With museums, outdoor activities and theme parks, there’s plenty to do in North Carolina no matter the season. The mountains in the High Country provide opportunities for great skiing and tubing in the winter months, hiking in the warmer months and amazing foliage in the fall. Beaches and coastal attractions are tempting for relaxing weekends throughout the year. And the entire state has its own history, from the famous Wright Brothers Flyers to the expansive Biltmore Estate and World War II era Battleship North Carolina.
Nicknamed “America’s favorite drive,” the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway was designed by landscape architect Stanley Abbott, whose vision was to create a road that was much more than just a way to get from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, with its scenic hiking trails. The drive itself has incredible views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding landscape, and the road is popular with motorcyclists and bicyclists for its endless scenery. There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails that branch off from the many approaches, picnic areas and campgrounds that overlook the road. Tourists will find the thickest boulevard in October during foliage season, and summer visitors can enjoy the flowers of blazing azaleas and rhododendrons.
In addition to the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway, it is home to several visitor centers and museums, some of which are open seasonally. In the summer and fall, Mabry Mill (Milepost 176) has demonstrations that include corn grinding in the original mill, chopping boards in the sawmill and the art of blacksmithing. The Folk Arts Center (Milepost 382) is open year-round and includes a folk art gallery as well as demonstrations by local artisans, and the North Carolina Minerals Museum (Milepost 331) features detailed exhibits on the region’s mineral resources and mining industry. Between November and March, tourists should be sure to check for weather-related road closures.