Overnight trips from Brevard/Asheville, NC
 

We'll be arriving in the Brevard/Asheville area on Friday for a whole month.
Looking for places to visit which would require overnight stays. Our interests are hiking, nature, scenery, flowers, birds, quiet and secluded spots, maybe staying somewhere in a nice inn or cabin. Not interested in camping, antiquing, gambling, shopping. Thanks for any suggestions you may have
Pat

Charleston, SC

Cumberland Falls, Ky. You could take I40 to 81 for a short distance to 25E. Nice ride on a 4 lane (for most of the way) highway through the Cumberland Tunnel to Corbin. Go when there is a full moon and you can see the moonbow. There is a nice lodge with separate cabins and hiking trails.

Mammoth Cave, Ky.

There are a ton of cabins in the immediate area but...if you are interested in wine at all, I would suggest either the Winston-Salem area, for the better NC wineries or the Charlottesville area, for Va. wineries. If you like I can provide more detail as needed. The Mt. area SW of Asheville "the waterfall area" of NC is also nearby but would require a couple of days (minimum) to do it justice. Think the Murphy area, near the Ga. border. Probably 100 +/- from the Brevard area.

Smokey Mountains. Blue Ridge Parkway. Pisgah Forest (where you will be in Brevard). You should probably head up the parkway and visit Roan Mountain for the rhododendron festival.

Hi Pat -

A couple of places to think about:

Hiawasee, Georgia (take 64 through Highlands...then get out the map), stay at the Brasstown Bald Resort. Hiking trails directly behind the resort, beautiful lake Hiawasee, Drive up Brasstown Bald (highest point in GA) and hike up to the lookout on the very top.

Hot Springs, NC - head north out of Asheville and then West toward the TN border. This is a weird little town. Stay at the Mountain Magnolia Inn, eat at Bridge Street Cafe directly over a roaring river, get a hot tub soak in water pumped straight out of the natural hot springs. Hike the Appalacian Trail which runs right down main street of the town. (AT markers in the sidewalk)

Nantahala area - head west on 23/74 out of Asheville toward Bryson City. There is rafting in the Nantahala Gorge, look up Joyce Kilmer forest for hiking (rare old growth), explore the cute town of Sylva on your way there and get bread and coffee at Annie's Bakery. I think cabins are your best bet in this area.

None of these suggestions are places I would do much more than an overnight in, but it's something different.

Look up The Swag. I can't afford the place, but I'd love to see your impressions of it. Another place out of my price range is Blackberry Inn in Walland , TN...I think they have trails and other outdoor activities, cooking classes, etc.

The Falls Park in Greenville, SC and the new suspension brige is a cool place to wander around for an hour or two, the gardens are great, but I'm not sure there's enough to do to merit an overnight. If you are interested in pre-renaissance religious painting, Bob Jones U. houses a remarkable collection. Beware, they are rather...ahem....fundamental if you aren't aware, and will require that you wear a skirt. The Greenville Art Museum off-and-on has a big Andrew Wyeth collection, but I would call first.

Re: the Hot Springs area, we often stay at a little working farm in the area. It is a little cabin listed on vrbo.com. There are only a couple of properties listed under Hot Springs. It is very cool if that is not something you are used to...

If you're here for pretty much the month of July I'd probably avoid heading to the coast unless you revel in heat/humidity. Instead I'd stay in the vicinity of Western NC, Eastern Tn and NE Ga at the higher elevations were at least it is a little more tolerable in mid summer. My picks for towns w/ overnite potential and your other specifications: the Blowing Rock/Banner Elk /Valle Crucis area of NC, Jonesborough TN, Elizabethton, TN - one of my favorite secluded inn/retreats is Sugar Hollow Retreat about 1/2 hr away. Parts of NE GA - near Blue Ridge/Jasper area. Maybe even Chattanooga TN