28 August 2023
Quite likely the world’s longest road constructed purely in the name of leisurely exploration, the Blue Ridge Parkway twists and climbs for 469 miles through a breathtaking stretch of alpine wilderness in North Carolina and Virginia. Operated by the National Park Service and constructed mostly from 1935 to 1966, this serpentine two-lane ribbon of blacktop connects two other natural wonders of the eastern United States: Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park.
It’s a slow drive, and deliberately so: the speed limit is 45 mph, and by following the twisting spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains (which are a subrange of the Appalachians), it sacrifices directness for beauty. You can hop on and off at countless junctions along the route, including two attractive midsize cities — Asheville, North Carolina, and Roanoke, Virginia. But if you’re up for a grand adventure and can spare a few days, it’s well worth driving the entire parkway.
You’ll encounter dozens of remarkable diversions along the way: hundreds of scenic viewpoints and picnic spots, miles of both easy and arduous hiking trails and a bounty of engaging historic sites that shed light on Appalachian heritage and folkways. There are a handful of places to eat and overnight on or very close to the parkway and many more within a short drive.
From south to north, here’s a look at some of the most memorable stops along this magical road and helpful planning tips to get you started.
Planning advice
Scenic view of Blue Ridge Mountains at Pine Spur Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. JENA ARDELL/GETTY IMAGES
Best start and end points for the Blue Ridge Parkway
At the parkway’s southern end, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nearest commercial airport is Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), a two-hour drive.
Of cities with major airports, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) is just 3 1/2 hours away and is a good option as a start and end point if you are planning a round-trip car rental. Charlotte is also a 4 1/2-hour drive (by the faster interstate highways) from the northern end of the parkway (and southern entrance of Shenandoah National Park).
Atlanta is also 3 1/2 hours from the south end of the parkway, and the drive up through Georgia’s Appalachian mountains — via Tallulah Falls, Georgia, and Bryson City, North Carolina — is quite beautiful. It’s a great way to extend your adventure. From the north end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dulles International Airport (IAD) is 2 1/2 hours (or an hour from Shenandoah’s north entrance in Front Royal).
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Although there’s no fee to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway or to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll need to pay $30 per private vehicle to enter Shenandoah National Park.
When is the best time to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway?
The scenery along the parkway really sings anytime from spring through fall, but May through mid-June stands out especially for viewing wildflowers and rhododendrons in bloom, and mid-September through mid-October is the best period for seeing brilliant fall foliage.
Temperatures along the parkway tend to be five to 10 degrees cooler than in the region’s lower elevations, making this drive a potentially cool escape from summer heat. On the other hand, this means snow and ice are a possibility in winter, which is also the one season when many facilities along the road are closed.
Keep in mind that this curving and relatively narrow road is prone to fog and wild animal crossings any time of year. It’s best to drive it only during daylight hours, both for safety and the best views, and to exercise great caution when there’s heavy rain.
Although it’s theoretically possible to drive the entire route in three days, you’ll have a far more enjoyable experience if you allow five days given the parkway’s leisurely pace. With a full week, you’ll have more than enough time to explore Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah national parks, too.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Asheville
Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower in the Pisgah National Forest near the Blue Ridge Parkway. EIFEL KREUTZ/GETTY IMAGES
The Blue Ridge Parkway begins close to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it’s definitely worth budgeting time to explore the park’s stunning landscapes.
This rugged 522,419-acre swath of pristine forests, open meadows and meandering streams is the largest national park east of the Mississippi, but in a single day you can ascend to the observation tower atop 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome, amble among the exhibits of the open-air Mountain Farm Museum and drive into the Tennessee section of the park to drive the enchanting Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and maybe hop out for a short trek to Grotto Falls.
Where to stop
Once you enter the parkway, after taking a selfie in front of the pretty painted “welcome” sign at milepost 469.1, you’ve got about 90 miles ahead of you to Asheville.
This section has some of the most dramatic scenic pullouts along the entire route, with Waterrock Knob (milepost 451) a particular highlight. There’s a small visitor center and picnic area, and the views are incredible at sunset.
The other big highlight along this stretch is Mount Pisgah (milepost 408) — allow a couple of hours for the steep but well-trod 2.6-mile round-trip hike to this 5,721-foot peak that offers a vast panorama of nearby Asheville.
Exploring Asheville
With a fantastic culinary and craft beer scene, a rich arts scene and a progressive, creative spirit, the small city of Asheville (population 94,000) has enough to keep you busy for several days, including two notable stops along the parkway: the light-filled Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, with its engrossing exhibits on the road’s natural and human history, and the superb Folk Art Center, whose galleries exhibit works by members of the prestigious Southern Highland Craft Guild (you can also buy beautiful wares in the Allanstand crafts shop).
In Asheville itself, set aside time to explore the greenery of North Carolina Arboretum, peruse the dozens of galleries of the hip River Arts District, and spend time eating your way through buzzy food-and-drink neighborhoods like South Slope (on the edge of downtown) and West Asheville (along Haywood Road).
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With its Chateauesque 250-room mansion, splendid gardens and numerous other diversions, Biltmore Estate is another must, but you really need a full day to make the most of visiting this 8,000-acre estate (daily admission starts at $85 per person).
Where to stay
Although there are no accommodations within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll find a good selection of options in the gateway towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and — just 4 miles from the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway — Cherokee, North Carolina.
One excellent lodging located directly along this stretch of the parkway is the Pisgah Inn (rates start at $250 per night), a pleasant, two-story midcentury lodge with a restaurant and sweeping mountain and valley views.
From here, it’s only another 20 miles to Asheville, which offers the greatest range of notable hotels along the Blue Ridge Parkway. You’ll find all the usual chain properties here, as well as some distinctive boutique hotels, like chic Restoration Asheville (rates start at $279), which opened steps from downtown restaurants and breweries in 2022.
Biltmore Estate has three upscale accommodations (rates start at $270), but it’s the storied Omni Grove Park Inn (rates start at $359) — a striking Arts and Crafts beauty with stunning Blue Ridge views, superb restaurants and one of the Southeast’s most luxurious spas — that’s worth a splurge, especially if you can stay at least a couple of nights to fully enjoy its myriad amenities.
Asheville to Blowing Rock
A sign near the observation platform at the summit of Mount Mitchell. JOEL CARILLET/GETTY IMAGES
Where to stop
Just northeast of Asheville, Craggy Gardens Picnic Area (milepost 364) is a shaded tract of outdoor tables with slightly sloping trails leading to magnificent stands of rhododendrons, azaleas and mountain laurels. About 10 miles later, you can briefly detour up a side road to the summit of the highest point in the eastern U.S.: Mount Mitchell. A short paved path leads to the observation deck, and there’s a small museum and casual restaurant, too.
At 305, you’ll approach Grandfather Mountain, whose rocky peaks you can explore by walking across a dramatic mile-high swinging bridge. Here you’ll also drive along the parkway’s greatest engineering marvel, the Linn Cove Viaduct, a curving 1,243-foot-long concrete bridge that hugs Grandfather Mountain’s precipitous face.
Nearby at Julian Price Memorial Park, you can rent a kayak or canoe for a refreshing paddle around Price Lake. From here, you can hop off the parkway to check out the quaint village center of Blowing Rock, with its gift and crafts shops as well as the interesting Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
Where to stay
Charming Blowing Rock has a handful of notable places to stay, including the woodsy-chic Mountainaire Inn and Log Cabins (rates start at $143). And just off the parkway between Asheville and Blowing Rock, the alpine chalet-inspired Switzerland Inn (rates start at $219) has several types of rooms, from A-frame cabin to cozy cottage. From the parkway, it’s a 15-minute drive via U.S. Route 321 to the college town of Boone, home to Appalachian State University along with a good mix of hotels and motels.
Blowing Rock to Roanoke
Blue Ridge Music Center. THE BLUFFS RESTAURANT/FACEBOOK
Where to stop
As you approach Virginia, stop for lunch at the parkway’s oldest eatery, The Bluffs (milepost 238), a restored 1940s rustic-style diner known for fried chicken lunches, before taking a walk around nearby Brinegar Cabin, a small late-19th-century homestead that’s typical of those that once proliferated in these mountains.
Highlights after crossing the state line include the easy 2-mile loop waterfall hike at Cumberland Knob (milepost 218) and the nearby outdoor Blue Ridge Music Center, which stages folk and country concerts throughout the summer. At historic Mabry Mill (milepost 176), you can watch docents working in the historic sawmill and blacksmith shop and dine in the colorful restaurant (known for its fresh-baked blackberry cobbler).
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You’ll encounter the turnoff for picturesque Mill Mountain Parkway, which leads into Roanoke (population 99,000), at milepost 120 — stop at Mill Mountain Park for a grand view of the city, and a walk through a small zoo and garden if time allows, on your way into town.
Exploring Roanoke
Give yourself at least a half day to get to know this bustling hill city with several first-rate attractions, including the Taubman Museum of Art, which is focused on regional American works, and the O. Winston Link Museum, with its attractive setting inside a vintage train station, the perfect place to display its railroad photography. Pick up locally raised and made food at Historic Roanoke City Market, and hunt for Appalachian antiques and architectural wares at famed Black Dog Salvage.
Where to stay
The second sizable city along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke enjoys a lovely setting and makes for a convenient overnight base, but it’s mostly a city of chain options.
The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Curio Collection by Hilton (rates start at $180 or 43,000 Hilton Honors points per night) stands out for its 1880s Tudor-style design and refined restaurant serving French cuisine with a Southern twist, and the Liberty Trust (rates start at $173) occupies a gorgeously transformed 1910 bank tower.
If you have time and want to treat yourself to a truly special overnight, consider making the half-hour detour from the parkway (near Meadows of the Dan, Virginia) to the Primland Resort (rates start at $859), a posh 12,000-acre property that’s part of the ritzy Auberge Resorts brand.
Roanoke to Shenandoah National Park
View from Blackrock Summit in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. CHANSAK JOE/GETTY IMAGES
Where to stop
From Roanoke, you’ve got about 115 miles ahead on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along this stretch, make time for a detour into the cute hamlet of Buchanan, where you can venture across a vintage swinging bridge over the James River, and stop for a bite to eat and a hike along one of the easy but rewarding trails at the Peaks of the Otter area (milepost 86). In another 20 miles, you can explore a system of historic canals and locks at the James River Visitor Center.
Skyline Drive
At milepost 0, the Blue Ridge Parkway ends on an overpass above Interstate Highway 64. Or, to be more precise, it transitions into Skyline Drive, the 105-mile scenic route through Shenandoah National Park.
This curvaceous and lofty thoroughfare feels quite similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway — the main difference is that the speed limit is lower (35 mph), and you’ll pay a $30 per vehicle fee to enter the park.
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Many more enticing diversion await you on journey, including Blackrock Summit (milepost 85), where you can amble along a short but breathtaking section of the Appalachian Trail. Endearingly named places like Hawksbill Gap, Hogback Overlook and Little Devils Stairs offer more opportunities for fresh-air hiking with eye-popping views.
Where to stay
Along the parkway, Peaks of the Otter Lodge (rates start at $159 per night) has 63 modern rooms, many with views across a rippling lake. If you’re ending your trip at the parkway’s northern terminus, it’s an easy drive on I-64 to Staunton (20 minutes west) or Charlottesville (30 minutes east), two alluring towns with a bounty of both chains and more distinctive accommodations.
If continuing along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, make every effort to stay in one of the park’s two hotels, Big Meadows Lodge (rates start at $116) or the Skyland Inn (rates start at $136). These are relatively modest, low-slung properties built in the late 1930s, and they often fill up fast so book ahead if possible. But there’s something special about waking up in a room high atop the park’s 3,500-foot-elevation spine, with panoramic views west toward the Allegheny Mountains.
If you can’t land a room in the park, Luray — about 10 miles west of the park at roughly its north-south midpoint and famous for its touristy but fun Luray Caverns cave system — has a number of appealing options. Or just outside the northern entrance to the park, the quaint town of Front Royal is another excellent hotel base. From here you’re also just over an hour’s drive to Washington, D.C.
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