Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, North Carolina
Tel:
(406) 638-3204
Experience the beauty that John Denver sang about in his unforgettable "Country Roads," as you drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a famous 469-mile scenic drive that runs through the Blue Ridge Mountain Range in North Carolina and Virginia. This "drive" is really much more than just a cruise down the highway. It is not meant to be done quickly and you are supposed to stop and get out frequently in order to take in the stunning mountain panoramas. Gorgeous wildflowers begging to be photographed, enchanting spruce and fir forests, and diverse animal and plant life await you. One of the special features of the parkway is that whether you travel in the fall, when fiery colors light up the landscape, in winter, when the rugged mountains and trees are snow-covered, or in spring or summer, when vegetation is in full bloom, you will not be disappointed.
Some of North Carolina's most pleasant sites include Crabtree Meadows & Museum of North Carolina Minerals (fantastic hiking), Waterrock Knob (great mountain overlooks), Crabby Gardens (spectacular summer blooms and picnicking), and the picturesque Linville Falls. Virginia has much to offer as well, including Peaks of Otter (camping, mountain trails, and a historic farm), Roanoke Mountain, and Rocky Knob & Mabry Mill. There are dozens more historical, natural, and cultural sites of interest in both states.