Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene rocked the southeastern U.S., the famed Blue Ridge Parkway — and many stops along its 469-mile route — is almost fully open again.
This serpentine, two-lane ribbon of blacktop follows the twisting spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains (a subrange of the Appalachians) from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. With a speed limit of 45 mph, the Blue Ridge Parkway sacrifices directness for mile after mile of untamed alpine beauty.
You can hop on and off at countless junctions along the route, including two attractive midsize cities: Asheville, North Carolina (also open and welcoming tourists) and Roanoke, Virginia. But if you’re up for a grand adventure and can spare a few days, it’s well worth driving the entire parkway. You’ll encounter remarkable diversions along the way: hundreds of scenic viewpoints and picnic spots, miles of hiking trails for every skill level and a bounty of engaging historic sites that shed light on Appalachian heritage and folkways.
From south to north, here’s a look at some of the most memorable stops along this magical road and helpful planning tips to get you started.
Related: Not just for flights: Using points and miles to save on road trips
Planning your Blue Ridge Parkway road trip
Best start and end points for the Blue Ridge Parkway
The nearest airport to the parkway’s southern tip, in the Great Smoky Mountains, is Knoxville, Tennessee’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), a two-hour drive.
Of major airports, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is a good option if you are planning a round-trip car rental. It’s just 3 1/2 hours from the parkway’s southern end point and a 4 1/2-hour drive (by the faster interstate highways) from the northern end point, at the entrance of Shenandoah.
Atlanta is also 3 1/2 hours from the south end of the parkway, and the drive up through Georgia’s Appalachian Mountains is quite beautiful. It’s a great way to extend your adventure. From the north end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., is a 2 1/2-hour drive.
Although there’s no fee to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll need to pay $30 per private vehicle to enter Shenandoah National Park (unless you have a park pass), and Great Smoky Mountains National Park charges parking fees.
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When is the best time to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway?
The scenery along the parkway really sings anytime from spring through fall, but May through mid-June stands out especially for viewing wildflowers and rhododendrons in bloom, and mid-September through mid-October is best for admiring brilliant fall foliage.
Temperatures along the parkway tend to be five to 10 degrees lower than in the region’s lower elevations, making this drive a potentially cool escape from summer heat. On the other hand, this means snow and ice are possible in winter, the one season when many facilities along the road are closed.
Keep in mind that this curving and relatively narrow road is prone to fog and wild animal crossings at any time of year. It’s best to drive it only during daylight hours, both for safety and the best views, and to exercise caution during heavy rain.
How long does this road trip take? It’s theoretically possible to drive the entire route in three days, but you’ll have a far more enjoyable experience if you allow five days at a leisurely pace. With a full week, you’ll have more than enough time to explore Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah national parks, too.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Asheville
The Blue Ridge Parkway begins close to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This rugged 522,419-acre swath of pristine forests, open meadows and meandering streams is the largest national park east of the Mississippi. In a single day, you can ascend to the observation tower atop 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome and explore the open-air Mountain Farm Museum — or head to the Tennessee section of the park to drive the enchanting Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and hop out for a short trek to Grotto Falls.
Where to stop
Once you enter the parkway, you have about 90 miles ahead of you to Asheville.
This section has some of the most dramatic scenic pullouts along the entire route, with Waterrock Knob (milepost 451) a particular highlight. There are a small visitor center and a picnic area, and the views are incredible at sunset.
The other stop worth noting is Mount Pisgah (milepost 408). Allow a couple of hours for the steep but well-trodden 2.6-mile round-trip hike to this 5,721-foot peak that offers a vast panorama of nearby Asheville.
Exploring Asheville
After being ravaged by Hurricane Helene, the small city of Asheville is back and better than ever.
With a fantastic culinary and craft beer scene and a thriving artist community, Asheville has enough to keep you busy for several days, including two notable stops along the parkway: the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, with its engrossing exhibits on the road’s natural and human history, and the superb Folk Art Center (particularly Allanstand Craft Shop).
In Asheville itself, set aside time to explore the greenery of The North Carolina Arboretum, peruse the galleries of the hip River Arts District (or even try your hand at an art class) and eat your way through buzzy food-and-drink neighborhoods like South Slope and West Asheville.
With its chateauesque, 250-room mansion, splendid gardens and numerous other diversions, Biltmore Estate is another must — but you really need a full day to make the most of visiting this 8,000-acre property (admission starts at $70 per person).
Where to stay
Although there are no accommodations within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll find a good selection in the gateway towns of Cherokee, North Carolina (just 4 miles from the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway) and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. These mostly include no-frills options like Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Cherokee (rates start at $96 or 29,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night this fall) and Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Gatlinburg at the Convention Center (starting from $52 or 20,000 Choice Privileges points per night).
Asheville offers the greatest range of points hotels along the Blue Ridge Parkway. For instance, Blind Tiger Asheville, a charming bed-and-breakfast establishment in a 19th-century Queen Anne house that’s part of World of Hyatt’s Mr & Mrs Smith collection, has nightly rates starting at $202 or 27,000 points this fall. Or, you could book The Radical Asheville, a hip, art-inspired Hilton Honors property in the heart of the River Arts District, starting from $141 or 45,000 points per night.
Related: Best road trips for visiting national parks
Asheville to Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Where to stop
Just northeast of Asheville, Craggy Gardens Picnic Area (milepost 364) is a shaded tract of outdoor tables with trails leading to magnificent stands of azaleas and mountain laurels.
About 10 miles later, you can briefly detour up a side road to the summit of the highest point in the eastern U.S.: Mount Mitchell. A short, paved path leads to the observation deck, and there are a small museum and a casual restaurant, too.
At milepost 305, you’ll approach Grandfather Mountain, which offers rocky peaks you can explore by walking across a dramatic mile-high swinging bridge. Here, you’ll also drive along the parkway’s greatest engineering marvel, the Linn Cove Viaduct, a curving, 1,243-foot-long concrete bridge that hugs Grandfather Mountain’s precipitous face.
Nearby at Julian Price Memorial Park, you can rent a kayak or canoe for a refreshing paddle around Price Lake. Also check out the quaint village center of Blowing Rock, with its gift and crafts shops, as well as the interesting Blowing Rock Art & History Museum.
Where to stay
The charming town of Blowing Rock currently has one points hotel: Holiday Inn Express Blowing Rock South, where rates this fall start from $83 or 18,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.
Other notable options include the woodsy-chic Mountainaire Inn & Log Cabins (starting around $134 per night), bookable through Chase Travel℠, and the alpine chalet-inspired Switzerland Inn (starting around $109 per night), available on Capital One Travel.
Related: How the Capital One Venture X travel credit can save you $300 on your next trip
Blowing Rock to Roanoke
Where to stop
As you approach Virginia, stop for lunch at the parkway’s oldest eatery, The Bluffs (milepost 238), a restored 1940s rustic-style diner known for fried chicken lunches. Then, take a walk around nearby Brinegar Cabin, a small late-19th-century homestead that’s typical of those that once proliferated in these mountains.
Highlights after crossing the state line include the easy 2-mile-loop waterfall hike at Cumberland Knob (milepost 218) and the nearby outdoor Blue Ridge Music Center, which stages folk and country concerts throughout the summer. At historic Mabry Mill (milepost 176), you can watch docents working in the historic sawmill and blacksmith shop and dine in the colorful restaurant (known for its freshly baked blackberry cobbler).
You’ll encounter the turnoff for picturesque Mill Mountain Greenway, which leads into Roanoke, at milepost 120. Stop at Mill Mountain Park for a grand view of the city, save time for a walk through the small zoo and garden, if possible, on your way into town.
Exploring Roanoke
Give yourself at least a half day to get to know this bustling hill city with several first-rate attractions, including the Taubman Museum of Art, which is focused on regional American works, and the O. Winston Link Museum, with its railway photography housed inside a vintage train station. Pick up locally sourced food at Historic Roanoke City Market, and hunt for Appalachian antiques and architectural wares at famed Black Dog Salvage.
Where to stay
Roanoke makes for a convenient overnight base, and it offers a few lodging options bookable with points.
The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center stands out for its 1880s Tudor-style design and its refined restaurant serving French cuisine with a Southern twist. You can book it for as low as $194 or 58,000 Hilton Honors points per night this fall. And you can get solid value for your World of Hyatt points at the Category 1 Hyatt Place Roanoke Airport/Valley View Mall (from $94 or 3,500 points per night).
Roanoke to Shenandoah National Park
Where to stop
From Roanoke, you have about 115 miles left to go. Make time for a detour into the cute hamlet of Buchanan, Virginia, where you can venture across a vintage swinging bridge over the James River, and stop for a hike along one of the easy but rewarding trails at the Peaks of the Otter area (milepost 86).
Skyline Drive
At milepost 0, the Blue Ridge Parkway ends on an overpass above Interstate Highway 64. Or, to be more precise, it transitions into Skyline Drive, the 105-mile scenic route through Shenandoah National Park.
This curvaceous and lofty thoroughfare feels quite similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The main difference is that the speed limit is lower (35 mph), and you’ll pay a $30-per-vehicle fee to enter the park (unless you hold an America the Beautiful Pass or visit on a fee-free day).
Related: 10 of the best national parks to visit in the fall
Where to stay
If you’re ending your trip at the parkway’s northern terminus, it’s an easy drive on I-64 to Staunton, Virginia (20 minutes west) or Charlottesville, Virginia (30 minutes east), which offer a few points hotels. For example, the Avid Hotel Staunton is available from $92 or 19,000 IHG One Rewards points per night this fall, and Hyatt Place Charlottesville starts at $110 or 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
If continuing along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, consider staying in one of its handful of hotels. Some of these are available on various credit card travel portals, but they fill up fast, so book ahead. There’s something special about waking up in a room high atop the park’s 3,500-foot-elevation spine, with panoramic views west toward the Allegheny Mountains.
Bottom line
Now that most major repairs have been made in the wake of Hurricane Helene, the Blue Ridge Parkway has reopened for road trips — and fall is a prime time to go. Besides everything mentioned above, you’ll enjoy the added benefit of spectacular fall foliage during your drive and any hikes you take. If leaf peeping is your aim, you’ll have the best chance at seeing peak colors if you drive the parkway between mid-October and early November.