[Updated on September 18, 2023] The Appalachian Mountains encompass a massive portion of the United States. They span 420 counties in 13 states, with foothills as far south as Alabama and all the up into New York State. Before the arrival of Europeans, the region was home to numerous indigenous tribes, including the Cherokee, Iroquois, Powhatan, … Read more
[Updated September 15, 2023] The state of North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Appalachian Mountains are all well-known for their considerable musical influence. The music that took root in the Southeast– including bluegrass, blues, country, gospel, and old-time music– historically served as one of the foundations for popular culture in the United States. … Read more
As the sweltering days of Summer say their goodbyes, the nights and mornings get a little cooler, and the promise of changing leaves in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Fall is tantalizingly close. Living in the Blue Ridge Mountains (as we do) offers year-round treats, from Spring blossoms and Summer wildflowers to Winter wonderlands. … Read more
Located near the southern shores of Lake Santeetlah, the small town of Robbinsville NC is utterly unlike most of the 50+ Blue Ridge Mountain towns we’ve visited over the last 3 years. The population of Robbinsville, North Carolina is less than 600 people, so even Downtown Robbinsville feels fairly quiet and sleepy. Much like Hot … Read more
[Updated September 13, 2023] Chasing waterfalls in North Carolina is serious business. Transylvania County (which rightfully bill itself as “the Land of Waterfalls”) alone has an estimated 250+ NC waterfalls within its boundaries. The massive Pisgah National Forest and Nantahala National Forest are both chock full of alluring cascades. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and … Read more
[Updated September 12, 2023] My wife Emma and I have lived on our homestead near Elkin NC for years, and we traveled the state frequently for years before that. Yet still we’re constantly amazed by the sheer volume of exciting things to do in NC. There’s such an abundance of great places to visit in North … Read more
The city of Winston-Salem is centrally located in North Carolina’s Piedmont region, between the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and the NC low country. It’s about an hour west of Durham, an hour north of Charlotte, and 2 hours east of Asheville. Salem has been a settlement since the mid-1700s, before the state of … Read more
“O Bessie Bell and Mary Gray, they were two bonnie lasses…” Written by a long-forgotten author in the 1700s, this poem memorializes a haunting tale from Scotland about two young cousins who succumbed to the black plague. There are countless other poems, songs, and stories that were brought to America by the Scots-Irish people. … Read more
[Updated August 15, 2023] Did you know that North Carolina is the 7th largest apple producing state in the USA? Or that Hendersonville Apple Orchards are the most prolific apple producing orchards in the state of North Carolina? There are a whopping 19 Hendersonville apple orchards, which is pretty amazing for a Blue … Read more
There are many fine Cherokee NC campgrounds that make a fantastic hub for exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway is at the national park’s entrance, just 3.5 miles north of Cherokee and the Qualla Boundary. Other awesome attractions in … Read more
