Road To Joy

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

If you’re looking to truly get away, one of the world’s best road trips is waiting on the serene Blue Ridge Parkway. There are no noisy billboards to detract from this meandering, 469-mile highway.

Rather, you’ll experience a quiet escape in the stoic Blue Ridge Mountains, featuring more than 50 waterfalls and 200 incredible overlooks (the views that really count). The Blue Ridge Parkway has been the most visited unit of the U.S. National Park System for 70 of the past 74 years, and for good reason. Authentic Southern cuisine and epic mountain hikes reside way down yonder. Shhh. Don’t let the whole world know.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Top Attractions

Sharp Top Mountain is a rocky trail that has been popular with hikers for hundreds of years. At about three miles roundtrip, the panoramic views are well worth the steep climb. A shuttle to the top is also an option!

Must-Do Activity

Named for the Blue Ridge Parkway’s first resident landscape architect and planner, Abbott Lake features a loop trail, a serene lodge and a living farm. Take a stroll around the lake and enjoy a cool summer night by the lakeside fire pit.

Off the Beaten Path

Take a trip to the "World's Best Little Town," Bedford, Virginia. It's home to the National D-Day Memorial, which honors one of the most pivotal battles of World War II and pays tribute to those who died on June 6, 1944.

Insider's Tip

Traveling the 469-mile scenic drive by electric vehicle? Ease your range anxiety with electric car charging stations along the Blue Ridge Parkway, located at the Peaks of Otter Lodge.

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