Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
[Updated November 9, 2023] There’s nothing quite like celebrating the holiday season in a magical place, and many small mountain towns offer special NC Christmas Events. From parades and shopping to dazzling Christmas lights and meetings with Santa, these Blue Ridge Mountain Towns are the perfect place to celebrate and get into the holiday spirit. … Read more
[Updated August 6, 2023] Fall in North Carolina is particularly special because the autumn leaves are around for an extended amount of time. The vibrant fall colors almost seem to develop in shifts, gradually working their way down the sides of the Blue Ridge Mountains as seasonal temperatures begin to drop. Leaves changing in North Carolina … Read more
The Blue Ridge Mountains are famed for their stirring scenic vistas, and the Blue Ridge Parkway in Fall is arguably the crème de la crème. My wife Emma and I both have October birthdays, and autumn is our favorite time of year for many reasons. As avid gardeners, it means the fruits of our labors … Read more
Stretching 469 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the #1 most visited unit of the US National Parks. The world-famous scenic route attracts nearly 16 million visitors each year. And Mabry Mill in Virginia is one of the most popular (and most … Read more
[Updated 6/26/2023] Just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rocky ridges smooth out into the rolling hills and lively mountain streams known as the North Carolina Piedmont. North of I-40, Mt. Airy often steals the headlines. The charming mountain town is best known as the home of Andy Griffith and the setting for The Andy Griffith … Read more
[Updated Jun 20, 2023] Located in the heart of Virginia’s picturesque Shenandoah Valley, Luray is the county seat of Page County and one of just four access points for entering Shenandoah National Park. Established in 1812 on 10 acres of land near Hawksbill Creek, the small town of around 4,800 residents is a warm, welcoming … Read more
[Updated June 16, 2023] With a population of around 100,000 people, Roanoke is both the largest city along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the largest in Virginia’s Blue Ridge region. Roanoke has a lot of the small Blue Ridge mountain town charm that’s customary to the region, with a historic town center, wilderness just minutes … Read more
[Updated June 7, 2023] When my wife and I explore the Blue Ridge Mountains, it’s typically with two main goals in mind. The first objective is to create in-depth guides on the best things to see and do there. The second is to use that information to decide whether or not we want to move … Read more
[Updated May 22, 2023] Located about halfway between Bryson City and Asheville, Maggie Valley NC is a small mountain town with something of a split personality. The town has been home to colorful characters such as bluegrass legend Raymond Fairchild, bootlegger Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton, and Deliverance actor Herbert “Cowboy” Coward (who got his start at the … Read more
[Updated May 8, 2023] One of the things people don’t tell you about taking a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip is how remarkably uncommercialized this 469-mile slice of Appalachian Americana is. You can drive for 50-100 miles and never see any Blue Ridge Parkway hotels, resorts, restaurants, or gas stations. Which is precisely what makes … Read more