Top Summer Destinations Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

We live in such a hurried society that every now and then it is refreshing just to slow down and enjoy the journey. Few places in our country offer such a refreshing atmosphere for your family's summer destination as the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway stretches 469 miles from North Carolina to Virginia. It connects the Great Smoky Mountain National Forest with Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, and along the way there are some exciting stops you can't afford to miss. One of my fondest memories growing up is stopping at one of the many overlooks stationed along the parkway. My grandfather and I would get out and take a few minutes to soak up the view and let him snap a few pictures. I can still remember how clean the air smelled, and how quiet and peaceful the outlying towns looked from 5,000 feet up.

Grandfather Mountain
One of my favorite stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway growing up was Grandfather Mountain. Home to the "Mile-High" Swinging Bridge, a variety of wildlife habitats and eleven hiking trails, it's easy for everyone in the family to find something to do. The few times I visited Grandfather Mountain we were fortunate enough to see several hang gliders launching their flying contraptions from one of the many ledges on the mountain. I remember thinking as a kid that it must be about as close a person can get to feeling like an eagle - soaring thousands of feet above sea level with no engine.

Built in 1952, the Mile High Swinging Bridge spans an 80-foot chasm and offers spectacular views of the mountain and surrounding landscape. The bridge is a suspension bridge which means it can sway back and forth in the wind. And sway it does! Grandfather Mountain is known for strong wind gusts. In fact, in early 2006 a 200mph wind gust was recorded near the mountain's visitor center. The highest recorded wind gust in history is 234mph recorded in 1934 near Mount Washington, N.H. Summer temperatures on the mountain generally average from a high of seventy degrees to lows in the mid-fifties.

Biltmore Estate
Just four miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, NC, sits the United State's largest private estate, the Biltmore. The Biltmore Estate sits on 8,000 acres against a Smoky Mountain backdrop. The Biltmore has more than 250 rooms, a bowling alley, an indoor swimming pool, a vineyard, and many other amenities. Tickets may be purchased for guided tours, and kids may gain free admittance with a paying adult through the summer (September 6). There are several hotels in the Asheville area within just a short drive from the estate, however if you can swing it, the Inn on Biltmore offers four-star accommodations on the grounds of Biltmore Estate. It's the perfect spot for a romantic weekend getaway, or for newly married honeymooners.

Maggie Valley, NC
Maggie Valley, NC has much to offer in the way of family entertainment. Nestled amongst Smoky Mountain peaks, Maggie Valley is a natural tourist destination given its proximity to other popular spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maggie Valley has something for everyone: horseback riding, rafting, skiing, golf, fishing and Ghost Town in the Sky, a popular old-west themed amusement park set atop a mountain and accessible by ski lift. One of my favorite souvenirs is a picture of me and my late cousin riding the ski lift up to the amusement park.

There are several lodging options when staying in Maggie Valley. Several campgrounds, motels and bed and breakfast establishments are located in and around the town, but they fill up fast in the height of the tourist season so it is advisable to book your reservation well ahead of time.