I'm taking my son up to camp in June. We will get into Asheville about 2:30 on a Friday and have until around 1 the next afternoon. I initially thought about taking him to the Biltmore - until I saw the price! I'm going to be doing a lot of driving taking him to camp and then to visit friends near Brevard, so I'm not really interested driving the Blue Ridge Parkway unless we have a destination. I wondered about parks with hiking and/or waterfalls, caverns, museums - any suggestions?

Should have added - the camp in in Balsam, NC - pretty much west and a bit north of Asheville - in case there might be something to do along the way. We need to be there at 2 - I had allowed an hour from Asheville.

So much for my sense of direction - Balsam is west and a bit south, past Waynesville.

Admission to Biltmore is ludicrous. Shame on them.

Breakfast at Early Girl Eatery is a treat.

How about Great Smokey Mountain National Park? http://www.nps.gov/grsm

Here are more tips: http://www.frommers.com/destinations...hehighcountry/

At 17 years old, the price of admission to the Biltmore would have been wasted on me. Honestly, it's still sort of wasted on me.

I have not been to Waynesville, but it's been recommended to me more than once - I'm guessing that might be a good lunch stop on the way to camp.

Ignoring the name of the website, www.romanticasheville.com has been a good sourse of local hikes in the past.

Sorry, not sure where I got 17 from. But any age under that, I would have been very bored at Biltmore.

It's been years since I've been- guess I was older, now that I think of it. And Brian - you got 17 from the title of my post - you're not psychic! I'll check out the website you recommended. Thanks.