David and I just got back from a special 3 night getaway… just the two of us. This is a rare occurrence but worth jumping through the hoops to make it happen because we were able to visit a place that’s been on my dream destination list for years now- Blackberry Farm!

Blackberry Farm is is a luxury 4,200-acre resort and culinary-driven country inn located in Walland, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Anyone I’ve spoken to who has been has told me as a food and farm lover, I must go. So when I noticed an opening in October back in January, David and I decided we needed to book it and make it happen. Major shoutout to my mom for coming into town to be nana taxi extraordinaire, a vital piece of being able to make this trip happen.

If i-40 is running smoothly, Blackberry Farm is only 3 hours and 15 minutes from our house, an easy drive to make on Sunday, and by early afternoon we were checking in and being shown to our room in the guest house.

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Immediately it was obvious that the level of service was second to none. The friendliness and attentiveness of the staff made us feel right at home. We grabbed a sangria from the Dogwood bar and golf cart keys from the front desk, setting us up for our first activity, the Farm Tour.

A paid for experience, but one that is well worth it, Blackberry Farm recommends signing up for this as close to your arrival as possible, and I understand why. Not only is it fun to drive around the property and get the lay of the land, the tour guide shares with you the history of the property, the details that make it special, and the inner workings of the farm.

This was one of the definite highlights of the entire trip for me and I considered signing up and going again, not just for the cheese, meat, and jam sample plate at the farm and to see the second longest wine tunnel in the US again, but to enjoy weaving through the stunning property, hear the tale of the authentic Amish Barn that was carefully disassembled, shipped, and reassembled to create the James Beard Award-winning restaurant that sits in the middle of the property and get another chance to snuggle the truffle dogs and learn more about the farm’s heirloom seed collection.

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When the tour concluded, it was time to get cleaned up for dinner. All the food at the resort is included in the cost of the stay, minus any alcoholic beverages. There are two onsite restaurants, The Dogwood and The Barn.

While The Dogwood is known as the more casual option of the two, it is still a high level of service with absolutely outstanding food. I took a million food pictures (of course you already knew this) but some of the evening shots didn’t do the food justice.

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We woke up fresh and ready to hit the ground running on our first morning. We grabbed a cup of tea and coffee in the guest house common area before heading to breakfast when it opened at 7:30. We were given an outdoor table, which might provide one of the most picturesque views of anywhere on property. We sipped cappuccinos, watched the sun light up the mountains, and then devoured one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.

Thanks to all the sheep on property, they are able to make their own soft sheep milk cheese that they put on so many things, from toast to in omelets to use in their pimento cheese and it is delicious. I found myself ordering any dish that had this cheese as a component.

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Fueled by our feast, we decided to try a trail, as they have several that are right on property. We walked a couple quick miles, taking in the peaceful mountainside before heading back to change and meet our fly fishing guide.

We opted for the two hour on property fly fishing experience and it was one of the highlights of our stay! It was just the two of us with the guide, who was knowledgeable and helpful, keeping things simple but precise. After a run through of the process, we suited up in waders and boots and headed into the creek.

Not only was it serene and beautiful, but the trout were biting, too! I was the first to catch one and I was overcome with excitement and almost dropped the poor fish trying to show it off to David who was standing upstream. David was the big winner though, pulling it (and releasing) several trout in a row. It was so much fun!

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We de-fished ourselves, enjoyed some lunch, then rented a golf cart for the afternoon. I wanted to go back to the farm area again, and I’m so glad we did.

John, the master seed collector of the farm, was gone for the day, but we had the fortunate of running into Jack, a kind and knowledgeable man who also worked the farm. He ended up giving us a private tour, showing us his shiitake mushroom forest, the gourd tunnel, the pollinator wall made of stalks of sunflowers and other hollow stems, and, just when I thought I couldn’t geek out any more, he offered me both loofah seeds (which Hailey has been wanting to grow) and GARLIC. Just in time for garlic planting season. WHAT IS THIS LUCK?!

I’m now dedicating an entire raised bed to garlic because having garlic from Blackberry Farm might be my greatest 43 year old flex. I hope Jack knows that he made more than just my day with this generous gift!

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I rode that high right through the rest of the afternoon.

We golf carted back to the room to get ready for our fancy dinner at The Barn, stopping to say hello to the sheep on our route. We wanted to be ready in plenty of time because the weather was beautiful and we wanted to ride around a bit before our dinner reservation. We found a beautiful pavilion to sit and enjoy and also ran into Daphne, the donkey I fell for on our trip. She is precious and if I could have fit her in my suitcase, I would have.

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We finally made our way over to The Barn for our 6:30 seating.

You know I’m not usually one for brevity or to be at a loss for words, but I’m failing to come up with the best way to describe the dining experience at The Barn. From the ambiance to the service to food, everything is outstanding. I just need a better word for outstanding to describe what was probably one of the best meals/experiences David and I have ever had.

The atmosphere is dimly lit and not a single picture I took did justice to the five course menu we enjoyed, along with the wine pairings for each. There were two options under each course, so we ordered opposite of each other to try them all, along with a 2 ounce wine pour pairing, and a couple extra bites from the chef to start the meal. Needless to say, it was an evening of indulgence that we thoroughly enjoyed!

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We didn’t have any activities scheduled for the next morning so we had a leisurely breakfast. The view is just beautiful and when paired with a latte and the chef’s special breakfast option, it’s a meal you just don’t want to rush through.

Between the decadence of The Barn dinner and the multi-course breakfast, we were craving some movement, so we ventured off to one of the on-site hiking trails. Walking down the the trailhead, hiking the trail (that is, shocking, mountainous), and walking back to our room had us clocking almost 6 miles.

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With muscles fatigued from the trail’s elevation, it was fortuitus that we had massages on the schedule. We made our way to the Wellness House, where we changed into slippers and robes to enjoy some relaxation before being called back to the treatment rooms.

The spa is beautiful and the relaxation room offers great views, however I must admit that both David’s and my massages were so-so at best. That’s a hard thing to type because a massage is like pizza, right? Even a bad one is good! However, for the price tag attached, it was a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps opt for a mani or pedi instead.

After our treatments we spent some time relaxing in the hot tun before showering off and heading to get a late lunch.

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On our last afternoon, happily wrung out from our morning, we took it easy. We spent some time inside by the fireplace, then outside enjoying the sunshine. I kicked myself for forgetting my book, as it’s an ideal setting to catch up on some pleasure reading, but even just lying there, letting my mind wander, was such a treat.

Eventually we got ready for dinner and psyched ourselves up for yet another multi-course meal. We jokingly kept wondering how we would possibly eat another bite, and then the food would show up and be so phenomenal that we’d somehow make it work. It’s truly a place to bring your Joey Thanksgiving pants to if you enjoy incredible food.

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With full bellies and relaxed bodies, we slept like champs that night! We woke up on departure day, ready to make the most of our few last hours.

First up, another glorious breakfast with a misty mountain view. Then we walked a few more miles around the property, breathing in the beauty and saying my goodbye to Daphne the donkey. I miss her already.

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Did Blackberry Farm live up to it’s hype? Ab. Sol. Ute. Ly.

I feel so lucky to have gotten to experience it in October. The weather was perfect. The food was next level. And the whole vibe of the place says “come. relax. breathe.” It’s a place to enjoy a peaceful connection with nature, elite level service, and food that you’ll talk about for years to come.

If you have any questions (I know I did before we went), feel free to ask away!