NorthCarolina
3
Day Itinerary •
USA
Three days in North Carolina gives you the essential Blue Ridge experience, from the extraordinary Blue Ridge Parkway winding through the finest mountain scenery in the eastern United States to the vibrant arts city of Asheville with its extraordinary food scene, the magnificent Biltmore Estate and the finest waterfalls in the Appalachians. This route covers the heart of western North Carolina. The extraordinary Blue Ridge Parkway with its overlooks stretching from the Smokies to Shenandoah, the artistic community of Asheville with its extraordinary brewery culture and farm-to-table cuisine, the extraordinary Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the finest hiking in the eastern United States.
Best Time To Visit
May to June or October for fall foliage
Getting There
Fly into Asheville Regional (AVL) or Charlotte (CLT) then drive
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx $120 to $200 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, some hiking
DAY 1
ASHEVILLE
MORNING
BILTMORE ESTATE, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY PRIVATE HOME IN AMERICA
The Biltmore Estate in Asheville is the most extraordinary private home in America, its extraordinary 8,000-acre estate containing a 250-room French Renaissance chateau built by George Vanderbilt between 1889 and 1895. The extraordinary state rooms, the Banquet Hall with its 70-foot ceiling, the library of 10,000 volumes and the extraordinary gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted are all unmissable. The winery tasting is included with entry. Entry approx $70. Drive: 15 min drive
MIDDAY
RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, THE FINEST CREATIVE QUARTER IN THE SOUTH
Asheville's River Arts District along the French Broad River is the most extraordinary concentration of working artists' studios in the American South, its extraordinary converted warehouse and factory spaces housing over 200 painters, potters, glassblowers and woodworkers. The studios are open to visitors and the artists work in full view. The extraordinary murals along the rail corridor are among the finest street art in the Southeast. Free. Drive: 10 min walk
AFTERNOON
DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE AND THE GROVE ARCADE
Downtown Asheville is the most vibrant small city in the South, its extraordinary collection of Art Deco buildings, independent galleries, farm-to-table restaurants and craft breweries entirely unlike anywhere else in North Carolina. The extraordinary Grove Arcade, a 1929 Renaissance Revival market building, is the finest indoor market in the Appalachians. Pack Square with its extraordinary street performers and the Lexington Avenue arts corridor are unmissable. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Omni Grove Park Inn spa, built in 1913 into the side of Sunset Mountain, is the finest historic resort in the Appalachians, its extraordinary Arts and Crafts great hall with two 14-foot fireplaces among the most extraordinary interiors in the American South. The underground spa is extraordinary. Non-guests can use the spa from $50. The sunset view from the terrace is the finest in Asheville.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Early Girl Eatery, Asheville The finest Southern breakfast in Asheville. Extraordinary biscuits, local eggs and mountain ham. | Lunch: The Market Place, Asheville Outstanding farm-to-table lunch in the River Arts District. Local trout, heirloom vegetables and NC craft beer. | Dinner: Cúrate, Asheville The finest restaurant in Asheville. Extraordinary Spanish tapas with local ingredients. Book well ahead.
DAY 2
THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
MORNING
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, THE MOST SCENIC ROAD IN AMERICA
The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most extraordinary scenic road in America, its extraordinary 469 miles along the crest of the Appalachians from Shenandoah to the Great Smoky Mountains passing 165 overlooks of extraordinary mountain scenery. The section near Asheville around Milepost 355 gives the most extraordinary views of the Black Mountains, home to the highest peaks in the eastern United States. Free. No commercial vehicles permitted. Drive: 45 min drive
MIDDAY
LINVILLE FALLS AND LINVILLE GORGE, THE GRAND CANYON OF THE EAST
Linville Falls near Milepost 316 is the most extraordinary waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway, its extraordinary two-tiered plunge of the Linville River over ancient quartzite into the Linville Gorge below giving views that reward a short hike of extraordinary beauty. The Linville Gorge Wilderness is called the Grand Canyon of the East for its extraordinary vertical walls. Entry free. Several trail options from 0.2 to 1.6 miles. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN AND THE MILE HIGH SWINGING BRIDGE
Grandfather Mountain at 5,946 feet is the most extraordinary privately preserved mountain in North Carolina, its extraordinary Mile High Swinging Bridge suspended between two rocky peaks giving the most extraordinary exposure to the open sky of any accessible viewpoint in the Appalachians. The extraordinary wildlife habitats below the bridge house black bear, elk, eagles and river otter. Entry approx $25.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Rough Ridge Trail near Milepost 302 on the Blue Ridge Parkway is the finest short hike on the entire Parkway, its extraordinary 0.9-mile loop climbing rocky outcrops above the treeline to give 360-degree views over the Linville Valley and the Black Mountains. Best at sunrise. Free. Almost entirely unknown to visitors who stop only at the developed overlooks.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Sunrise at a Parkway overlook Coffee from a thermos at dawn over the Blue Ridge mist. The most extraordinary free breakfast in America. | Lunch: Shatley Springs Inn, Crumpler Extraordinary all-you-can-eat Southern lunch. Local ham, biscuits, sweet tea and apple butter since 1928. | Dinner: The Speckled Trout, Blowing Rock Outstanding local mountain trout, NC craft beer and extraordinary Blue Ridge views from the deck.
DAY 3
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
MORNING
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, AMERICA'S MOST VISITED PARK
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America, its extraordinary 522,000 acres of ancient Appalachian forest straddling the North Carolina and Tennessee border containing more tree species than all of northern Europe. The extraordinary Newfound Gap Road crossing at 5,046 feet gives the finest mountain views in the park. Clingmans Dome at 6,644 feet is the highest point in the Smokies. Entry free. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
CADES COVE AND THE APPALACHIAN ELK HERD
Cades Cove is the most extraordinary valley in the Great Smokies, its extraordinary 11-mile loop road past preserved 19th-century homesteads, grist mills and churches giving the finest wildlife viewing in the eastern United States. A herd of over 150 elk was reintroduced to the Smokies in 2001 and the extraordinary bulls can be seen bugling in the fields at dawn and dusk. White-tailed deer, black bear and wild turkey are extraordinary here. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
DEEP CREEK AND JUNEY WHANK FALLS
The Deep Creek area near Bryson City is the finest hidden corner of the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, its extraordinary network of waterfall trails through old-growth forest giving a completely different experience from the crowded Newfound Gap corridor. Juney Whank Falls and Tom Branch Falls are both extraordinary and reached by easy trails under a mile. Tube rentals on Deep Creek are extraordinary in summer. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Cataloochee Valley on the eastern edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the finest hidden valley in the Smokies, its extraordinary remote meadows home to the largest elk herd in the eastern United States and a scattering of extraordinary 19th-century farmsteads. The 45-minute drive on a narrow gravel road keeps most visitors away. Free. Elk bugling at dusk is extraordinary.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Fryemont Inn, Bryson City The finest historic lodge breakfast in the Smokies. Local mountain biscuits, gravy and strong coffee. | Lunch: Picnic at Deep Creek Pack a lunch from an Asheville grocery store. The extraordinary picnic tables by the creek are free. | Dinner: Cork and Barrel, Bryson City Outstanding local mountain cuisine. NC trout, slow-cooked pork and local craft beer in the finest town near the Smokies.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Asheville, Nights 1 to 2 The Inn on Biltmore Estate or Omni Grove Park Inn. Approx $150 to $300 per night. Cherokee or Bryson City, Night 3 Harrah's Cherokee or Nantahala Outdoor Center lodge. Approx $100 to $180 per night. Budget Option Countless independent inns and B&Bs throughout the Blue Ridge. From approx $90 per night.
Top Tips
1. Asheville's River Arts District on a weekday morning, before the galleries fill up, is an extraordinary experience.
2. The Blue Ridge Parkway at dawn with mist in the valleys below the overlooks is the finest sight in the Appalachians.
3. Clingmans Dome in the Smokies at sunrise, before the crowds, gives the most extraordinary 360-degree view in the east.
4. Biltmore Estate is best visited midweek in spring or fall. The winery tasting included with entry is extraordinary.
5. Asheville has more breweries per capita than any US city. Wicked Weed and Hi-Wire are the finest.
6. Linville Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most extraordinary waterfall in North Carolina. Go at first light.
Total Budget
$120 to $200/day