Asheville and Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachians, cross western North Carolina with ridges exceeding 1,800 meters, dense forests and waterfalls. It is one of the most visited mountain regions in the eastern United States, especially in autumn when the leaves change color, and in summer when the climate is cooler than along the coast.

Asheville is the region’s main city. In the late 19th century, George Vanderbilt built Biltmore there, the country’s largest private house, with gardens by Frederick Law Olmsted. The downtown has 1920s Art Deco buildings, galleries, craft studios and dozens of craft breweries, and the city is known for its music and food.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic road of about 755 km between Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains, passes through Asheville and continues north along the ridges. Along it are overlooks, trails, fields of rhododendron and craft centers. Sections of the road may close for maintenance, landslides or snow.

High on the ridge, to the north, Blowing Rock is a summer village near Grandfather Mountain, with its suspension bridge over 1,600 meters high, and the Tweetsie Railroad theme park.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Asheville, Blowing Rock.