The great outdoors was called as such because it is majestic to behold. And in the mountainous city of Asheville, it provides the ultimate getaway for culture vultures and outbackers with museums, shopping delights, music, food, performing arts, galleries, and nature retreats.
And speaking of nature retreats, TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel site, announced the top ten fall foliage destinations in the U.S., according to a TripAdvisor survey of more than 2,300 travelers, with Asheville, North Carolina leading the roster.
"From mountain peaks to seaside ports, these destinations offer a fabulous variety of activities for leaf-peepers," TripAdvisor said in a press release. "Nestled in the foothills region of western North Carolina, Asheville is a spectacular location for leaf-peeping. Travelers can enjoy the beautiful views by peddling through the Appalachian Mountains on one of many biking trails, or hop in the car for a scenic drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway."
Also indicated in the published statement, one traveler said, "We stopped multiple times for the breathtaking views. We will be going there again." A tourist gets to see the peak of the autumn leaves in mid to late October.
Asheville boasts of being one of the world's longest foliage seasons. Considered as the "most scenic drive," in the United States, Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles where people can glimpse upon mountain views, hike trails, and cover picnic campgrounds. There is no entrance fee to the Parkway.
This year, Blue Ridge Parkway gave its Fall Color Report 2016. Published on the site, Explore Asheville, Cindy Carpenter, an interpretative specialist of the Cradle of Forestry Center said, "The black birch trees are just glowing." She says the sourwoods, maples, and sassafras trees are also displaying great color.
Other visits near Blue Ridge are the Shoji Spa & Lodge; Asheville's only Japanese outdoor hot tub spa, Gorges State Park, Grove Park Inn, North Carolina Arboretum, Appalachian Cultural Museum, the famous Biltmore Estate, Folk Art Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Grove Arcade Arts & Heritage Gallery, Crabtree Meadows, the corn maze, and Pisgah National Forest.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
