The 20 Best Things to Do in Brevard NC & Transylvania County

Transylvania County Courthouse in downtown Brevard, one of the Best Things to do in Brevard NC

[Updated May 29, 2023] In the three years since we launched this site, we’ve visited more than 50 Blue Ridge Mountain towns in the search for our future mountain home.  From Blue Ridge and Blairsville GA to Bryson City and Waynesville NC, there have been several different places that made their way onto our shortlist.  … Read more

The 10 Best Things to Do in Franklin NC & Macon County

Downtown Franklin- Best Things to do in Franklin NC & Macon County Lead

We’ve explored more than 50 different Blue Ridge Mountain towns over the last few years. Thanks to research skills I’ve developed over 25+ years as a professional travel writer, it’s pretty rare for a place to surprise me in the way Franklin NC did. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, just 2 … Read more

The 15 Best Things to Do in Maggie Valley NC

Maggie Valley NC Seen From Ghost Town in the Sky

[Updated May 22, 2023] Located about halfway between Bryson City and Asheville, Maggie Valley NC is a small mountain town with something of a split personality.  The town has been home to colorful characters such as bluegrass legend Raymond Fairchild, bootlegger Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton, and Deliverance actor Herbert “Cowboy” Coward (who got his start at the … Read more

The 30 Best Day Trips From Atlanta GA

Clayton GA seen from Black Rock Mountain State Park Visitor Center

[Updated May 16, 2023] As a lifelong metro Atlanta resident, I’ve always felt that the natural beauty of the state of Georgia is vastly underrated. In my experience, even locals tend to forget the amazing amount of green space we’re blessed with, which offers endless excellent opportunities for recreation and ecotourism adventures. But taking day … Read more

The 20 Best Things to Do in Cherokee NC & the Qualla Boundary

The Best Things to Do in Cherokee NC & the Qualla Boundary

[Updated May 9, 2023] Cherokee, North Carolina is not like any other town we’ve ever visited during our extensive explorations of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  That’s partly because most of the area lies within the Qualla Boundary, which is held as a land trust by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs for the federally recognized Eastern … Read more

15 Best Things to Do in Little Switzerland NC (BRP MP 334)

Shopping in Little Switzerland NC

[Updated May 8, 2023] One of the things people don’t tell you about taking a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip is how remarkably uncommercialized this 469-mile slice of Appalachian Americana is. You can drive for 50-100 miles and never see any Blue Ridge Parkway hotels, resorts, restaurants, or gas stations. Which is precisely what makes … Read more

The 10 Best Things to Do in Cashiers NC & Jackson County

Whiteside Mountain- Things to Do in Cashiers NC Lead

We’ve visited around 50 different Blue Ridge Mountain towns in the last few years. And in our experience, the town of Cashiers NC is something of an anomaly.  Located east of Highlands, less than 10 miles north of the South Carolina border, Cashiers doesn’t have the charming downtown area we typically associate with our favorite … Read more

The 25 Best Things to Do in Blue Ridge GA

[Updated April 24, 2023] My earliest memories of the Blue Ridge Mountains are of backpacking trips with our church youth group, which my parents led. I was no more than 6 years old the first time we made our way north to Blue Ridge, Georgia. We’d stock up on supplies in town before heading to … Read more

The 20 Best Things to Do in Dahlonega GA & Lumpkin County

Carriage Ride in downtown Dahlonega GA

[Updated April 10, 2023] Back in 1828 (21 years before the famed California gold rush), thousands of prospectors descended upon the town of Dahlonega, Georgia in search of their fortune. Located in the heart of North Georgia’s Cherokee Indian territory, Dahlonega grew like wildfire in the wake of this frenzied mining activity. A U.S. Branch … Read more

Visiting Deerwoode Reserve Cabin Rentals in Brevard NC

Adirondack Chairs at Deerwoode Reserve in Brevard NC- Lead Image

We’ve explored nearly 50 different Blue Ridge Mountain towns since we launched this site in 2020. But we’ve probably stayed in less than a dozen hotels during all that time.  Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with hotels, mind you. Many of them offer budget-friendly prices, proximity to popular activities and attractions, and plenty of … Read more