Short Section of Blue Ridge Parkway Closes Near Asheville

A short section of the Blue Ridge Parkway has closed south of Asheville, North Carolina, near Mt. Pisgah has closed indefinitely due to the danger of a landslide, thank to recent heavy rains.  Hopefully, all but a mile of the parkway near Ferrin Knob Tunnel No. 1 will reopen by Friday (section around Milepost 400).

To reach the beautiful section of the Parkway south of Mt. Pisgah, travelers from Asheville can take NC 280 (Airport exit on I-26) to Brevard, then drive the beautiful Forest Heritage Scenic Byway (see our guide) via U.S. 276 through Pisgah National Forest to the Parkway. From NC 280 as you enter the Brevard area, turn right on U.S. 276 at the shopping center with Wal-Mart. You will pass Looking Glass Falls and Cradle of Forestry and other great hikes and stops along the way. It’s a beautiful 15 mile drive from Brevard to the Parkway.

For more on what to see and do along the Parkway, see our Blue Ridge Parkway Guide.

Asheville Fall Leaf Color Show in the NC Mountains

Hike and enjoy the fall color show at Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, North Carolina.

The annual spectacular Autumn color show in the Asheville area is just a few weeks away! The Asheville fall leaf color show in the North Carolina mountains attracts visitors from around the world. With the 5,000-foot elevation change within 50 miles of Asheville, our lush Blue Ridge Mountain range puts on one of the longest-running leaf color displays in the country.

You don’t have to spend a bundle to enjoy the beautiful fall scenery. During your visit, here are some free things to do:

1. Cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway, often named one of the top ten drives in the country. You’ll find breathtaking scenery from numerous overlooks and walking trails, plus great spots for picnics.

2. Take a hike with trails for all fitness levels, from short walks in the woods to strenuous hikes up to mountain peaks. Find hundreds of trails along the Parkway, and in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests.

3. Explore Downtown Asheville with 200+ locally-owned stores, dozens of galleries, antique shops, and 50+ restaurants.

4. Drive to the top of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Rockies, and enjoy the panoramic views from the new observation deck.

5. Discover lots of art since Asheville is one of the top arts destinations in the country. Galleries abound downtown and in Biltmore Village, along with artist studios in the River Arts District.

For more, go to www.romanticasheville.com.

Win A Grand Trip to Lake Lure near Asheville

Enter now to win a grand vacation sweepstakes from the North Carolina Division of Tourism! From majestic peaks to hip and historic small towns, Lake Lure and the Blue Ridge Foothills offer everything you need for a getaway that will help you renew your senses. With great food, fun things to do, and amazing things to see, the lake may lure you – but the spectacular scenery and abundant activities will make you want to stay awhile. Now, you can win a trip for four to the area that Frommer’s Budget Travel called ‘a lake not to miss’. The winner will receive:

•Two rooms for four nights and breakfast for four at the historic Lake Lure Inn and Spa
•Admission for four to Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park and a picnic lunch provided by the park’s Old Rock Café
•A one-hour Lake Lure Boat Cruise for four.
•A 90-minute eco-kayak tour for four and a ½ day pontoon boat rental from the Lake Lure Adventure Company.
•A half-day guided fishing trip for two from Granddaddy Fly Fishing.
•A two-hour guided scenic horseback tour for four from Cedar Creek Riding Stables.
•$100 gift certificate for MSquared Restaurant
•$100 gift certificate for the Anna Rose Restaurant
•$100 shopping voucher
•$500 travel voucher

Enter today at http://www.visitnc.com/sweeps/view/the-lake-lure-the-blue-ridge-foothills-sweepstakes! The sweepstakes ends August 31, 2009. For more on Lake Lure, go to http://www.romanticasheville.com/lake_lure.htm.

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Green Weddings Bloom at NC Arboretum in Asheville

The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville has launched a green wedding program that will add an additional component to the organization’s successful facility rental program. The Arboretum’s natural setting provides a scenic – and sustainable – stage for these important celebrations. As part of its educational mission, the green wedding program will allow the Arboretum to educate the public about the importance of being a good steward of the natural environment within the context of the wedding event. Arboretum property and facilities offer excellent lessons in sustainability through green buildings, gorgeous landscapes, natural products, water conservation and recycling. Information about these components will be incorporated into the green wedding program. In addition, couples will follow guidelines for using organically grown and natural products as part of their wedding activity and pledge to a reduction in consumable products during their celebration. The Arboretum’s green wedding program will support the Asheville area as a wedding destination and help foster growth in this economic sector. Focusing on the green wedding niche allows the Arboretum to be part of this activity while meeting its mission of education, conservation, economic development and stewardship.  Read more: http://www.romanticasheville.com/arboretum_green_weddings.htm

Bele Chere is This Weekend in Downtown Asheville

Bele Chere is slimming down a bit in 2009, but it promises to be just as fun. The Asheville Parks & Recreation Department is bringing the festival back to a more manageable size and making it “100 percent free.” Gone are the big-name ticketed concerts held last year at Memorial Stadium. The festival features four stages of free live music and an impressive array of arts and crafts; as well as entertainment and activities for children. With construction on the eastern end of College Street, the children’s area is moving to the Asheville Civic Center.

The festival is committed to a diverse musical line up and features local, regional and national performers in genres including everything from Americana, Bluegrass, World and Reggae to Rock, Blues, Singer/Songwriter and more. A total of 43 acts will be providing plenty of entertainment. Local groups include The Afromotive, Balsam Range, Sons of Ralph and David Holt and the Lightning Bolts. National headlines include Cracker, Dar Williams, the Old 97s, Orleans and Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks.

Arts and crafts vendors will travel from all over the country to set up shop in the streets of Asheville to take part in the Bele Chere festival fun. This will present an opportunity to hopefully call one of these masterpieces your own. Metalwork, fabric, paint, ceramics, woodwork and a variety of other mediums will be featured throughout the festival. Stroll through the standard Festival Arts and Crafts, take some time to visit Arts Park to visit with the selected artists.

Bele Chere will offer two food courts for 2009. They include the Taste of Asheville and the Pritchard Park food court. Taste of Asheville features many local restaurants. Beverage Stations, Satellites and Trailers are the festival goers’ one stop shop for something cold to drink all weekend long.

Schedule for Bele Chere is Friday, July 24: Noon-10 pm Saturday, July 25: 10 am-10 pm Sunday, July 26: Noon-6 pm

For more, go to http://www.romanticasheville.com/belechere.htm

BlogCatalog

Top 10 Waterfalls near Asheville

With hundreds of waterfalls in the Asheville area, how do you choose? According to the readers of the popular online travel guide, www.RomanticAsheville.com, here are the Top 10 waterfalls to enjoy in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina:

1. Sliding Rock: Each summer, thousands of children and adults slip and slide down this favorite natural, 60-foot cascade down a sloping boulder in the Pisgah National Forest.
2. DuPont State Forest: A three-mile easy hike takes you to the base of three waterfalls: Hooker, Triple and the 150-foot High Falls.
3. Looking Glass Falls: One of the most visited waterfalls in North Carolina, it’s located along U.S. 276 north of Brevard, near the Blue Ridge Parkway. You don’t even have to get out of your car to see the 60-foot waterfall.
4. Graveyard Fields: This popular hiking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway features a loop trail that takes you to two waterfalls on the Yellowstone Prong. Second Falls is just 1/3 mile from the parking area.
5. Rainbow Falls: This spectacular 150-foot waterfall is located in the Nantahala National Forest. Access via a new hiking trail from Gorges State Park. A little up Horsepasture River, slide and swim at Turtleback Falls.
6. Linville Falls: Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Erwins View Trail is a moderate hike of 1.6 miles round trip with four overlooks, each revealing a different aspect of the Falls and Linville Gorge.
7. Upper Whitewater Falls: This is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, plunging 411 feet and viewable via a short paved trail.
8. Hickory Nut Falls: This 404-foot waterfall at Chimney Rock Park was featured in the movie The Last of the Mohicans. Hickory Nut Falls is a perfect example of what geologists call a “hanging valley.”
9. Crabtree Falls: This beautiful 70-foot waterfall, near Linville Falls, is accessed by a 2.5-mile loop hiking trail from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
10. Glen Falls: Near Highlands is this beautiful setting in the Nantahala National Forest, with two separate 70-foot drops on a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike. While in the Highlands area, walk behind Dry Falls or drive behind Bridal Veil Falls.

For details on these waterfalls plus others, go to www.romanticasheville.com/waterfalls.htm.

Sliding Rock, North Carolina

Slide down this natural waterslide

A fun place and popular place to cool off is Sliding Rock in the Pisgah National Forest near Asheville, NC. Slip and slide down a 60-foot natural sloping boulder. It’s fun for all ages! Other great swimming holes includes nearby Looking Glass Rock, Turtleback Falls at Gorges State Park, near Lake Toxaway and Brevard, and Hooker Falls in Dupont State Forest. Cashiers has a smaller version of Sliding Rock. Get all the details on our updated “swimming holes” page at http://www.romanticasheville.com/sliding_rock.htm

Hikes & Waterfalls near Highlands & Cashiers

Waterfall near Highlands, North Carolina

The area around Cashiers and Highlands, North Carolina,  is definitely an outdoor lover’s paradise, with many waterfalls and great hiking trails. An easy two mile loop affords breathtaking views from atop the 750-foot cliffs of Whiteside Mountain. Read more about this hike: http://www.romanticasheville.com/whiteside_mountain.htm.

Many of the waterfalls in this area, located in the Natahala National Forest, can be enjoyed with a short walk: Cashiers Sliding Rock, Bridal Veil Falls, Cullasaja Falls and Bust Your Butt Falls. The most beautiful waterfall in this area, Glen Falls, is accessed by a 1.5 mile hike. Read more about these waterfalls at http://www.romanticasheville.com/highlands_waterfalls.htm.

This area is about 1.5 hours drive from Asheville, North Carolina.

4th of July Celebrations

The City of Asheville will have its annual 4th of July Celebration downtown. An event for the whole family, the festivities start at 4 PM at Martin Luther King Park (near the corner of College and Martin Luther King Drive). The fun will continue throughout the night, with music and games, and a grand finale fireworks display at 9:30 PM. Free admission. The afternoon will feature live music along with a wide range of family activities and a variety of food from area vendors. Shindig on the Green will take place at 7:30 PM, featuring local bluegrass bands and mountain dancing.

Read about this and other 4th of July celebrations in the North Carolina mountains at http://www.romanticasheville.com/fourth.htm