Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
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.
[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 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
If you visit Bedford VA (located about 28 miles east of Roanoke), you won’t get far before you realize how much of an impact World War II had on this charming small town. Bordered by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the north and Smith Mountain Lake to the south, the town dates back more than … Read more
The Blue Ridge Parkway (and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain towns) is heaving with options for amazing outdoor adventures. But whether it’s a rainy day, unseasonably cold, or a brutally hot scorcher, sometimes you just want to be inside for a few hours. There are countless museums along the Parkway and in neighboring towns that … Read more
The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway is roughly split evenly between North Carolina and Virginia, linking two of the most beloved US National Parks– Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park. Along the world-renowned scenic route, there are many fantastic places for hiking, biking, camping, swimming, and further exploring one of the prettiest regions … Read more
With a total land area of 8.28 sq miles, Galax is a wonderful little Virginia mountain town to visit at any time of year. But, in our experience, Fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains is always extra special, and Galax offers a lot of fun ways to celebrate the season. Galax may be best-known as the “Old-Time … Read more
