While traveling down the Blueridge Parkway, are there any great or unique places or areas to shop? Antiques and crafts would be great, as well as wines or orchards (since we will have a car). We will be traveling towards the end of October (21st through 28th).

I suggest going to http://www.virtualblueridge.com/thin...o/shopping.asp for ideas. There are many places to visit along the Parkway to see, shop and dine. This site should give you many ideas.

The Highland Crafts Shop at Moses Cone Park on the parkway is quite exceptional. There is also a Highland Crafts shop on the parkway near Asheville. These are very high quality.

I like the restaurant, but not particularly the wines, at the Chateau Morrisette Winery near Meadows of Dan, VA, right on the parkway.

Levering Orchard (www.leveringorchard.com) is quite wonderful.

If you want to see the original Mayberry take the exit to Mt.Airy, NC.

You may want to order the booklet Arts and Crafts in North Carolina issued by our state Department of Tourism.
http://www.visitnc.com/tools_search_results.asp#top

www.discovercraftnc.org

Definitely stop in Blowing Rock and Asheville for a wide range of interesting shops and crafts specialists.

My favorite places on the Parkway are the Moses H. Cone visitor center near Blowing Rock and the Folk Art Center near Asheville. The Folk Art Center has a large offering of mountain crafts.

You will enjoy both places.

Thanks for the help. We are actually spending a night in Blowing Rock and Ashville.

We enjoyed the Folk Art Center. Right now I am using the coffee cup that we bought there.