The Blue Ridge Mountains run from the southern edge of Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Photo by anthony heflin/Shutterstock
This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on July 23, 2026, with current information.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most scenic drives in the eastern United States, stretching 469 miles from the end of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive to Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. You’ll see (and hear) wild birds, memorable overlooks, clear mountain streams, and mist-bound hilltops that remind you of how the Blue Ridge Mountains got their name; outside of winter, you may even see some black bears picking their way through roadside woods for wild berries.
The parkway’s speed limit is 45 mph (35 mph in certain areas), and the pace of this road trip is slow; the itinerary isn’t jam packed, and the idea is not to spend hours in the car but rather to savor nature and the towns along the way. Especially in summer, the Blue Ridge Parkway has a full events calendar, with ranger talks, tours, and demonstrations, plus concerts at the Blue Ridge Music Center (milepost 213). And if there’s one extra item you pack for this road trip, make it a cooler: By the end of day four, you’ll have half a dozen varieties of local honey, jam, and cheese.
Related: 8 Road Trips Through Iconic U.S. National Parks
Day one: A 200-foot limestone arch, vintage cars, and general stores
Illustration by Emily Blevins, animation by Claudia Cardia
End: Roanoke, Virginia
Distance: Approximately 140 miles
Driving time: Approximately 3 hours, 15 minutes
This four-day Blue Ridge Parkway road trip starts in Charlottesville, Virginia. If you have time before you get on the road, visit nearby Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where two tours—one 45 minutes, one 2.5 hours—look at the role and legacy of enslaved people on the plantation.
From Charlottesville, it’s a 25-minute drive to where the Blue Ridge Parkway begins (and where scenic drive Skyline Drive scenic byway). Keen hikers can pull over at Milepost 6 to set foot on the Appalachian Trail, a two-mile uphill hike from the road.
Turn off at Glasgow (Milepost 61.4, where there is currently a small detour) for a stop at Layne’s Country Store, open since 1954. Fill up your cooler with a sandwich from the deli counter, local jams, pickles, and hand-cut bacon.
From Glasgow, it’s only a 10-minute drive to Natural Bridge, a 215-foot-tall limestone arch. (If you skipped the country store and stayed on the Parkway, look to exit at Milepost 63.7.) This geological spectacle, dubbed “Nature’s Cathedral,” was once surveyed by a young George Washington and was bundled into a land purchase that Thomas Jefferson made from King George III.
After you get back on the Parkway, drive another hour or so, stopping to spend the afternoon in Roanoke, Virginia. The free Taubman Museum of Art showcases regional, folk, and contemporary artworks and has a unique permanent collection of sparkling minaudières (whimsical evening bags) from designer Judith Leiber. The Virginia Museum of Transportation, housed in a former freight depot, is a hit with kids. Peruse a gallery of antique cars from the 1930s to present and a couple of vintage trains before stepping into an actual plane.
See a unique evening bag collection alongside folk artwork at the Taubman Museum of Art.
Courtesy of Taubman Museum of Art
You can end your day in Roanoke but, if it’s a Friday, consider driving one more hour south to the Floyd Country Store. At the end of each week, the Friday night jamboree ($10 cover) sees this beloved everything shop and café/deli transform into a kickin’, stompin’, live bluegrass hive, complete with packed dance floor. (Even if it’s not Friday, see what events Floyd’s has during your visit. Chances are strong you’ll hear good music.)
Where to eat
For lunch in Charlottesville, Vu Noodles downtown serves fresh vegan and vegetarian Vietnamese dishes like a warming bun bo hue chay (a plant-based version of a spicy beef noodle soup) and tofu bánh mì. Book ahead for dinner in Roanoke at Southern eatery the River and Rail Restaurant, where the menu changes daily based on what’s in season locally. Dishes might include a summer tomato salad with yellow shiro plum and stracciatella or smoked trout and vegetables in a parmesan broth.
Where to stay in Roanoke and Floyd, Virginia
Bed-and-breakfast King George Inn has four antique-filled suites in an early 1900s Colonial revival. An Oxford blue 1890s brick Italianate-style house is the setting for Roanoke Boutique Hotel, a B&B with three modern rooms, two of which have clawfoot soaking tubs. Roanoke is full of lovely historic buildings, among them the 1912 French Renaissance-style First National Exchange Bank, which in fall 2025 opened as the 27-room Promissory Hotel.
A mile outside tiny Floyd is another homey place to spend the night, StoneHaven Bed and Breakfast. The 1920s Georgian style home has four bedrooms done up in period decor, with four-poster beds, dark wooden antique furniture, and thick curtains.
Day two: A century-old millhouse and a luxury tree house
End: Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Distance: Approximately 30 miles
Driving time: Approximately 1 hour
Drive 25 minutes from Floyd to the the idyllic Mabry Mill in Meadows of Dan (so-named for the nearby Dan River), one of the Parkway’s most recognizable sights. The restored 1910 millhouse rests streamside at Milepost 176, shake-roofed and endearingly lopsided. An on-site restaurant is in the works for spring 2027. During weekends from June to November, enjoy blacksmithing demonstrations and guided visits inside the historic mill.
Visit century-old Mabry Mill for tours and blacksmithing demonstrations.
Photo by Alex Armstrong/Blue Ridge Parkway
From here, it’s two miles further to your country store stop of the day, Poor Farmers Market. You know the drill: seasonal fruit and jam, cheese, and honey from local farmers and producers, plus a picnic sandwich for good measure.
Where to eat
Your accommodations for the night entice with a couple of options, including Leatherflower, which serves modern American food using ingredients from the hotel’s farm and greenhouse.
Where to stay
Get to the the Lodge at Primland, Auberge Collection early to enjoy every amenity at this mountain resort sprawled across 12,000 acres. The menu of activities (some included in the room rate and others extra) includes an aerial ropes course, guided foraging, and stargazing at the on-site observatory. Bed down for the night in one of the property’s unique tree-house cottages, built high up in the canopy of beautiful old trees. Take in the sunset and sweeping mountain, valley, and gorge views from the deck.
Day three: Bluegrass music, cult cheese, and a hilltop mansion
End: Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Distance: Approximately 123 miles
Driving time: Approximately 3 hours, 20 minutes
Get back on the Blue Ridge Parkway after your treetop slumber, and make your way to Milepost 213, near Galax (pronounced GAY-lax), to see what’s going on at the Blue Ridge Music Center. The casual museum is dedicated to mountain music, and midday pickup shows with local string bands are an everyday occurrence. Galax is the lodestar for bluegrass musicians and their fans because of this museum and for the Old Fiddlers’ Convention held annually the first week of August. The music you hear will be top-notch, down-home gold.
Meadow Creel Dairy, a small dairy in the area, produces organic cows’ milk cheeses that have a cult-like following among discerning palates. Its cheeses are sold alongside wine at Chapters, a bookstore in Galax.
Fire up a good podcast, because you’ve got the next 75 miles to listen and enjoy the scenery until the next stop in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Along this segment of the Parkway, the road is softened by elegant curves and long, expansive views. You’ll cross the North Carolina border along the road’s inaugural section. Construction began here at Cumberland Knob on September 11, 1935, part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, and the entire length of the highway was finally completed in 1987.
The Southern Highland Craft Guild’s shop inside Moses Cone Manor is a great place to find souvenirs such as folk art, textiles, and pottery.
Courtesy Southern Highland Craft Guild
Miles 294.6 to 296.4, the section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that brings you to Moses Cone Manor (milepost 294.1) is currently closed. You can see the small detour route here. The property is also called Flat Top Manor, a grand 1901 Colonial revival mansion built by local textile magnate Moses Cone.
The 20-room house and grounds are attractive, but the main draw is the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s Parkway Craft Center, which operates from early April through late November. The center sells distinctive mountain-made goods in the craft shop, with more on display in a gallery area. The Southern Highland Craft Guild sponsors craft demonstrations by artisans on the front porch of the mansion, teaching such skills as wood-turning, broom-making, and felting.
The town of Blowing Rock’s Main Street has a pleasant mix of antique shops, gift stores, sweet shops, clothing boutiques, and corny souvenir joints.
Where to eat
At the edge of Galax is busy food truck Taqueria Oaxaca #1, which has a compact menu of tacos, a burrito, tortas, and quesabirria, all meat-based. Quench your thirst with horchata, pineapple, or melon agua frescas. Blowing Rock Ale House works with half a dozen local purveyors and has its own IPAs, a porter, and a Kölsch on tap to pair with a bison burger with a stout glaze or a lighter Mediterranean bowl.
Where to stay
Hellbender Bed & Beverage is a popular restaurant and inn with a leafy patio and eight inviting, modern rooms.
Day four: A swinging bridge, gorgeous rhododendrons, and top-notch food
End: Asheville, North Carolina
Distance: Approximately 118 miles
Driving time: Approximately 3 hours
The 228-foot-long Mile High Swinging Bridge sits atop Grandfather Mountain at 5,305 feet and crosses an 80-foot chasm.
Courtesy of Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
For your morning workout, drive 30 minutes from Blowing Rock to hike Grandfather Mountain, part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. You can find a couple of trailheads right along the Parkway between Mileposts 304 and 308, but for a greater variety of options, exit at Milepost 305.1 for Grandfather Mountain State Park. Its 11 different trails range in difficulty from easy nature paths to routes that trace knife-sharp ridge lines and traverse sheer rock faces via ladders or steel cables.
The 0.4-mile Bridge Trail has 300 feet of elevation gain and leads you to the steps up to the Mile High Swinging Bridge; although solidly engineered from galvanized steel, it looks a bit scary spanning an 80-foot chasm. The view from the bridge is ample reward for the hike to get there, although an elevator has been added to make the span accessible for everyone.
Instead of driving back to the Blue Ridge Parkway, follow Route 221 south a few miles to Old Hampton Store & Barbecue in Linville. Sit down to hickory-pulled pork on a sourdough bun. The store and tavern combo has perfected its barbecue technique after nearly century in business. As if your cooler wasn’t full enough, you can pick up edible souvenirs like pickles, apple butter, and locally ground corn.
Either backtrack the four miles to the point where you left it or head south on 221 five miles to the next access point and keep an eye out for Milepost 316.4, Linville Falls. Follow the trails to see the twin waterfalls tumbling 2,000 feet into rugged Linville Gorge, the deepest U.S. chasm east of the Grand Canyon.
From miles 317.5 to 355.3, the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene. Drive on U.S. 221 south for 90 minutes, rejoining the park where where it meets U.S. 70. At Milepost 364, in the area called Craggy Gardens, you’ll find trailheads that lead to one of the Parkway’s most remarkable vistas. Follow the easy Craggy Pinnacle Trail, which passes through a tunnel of rhododendrons and climbs past trees with impossibly gnarled roots. The trail ends at a summit with mind-blowing 360-degree views of mountains and valleys bounding all the way to the horizon.
The Biltmore, built for George Washington Vanderbilt, is the largest estate in the nation.
Courtesy of ZakZeinert/Shutterstock
Asheville is only 19 miles down the road. Even though the Blue Ridge Parkway spools out another 52 miles to its southern terminus in Cherokee, North Carolina, Asheville is the natural finish line for your road trip; the transition back to real life is made easier by the city’s culinary offerings, rooftop bars, and vibrant neighborhoods.
You can spend an entire day exploring Biltmore, a sprawling estate built for George W. Vanderbilt, still the largest in the United States, with the historic 250-room manor house, extensive gardens, and a “village” with shops, a farm, three hotels, and even a winery.
For souvenirs, find nature-inspired gold jewelry at Paula Dawkins, a bar from French Broad Chocolates, and hot sauce, pottery, and ornaments from Mast General Store; consider a zip-up fleece to blend in with the outdoorsy locals. Then, by all means, have a drink. In addition to being a hub for active travelers, Asheville is known for its beer culture and has more breweries per capita than any other U.S. city.
Asheville is an appealing place to eat. Downtown, farm-to-table Rhubarb serves unusual combinations such as blueberry gazpacho and duck wings with a rose-harissa glaze. The adjacent café-bakery-pantry, the Rhu, serves sit-down or take-out breakfast and lunch and sells pantry and picnic provisions. If you’re visiting during cooler weather, head to Wild Ginger for a steaming bowl of pho. Over at the Admiral, the ceiling is pressed tin, the votive candles are lit, and contemporary American dishes like quail with succotash and pearl couscous are on the tables.
Other meals not to miss in Asheville include such local favorites as the sweet potato cabbage pancake from Good Hot Fish and berenjenas con miel (pan-fried eggplant with honey) from Cúrate, by James Beard Award–nominated chef Katie Button, who went from getting a Ph.D. degree in neuroscience to cooking with José Andrés.
Where to stay in Asheville
Among the 13 hotels we love in Asheville is Blind Tiger Asheville, set in a restored 1889 residence. It has 14 thoughtfully designed rooms and suites—ranging from an airy artist’s loft to a cozy two-room cabin. Another gem is the 105-room Grand Bohemian, built in 2009 to evoke the charm of an Old World Bavarian hunting lodge, with antler chandeliers, opulent velvet and brocade accents, and a taxidermied wild boar named Fritz in the lobby.
Indoor-outdoor rooftop bar the Montford in downtown Asheville has sweeping views of the Blue Ridge mountains and a dozen local beers to sample.
Courtesy of the Montford (L), photo by Chelsea Lane Photography (R)
Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip FAQs
How long does it take to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway?
The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles long, and the speed limit is generally 45 mph, sometimes down to 35. Driving straight through will take about 10 days, but this is a route you want to take slowly, stopping to hike, eat, sip a few craft beers, and savor your natural surroundings.
What’s the best time of year to go?
You can drive this route at any time of the year, but late spring through mid-autumn are some of the best times to visit. Summer can be too hot, but the cooler temperatures along the parkway will work in your favor. Wildflowers bloom throughout May and June, while in autumn, you’ll be rewarded with unforgettable fall foliage.
In winter (December through March), some visitor centers, picnic areas, gift shops, and other places of interest will be closed if there’s heavy precipitation or freezing temperatures.
Remember that the Parkway can get foggy any time of year, so expect to pull over at one of the many overlooks or stop points to wait for the weather to clear.
What should I pack for a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip?
Bring warm layers. The Parkway—with its deep shaded valleys, windy high peaks, and sunny plateaus—is known for its micro climates, pocketed regions where temperatures can vary as much as 30 degrees in a few minutes. Comfortable hiking boots or sneakers with good grip are essential for tackling trails. If you’re driving the Blue Ridge Parkway in summer, pack a bathing suit so you can cool off in swimming holes and streams.
A cooler is a must for snapping up local produce and perishable treats from the many country stores and farms you’ll pass. And because phone reception on the Blue Ridge Parkway can be spotty, go old school with a paper map and/or make sure Google Maps is downloaded on your phone.
Is the Blue Ridge Parkway open right now?
When Hurricane Helene crashed down in September 2024, the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway in particular was severely damaged, with the National Park Service estimating nearly 60 landslides. As of July 2026, most of the Blue Ridge Parkway is open, but there are several sections that are closed, notably between mile markers 317.5 and 355.3. The NPS generally updates daily the status of road closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Blue Ridge Parkway has an interactive map showing closed sections in red.
More on Asheville
- Asheville’s Best Rooftop Bars: 7 Spots to Drink Above It All
- The Best Things to Do in Asheville
- The Best Places to Enjoy the Outdoors in Asheville
- The Best Things to Eat and Drink in Asheville
- Why the Block Is Asheville’s Must-Visit Neighborhood
- Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip: The Perfect 4-Day Itinerary
Jenn Rice contributed to the reporting of this story.
