I'm guessing the fires in southern California have not affected the skies of Carmel and Big Sur...correct?

I was in Zion NP and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon last week and the skies were smokey...you could smell it.

Still trying to decide on Carmel or Blowing Rock, NC for a girlfriend's 50th birthday trip in late November/early December. Hummmmm...

I am in San Jose and until the rain yesterday, we had quite a bit of smoke in our air from the fires. The rain seems to have done a good job of cleaning the particulates out of the air. Along the coast the air is generally better because the air currents blow any pollution away. In a month, I'm sure it will be fine.

I am in Santa Cruz, on the coast, and we were not affected by the fires at all. Carmel is 45 minutes south of us, on Monterey Bay. Come ahead.

(Where and what is Blowing Rock, NC?)

jtrandolph~
Blowing Rock, NC is on the Blue Ridge Parkway. My family and I always stay in a condo in the Chetola Resort (www.chetola.com) and love it...both in the fall and in June. The fall foliage is unbelievable and in June, the rhododendrun is in full bloom on the mountainside. There's also a quaint little shopping village in Blowing Rock with great restaurants. Chetola also has a wonderful spa.

There are beautiful side trips from this area as well. (i.e. Grandfather Mountain, the Mast Store in Valle Crucis, Linville Falls, a couple of very small churches with beautiful frescos, etc. etc. and, of course, the Blue Ridge Pkwy.)

I've always wanted to take a "girl's trip" there. I would prefer to do it in the spring or fall...but THE birthday is in December.

For any of you who've read the Mitford Series by Jan Karon, Blowing Rock is suppose to be Mitford.

Sounds lovely. Thank you.