For more than 60 years before it closed, the first restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway was a beloved stop for hungry motorists, weary hikers, and local families. Now, The Bluffs is dishing up fried chicken and cathead biscuits once again.
appalachian mountains
The Blue Ridge Parkway: A Monumental Drive
In the mid-1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched a massive program to cut a 469-mile road through the North Carolina and Virginia mountains. More than 80 years later, the Blue Ridge Parkway remains the most popular scenic byway in the country.
Mileposts & Memories: A Stop-by-Stop Guide to Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway
We followed the Blue Ridge Parkway down through North Carolina, from Cumberland Knob just below the Virginia state line all the way to Cherokee, compiling our favorite vistas along the way.
The Snows of Appalachia: A Photo Essay
In the west, where the landscape rises to meet the sky, winter arrives early and puts on a show, softening our rugged peaks with a blanket of snow.
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About North Carolina’s Christmas Tree Farms?
Thanks to the hard work of our farmers, North Carolina is the second-largest Christmas tree producer in the nation, filling our homes with the fresh smell of the season.
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the Blue Ridge Parkway?
Nothing showcases our hazy mountains and fall foliage quite like this legendary road.
Celebrating Identity
Mike Crowe Jr. shares the story of his tribe at the Museum of the Cherokee.
Ramblin’ Man: Whimmy Diddle Magic
Mastering this simple-looking mountain toy requires more than just yelling “gee” and “haw.” Or does it?
Appalachian State Creates Students of the Slopes
On snow days, there’s one class at Appalachian State University that’s never canceled: ski school. For 50 years, the state’s second-oldest ski mountain has groomed generations of fearless — some might say foolhardy — Southern skiers.
