Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
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 landmarks such as the Daniel Boone Native Gardens and the … Read more
Located just 31 miles from Asheville and three miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Emerald Village proved to be one of our favorite things to do in Little Switzerland NC. Featured on shows such as National Geographic Channel’s The Savage Line and Travel Channel’s Ultimate World Access, the complex offers a family-friendly immersion in NC … Read more
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 Show (a … Read more
Asheville’s reputation as a forward-thinking, nature-loving town in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains precedes it. Despite being only the 12th largest city in the state, Asheville still ranks among the most popular tourist destinations in North Carolina. In addition to the famous Biltmore Estate, the mountain town has a fantastic collection of art … Read more
“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 feel the bustling energy … Read more
There’s nothing quite like celebrating the holiday season in a magical place, and many of Western North Carolina’s small towns offer something special for Christmas lovers to experience. 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 … 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
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 Little Switzerland, NC– located … 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 forests, gleaming lakes, and cascading waterfalls. So there is no shortage of breathtaking scenery to … Read more
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 Blue Ridge mountainsides as seasonal temperatures begin to drop. Changes at the higher altitudes (see: Mount Mitchell, Clingmans Dome, Richland … Read more