Arguably ranking among the world’s great road trips, the Blue Ridge Parkway was built in the 1930s to connect Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Shenandoah National Park. Spanning 469 miles in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the BRP offers sensational scenic vistas, historic sites, and thousands of species of birds, plants and animals. … Read more
Emerald Village is located just 31 miles from Asheville and three miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The family-friendly attraction proved to be one of our favorite things to do in Little Switzerland NC, one of our favorite little tourist towns in the state. Featured on shows such as National Geographic Channel’s The Savage Line … Read more
As we’re exploring the North Georgia mountains for our Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide, we’re also empty nesters searching for places to live in the Georgia Mountains. When our outdoor adventures take us to the natural areas near some of the best small towns in Georgia, we’re also taking time to explore those towns for … Read more
Located about an hour north of Atlanta in Habersham County, the Schoolbus Graveyard is arguably among the most unusual and intriguing roadside attractions in North Georgia. Surrounding Alonzo Wade Used Cars & Auto Parts– a 5-acre junkyard that has been in Walter Wade’s family for 60+ years– the colorful landmark embodies two classic clichés. One … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] Growing up in a lower middle class family in Atlanta, I vividly recall the visceral excitement I felt every time I’d get some spending money from mowing my neighbor’s lawn. My buddies and I would hop on our 10-speed bikes and ride down to the neighborhood Milk Jug convenience store. There … Read more
[Updated July 29, 2021] “You don’t choose Asheville… Asheville chooses you.” This enigmatic insight from Peter White, co-owner of the Black Walnut Bed and Breakfast Inn, was a perfect summation of our fascination with what was then still a burgeoning little Blue Ridge mountain town. By our second visit to Asheville in 2014, you could really … Read more
[Updated September 21, 2021] From Anna Ruby and Amicalola Falls to Hemlock, Minnehaha, and Angel/Panther Falls, one of our favorite things about our 2020 staycations has been exploring many of the amazing waterfalls in North Georgia. But until recently we hadn’t made our way to the Richard B. Russell Scenic Hwy to hike the waterfalls … Read more
If you’ve lived in the Southeast for a good portion of your life (as our team has), chances are you’ve been exploring Appalachia and the Blue Ridge range for years. Maybe you’ve visited state parks in North Georgia and North Carolina, hiked to various waterfalls, soaked in the scenery atop majestic mountains, or taken a road … Read more
[Updated November 6, 2021] When I was a young man working to pay my own way through college, I spent 5 years as a cook, manager, and delivery driver at a family-owned Italian restaurant in Atlanta. Those influential years at At’sa Pizza (which was owned by a similarly warm maternal figure) came rushing back to … Read more
Stretching north to south across the eastern United States, the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains are truly an iconic American landscape. The Blue Ridge range encompasses over 34,000 square miles of gorgeous mountain terrain filled with towering summits, meandering rivers, lush national forests, gleaming lakes, and cascading waterfalls. So there is no shortage of breathtaking scenery … Read more
