Ashe County. 336/846-9550, 888/343-2743. Visit Website.

Asheville. 828/258-6101, 1-800-257-1300. Visit Website.

Blowing Rock. 1-800-295-7851, 828/295-7851. Visit Website.

Blue Ridge Parkway. 828/298-0398, 828/271-4779 ext. 200. Visit Website.

Blue Ridge Mountain Host. 1-800-807-3391, 828/285-9907 Visit Website.

Boone. 828/262-3516, 1-800-852-9506. Visit Website .

Brevard. 1-800-648-4523, 828/884-8900. Visit Website.

Burke. 828/433-6793, 1-888-462-2921 - Visit Website.

Cashiers Area COC. 828/743-5941.Visit Website.

Cherokee. 828/497-9195, 1-800-438-1601. Visit Website.

Franklin. 886/372-5546, 828/524-3161. Visit Website.

Haywood County. 828/452-0152, 1-800-334-9036. Visit Website.

Henderson County. 828/693-9708, 1-800-828-4244. Visit Website.

High Country Host. 828/264-1299, 1-800-438-7500. Visit Website.

Hot Springs Tourism Association. 1-888-446-8777. Visit Website.

Linville Caverns. 1-800-419-0540, 828/756-4171. Visit Website.

Madison County TDA. 1-877-262-3476. Visit Website.

Maggie Valley Area. 828/926-1686, 1-800-MAGGIE1. Visit Website.

McDowell County. 828/668-4282, 1-888-233-6111. Visit Website.

Mount Mitchell State Park. 828/675-4611. Visit Website.

Murphy, Andrews and Brasstown. 828/837-2242, Visit Website.

Rutherford County. 1-800-849-5998, 828/245-1492. Visit Website .

Smoky Mountain Host. 1-800-432-HOST. Visit Website.

Waynesville. 1-800-334-9036, 828/456-3021. Visit Website.

 

>>Best Manmade Wonders: North Carolina

Biltmore Estate. Asheville. The nation’s largest private residence built in the late 1890s is a 250-room French chateau surrounded by extraordinary gardens. 1-800-543-2961. Visit Website.

Linn Cove Viaduct. Grandfather Mountain. Engineering wonder along the Blue Ridge Parkway that winds around Grandfather Mountain.

Ashe County Frescoes. In Glendale Springs and West Jefferson. Contemporary frescoes by Ben Long. 336/846-9550, 888/343-2743. Visit Website.

Fontana Dam. Swain County. 480-foot-high dam, which is the highest in the Tennessee Valley Authority system. 828/498-2226. Visit Website

Tweetsie Railroad. Blowing Rock. Narrow-gauge steam locomotive carries passengers through mountain passes and a frontier village. 828/264-9061, 1-800-526-5740. Visit Website .

Mast General Store. Valle Crucis. On the National Register of Historic Places, it was established in 1883 and is one of the finest examples of an old-fashioned general store. 828/963-6511. Visit Website .

Zebulon B. Vance State Historic Site. Weaverville. Home, outbuildings and museum where North Carolina’s Civil War governor was born. 828/645-6706. Visit Website .

Connemara. Flat Rock. Carl Sandburg’s home for 22 years. 828/693-4178. Visit Website.

Grove Park Inn. Asheville. On the National Register of Historic Places. 828/252-2711, 1-800-438-5800. Visit Website .

Mount Mitchell State Park. At 6,684 feet, it’s the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Observation tower, hiking trails. 828/675-4611. Visit Website.

Chimney Rock Park. Southeast of Asheville. Spectacular views, scenic walks, cave, rare plants and 26-story elevator built inside Chimney Rock.1-800-277-9611, 828/625-9611. Visit Website.

Grandfather Mountain. Milepost 305.9. A favorite attraction on the 5,964-foot mountain is the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. 1-800-468-7325, 828/733-2013. Visit Website.

The New River. Ashe and Allegheny counties. A National Wild and Scenic River and a State Natural and Scenic River, great for whitewater rafting and canoeing. 336/982-2587. Visit Website .

French Broad River. Buncombe and Madison counties. Class I and II rapids for rafting and canoeing.Buncombe: 828/258-6101. Madison: 828/680-9031. Visit Buncombe Website or Madison Website.


Nolichucky River. Mitchell County. Intensive Class IV and V rapids for rafting.

Nantahala River. Macon and Swain counties. Whitewater rafting. Visit Website

 

>>Best Ski Resorts and Winter Getaways: North Carolina

Appalachian Ski Mountain. Blowing Rock.1-800-322-2373, 828/295-7828. Visit Website.

Beech Mountain. Banner Elk. 828/387-2011, 1-800-438-2093. Visit Website .

Cataloochee Ski Area. Maggie Valley. 828/926-0285, 1-800-768-0285. Visit Website .

Hawksnest Ski Resort. Seven Devils. 828/963-6563, 1-800-822-HAWK. Visit Website.

Sugar Mountain. Banner Elk. 828/898-4521, 1-800-SUGAR-MT. Visit Website .

Wolf Laurel Resort. Mars Hill. 828/689-4111, 1-800-817-4111. Visit Website .

 

>>Best Scenic Roadways: North Carolina

Blue Ridge Parkway. More than 250 miles of this national scenic road – from near Cumberland Knob Mountain to Cherokee – are in North Carolina. 828/298-0398. Visit Website.

North Carolina ’s Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway. 79-mile stretch looping through the Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania and Haywood counties.

Little Parkway. 18 miles of U.S. 221 between Blowing Rock and Linville parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway. 919/733-2920.

The Waterfall Byway. 98 miles of U.S. 64 from Rosman to Murphy features access to many beautiful waterfalls. 919/733-2920.

 

>>Best Urban Delights: North Carolina

Brevard Music Center. Brevard. Guest artists perform more than 50 different concerts in the summer. 828/862-2140. Visit Website .

Flat Rock Playhouse. Flat Rock. The oldest professional summer theater in North Carolina. 828/693-0731. 828/693-0403 Visit Website.

Pack Place Education, Arts & Sciences Center. Asheville. The center for performing arts, galleries, and exhibits. 828/257-4500. Visit Park Place Website. Diana Wortham Theatre: 828/257-4530. Visit Diana Wortham Theatre Website.