Things To Do
Guidebooks
Everything we tell friends before their first visit: the right season, the easy way in, and the stops worth planning around.
Full guides for each area are still being written. What is here now is the short version, so ask us anything it does not answer yet.
Asheville Area
Mountain towns, farm-to-table dining, and the Blue Ridge Parkway at your doorstep. Our Asheville area homes sit within an easy drive of downtown, Black Mountain, and Lake Lure.
When to visit
October for peak fall color, June through August for hiking and waterfalls. Winter brings quiet cabins and firewood evenings.
Getting there
Fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), or drive: about 2 hours from Charlotte and 1.5 hours from Knoxville.
Don't miss
- Biltmore Estate and its gardens
- Sunrise drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Chimney Rock State Park above Lake Lure
- South Slope breweries downtown
The Smoky Mountains
Creekside cabins and river towns on the quiet side of the national park. Sylva, Waynesville, and Brevard trade crowds for trout streams, waterfalls, and small-town main streets.
When to visit
May and June for waterfalls at full flow, October for color in the high passes. Summer stays cool at elevation.
Getting there
About an hour west of Asheville. Sylva and Waynesville sit just off US 23/74; Brevard anchors the Pisgah Forest entrance.
Don't miss
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Sliding Rock and Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah
- Downtown Waynesville's galleries and cafes
- Fly fishing the Tuckasegee River
Myrtle Beach
Sixty miles of sand on the South Carolina coast, with our homes steps from the beach. Boardwalk energy when you want it, quiet tidal marshes when you don't.
When to visit
May through September for beach weather. Spring and fall bring warm water, golf season, and thinner crowds.
Getting there
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) is minutes away. Driving, plan about 3 hours from Charlotte and 2 from Wilmington.
Don't miss
- The boardwalk and SkyWheel at dusk
- Fresh seafood on the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
- Brookgreen Gardens sculpture park
- Huntington Beach State Park birding
Virginia
Lakefront living on Smith Mountain Lake and easy weekends around Lynchburg. Private docks, morning coffee on the water, and the Blue Ridge foothills behind you.
When to visit
June through September for lake season. April, May, and October are ideal for hiking the Peaks of Otter.
Getting there
About 4 hours from Washington DC and 2.5 from Raleigh. Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH) is the closest runway.
Don't miss
- A pontoon day from Bridgewater Plaza
- Smith Mountain Lake State Park beaches
- Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Downtown Lynchburg's Bluffwalk