The Folk Art Center at Milepost 382 in Asheville is open year-round from 10 am to 5 pm (except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day). The center showcases Appalachian arts and crafts in their Folk Art Gallery and also houses the headquarters of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. A gift shop sells handmade Appalachian crafts. You can hike a section of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail behind the center.

The Museum of North Carolina Minerals, located in the heart of the Spruce Pine Mining District, is home to interactive exhibits about North Carolina minerals and its mining history. It's open year-round from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed for lunch between 1 pm and 2 pm). The museum sits in Gillespie Gap where the Overmountain Men crossed the mountains during the Revolutionary War on their way to the Battle of King's Mountain. In mid-September, the museum hosts a re-enactment of the Overmountain Men. You can access the Overmountain Men Victory Trail behind the building.

The centerpiece of the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is Flat Top Manor, the magnificent summer home of textile giant Moses H. Cone and his wife Bertha. Open to the public from April 15 to November 27 during seasonal hours, the mansion houses a folk craft store as well as a National Parks Visitor Center with a small gift shop and park information. The beautiful and extensive grounds of the Cone Estate feature an orchard, fishing lakes and 25 miles of beautiful carriage trails which are open to the public year-round.

When you leave Craggy Gardens, you’ll find yourself driving even higher into the mountains as we get closer to the highest summit in the eastern U.S.–Mount Mitchell! Located in the high-elevation forests of the Black Mountains, Mount Mitchell State Park is really one of the must-see stops on this tour. It’s free to enter, and the short walk up to the 6,684-foot summit might just be the highlight of your trip. In addition to several hiking trails, you’ll find a museum, gift shop, restrooms, a seasonal restaurant, concessions and a visitor center. To get the fullest experience, visit both the observation deck on the summit for out-of-this-world views as well as the Balsam Nature Trail for a walk through the magical spruce-fir forest.

The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center is open seasonally from April 15 to November 13 and highlights the unique ecology of the rhododendron heath bald. The center's daily hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. after October 31. After visiting the center, take the Craggy Gardens Trail for about 10 minutes and hang a left at the trail shelter to enter the secluded rhododendron heath bald. This beautiful mountain top meadow offers stunning views, especially in the spring when the rhododendrons are in full bloom. Another option is to hike up to the top of Craggy Pinnacle for panoramic views of the valley. It’s one of the most spectacular spots to catch a sunrise or sunset. This section of the parkway is often blanketed in fog and can sometimes be closed due to inclement weather. Check our hiking guide for more details.

The Linville Falls Visitor Center features a small gift shop, restrooms, maps, and hiking information for the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Trails for iconic Linville Falls begin behind the visitor center. Linville Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a definite must-see. Bring your camera to capture the beauty of the Linville River as it cascades through two spectacular falls before descending through a beautiful and rugged gorge. 

The sweeping views from Green Knob Overlook were featured in the opening scene of the 1992 movie The Last of the Mohicans. It’s one of the overlooks you definitely won’t want to miss!

Rough Ridge Lookout on the Tanawha Trail is one of the top places to view fall colors on the parkway. Just a short 10-minute hike to a wooden boardwalk offers multiple viewpoints the higher up you go. Even if you miss the fall colors, Rough Ridge Lookout still has plenty to offer including a view of the entire Linn Cove Viaduct and Grandfather Mountain plus lots of large boulders along the trail that make great spots to sit and soak in the breathtaking views.

The main attraction at this stop is the gnarly dead tree. This unusual landmark sets this overlook apart from all the others–not to mention it makes a great photo backdrop!

Off the beaten path, Flat Rock Trail is one of the parkway's hidden gems. This short, easy .6-mile loop trail offers views of interesting trees, plants, and fascinating geological features called "bathtubs." Once you reach the top, you'll see that Flat Rock lives up to its name. There are numerous large, flat rocks made of quartzite from which you can enjoy sweeping panoramic views of Grandfather Mountain and Linville Valley below. Less crowded than other trails, Flat Rock is the perfect place to bring a picnic, sit on a rock, and enjoy the peaceful setting. The trailhead begins in the parking area. Stay to the left and hike the path clockwise, following the yellow arrows once you get to the top to complete the loop.

Linville Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a definite must-see. The scenic Linville River cascades through two spectacular falls before descending through a beautiful and rugged gorge. Hiking trails beginning behind the Visitor Center lead to multiple viewpoints of both the upper and lower falls. Wide and well-maintained, the one-mile roundtrip trail to the Upper Falls is a relatively short, easy hike with a big payoff. Climb down to the rocks and get a close up view of the falls. (Swimming is not allowed, however.) You can catch a view of the spectacular Lower Falls by walking just a bit further to Chimey View or Erwin's View. Check out the more difficult hike to Plunge Basin offering different views of the falls from the other side.

Linville Caverns reveal the natural wonders hidden deep inside Humpback Mountain. Guided cave tours showcase fascinating limestone features like stalactites, stalagmites, the "Ballroom" and a frozen waterfall. The moderately priced half-hour tours run every 10 minutes and are first-come, first-served. The temperature remains a steady 52 degrees, so bring a jacket or sweater. The caverns are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and are only open on weekends during the winter. Check their website for seasonal hours and fees, and call ahead to check how busy they are. If it’s busy, consider purchasing tickets for a later tour, doing the hike to Linville Falls first, then returning to the Caverns after.