Things To Do
Local Favorites
The places we actually go, with the address and the official site for each one. Ask us for timing or a reservation tip and we will happily overshare.
Asheville Area
Biltmore Estate
America's largest home, worth a full day with the gardens.
1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803
Use this exact address in your GPS. The estate warns that other entrances route you to the wrong gate.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Craggy Gardens and the overlooks north of town are minutes from our cabins.
199 Hemphill Knob Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
Parkway Visitor Center, Milepost 384. The parkway itself runs 469 miles.
Sections close for weather without much notice. Check the park site the morning you go.
Chimney Rock State Park
The 75 mile view over Lake Lure earns the climb.
743 Chimney Rock Park Rd, Chimney Rock, NC 28720
Check current trail conditions on the park site before you drive out. Several trails have stayed closed since Hurricane Helene.
South Slope
Asheville's brewery district, best explored on foot.
A downtown Asheville district, roughly bounded by Asheland, Biltmore, Southside and Hilliard Avenues.
River Arts District
Working studios and galleries along the French Broad.
Runs along Depot Street, Foundy Street and Riverside Drive by the river, west of downtown Asheville.
Mount Mitchell State Park
The highest peak east of the Mississippi, with a short walk to the summit.
2388 NC 128, Burnsville, NC 28714
Reached from the Parkway on the Asheville side, and there are no gas stations between town and the park. Fill up first.
The Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The most visited national park, right out the back door.
1194 Newfound Gap Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719
Oconaluftee Visitor Center, the North Carolina entrance. The park spans two states.
Sliding Rock
A natural 60 foot waterslide in Pisgah National Forest.
7851 Pisgah Hwy, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
The water comes straight off the mountain and stays cold all summer.
Looking Glass Falls
Roadside and beautiful, no hike required.
On US 276 in Pisgah National Forest, about 6 miles north of the Pisgah Ranger Station, on the right.
Parking is a small roadside pullout that fills fast on summer weekends.
Downtown Waynesville
Galleries, cafes, and mountain views down Main Street.
16 S Main St, Waynesville, NC 28786
Downtown Waynesville Commission office, a good place to park and start.
Tuckasegee River
Trout fishing and lazy summer floats through Sylva.
East LaPorte River Access Park is the easiest public put in, on NC 107 about 3 miles south of Cullowhee.
DuPont State Recreational Forest
Several big waterfalls linked by one loop, the best half day walk in the area.
89 Buck Forest Road, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
High Falls visitor center. The forest itself has no street address.
Lots fill early. The forest suggests arriving before nine in the morning or after five.
Myrtle Beach
The Boardwalk and SkyWheel
Classic beach evenings, best at sunset.
1110 N Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
The SkyWheel. The boardwalk runs about a mile from the 2nd Avenue Pier to the 14th Avenue Pier.
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
Fresh seafood over the tidal marsh, our favorite dinner.
4025 Hwy 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Brookgreen Gardens
Sculpture gardens and low country history.
1931 Brookgreen Dr, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Huntington Beach State Park
Quiet sand, alligators, and some of the coast's best birding.
16148 Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Broadway at the Beach
Shops, restaurants, and shows for a rainy day.
1325 Celebrity Cir, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Myrtle Beach State Park
Pier fishing, a maritime forest, and the quietest sand in the city.
4401 South Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29575
Parking is limited and the park can reach capacity, so avoid arriving between ten and two.
Virginia
Smith Mountain Lake State Park
Swimming beaches and easy lakeside trails.
1235 State Park Rd, Huddleston, VA 24104
Bridgewater Plaza
Rent a pontoon and spend the day out on the water.
16430 Booker T. Washington Hwy, Moneta, VA 24121
Book a boat before you arrive for a summer weekend.
Peaks of Otter
The Blue Ridge Parkway's signature summit hike.
85554 Blue Ridge Parkway, Bedford, VA 24523
Peaks of Otter Lodge, across from the visitor center at Milepost 85.6.
Downtown Lynchburg
The Bluffwalk, riverside dining, and craft beer.
901 Church St, Lynchburg, VA 24504
Downtown Lynchburg Association office, central to the Bluffwalk.
Natural Bridge State Park
A 215 foot limestone arch, an easy day trip.
6477 South Lee Hwy, Natural Bridge, VA 24578
National D-Day Memorial
The national memorial to the Normandy landings, in the town that lost the most per capita.
3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA 24523
Tickets are sold at the Bedford Area Welcome Center, an immediate left as you arrive.