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The Top 61 Happiest Mountain Towns in the Blue Ridge
Our quest to have our readers select the happiest towns in the mountains began with a set of criteria applied
April 2, 2026
hiking
South of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park sprawls
with high elevations, world-class species numbers and much more.
North of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the ridge line provides the spine of the park and the route of the Skyline Drive, as other features spill down the mountainsides.
The moderate, three-mile walk around the North Carolina home of Carl and Lilllian Sandburg includes an abundance of healthy hemlock trees.
We are in Bristol, the city that straddles the Tennessee/Virginia state line that has been made famous by a cartoon gecko standing in the middle of its main street and is also the congressionally designated “Birthplace of Country Music."
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Web Extras
Photo Recap: Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2023
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (BRRR) is a musical festival held annually in September that celebrates the heritage of country
September 1, 2023
Behind Blue Ridge Country
“Virginia” in Virginia: Discovering Patsy Cline in Winchester
Walking Winchester in the relentless rain of a soggy spring could not dampen my enthusiasm to see the home of
August 10, 2018
Behind Blue Ridge Country
Even More Sweet Virginia Breezes
Casually cruising to Claytor Lake in southwest Virginia, I felt like I had come home – back to where it
April 12, 2018
