For more information call toll-free:

 877-485-TRIP(8747)

When traveling on an American Driving Vacation™, you guide yourself through the trip following the story we provide for each day, supported with detailed driving directions that we prepare by driving the roads.

You move at your own pace, we handle the details with pre-paid admissions to activities and attractions. You can linger at lunch as long as you want, wander through historic towns, and spontaneously discover something that catches your interest.

We balance the time in the car with activities and relaxing options to let you have the ultimate freedom to go as far as you want and still have an easy, engaging experience. Enjoy!

When you arrive at your destination, pre-paid accommodations in unique historic accommodations await you. We have organized the activities each day so that you can explore your destination by day and return to your lodging each evening.

To make your trip as carefree as possible, we provide explicit driving directions, information for unanticipated events and a telephone number that is staffed 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

So call us to book your trip. Let us help you enjoy the destinations you’ve always wanted to visit and explore places you’ve always wanted to know more about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Picture][Picture][Picture]

Blue Ridge Parkway
Virginia, North Carolina & Tennessee

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the very scenic highway that connects Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive in Virginia, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The whole trip along the Parkway, which traverses most of Virginia and the entire state of North Carolina, encompasses a 469 mile drive that can take up to a leisurely 10 days, including stops to explore along the way.

It’s a highway and a journey surrounded by natural beauty. The majority of the Parkway in Virginia runs through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests and into North Carolina along a mountain spine. The road itself is a two lane highway with a 45 mph speed limit, but for travelers who enjoy "driving trips," traveling the Parkway can be a very special experience.

The attractions along the Virginia portion of the Parkway differ slightly from those on the North Carolina side. In Virginia, the recreated mountain farm near Humpback Rocks at the beginning of the Parkway and Mabry Mill, further south, give visitors a glimpse of traditional mountain life in the early days of settlement. In North Carolina, Linville Falls, the Cradle of Forestry, and other natural wonders, feature the natural environment.

In addition to the stops right along the Parkway itself, the road is next to historic towns from top to bottom, making for fascinating exploration of the heritage and culture of the region along the way. The headquarters of the Blue Ridge Parkway located in Asheville, North Carolina, is home to several well known literary figures including Carl Sandburg, Thomas Wolfe and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Exploration of their homes and legacies in the Asheville area present an interesting side trip and a one or two day break from driving.

In North Carolina, travelers also have the opportunity to explore the village of Cherokee, one of the largest re-creations of Native American life in the US.

The special driving travel vacations the American Travel Center has developed for the Blue Ridge Parkway specifically feature the exploration of its unique vistas, geography and traditional mountain culture. For those who can’t travel greater distances on the roadway, we also include the Blue Ridge Parkway on several of our shorter vacations in Virginia and North Carolina.

Select from the following American Driving Vacations ™ available at this destination:

Vistas, Caverns and History

4 Days/3 Nights

Start at the beginning of "the great drive" in the northern Shenandoah Valley," enjoy the mountains, explore the caverns, and heritage and culture of Staunton and Charlottesville.

Blue Ridge Break Away

5 Days/4 Nights

Catch the Parkway at the beginning of the Skyline Drive in the northern Shenandoah Valley and travel it to the end of Virginia. As you meander, soak up the mountain scenery. Plan to enjoy the historic towns along the way.

Good Wines, Good Mountains

5 Days/4 Nights

Spend a few days savoring the spectacular scenery along the road considered by many as America’s most scenic drive. Return home refreshed and relaxed, and with complementary wine.

Historic Gems Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

3 Days/2 Nights

Meander the Blue Ridge Parkway and visit the carefully preserved towns of Staunton and Lexington, Virginia. Explore the heritage of America’s frontier settlers, the Civil War, and even a Presidential birthplace.

Mountains, Castles and History

3 Days/2 Nights

Discover the landscape around Asheville that inspired the Vanderbilts and the great writers of the area. Visit the Biltmore Estate and savor the mountain scenery, while relaxing and refreshing.

The Great Smokies: Mountains at the End of the Trail

4 Days/3 Nights

Explore the very southern Blue Ridge Parkway as it moves from North Carolina into Tennessee and the Great Smokey Mountains. Savor the mountain scenery and Great Smokey Mountains National Park while exploring the unique heritage and culture of the region.

The Ultimate Driving Experience: 12 Days Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

12 Days/12 Nights

Drive the entire Parkway from top to bottom. Start out at the very top of the Skyline Drive in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Explore the heritage of historic towns such as Staunton Lexington, Charlottesville, Asheville, and Boone. Visit caverns, historic homes, gardens, and natural wonders along the way. Enjoy accommodations in a collection of distinctive, historic Inn properties. The ultimate way to experience the Parkway!

04/22/06