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Few can resist the lure of the open road once summer rolls around
Blue Ridge Parkway
Although old-time Appalachia has been immortalized in song, these days it can be difficult to locate that haven of rolling hills and wildflowers. The Blue Ridge Parkway, which stretches 469 miles along the southern Appalachian Mountains and links two national parks (Virginia’s Shenandoah and North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains), hits all the right notes. Drive the entire length if there's time (but remember the speed limit is 45 miles per hour in most parts). For a shorter jaunt, fly into Asheville, North Carolina, and follow the parkway north for about 2 hours to Boone. Not a single interstate crosses the parkway. Instead of gas stations and motels, it’s flanked by picnic areas and hiking trails lined with dogwood, tulip trees, and red maples, with the mighty Appalachians as the backdrop. Highlights include Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak in the Blue Ridge range (and site of the exhilarating Mile High swinging bridge), and the gardens and winery of the magnificent Biltmore Estate, a 19th-century Vanderbilt château near Asheville. Most sightseers do the drive in spring and fall for the wildflowers and foliage, but the summer brings fewer cars, and the breezy, dry weather is near perfect.
Smart Splurge Hotel: Close to Boone and 3 miles south of artsy Blowing Rock is the Westglow Resort & Spa, a destination spa set in a Greek Revival–style mansion with Blue Ridge vistas; nonguests can dine at the restaurant, Rowland’s. www.westglowresortandspa.com
Great Value Hotel: The Renaissance Asheville Hotel is within walking distance of downtown Asheville and just a few miles from the Biltmore Estate’s myriad attractions, which include house tours, wine tastings, garden walks, and horseback riding. www.marriott.com
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