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Granny Sue, you are headed for a great trip - good choice!
The Pisgah Inn is one great suggestion someone else already made - but book it because they fill up and stay filled. They are located near mm 408 and you'd love the view!
Off the top of my head, don't miss getting off around mile marker 280 to see the the quaint, wonderful town of West Jefferson. Just north of town you have to look for Shatley's for a great homecooked meal, and a place to stay if you want
Visit West Jefferson, North Carolina - West Jefferson NC (http://www.visitwestjefferson.org/index.html - broken link)
Biggest problem for me would be getting speeding / traffic / wrong side of road on curves...tickets riding MC on BRP...
It is really SLOW and well patrolled. Fortunately there are often parallel routes available. (when you need to make time). I will take a Motorhome and enjoy the 'slowness'.
I have used many private Guest homes (~$10 / night) when in that region, as well as accommodation at some 'youth / church camps' during off season. The Inns are nice too.
If you are really a 'granny' there are several travel clubs / guest home directories for seniors. I just hosted guest last night. Really fun to meet and greet strangers and fellow 'econo' travelers. I've used directories of private homes for over 20 yrs and excellent lodging all over the world. If you are not a granny, you have Hostels and couchsurfing.com, as well as a few directories of private guest homes.
Have fun.
We don't mind the slow pace..that's why we've allotted so much time for it.
I am a "real" granny but a young one. I'm only 48 so I won't qualify for the senior directories. But I will be looking at the couchsurfing website. That looks like fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains
Granny Sue, you are headed for a great trip - good choice!
The Pisgah Inn is one great suggestion someone else already made - but book it because they fill up and stay filled. They are located near mm 408 and you'd love the view!
Off the top of my head, don't miss getting off around mile marker 280 to see the the quaint, wonderful town of West Jefferson. Just north of town you have to look for Shatley's for a great homecooked meal, and a place to stay if you want
Visit West Jefferson, North Carolina - West Jefferson NC (http://www.visitwestjefferson.org/index.html - broken link)
Oh this just made it to a must stop! Thanks so much for this. Hopefully I can get there on a Wednesday so we can do that fabulous Farmer's Market.
If not, I can explore the cheese shop.
Since this thread is current, I will post my questions here as well. I also want to take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, mostly just to say I drove it. My wife and I, no kids, would likely drive to Front Royal and start at Skyline Dr./Shenandoah NP and go south. We don't really care to see a bunch of 'we want your money' type tourist trap towns/villages. We wouldn't mind seeing some nice mountain area scenery, and maybe a hike or two (say a one hour hike or so to some peak, waterfall, etc.). We also would like to stop by every NP visitor's center and look around, get our passport stamps that we collect.
If one mostly just wants to drive, and take 30 mins here and there at visitor's centers, maybe take a couple of hours to hike or whatever, how long does it really take to finally get to Cherokee, NC? My thinking is three days for the parkway, and we could spend the rest of our trip in Gatlinburg/Great Smoky Mtn. NP area.
Here is some other info that may help with suggestions:
-Chimney Rock is something that looks cool and we would like to see it.
-Natural Bridge looks neat
-Some historic sights we might be interested in seeing, others not so much.
-Won't really care about festivals and stuff like that.
-Not into arts and crafts either
-Not wanting to spend money on 'home made goods' and the like.
-Are the visitor centers ran by the park service? If not, we can skip those as I only care to stop in to collect passport stamps.
-I mostly want to drive the parkway in the more mountain areas, where you are at a higher elevation. Any of the lower, valley areas I would be OK hitting the highway or whatever.
-We would like to stay at places like Econo Lodge, Best Western, Holiday Inn, etc.. I understand we might have to leave the parkway to find such places. Also, I would be OK with driving a whole day...doesn't really bother me that much.
-Goal is to leave on a Saturday, maybe a Friday and drive home from Gatlinburg on the next Sat. or Sunday. So we would likely have at least six full days, is three or four days dedicated to parkway enough?
Since this thread is current, I will post my questions here as well. I also want to take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, mostly just to say I drove it. My wife and I, no kids, would likely drive to Front Royal and start at Skyline Dr./Shenandoah NP and go south. We don't really care to see a bunch of 'we want your money' type tourist trap towns/villages. We wouldn't mind seeing some nice mountain area scenery, and maybe a hike or two (say a one hour hike or so to some peak, waterfall, etc.). We also would like to stop by every NP visitor's center and look around, get our passport stamps that we collect.
If one mostly just wants to drive, and take 30 mins here and there at visitor's centers, maybe take a couple of hours to hike or whatever, how long does it really take to finally get to Cherokee, NC? My thinking is three days for the parkway, and we could spend the rest of our trip in Gatlinburg/Great Smoky Mtn. NP area.
Here is some other info that may help with suggestions:
-Chimney Rock is something that looks cool and we would like to see it.
-Natural Bridge looks neat
-Some historic sights we might be interested in seeing, others not so much.
-Won't really care about festivals and stuff like that.
-Not into arts and crafts either
-Not wanting to spend money on 'home made goods' and the like.
-Are the visitor centers ran by the park service? If not, we can skip those as I only care to stop in to collect passport stamps.
-I mostly want to drive the parkway in the more mountain areas, where you are at a higher elevation. Any of the lower, valley areas I would be OK hitting the highway or whatever.
-We would like to stay at places like Econo Lodge, Best Western, Holiday Inn, etc.. I understand we might have to leave the parkway to find such places. Also, I would be OK with driving a whole day...doesn't really bother me that much.
-Goal is to leave on a Saturday, maybe a Friday and drive home from Gatlinburg on the next Sat. or Sunday. So we would likely have at least six full days, is three or four days dedicated to parkway enough?
Thanks for any suggestions.
You seem to have a few misconceptions about the wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway, so let me clear some of the confusion up for you
You said, "We don't really care to see a bunch of 'we want your money' type tourist trap towns/villages. We wouldn't mind seeing some nice mountain area scenery, and maybe a hike or two..."
You won't see a single "tourist trap" on the Parkway. The Parkway is simply miles and miles of commercial-free driving, with very little signage and nothing but either forests, meadows or mountain views.
When you need gas you will need to exit the Parkway to look for it. Same with hotel chains like "Best Western or Holiday Inn" - they are not along the Parkway.
Do your research ahead of time on places of natural beauty you'd like to see - they will not be advertized in any way along the Parkway. You just have to know what mile marker they are near so you can know when to stop and start looking for trailheads.
Additionally, Natural Bridge and Chimney Rock are not on the Parkway. You can skip the commercialed Natural Bridge in my opinion since you already said you don't want to do "touristy stuff", and it is 15 miles from the Parkway. But Chimney Rock is fantastic and well worth the side trip to get there once you get to Asheville. Though again, it's about 25 miles from the Parkway.
Plan your trip before November 1 because with the exception of the Parkway Destination Center in Asheville (mm 384) all visitor centers close for the season by then. The Destination Center is very nice and is only closed on holidays year round -so don't miss it.
Since the top speed allowed on the Parkway is 45 mph, and in some places you can only do 35, I'd definitely give yourself 3 days at least to do the whole length.
And finally, I find it kind of funny that you want to avoid "tourist traps" but yet you are willing to go to Gatlinburg
Try to go in the next two weeks when the colors will be at their best
Granny Sue, you have picked a beautiful time of year to tour the Parkway. If I were doing what you are doing, I would go to the Blue Ridge Parkway website and check to see the housing along the parkway such as Doughton Park, Peaks of the Otter. I have noticed that they have housing along the parkway in places that one would probably take one day from one to the other to get there. Both places I mentioned have food, gas and lodging but you need to plan ahead. I would suggest getting reservations one year in advance.
I hope you have rainwear. May is not as bad as some months, but the parkway is so beautiful because of the mist for the flowers and the rain for the trees.
As for how fast the travel goes, you have not planned one minute too long. We left from Asheville one morning and got to N. C. Highway 16 at Glendale Springs in one day. If I remember correctly, we stopped at all overlooks. So that would be about 100 miles per day. We had two children to slow us down a bit. We have driven from the northern beginning of the Blue Ridge Parkway to Fancy Gap in one day. That did not include the Skyline Drive. I have not traveled the entire length of the Skyline Drive yet. We choose that way to come home after visiting our daughter because trucks cannot travel on the parkway and it is just a more relaxing way to drive home.
I was born about 5 miles from the parkway near Glendale Springs and want to make sure you stop off in that area to see the New River which flows North--looks like it is going backwards. Shatley Springs might be a possible stop for the night but it was not to my liking for housing. Food is fine country food. Everybody raves about it, but I grew up eating like that so it is no big deal to me. The biggest attraction at Glendale Springs is the painting of the Lord's Supper on the wall behind the pulpit. It is a must see.
The parkway between Asheville and Glendale Springs or Boone if you need to stop earlier, because you are starting further south than we did, is breathtaking in driving and the views. I prefer the area between Boone and the Virginia border or Peaks of the Otter because it is more relaxing and you won't be fearing for your life as much. It is just a hundred mile drive in the park and very relaxing, so you may want to stop and roll in the grass and walk in the streams at one of the areas. You will need the rest from the day before. Each mile is posted so you can gage your trip. Just know there is no gas between Asheville and Boone, so don't start with a low tank. That is really the most wilderness area of the park, so carry water and granola bars. You may need them. There is a coffee house in craggy gardens, but I have never eaten there.
I have eaten at Peaks of Otter, Mabry Mill restaurant in area, not sure about the name and my favorite of any restaurant is the Bluffs Coffeehouse in Doughton Park. You are going to find that really silly, but for some reason it is my favorite. Doughton Park is my old stomping ground. We would spend Sunday afternoons there to keep cool. We would travel to Glendale Springs on the road that crosses over the parkway at the Northwest Trading Post, drive out to Doughton Park and spend the afternoon running in the meadows or some brave souls would walk down to the cabin at the bottom of the Bluff Overlook. It is about a mile down to it on a really rough trail. I have walked up alligator back, but I have never walked down to the cabin. Our parents thought it was not safe. My mother said if a snake bites you down there, you would be dead before they could get you back up the hill. My brothers did it anyway.
Little tip: You can get to the top edge of alligator back by walking out from the Bluffs and climbing over a fence. It is about 1/2 mile straight up hill if you walk from the overlook on the parkway. Just be sure you know that you are on a rock with no safety features. You will be standing at the top and looking out at air. If you stump and fall it is about 80 feet down. The bluffs has a guardwall, but the top of the alligator back does not.
The Dragon I think they have jacked the speed limit down to 25 mph, so I can't see the point. There are plenty of other unknown roads throughout the Appalachians that have similar types of set ups.
Take U.S. 421 between Mountain City and Bristol, Tn., many, many curves and over 2 mountains (Iron Mtn and Holston Mtn). Also, U.S. 58 between Abingdon, Va. and Martinsville, Va., especially the parts between Damascus and Volney and between Hillsville and Stuart are very curvy, scenic, and in my opinon, good motorcycle rides. If further west in Kentucky, take U.S. 119 between Whitesburg and Cumberland across Pine Mountain or Ky 221 between Leatherwood and Harlan for windy roads and beautiful scenery (this last one is very remote).
Thanks for your comments lovesMountains. I wanted to avoid the tourist trap areas (I thought there were small towns along the parkway) because we will eventually end up in one of the biggest trourist trap areas in the eastern US!! I will plan on leaving three days for this trip. Chances are though, we won't be going for at least another year, and maybe even two years at that.
One other question: Are there any pull-offs along the parkway where folks can pull over and maybe snap some photos, etc.?
Thanks for your comments lovesMountains. I wanted to avoid the tourist trap areas (I thought there were small towns along the parkway) because we will eventually end up in one of the biggest trourist trap areas in the eastern US!! I will plan on leaving three days for this trip. Chances are though, we won't be going for at least another year, and maybe even two years at that.
One other question: Are there any pull-offs along the parkway where folks can pull over and maybe snap some photos, etc.?
Thanks for your comments lovesMountains. I wanted to avoid the tourist trap areas (I thought there were small towns along the parkway) because we will eventually end up in one of the biggest trourist trap areas in the eastern US!! I will plan on leaving three days for this trip. Chances are though, we won't be going for at least another year, and maybe even two years at that.
One other question: Are there any pull-offs along the parkway where folks can pull over and maybe snap some photos, etc.?
Yes! You'll find many pulloffs and parking areas for photography, they are very well marked. And if you happen to miss one, usually another is coming right up if you want to turn around!
Thanks for your comments lovesMountains. I wanted to avoid the tourist trap areas (I thought there were small towns along the parkway) because we will eventually end up in one of the biggest trourist trap areas in the eastern US!! I will plan on leaving three days for this trip. Chances are though, we won't be going for at least another year, and maybe even two years at that.
One other question: Are there any pull-offs along the parkway where folks can pull over and maybe snap some photos, etc.?
Yes, there are many overlooks along the way! The best ones will be on the NC side, as that is where the higher elevations along the Parkway are
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List of Blue Ridge Parkway Overlooks
