I live in NYC and I feel a strong need to get away to someplace where I can experience some nature! So I’m considering a last-minute week-long getaway. I am a single, middle-aged man traveling alone.
Here’s what I’m looking for. I want temperate and dry climes, not snow or blazing sun. I do not want to spend a lot of money – a good thing since I am craving a basic, casual, road-trippy lifestyle, with no fancy accommodations or dining. I like to hike, bike, and drive. I like natural history, US history and museums. I don’t want to waste a whole day on a plane getting to and from my destination.
After doing some research, I am thinking of flying to northwest North Carolina, renting a car and road tripping through the Charlotte-Asheville-Smoky Mts. area. It’s a region I have not visited before, and it seems to fit my qualifications nicely.
A good idea, in general?
And two questions, in particular:
First, what’s the weather there like this time of year?
And second, as a NYCer-to-the-core – I don’t flaunt it, but people usually pick up on it – will I be made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome traveling through this region alone? (*No, *I do not have fears of “Deliverance” reenactments, but I have experienced rude anti-big city comments in my various travels through non-urban sections of the US, and I want to know what I might expect.)
May be a little crowded there. It’s the tail end of the fall color season, so tourist rates are probably in effect. I’d avoid Gatlinburg. It has a strip of amusement parks/tourist traps that can have horrific traffic.
You might also consider northern Georgia, around Helen…a small touristy town…but there are rustic cabins available to rent, and plenty of hiking/scenic opportunities.
Hard to link from my phone, but you can pick up the Appalachian trail in several locations in the region. Navitat has an awesome zipline, and the chatty guides will give you a running natural history of the surrounding mountains. The Joyce Kilmer woods contain some of the few remaining virgin woods. There was a recent thread about the bars, music, and restaurant scene in Asheville. I recommend Barleys Taproom for lunch and beer, Jack of the Wood, Orange Peel, and the Grey Eagle for awesome music and funky beer options.
It’s fairly cold here this time of year. I live in the mountains of SW Virginia, and I’m from the mountains of NC. There is a LOT of hiking available, including the awesome Blue Ridge Parkway, if you don’t mind the cold.
The tourist attractions are mostly pretty low-rent and campy, but there are some pretty nice things too, like the Biltmore House (pricey at Christmas, about $60 a head, but really special, if you’re into mansions filled with Christmas decorations, etc…). There’s the Harrah’s casino at Cherokee, but I doubt you’re the casino type. They also have the Cherokee Indian museum, which is nice if you are into that sort of thing.
Charlotte’s downtown at night on the weekends is pretty fun, if you like restaurants/shopping/etc…
You definitely don’t want to miss the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Biltmore if you like that stuff.
It’s going to be in the 40s and 50s during the day and the 20s and 30s at night for the next few days, maybe a little rain, but no snow. It’s usually about 10 degrees warmer in the Piedmont (Charlotte area) than it is here in the mountains.
We’re definitely used to tourists and lots of people that live here are transplants from other places, so no worries on that. Just don’t drive less than 10 miles over the speed limit because they will run you off the road.
Thanks, guys. I really find this info useful, so please keep it coming.
The only thing I find off-putting so far is Oakminster’s comment that it’s crowded there this time of year. I don’t want crowds, especially not tourist crowds. (I work at a NYC tourist attraction. I deal with enough tourists at home!)
I envision traveling from place to place, road trip style, but the idea of holing up in a rustic cabin for 2 or three days in a row is very appealing. I’d love to hear more about options like that.
And to answer Troppus’ question, I’m looking for light hiking, no overnights or anything too tough. But no crowds!
I’m in Asheville. The color season is long gone, but the Biltmore Christmas Season is in full swing. I would shop around if you’re going to stay in a hotel anywhere over the weekend because rates jump up and we sell out real quick. If you’re trying to be thrifty, I wouldn’t stay over the weekend. The crowds are going to be crazy-go-nuts due to holidayers and shoppers.
Honestly, if you’re not wanting to spend a lot of money and avoid crowds I’d wait until January-March. That’s the slow time up here.
Weather’s not been too bad. Up in the 50s/60s during the day and down to the 30s at night.
As for your fears about us country folk mocking your city ways…maybe 20 years ago when there was nothing in the mountains, but Asheville’s grown a lot. We’re full of you NYC’ers. The mountains are full of transplanted people. Heck, I’m one of only two people in my department at work that’s even a native North Carolinian.
Goes both ways, you know. Don’t make rude, ‘dumb yokels’ type statements, and you should be fine. Nothing worse than a NYC resident who can’t understand that because a region is “different” doesn’t mean it’s “Inferior”, and insists on commenting on this often and loudly.
Over the mountains into northeast Tennessee you’ll find the historic town of Jonesborough. They usually have a nicely decorated historic town center. Nearby is Roan Mountain State Park for easy access hiking and/or cabin rentals.
Back over the mountain into North Carolina check out the town of Boone as a base for a day or two with convenient access to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Not sure if you want to fly into Charlotte, but Asheville, NC (AVL) and the Tri Cities, TN (TRI) have regional airports as well. Looks like Asheville has direct service to LGA, so that may be easier for minimizing airport hassles.
This is a great time of year to travel in this area. The Fall colors are just gorgeous. I lived in Charlotte in the early 90’s and made the trip from there to Asheville a couple of times.
I was there a few weeks ago and the colors were mostly gone and it wasn’t at all crowded. Biltmore is a must see, day tickets are $50.00 in advance but sometimes you find online codes; night tickets are more as are the specialty tours, I took the Butlers Tour where you see the “back of the house” and the Architects tour where you see the roof. I do recommend the Days Inn Asheville Mall; they had a real hot breakfast, it came to about $120 for two weekday nights.
Asheville has an airport but it seems to be limited to regional puddle jumpers. I’ve flown into both Raleigh and Nashville. Nashville is farther but you can see Cades Cove, and get to drive over the mountains to Asheville. The Charlotte / Raleigh area is going to be warmer and has a vastly different cultural feel to it than the mountains.
I do recommend seeing Cades Cove, though. It’s accessed from the Tennesse side, but if you want to access it from North Carolina one idea might be to drive over the mountains through Newfoundland gap and stay a night or two in Tennessee, driving back on I-40. You’d likely hate Pigeon Forge, but you can just drive straight through it as a chore.
I’ve made a few road trips to the area, I love it. Blue Ridge Parkway is great. Mt. Rogers is a favorite. But I’ve always gone in May or October. If I were going, as an outsider, I don’t think I would bother visiting unless it were April-October. Otherwise, it would just be cold, grey and well, blah, except for the mountain scenery. Unless you were really into Christmas, and wanted Biltmore-esque type attractions. Gatlinburg? Forget it.
As for being an outsider, don’t worry. My tourist dollars always had a warm reception. Favorite part was pulling into Asheville around 3AM, checking into the hotel and then hitting the neighboring Waffle House. A bunch was in there that walked out on their bill, and a Deputy Sheriff was dining at the counter. The waitress yelled that they walked out without paying, and the deputy partly turned on his stool, halfway got up, and collapsed back down after realizing the culprits were gone. Guess Otis Campbell was on duty, and thought his grits were more important.
