A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Blue Ridge Road Trip" is from the October 2002 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.
Autumn. The Blue Ridge Parkway. They're synonymous here in western North
Carolina. It simply wouldn't be fall without a cruise along this scenic two-lane
highway in the sky.
The parkway's 45-m.p.h. speed limit forces you to relax and savor the trip. If
you can't spare the time to do the whole thing, there's an 80-mile stretch
between Asheville and Cherokee that makes a nice day adventure. There are all
sorts of places to pull off the parkway, so you can make the journey as long or
short as you like.
Start at the Folk Art Center, located on the parkway about 5 miles east of
Asheville, near the intersection of U.S. 70. The center displays and sells
excellent works made by members of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild. There's
an information desk, usually manned by a park ranger or volunteer, offering
pamphlets about the Blue Ridge Parkway. From the Folk Art Center, head west to
Cherokee.
