My wife & I are leaving Atlanta on July 17 and taking a week to get to Detroit. We are looking for some beautiful scenery. We will also be bringing our bicycles for some exploring opportunities. More trail riding and not aggressive mountain biking. I am a chef and we like to enjoy local fare as opposed to generic food options. Does anyone have some suggestions?

We are also looking for some lodging options. How many miles is a realistic goal for each day? I was thinking of staying in Asheville, NC; then in Blowing Rock, NC; then Roanoke, VA, then heading into West VA. Does that sound like a good plan???

You might prefer to spend the majority of your time exploring the mountains between Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Pkway, head up the parkway to Asheville and Boone/Blowing Rock and then head west toward Detroit. The Parkway is beautiful (and 45mph speed limit), but I think the lower part is prettier.
http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/

Lots of maps and places to stay on that site.

From Atlanta you could go to Cashiers and then over to Brevard before hitting the Parkway.

I like the southern section in NC, but also the stretch north of Roanoke plus the Shenandoah Parkway. I have driven the full length from Cherokee to the north end of the Shenandoah twice, but I think I took two weeks to do it.

Rather than staying in Roanoke, you could look at staying at Peaks of Otter, a lovely place right on the parkway, although the food wasn't very good the last time I stayed there. Bedford is pretty close to PoK too.
http://www.peaksofotter.com/

Asheville should be good for food. I also like to stop here:
http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/folk-art-center/

With your interest in bikes and food you could easily spend several wonderful days in the Brevard/Asheville area along the Blue Ridge Parkway. From Atlanta head to Brevard via route 178 through Pickens SC. In Brevard check with either Sycamore Cycles or the Hub for bike trail suggestions. Both the Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Park have trails for all skill levels. There are several good restaurants in Brevard along the main street.
From Brevard head up route 276 through the Pisgah National Forest to the Parkway. Then drive the Parkway to Asheville. You’ll pass a number of great hiking/biking trails, waterfalls and the NC Arboretum.
In Asheville, there are more great local restaurants and creative chefs than you’ll possibly have time to sample. Among the best are The Admiral, Posana, Chestnut, The Market Place, Bouchon, Limones, Isis, Isa's, Bull and Beggar, the Junction, 12 Bones, Curate, and Rhubarb.

My top three recommendations for dinner in would be Limones , The Admiral, and Marketplace. Then save room for dessert and drinks at Nightbell or the Sovereign Remedies. Lunch could be at Curate. Katie Button, a very creative and talented local chef, owns both Curate and Nightbell.

Highly recommend the Virginia Creeper Trail for bicycling.

Take the shuttle to White Top and ride down into Damascus. Its a lovely 17 mile gentle grade downhill ride on a wide trail, with many trestle bridges over the river and creeks. Damascus to Abingdon, an 17 additional miles, is flatter, but still very nice. Most people take a shuttle to the top and ride down to Damascus.

Abingdon does have a nice theater.

Grayson Highlands State park is beautiful.

Many good wineries in the Roanoke area.

Thanks, That will be added to the plan. Now, it looks like we will only have 5 days before we get back to the Detroit area. I just have to figure out some good stopping points.

I would just do the southern part--Brevard, up to the Parkway and Asheville.
Then head across I40 to Knoxville and I75 north. It can still be a nice trip.

Uuuuuugggghhhhh!!! Car problems, we are down to 3 hotel nights!!

Thanks!
First night stay: We are going to start with Brevard & Asheville. Stopping at Biltmore, Pisgah, and Looking Glass. Staying very near Asheville.

2nd night stay: Stay in Linville/Boone area. See what is there.

3rd night: Somewhere in Virginia See the sights?

Then home to Detroit area.

Does that sound about right?? Or is it too many miles before each stop?

Not very many miles at all, but instead of Virginia why not just head west into the Great Smoky Mountain Park and then on up to Detroit.
Sorry about car problems but you will still have a pretty trip.

I took some of your advise. We got on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just above the Smokey Mountains off of Highway 23. Then went north on the parkway into Asheville. Breathtaking views, rain, and the most vivid rainbow that my wife has ever seen. Ate at Blue Dream in Asheville....great curry dishes.