Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
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
The Forest Heritage Scenic Byway is a 76.7-mile loop in Western NC that passes through Pisgah National Forest. It’s just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at one end, and close to the mountain town of Brevard at the other. This stunning tree-lined journey is dotted with endless hiking trails, picnic spots, swimming holes, and some of … Read more
There’s hardly an inch of the Blue Ridge Parkway that wouldn’t make a lovely spot to have a picnic. Whether you’ve been taking a scenic drive or hiking for miles, there’s something very nostalgic about pulling out a blanket, a basket full of goodies, and soaking up some nature while you nosh. Thankfully, the US … Read more
We’ve visited 50+ Blue Ridge Mountain towns in the 4 years since we launched this site, and several of them we’ve visited numerous times. Blowing Rock NC is one of our favorites, because it’s located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the heart of the North Carolina High Country, with an amazing array of … Read more
