Asheville
Charmed by Asheville's natural beauty, shipping and railroad heir George Washington Vanderbilt II decided to build a summer home modeled after three…
Must-see attractions in North Carolina Mountains
North Carolina Mountains
This remarkable modern museum traces Cherokee history from their Paleo-Indian roots onwards. Its villain is the perfidious Andrew Jackson, who made his…
Asheville
The glass-fronted West Wing is a showstopping introduction to this downtown museum, which is looking sleek after a $24 million renovation that added 70%…
North Carolina Mountains
The stupendous 315ft monolith known as Chimney Rock towers above the slender, forested valley of the Rocky Broad River, a gorgeous 28-mile drive southeast…
North Carolina Mountains
The Tsali Recreation Area has been famed among mountain bikers for so long that local riders rather take it for granted. For out-of-state visitors, though…
North Carolina Mountains
A major decision awaits visitors to North Carolina’s original state park. Will you drive up Mount Mitchell, at 6684ft the highest peak east of the…
North Carolina Mountains
For a totally exhilarating stop on a journey along the Blue Ridge Parkway, stop off and strip down at Sliding Rock, 7 miles off the parkway. Propelled…
Asheville
Part gallery, part store, and wholly dedicated to Southern craftsmanship, the superb Folk Art Center stands directly off the Blue Ridge Pkwy, 6 miles east…
North Carolina Mountains
For a wonderful short hike, head up the hour-long Erwin’s View Trail to spectacular Linville Falls. This moderate 1.6-mile round-trip offers great close…
Asheville
A veritable time machine, this downtown treat transports gamers back to the much-lamented pinball arcades of yesteryear. With stock ranging from vintage…
North Carolina Mountains
The highest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Grandfather Mountain looms north of the parkway 20 miles southwest of Blowing Rock. As a visitor destination, it…
North Carolina Mountains
If you’re traveling with kids or are a wannabe prospector yourself, stop 3 miles west of Boone to pan for semiprecious stones. Several gem-mining spots…
North Carolina Mountains
At this much-loved Wild West–themed amusement park, a 1917 coal-fired steam train chugs on a 3-mile loop past heroic cowboys and marauding Indians.
North Carolina Mountains
The spot where scientific forestry management was first attempted in the US, financed by George Vanderbilt back in 1895, is now a showcase for the Forest…
Asheville
An incongruous survivor of old Asheville, this downtown clapboard structure was the childhood home of Look Homeward, Angel author Thomas Wolfe (1900–38)…
North Carolina Mountains
Bluegrass legend Doc Watson was born 10 miles east of Boone in 1923. He’s commemorated by this bronze statue downtown, which depicts him seated and…
