The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 252 miles through North Carolina's mountains, connecting overlooks and trailheads from the Virginia border to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, while Mount Mitchell rises majestically to 6,684 feet, the highest point east of the Mississippi. The French Broad River, one of the oldest in the world, cuts through Asheville on its way north to Tennessee.
Asheville has become a destination in its own right. The city has more craft breweries per capita than almost anywhere in the country, earning it the nickname Beer City USA. Restaurants source from farms in the surrounding valleys and draw on Appalachian traditions. The River Arts District fills converted warehouses along the French Broad River with working artist studios. Downtown's Art Deco architecture survived when other cities tore theirs down, giving the streets a particular character that rewards meandering.
Fall is when the mountains draw their biggest crowds. Color starts on the highest peaks in late September and works its way down through October, the scent of chimney smoke and crisp leaves hanging in the air. Spring brings rhododendron blooms and waterfall season. Summer stays comfortable in the mountains when the lowland South swelters. Winter quiets down, good for hiking empty trails and finding a seat at award-winning restaurants that pack out the rest of the year.
You can spend a morning hiking to a waterfall, an afternoon touring the 250-room Biltmore Estate whose 8,000 acre tour could alone fill a day, and an evening working through a brewery crawl or a tasting menu. Outdoor types will find hundreds of miles of trails, while food and drink travelers will find a scene that represents a modern take on southern tradition.
