Ghost Town In The Sky (later rebranded as Ghost Town Village) was a beloved Wild West-themed amusement park in Maggie Valley NC. Conceived by Virginia native R.B. Coburn, Ghost Town opened atop Buck Mountain (elevation 4,650 ft) in 1961, and was widely known as “North Carolina’s Mile High Theme Park.” In its ’60s and ’70s … Read more
Blowing Rock is a quintessential little North Carolina mountain town with an upscale vibe, located right in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s one of our favorite places to visit in the North Carolina High Country, and it’s located about 1 mile off of the Blue Ridge Parkway (at Milepost 291.8). The first time … Read more
Located on US-19, just 1.5 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Soco Gap (Milepost 455.7), Soco Falls is an extremely popular place to visit in Summer and Autumn. In addition to being very close to the BRP, people love Soco Falls because it’s a rare (and gorgeous) twin waterfall, meaning that two streams come … Read more
Though it’s nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and steeped in a long history, Downtown Boone NC has the vibe of a young, hip, and happening town. We live about 90 minutes from Boone, but try to visit every month to sample the great restaurants. We often spend a little time exploring Boone NC hiking trails on … Read more
Blowing Rock NC is located just a couple of miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Drivers simply exit onto US-221N between Moses H. Cone Memorial Park and Julian Price Memorial Park. The Blowing Rock, the namesake of the town, is located at the edge of town a couple of miles south of that. This unique … Read more
The state of North Carolina is home to over half of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 469 total miles, and the mountain overlooks in NC are by far the most high-flying along the route. In our experience, many of the best views on the Blue Ridge Parkway are found along the ridges of the Craggy Mountains, … Read more
Now that Spring has officially sprung, temperatures are rising, wildflowers are blooming, and the peak season for exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains is just around the corner. If you’re anything like us, this time of year is perfect for getting out and enjoying the great outdoors, hiking trails, chasing waterfalls, and spending long, lingering days … Read more
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the premier scenic drives in the USA, and also the most visited national park in the country. Created by Franklin D Roosevelt to connect Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, construction of the BRP began in the 1930s. By the mid-1960s, most … Read more
Whether you’re taking your very first Blue Ridge Parkway road trip or– like us– you’ve explored the scenic route multiple times, a visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center is a must! Located near Downtown Asheville, just 2.4 miles south of the Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk Art Center, the Visitor Center is essentially … Read more
There’s a wealth of beautiful things to see while driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. But the 200+ scenic mountain overlooks found along the way are the main attractions for most road trippers. That being said, stopping at all (or even most) of these overlooks while driving the 469-mile scenic route can be overwhelming. We know, … Read more
