The Ultimate Smokies Cabin Guide

You can rent a cabin in the Smokies for less than you'd pay for a hotel. We'll show you how. Our tools and tips teach how to pick the perfect cabin and plan a dream vacation―for 2 or 20.

Cool Off in the Blue Ridge

Check out our favorite spots along the parkway. Mile for mile, it's packed with food, shopping, and fun.

Photography Meg McKinney, Article by Mark G. Stith, Cassandra M. Vanhooser

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Virginia

Milepost 5.8: Humpback Rocks Visitor Center.
A quarter-mile trail routes visitors past a collection of Appalachian farm buildings with costumed interpreters. A more strenuous 4-mile hike takes you to the top of Humpback Mountain, with its breathtaking views.

Milepost 13.5: Wintergreen Resort.
This year-round resort occupies some 11,000 mountainous acres just 2 miles off the parkway. Visitors rent privately owned villas and homes. Golf and tennis are popular summer activities. Call 1-800-266-2444 for reservations.

Milepost 86: Peaks of Otter.
Three mountains--Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill--make up the Peaks of Otter. A 11⁄2-mile hike takes you to the pinnacle of Sharp Top, or you can ride a bus up the mountain. Either way, you get a majestic 360-degree view of the Blue Ridge. The Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant sit nestled between the mountains. Call 1-800-542-5927.

Left: Spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley reward hikers at the summit of Humpback Mountain.