About The Taste of the Blue Ridge Caravan
We will begin in Bryson City, NC, close to the home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our campground is on the banks of the Tuckasegee River – feel free to throw in your line! While in Bryson City we will raft the Nantahala River through the dramatic Gorge and visit the Museum of the Cherokee. Some of may choose to ride the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
Next we will make our way to beautiful Asheville where we will have brunch at the Grove Park Inn, visit Biltmore and zip line through the mountain canopy. We will hike to waterfalls, visit breweries and eat in some of the country’s best food-to-table spots.
After Asheville we will travel up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Linville Falls and boon dock in the mountains for three nights. Along the way we will have the opportunity to visit Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, fish in the streams, hike to Linville Falls, explore Linville Caverns and visit Grandfather Mountain and its famous swinging bridge.
Next stop is Boone. While in Boone we will ride bikes down the nearby Virginia Creeper Trail, visit Mast General Store, hike and/or ride horses through the mountains, fish more mountain streams, visit the Cheese Factory in West Jefferson, have a most unique breakfast at Shatley Springs and drink its healing waters, see frescos, visit the town of Blowing Rock and just soak up the magic in these mountain towns.
Now on to Galax. While here we will listen to bluegrass music at the Blue Ridge Music Center and visit Andy Griffith’s Mt. Airy. Then on to the Peaks of Otter for two more nights of boon docking, hiking and fishing. From Peaks of Otter we can visit the WWII D-Day Memorial in nearby Bedford, the Poplar Forest (Thomas Jefferson’s summer home), spend a day at Appomattox or explore the famous Natural Bridge.
Our last stop will be Greenwood, VA. In this area we will visit Monticello, dine in a tavern where George Washington ate, fish and hike some more and explore the historic towns of Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Crozet and Staunton. We’ll end our caravan at the fabulous Blue Mountain Brewery for our final banquet. So pack up your camera and binoculars, your hiking shoes and fishing gear and come explore the Blue Ridge Mountains with us.