Enjoy a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway

North Carolina is traversed by a portion of America's Favorite Scenic Drive. Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks are connected by the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway. There are many free entry sites to the parkway in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina, but you should travel near Asheville if you want to see some of the tallest peaks east of the Mississippi River.

Popular destinations along the parkway include Linville Falls, Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain in the eastern United States, and Craggy Gardens, which is renowned for its 360-degree views and abundance of rhododendrons (a three-tiered waterfall that cascades into the Linville Gorge). Numerous hiking routes, like the kid-friendly Graveyard Fields, are accessible from the parkway when you're ready to get some exercise.

Hikers can reach two waterfalls on this approximately three-mile circle trail. There is also the harder, 2.6-mile Mount Pisgah Trail, which goes out and back and offers views of Cold Mountain from its 5,721-foot summit if you're up for the challenge. Retire to one of Asheville's premier hotels after spending the day admiring the views along the parkway.

TripAdvisor Rating: 5.0/5.0
Address: Blue Ridge Pkwy, Asheville, NC 28802
Phone: +1 (828) 298-0398
Website:https://www.blueridgeparkway.org