<p>We’ll be driving from Asheville to Roanoke in a couple of weeks, and we’d like to do at least part of the trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway. But I have two major concerns - food and bathrooms - and certainly not in that order.</p>
<p>I get the feeling that there are very few services along the Parkway itself, so you have to plan your stops carefully. True? I’ve looked at the website, and there seem to be 4 restaurants along the entire 400-plus mile road, which doesn’t seem like a lot. We won’t starve, but we would definitely prefer indoor plumbing.</p>
<p>The website suggests getting off the highway onto the intersecting roads to explore the little towns and attractions along the way. We’d like to do that, but I’m not sure how we’ll know what’s where. Can anyone recommend something we shouldn’t miss? Thanks for anything you can tell us. :)</p>
<p>It’s beautiful, and every time I’ve tried to drive it it has been enveloped in thick, dangerous fog. Having to leave it after 20 miles or so on several occasions is a major long-term frustration/disappointment for me. I hope you have a better experience!</p>
<p>frazzled, couple of points from someone who has “been there / done that, mulitple times”:</p>
<p>1) You’ll be hitting the highway right before the leaves are turning. You may start seeing the first few colors up there, based on elevation. Bad news: not as pretty as when the trees are in full “show-mode” with the changes in color (simply spectacular views when this is the case). Good news: you won’t be stuck in traffic for 6 hours behind everyone going 10-15 MPH on a turning, twisting, two-lane highway as they slow down to take in the scenery.
2) Yes, it is a turning, twisting, two lane highway on tops of moutains, with a few passing lanes thrown in every few miles to FINALLY get past the people who drive idiotically slow up there becuase they’re nervous driving on a twisting, turning, two lane highway on top of mmountains. My advice. You’re going up there to take in the scenery anyway. RELAX, take it easy, and don’t get frustrated at the slow pace. EXPECT a LOOOONG diversion to your trip.
3) Pack some food, pull over onto one of the MANY scenic view pull-overs on the sides of the highway and have a lunch with a terrific view of mother nature. Some have Porta-Jons, but if you want porcelian, you need to stop at some of the restauraunts or visitor’s centers near the entrances and exits. Stop at one BEFORE you get on.
4) I’ll say it again, BEAUTIFUL drive, SLOWER than Molasses on a cold day. Expect to spend hours on the road. If you plan it right, it’s enjoyable. If you’re thinking “wouldn’t it be nice to spend a couple of hours on a detour looking at some scenery?”, you’ll just get frustrated when your “short diversion” turns into an all day affai, and you arrive at your destination 4 hours later than planned.</p>
<p>It’s a wonderful trip in Fall. Check for construction zones. They were doing some near Grandfather Mountain in NC. Several inns with food are located on the BRP but check for closing dates. They also can get very busy with long waits. Blowing Rock is a popular stopping off place. Also Floyd in Virginia. Both are just minutes from the BRP.</p>
<p>Yes - frazzled it’s true. It may be enough to make you frazzled!</p>
<p>It is a beautiful road, it takes forever. No really, it takes forever. Drove on it once out of Asheville - got off after an hour and we had gone maybe 10 -15miles. It was late summer/early fall and it does get very foggy. 5 mph foggy.</p>
<p>The best advice I can give - pack a cooler and snacks and make sure you have plenty of time.</p>
<p>As a frequent traveler of I-81, I have never found it convenient to hop on, drive a while and then hop off. I think you do need to make a committment. Travel in good weather: no rain, no fog.</p>
<p>Thanks, all. I knew those travel brochures sounded too good to be true. </p>
<p>I’ve had a couple of scary driving experiences with fog in that area, though not on the Parkway. So I think we’ll try it only if it’s not a notably foggy day - we’ll spend longer in Asheville if we’re taking the interstate instead. It would be fun to watch my husband blowing steam out of his ears if we can’t cover more than 15 miles in an hour, though. :D</p>
<p>While my husband was studying at Virginia Tech, we went on the BRP for day trips. One time we visited the Great Smoky Mountains and traveled back on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. Stop by the ranger station and get a map, then you can follow the route and stop at the interesting points as you wish. When you are at Roanoke, there is a wonderful restaurant close by:</p>
<p>Doughton Park is on the Parkway ( South of Sparta between MP 238 and 244) . It has great views and is a nice place to stop for a picnic or just to stretch your legs. There is a small hotel there with a gift shop and gas station (indoor plumbing…yah). </p>
<p>If you or any other passengers are prone to carsickness, I would take some Dramamine (or whatever med you choose) as a precaution. The constant twisiting and turning of the Parkway really gets to me after awhile.</p>
<p>We just did the section from Asheville to Fancy Gap, VA after dropping D off at school in NC 6 weeks ago. It wasn’t the least bit foggy, and was a wonderful drive. No, you won’t be setting any speed records – the posted limit is 40, I think. There are quite a few places where you can easily get off the Parkway (& back on) if you need to make a pit stop. If you stop at every turn-out, the trip will take forever, but you don’t have to stop to enjoy the scenery. Would highly recommend the Folk Art Center on the Parkway at milepost 382 near US 70 (Asheville) – along with GREAT crafts, there’s a Parkway info booth where the Ranger can give you a map of how to get around the closed section just north of Asheville. If the weather is good, you’ll have a great time. Enjoy!</p>
<p>We’ve driven it quite a few times. Everyone is right – it’s slow, but how slow depends on whether you can resist stopping at every overlook or not (we can’t!). Some of our favorite spots are:</p>
<p>Craggy Gardens
Linville Falls and Linville Viaduct
Doughton Park (take the time to walk up - there’s a 360 degree view that is outstanding!)
Peaks of Otter (restaurant here - but we usually take a picnic, that way your timing doesn’t have to match your hunger)
Crabtree Falls (Hope I’m remembering the name right)</p>
<p>I doubt you’ll find much fog this time of year. Do get gas before you get on and take food and drinks. It is really a most lovely drive!</p>
<p>It is beautiful and slow, as other posters have noted. The crafts center near Asheville is wonderful. If fog is less of an issue at this time of year than in midsummer, that would help a lot in terms of both driving conditions and views, which are spectacular where there are overlooks. (At times you cannot see much because you are in pretty thick woods.) If you have a few hours to devote to a segment of the trip it’s a great idea–but you will be relieved to pick up I-81 at some point. </p>
<p>The two or three times we have driven segments of it there has not been a lot of traffic but it is intended to be a very slow road. I think it’s more a destination/experience in itself rather than a way to travel any real distance (say greater than 50 miles or so at a stretch). I remember once when we were driving up 81 from Abingdon and decided to take the Parkway for a bit on our way to Charlottesville, and several hours later, despite the beauty of the surroundings, we were more than ready to wind our way back down from the hills and onto the interstate again.</p>
<p>Try it from Asheville to Blowing Rock or Boone, at which point you can get to 421 East over to 77, the up to 81, on in to Roanoke. It is right at three hours from Boone to Roanoke on that route (421 to 77 to 81). Blowing Rock is a nice community, lots of shops, nice restaurants. You can take 321 to Boone, link through 105 to 421 (roads/streets are well marked); or you can get back on the parkway at BR and go 5-6 miles up to the 421 East exit. If the fog is minimal and the traffic is moving at a sufficient pace you can decide to take the whole scenic drive. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks again, all! I appreciate the tips, cautions, and directions, and I’m sure they’ll help us have a more enjoyable trip. CC is an amazing place - where else could you hear folks from across the planet weighing in on frosting, the Blue Ridge Parkway, rock salt - and, oh yeah - all that college stuff? :)</p>
<p>I can walk onto the Parkway from my backyard.</p>
<p>I would not recommend you drive it that whole distance…can get monotonous…go for an estimated 4 hour stretch is my idea…and if it rains…ditch the entire plan and be ready for 77 or 81 instead…the views are great from the interstates in areas too, particularly near the NC/VA lines and up 81 towards 64 and 66 in the Shenandoah Valley. </p>
<p>Floyd Virginia is an artisan area with a couple great eateries…very stunning.</p>
<p>Also…we are mighty partial to the countryside and cuisine around Lexington or Charlottesville…and we “vacationed” in Bath County this summer…near the Homestead but in alternative less expensive digs
PS the Pisgah Forest is to die for near Asheville and much more dramatic than our area</p>
<p>Wow-- beautiful images! I haven’t driven on the Blue Ridge Parkway in several years, so defer to the wisdom in the posts above. I do remember two things to keep in mind if you drive later in the day or at dusk— bear and deer. Be careful.</p>
<p>We decided to give it a try on the first Thursday in October - and it was spectacular. Perfectly clear sky, no congestion, and we were able to maintain the posted speed of 35-40 mph for the 120 miles or so we were on. We got some amazing pictures. And the indoor plumbing opportunities were sufficient!</p>
<p>The foliage was about 20 percent turned, if that, which is probably one reason we had the road to ourselves. But it was enough to appreciate the colors, which were lovely. The road was closed around Asheville and and again near Boone, so we were detoured around. The Linn Cove Viaduct area was beyond beautiful.</p>
<p>Thanks again to all of you who took the time to respond. Consolation, if you read this, I hope you’ll give it a try again - it wouldn’t have been at all enjoyable in the fog, but you deserve a shot at it in better weather. :)</p>
<p>frazzled1, please fill us in on what you did while in Asheville, how much time spent there, your impressions. DH and I keep meaning to pay a visit with the thought of considering retirement there (of course this was before we realized we may have to continue working into our eighties.)</p>
<p>Hi, worrywart - I was considering the same thing, while dh unsuspectingly drove us through the mountains. Poor man, he has no idea he’s going to have to pack this house up one day and move south. :)</p>
<p>We didn’t actually do much in Asheville other than explore the Biltmore Estate, which was wonderful. This was a 30th anniversary trip in which we put 2400 miles on the car in 10 days, visiting our kids in Nashville, Williamsburg, and Arlington, and stopping over in Asheville along the way. It was great fun, and the Biltmore was fascinating (stayed at the Inn on the estate - also wonderful). I know that Asheville is a wonderful community for the arts - hope we can explore it more thoroughly some day.</p>