Summer Travel: NC Mountain Region

By Melissa Howsam and Lauren Kruchten

Highlands

Go big or go, well, small by staying in either the stunningly gorge Old Edwards Inn and Spa (a spa day is a must) or booking a night at the tranquil Carriage House at Wyanoak, a cozy love nest that’s perf for a romantic getaway.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Peak experiences await via NC’s picturesque parkway joyride. Pack your hiking boots and take the scenic route this summer (and again this fall for ’Gram-worthy foliage), winding through the NC (and VA) mountains for 469 miles of “America’s Favorite Drive.” 

Mount Mitchell 

Keep calm and get high by hiking up to the dramatic summit of the highest point in NC (6,684 feet!). Located in the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, Mount Mitchell boasts unmatched views—plus a nine-site family campground. Early bird gets the worm—er, campsite!

Bryson City

Adrenaline junkies, this one’s for you. Feel the rush in Bryson City this summer, where, beyond the lure of this laid-back small mountain city are opps aplenty to channel your inner Tarzan (!)—from swinging through the treetops via zip lines at Nantahala Outdoor Center (dubbed one of the “Best Outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure) to climbing, tubing, hiking, hitting the Nantahala River rapids and so much more. Ahem, they don’t call it the “Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Great Smoky Mountains” for nothing.

Sliding Rock

“Why don’t you slide” down this favored natural mountain waterfall in Pisgah National Forest—then grab a soft serve at Dolly’s Dairy Bar & Gift Shop—to cool off on a hot summer day. 

Mill Spring

“Thumbin’ my way into North Caroline…” After a wildly successful inaugural showdown last summer, country boys and girls are gettin’ down for Night in the Country Carolinas—the second-annual music fest at Tryon International Equestrian Center, Aug. 25–27 (aka three nights showcasing 12 boot-stompin’ acts of country heavy-hitters like Darius Rucker, Jon Pardi, Dierks Bentley and more). 

Beech Mountain

Beech, please! NC’ers know and love this pleasant lil mountain town as a winter ski destination, but the charmer is a quintessential summer reprieve—think temps that usually don’t break 70 degrees—famed for its Swiss Alps-esque aerial trams. Serving up unparalleled vistas in summer, fall and winter, the round-trip scenic chair lift promises to transport you to new heights (literally—peaking at 5,506 feet—aka the highest town in the Eastern U.S.).

Lake Lure

“So I carried a watermelon?” Fete the cult-classic film and have the time of your life at this 13th annual edition of the uberpopular Dirty Dancing Festival on Sept. 10, feat. film-inspired dance (natch) and tunes, local and regional arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, “on scene” selfie spots, the infamous Lake Lift Competition, and more. Oh, and don’t miss sips in the Club House garden (think beer, wine and cider). Nobody puts Baby in a corner…