Christmas has always had a special place in our hearts, both for all the traditional reasons and for some very personal ones. Mary and I first met at a Christmas party back in 2008, fell in love at a Christmas light display in North Georgia, and we take a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains … Read more
Located at Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 451.2 (near Sylva NC), Waterrock Knob sits at an elevation of 5,820 feet, making it the highest Visitor Center on the BRP. This area is home to several of the highest-elevation Blue Ridge Parkway Overlooks, including the Richland Balsam Overlook (6,053 ft) and the Browning Knob Overlook (5,770 ft). … Read more
A guide to the 20 Best Blue Ridge Parkway hotels, cabin rentals, and B&Bs in NC & VA, spanning the entire length of the BRP.
If you’re a couple or small family with a decent budget planning to explore the Southern Appalachian Mountains, you’ll find an endless array of Blue Ridge Mountain Cabins, Hotels & Resorts to choose from. But the larger the group is that’s traveling together, and the more important “must-haves” on your list of desired amenities, the … Read more
[Updated September 22, 2025] When we think of America’s most beloved scenic route, most people envision jaw-dropping Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks, amazing waterfalls, and/or the colorful foliage along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Fall. Commerce and other signs of “civilization” rarely enter our idyllic picture of the BRP, which is America’s #1 most visited National Park. … Read more
The border between North Carolina and Virginia has a certain level of mystique about it. In our experience, the Appalachian culture, agriculture, music, and enduring wildness of the area make it uniquely magical. Located about 7 miles west of where the Blue Ridge Parkway crosses US-21, the Town of Sparta really epitomizes this special quality. … Read more
With 200+ overlooks scattered along the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, you could easily drive the world-renowned scenic route and see countless jaw-dropping mountain vistas without taking more than a few steps from your car. But that would ultimately defeat the purpose of the BRP, which was conceived as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New … Read more
One of the great mysteries of nature is attempting to predict precisely when the Blue Ridge Mountains Fall colors will peak every year. Of course, there is some science that goes into making the annual Fall Colors Forecast, including considering elevation, climate conditions, recent rainfall, and temperature changes. But, as with so many things in … Read more
[Updated Sept 3, 2025] Growing up in Georgia, with a Granny from Tennessee and a Granddad whose Scots-Irish ancestors settled the Blue Ridge region nearly 300 years ago, Appalachian culture was part of my birthright. Though I lived in the suburbs, my soul was fed by visiting family in the country, where Southern food, music … Read more
One of the interesting things people don’t tell you about taking a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip is how remarkably un-commercialized this 469-mile slice of Appalachian Americana is. In our experience, you can drive the BRP for 100+ miles and never see any mountain resorts, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, or other signs of development. It’s … Read more
