies flitted about and even the sun came out a bit as we sat on a bench taking it all in.  The orchid conservatory is impressive as well.  I felt as if I could be in the tropics.

Next we went into downtown Belmont.  It is truly a picturesque little town filled with antique shops, boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants.  We had lunch at Sammy's Deli & Neighborhood Pub www.sammysbelmont.com  It has a casual sports bar atmosphere.  Even though the Sunday crowd was starting to line up we were immediately seated and waited on.  The menu is nothing fancy ... burgers, salads, sandwiches all reasonably priced.  I had the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and my husband had the Black and Blue burger which were served in short time after we ordered.  We both enjoyed our meals.

Because it was Sunday most of the businesses were closed but a few of the antique shops were open.  I especially enjoyed Piccolo Antique Mall.  www.piccoloantiquemall.com  It was filled with rustic treasures, frilly finds and man cave accessories.  We spent a good hour perusing the many rooms upstairs and down.

Even though we were still so full from lunch,  we couldn't resist stopping in at Tastebuds Popcorn.  www.tastebudspopcorn.com  They have every flavor of popcorn you can imagine!!  I tried the curry coconut and the blue cheese flavors and my husband tried Cajun pickle.  He went with the pickle and I ultimately went with sour cream and chives.  We each got a small bag to munch on on the way home.

It was a delightful day .. and I didn't even have to pack suitcases or board the dog to go on this vacation!