Trip Ideas Road Trips North Carolina Is Home to 'America's Favorite Drive' — and It Might Be the Most Peaceful Place in the State I've lived in North Carolina for years, and this is, hands-down, the most serene place in the state. By Lindsay Tigar Lindsay Tigar Lindsay Tigar is a freelance lifestyle and travel journalist and the founder of Tigar Types, a content marketing agency. She travels frequently but calls Asheville, North Carolina home. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on December 18, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Daniela Duncan/Getty Images Where I grew up, there’s a saying for the fog that lingers atop mountain peaks, waiting to rise with the sun as dew gathers on the green grass. Asheville, North Carolina, was considered a small town nestled in the Smoky Mountains when I was a child, running barefoot to catch fireflies in my backyard. Now, it may be a vibrant, bustling destination for bachelorette parties and an escape from big cities — but to me, it’s still home to the most peaceful destination in the Tar Heel State. It’s a place that stretches for miles, winding through nature, history, landmarks, trails, and unbelievable views. The Blue Ridge Parkway — known as "America’s Favorite Drive" — is a scenic highway spanning 469 miles. Many travelers begin the journey at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and continue on to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It wraps around the Blue Ridge Mountains, allowing you to get lost in the serenity of valleys, rolling hills, and the distinct blue hues of the peaks (hence the name). There’s a Swiss-inspired Town in the North Carolina Mountains — and It’s Only Open 6 Months a Year For locals, the Blue Ridge Parkway isn’t just a check box on a list of things to see; it’s a way to avoid the bumper-to-bumper traffic. It’s a family tradition of enjoying hot apple cider or coffee while admiring the leaves on a perfectly crisp fall day. It’s a picnic basket packed with tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches and ice-cold tea on a humid summer day near a watering hole still preserved by locals. It’s a winter hike to a waterfall or an overlook that takes your breath away, no matter how many times you've seen it. What makes the Blue Ridge Parkway so peaceful is the chance it offers to hide away in the belly of Mother Nature — with or without ever getting out of your car. With hundreds of hiking trails, plenty of land to cover at a slow pace (maximum speed of 35), overlooks, artisan craft shops, and small towns along the drive, there’s something to help everyone unwind. If you can hop on the parkway during a fresh afternoon in the spring, let me make a recommendation: Roll down those windows, open the sunroof, put on The Avett Brothers on low, and exhale. The Carolina blue sky and the mountain air will do the rest.