Looking for a vacation location in the East where you can explore wooded mountain ridges and valleys, enjoy some mountain music and marvel at a palatial estate? Turn to the Internet to see what’s available in western North Carolina, home of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
www.mountainsofnc.com
Get a feel for the area at North Carolina’s High Country by paging through their sections on recreation, attractions, and “Arts &Heritage,” where you’ll learn about concerts and festivals, like the Appalachian Summer Festival in July at Boone, or the Doc Watson Music Fest at Sugar Grove. Look over their maps, order their brochures, peruse the package deals and look under “Spring Features” for the fishing report and birdwatching tips.
www.exploreasheville.com
If you want a central base of operations for exploring the region, Asheville has a wide range of places to stay and its own attractions. Click on “Explore Asheville” for a virtual tour, and then dig into “What to Do” for tips on things to do including day trips outside the city. Be sure to look for the link to “Deals &Packages” to see if any of the offerings fit your plans.
www.biltmore.com
While you’re in Asheville, you can’t miss the Biltmore Estate, the palatial home built more than a century ago by George Vanderbilt. Click on “Explore” for history and details on the buildings and gardens. Directions and the calendar of events are provided under “Plan Your Visit.”
www.nps.gov/grsm
Mountain ridges ripple through Great Smoky Mountains National Park from western North Carolina into Tennessee. Click on “Expanded Webpages” or “inDepth” to collect details on wildlife, hiking, camping and waterfalls.
www.nps.gov/blri
www.blueridgeparkway.org
Take one of the world’s great scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which follows the Appalachians from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s almost 500 miles long but you can drive as much or as little as you like. The Blue Ridge Parkway Association has extra tips, including a “Bloom Schedule” for the mountains’ flowering plants.
www.cherokee-nc.com
www.aboutcherokee.com
Along with the parkways and national park, the region is the home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee who invite you to use their campgrounds, hike their trails, fish their streams and visit their attractions. If you’re taking your kids, sample the activities listed under “Family Attractions.” The privately operated About Cherokee has more information on things to see and do, plus tribal history.
www.visitnc.com
Still more helpful information is available from the state’s official Visit North Carolina where you need to click on “Mountains.”
Roger Petterson, Associated Press
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
