Blue Ridge Parkway

Hi everyone,

Been kind of lurking in and out, if this topic has been discussed indepth
please point me towards an archive or something.

Anyway, my dad and I are going to be making a trip up to the BRP sometime
next year. We're planning on traveling the entire length of the parkway up
and down. I was wondering if anyone knew of any good web-based resources
beyond what blueridgeparkway.org or the National Park Service has. Also,
what's the best time of year to visit, good places as far as lodging,
eating and so forth.

Thanks in advance!
--
Silas

Hi Silas, Finally, a topic I can help out with, Spring, Summer and Fall
is the best time for the parkway as in the winter sometimes the parkway
can be closed due to snow and ice, even in early Spring the parts of the
parkway can be closed. My favorite time on the parkway is in the Fall
when the leaves are changing, however, summer is also great as you can
pic nic anywhere on the parkway and the weather is usually perfect .
There are many places right off the parkway for food and lodging and
Asheville and Boone are great towns for this. Any further questions,
please post.

HI-

The Peaks of Otter is a wonderful place on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the
Shenandoah National Park. We stayed in lovely rooms that are set up in
such a way as to all look out on the lake.

The Blueridge Parkway is absolutely gorgeous, old fashioned, green.
Don't know when I've enjoyed a drive more. We stopped a few nights along
the way after exploring a number of small historic towns just off the
Parkway.

Just a warning- Near the southern end of the BlueRidge Parkway is the
road through the Smokies to Gatlinburg. DO NOT GO TO GATLINBURG. What a
pit! I love country music and I was looking forward to hearing some but
the place is one strip of a few blocks of neon lights, fast food places
and shops selling all manner of junk. It was an awful way to end a
lovely trip.

I hope you find the trip as deightful as I did!

Susan

Susan is right, Gatlinburg is Myrtle Beach without the beach, maybe
worse. I never go to Gatlinburg.

wrote:
Susan is right, Gatlinburg is Myrtle Beach without the beach, maybe
worse. I never go to Gatlinburg.

Aww, Gatlinburg's cute. You do have to be in a tourist-trap sort of
mood, however.

cheers,

Marj
--
Marj Tiefert: http://www.mindspring.com/~mtiefert/
Marj's Mini Mall & Eclectic Schoolhouse: http://stores.tiefert.com/

You have the basic park web reference. One thing to remember is that
the parkway is very narrow. You will be driving slowly and will
probably do much of your eating & sleeping off the parkway. Try for
general information from each state or even each county you will be in.
Virginia & NC basically.

Most places along the parkway will have interesting places to visit.
From the Episcopal church in Stanton off the north end which has
wonderful Tiffany windows to the indian areas near the south end. FFM

Silas Daniel wrote:

Hi everyone,

Been kind of lurking in and out, if this topic has been discussed indepth
please point me towards an archive or something.

Anyway, my dad and I are going to be making a trip up to the BRP sometime
next year. We're planning on traveling the entire length of the parkway up
and down. I was wondering if anyone knew of any good web-based resources
beyond what blueridgeparkway.org or the National Park Service has. Also,
what's the best time of year to visit, good places as far as lodging,
eating and so forth.

Thanks in advance!

wrote:

Susan is right, Gatlinburg is Myrtle Beach without the beach, maybe
worse. I never go to Gatlinburg.

I've never been to Myrtle Beach, but my wife and I have been to Gatlinburg.
I've actually been twice, once on a youth retreat in high school, the
second with my wife shortly after we got married. I have some relatives
who gave us a cabin they had for a week up in Whittier as a wedding
present. We ended up at Gatlinburg for a day and without a doubt it's one
serious tourist trap.

I think the sales tax rate is one of the things that floored me the most.
--
Silas

wrote:

Hi Silas, Finally, a topic I can help out with, Spring, Summer and Fall
is the best time for the parkway as in the winter sometimes the parkway
can be closed due to snow and ice, even in early Spring the parts of the
parkway can be closed. My favorite time on the parkway is in the Fall
when the leaves are changing, however, summer is also great as you can
pic nic anywhere on the parkway and the weather is usually perfect .
There are many places right off the parkway for food and lodging and
Asheville and Boone are great towns for this. Any further questions,
please post.

My dad and I are both camera nuts, so I was initially thinking late June so
we'd have maximum daylight hours, but then I always hear about how
beautiful the fall is too. I worked at a university a few years ago and
one of the faculty in our department would actually go up for a week to NC
every year on a sort of personal retreat just to enjoy the colors.

--
Silas

I have travelled the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia and as a comparison, I
can say for myself that the Blue Ridge Parkway has no rival.

Whats everyone favorite scenic drive?