Planning a Trip to North Carolina

[Nilandia]

So a friend and I are planning a vacation/road trip to North Carolina next month. We'll be staying in the western part of the state, just east of Asheville, and I'm looking for ideas of what to do while we're there.

The Biltmore is obviously a given. We'll be taking the Blue Ridge back up north, but we'd like to do some day trips in the area before that.

Any ideas?

Gretchen

[Jayvn]

do some of that sifting for gems through mucky dirt... every few years some kid finds a rock worth somethin.
<3 gretchen

[Nilandia]

Oh, I fully intend to. My grandparents used to live in the area and I found a place up near Little Switzerland called Emerald Village that I love to go to when I can. It started my mineral craze way back when.

One year, I actually found an emerald (or emerald cluster) that was probably too poor in quality for fine jewelry. We got it cut and polished as a cabochon and set in a pendant. It's perhaps the one piece of jewelry I own to get more compliments than any other.

<3 Jayvn

Gretchen

[Proxy]

if you where heading over to the other side of the state, like the out banks I could give you a ton of ideas and some really premo eateries to check out. Western NC I've no clue about sadly :(

[Androidpk]

I lived in NC for almost a year. First Hendersonville then Black Mountain. Hopefully I'll never go back.

[Makkah]

Go to Grandfather Mountain or the Ocoeee. Gooooooood times.

EDIT: I went to undergrad at Tri-Cities TN, 45 minutes from Asheville. Biltmore, Grandfather, and all the outskirting ranges/camping spots.

Also, Boone, NC is the SHIT in the winter.

[AMUSED1]

Yeah, the Ocoeee is awesome.

[Nilandia]

Go to Grandfather Mountain or the Ocoeee. Gooooooood times.

EDIT: I went to undergrad at Tri-Cities TN, 45 minutes from Asheville. Biltmore, Grandfather, and all the outskirting ranges/camping spots.

Also, Boone, NC is the SHIT in the winter.
My grandparents actually lived near Grandfather. We'd go visit them every August. It's been over 15 years since they moved out and they've since passed on, though. Poking around the area is definitely on the itinerary. Pity we had to miss the Highland Games.

I really don't remember Boone much aside from an outdoor theater thing called The Horn in the West, and that because we tried to go and got rained out. Anything else in the area you'd recommend?

Would you recommend going to Smoky Mtn. National Park?

Gretchen

[grenthor]

rafting on the nantahala is a lazy way to spend an afternoon and very laid back. The ocoee is a little farther away and is amazingly fun whitewater. Serious whitewater too but still a breeze for novices. It's where the olympic whitewater events were held.

[Krendeli]

Oh, I fully intend to. My grandparents used to live in the area and I found a place up near Little Switzerland called Emerald Village that I love to go to when I can. It started my mineral craze way back when.

One year, I actually found an emerald (or emerald cluster) that was probably too poor in quality for fine jewelry. We got it cut and polished as a cabochon and set in a pendant. It's perhaps the one piece of jewelry I own to get more compliments than any other.

<3 Jayvn

Gretchen

You keep going upo the road past Emerald Village and you end up at a mine called Crabtree. Tiffany's used to mine it for emeralds until the late 70's when they cracked the bedrock to the water table and flooded the mine.

My wife and I will be there on Thursday going through the stuff there. Each year they pull a few decent emeralds out and a lot of emerald shot.

We're starting our vacation on Wednesday and we'll be in the Asheville area until Sunday then headed to Diamond Hill, South Carolina for 5 days, and then Jackson Crossing in Georgia for a few days.

I'm coming home with a carful of rocks.

[peam]

Not sure about NC, but if you're coming through Southwestern Virginia, hit up some of the wineries.

I'd recommend Villa Appalaccia and Black Snake Meadery.

My family and I are heading off on vacation to Nags Head on August 2nd. There's going to be quite a few PCers in North Carolina in August.

OFFICIAL PC-CON WHILE ON VACATION-CON!!?!?!?!?!?!?

[AnticorRifling]

Go to Havelock....no don't.

[Kuyuk]

Might want to go to Highland, NC..

I worked at Old Edwards Inn there for a while. (www.oldedwardsinn.com)

quaint town, expensive, but the food at OEI is the bomb. At least it was when I was there - and the Exec sous at the time is still there, so I'd say it's better now than ever.

K.

[Warriorbird]

Highland games are great. Outer Banks wise I love windsurfing at Canadian Hole.

[Kuyuk]

If a canadian has a hole big enough to surf in, you need to rethink who you bring home...


K.

[Warriorbird]

You laugh! But it's the most guaranteed high wind spot I've found in the whole Outer Banks.

:D

[Anebriated]

rafting on the nantahala is a lazy way to spend an afternoon and very laid back. The ocoee is a little farther away and is amazingly fun whitewater. Serious whitewater too but still a breeze for novices. It's where the olympic whitewater events were held.

+1. Ive done this trip down the Nantahala and its a great time. Highly suggest it if that is up your alley.

[Warriorbird]

I'll echo it myself. Also... hang-gliding. Kill Devil Hills. Touristy but badass.

[Geshron]

Holler if you come to Chicago or Indianapolis. I only stayed in Charlotte and it was on a tour which means van and hotel and venue. Poop.

[Warriorbird]

I wouldn't recommend much in Charlotte. Some decent restaurants.

[grenthor]

I've also done this. Another laid back way to spend an afternoon.

It's a bit northwest of Asheville. Natural mineral hotsprings located in the national forest up there. Cheap too. Like around 20 bucks for 2 people.

http://www.nchotsprings.com/

[Warriorbird]

NC Zoo is worth it if you can get the behind the fences safari tour. Rarely offered though. They have to get you to sign waivers.

[LadyLaphrael]

I'll echo it myself. Also... hang-gliding. Kill Devil Hills. Touristy but badass.

Yes and yes. Getting to watch complete strangers faceplant into the sand, voluntarily and repeatedly, is definitely a bonus.

[Makkah]

Great Smokies can be kinda fun, but I've been so many times it gets boring.

Dollywood is fun.

Ober-Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are neat around Christmas.

Just thought about it, I went to an old school amusement park in Maggie Valley, NC that was really fun when I was little.

[Nilandia]

Of course, I'm hoping that there will be a Laph sighting at some point. :D

Gretchen

[JARVISN]

If it's emeralds you're lookin for, just keep comin down I-40 to about exit 140, Old Mountain Road - brings you right to the only emerald mine in the US of A that is open to the public for prospecting. Drop me a PM and I'll give you the local details.

[Abyran'sa]

Yea, if you are addicted to the digging game at EG, don't go to one of the the gem mines IRL. We may never see you again!

There are a couple of nifty churches with historic frescos in Ashe County, along with a cheese plant that has makes good stuff. Ashe county borders TN and VA, fyi.

Sereg's puppeteer

[Cusack]

BOJANGLES!!!!!

[Drew]

Nantahala is a ton of fun, done that like 6 times. Also if you are riding a motorcycle or driving a sports car (I know this probably isn't likely) I'd recommend visiting the Tail of the Dragon on the NC/Tenn border. 318 curves in 11 miles, I definitely have to ride it when I visit but it's not for everyone.

[JARVISN]

Nantahala is a ton of fun, done that like 6 times. Also if you are riding a motorcycle or driving a sports car (I know this probably isn't likely) I'd recommend visiting the Tail of the Dragon on the NC/Tenn border. 318 curves in 11 miles, I definitely have to ride it when I visit but it's not for everyone.

T of the D. Been there, done that. Overloaded van, enroute to a flea market. Not recommended. Not.:shocked:

[Kuyuk]

Ah, the memories - when I worked at OEI, the sous chef and I would sometimes race home at the end of the night (11-12p), down the mountain with switchbacks and such. Probably the least safe thing I've done, but it was in fact quite fun at the time. Made the 15 minute trip in 8 one day..

Ironically, in the six months I lived there, I had to replace three tires.


K.

[Mikalmas]

The "amusement park" near the TN/NC line is Ghost Town In The Sky, in Maggie Valley, NC. It closed for quite a while, but looking at their website apparently they're open again.

There's also Cherokee, NC not too far away. Kind of touristy for the most part, I'd avoid most of it. But "Unto These Hills" is an interesting outdoor drama that the Cherokee tribe does. The arts cooperative is also kind of cool, the real stuff, not tourist art. Baskets and pottery, expensive as hell though. The Oconoluftee cherokee village replica (near the Unto These Hills drama) is kind of neat.

There's also the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Bryson City, NC, also close by. THe Nantahala Gorge excursion passes through Nantahala with an hour layover at the Nantahala Outdoor center.