Scenic American Road Trips: The Blue Ridge Parkway
Cruise along this scenic byway from North Carolina to Virginia
Plan a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip for your next vacation getaway and feel the stress of daily life disappear into the dense forests and breathtaking views all around you. Stretching from the Great Smoky Mountains, along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and down into to the Shenandoah River Valley, this 469-mile joyride is considered “America’s Favorite Drive.”
Designed by the U.S. National Park Service and constructed in the late 1930s, the Blue Ridge Parkway quickly became one of America’s most-visited destinations. Focused simply on the scenery, the Parkway is a two-lane roadway, with no commercial vehicles allowed, and a leisurely 45 mph speed limit that bypasses most towns and local attractions. You’ll quickly find, however, that connecting routes to many nearby communities and historic landmarks are well worth the occasional detour. Do plan ahead as GPS is unreliable throughout the drive, and the road is generally closed from late October to early May.
Ready to hit the road? Download some award-winning bluegrass and folk music, grab the binoculars—and your sense of wonder—and head on down the highway to these incredible spots along your Blue Ridge Parkway road trip.
Beauty and History in the Great Smokies
Sliding Rock near Oconaluftee Indian Village is a refreshing natural waterslide made for cooling off and having fun.
When you visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you'll experience the most-visited national park in the U.S. Here, you’ll see elevation changes from 800 feet to well over 6,000 feet, creating a range of climates that welcomes thousands of species of plants and animals. The old-growth forests, rounded mountaintops and rough-hewn rocks, or “knobs,” imply that this is an ancient range.
Nestled in the woods just outside the park is Oconaluftee Indian Village, a living history museum, demonstrating local Cherokee life in 18th century. Watch arrowheads and baskets being made and see how blowguns were used to hunt small game.
Want to cool off a bit? Swimming holes are always a great discovery, and Sliding Rock is just a 7.5-mile detour off your Blue Ridge Parkway road trip. It’s a popular natural waterslide you have to try out at least once. But, you’ll probably want to run back up to the top and do it again and again!
Man-Made Wonders along the Parkway
The Biltmore Estate is 8,000 acres of gardens with an impressive mansion that you can discover on a self-guided tour.
The Gilded Age of the late 19th century is alive and well in western North Carolina. To experience it, we recommend you book a hotel near the Biltmore Estate, the former home of George Washington Vanderbilt II. The country’s largest private home is still owned by Vanderbilt’s descendants. The land surrounding this impressive mansion was sold to the National Forest Service after Vanderbilt’s death and comprises much of what is now Pisgah National Forest.
Take a 20-mile side trip off the Parkway to stay near Chimney Rock State Park. In addition to its impressive granite monolith, this area has starred in several movies. Further north up the Parkway, you’ll find the Folk Arts Center, where Appalachian artisans demonstrate and sell their handiwork. Back on the road, you’ll soon find yourself in the Great Craggy Mountains where nature’s paint palette explodes with colorful wildflowers, including miles of purple Catawba rhododendron in the summer and bouquets of red berries in the fall. Make sure to plan ahead—the Parkway is sometimes closed due to subsidence caused by heavy rainfall.
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Rocks and Rolling Hills
Blowing Rock is legendary for returning lost items carried by the special wind currents that blow over the outcrop of rock.
Rare gems, gold flecks and a wealth of history await visitors to Emerald Village, a cluster of 12 real, working mines in Little Switzerland, NC. Reopening in late June 2020, it’s just about 3 miles off the Parkway. Once you’ve dug up a couple of rocks, you’ll head about 30 minutes further up the road for another opportunity to stretch your legs. Linville Falls surprises visitors with its impressive waterfall. It’s a pretty easy 1.6-mile round-trip hike.
After another 45 minutes on the road, at the northern edge of Pisgah National Forest, you’ll find a unique outcropping. Visitors who book a hotel in Blowing Rock are blown away by the seemingly magical upward wind currents that tend to return things dropped over the edge. A romantic Indian legend makes this site all the more fascinating.
Virginia is for Lovers of Art, Nature and Fun Times
Grab a photo at Mabry Mills, famous for its picturesque surroundings, live milling demonstrations and delicious local food.
Drive across the North Carolina state line into Virginia on your Blue Ridge Parkway road trip, and you’ll arrive at Mabry Mill. Make sure to check with the National Park Service to learn about park potential closures during summer 2020.
Because this watermill and its picturesque surroundings are photographed so often, you might think you’ve been here before. Historical exhibits of life in frontier Virginia include live demonstrations. Plus, if you time this stop right, you can pick up an order of the locally famous buckwheat cakes and country ham at the restaurant.
Just a couple of hours north is Natural Bridge, an area mentioned by author Herman Melville in his classic, Moby Dick. The gorge and limestone formation were once considered a sacred site of the Native American Monacan tribe.
Your incredible driving experience along the Blue Ridge Parkway winds up at the entrance of Shenandoah National Park. But the trip isn’t really complete until you take a ride on Skyline Drive, another national scenic byway. If you’re not yet ready to park the car, there’s 109 miles more to discover as you roll north through Virginia’s Shenandoah region.
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