NC road trip with ‘scenic’ views ranked among the best in the US
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- Blue Ridge Parkway named top U.S. road trip by Travel + Leisure in 2025.
- Parkway spans 469 miles, connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky parks.
- Construction began in 1935, with final section completed in 1987.
One of North Carolina’s most iconic drives was just recognized as one of the best road trips in the country.
Travel + Leisure dropped its list of 23 best road trips in the U.S., which included the Blue Ridge Parkway.
“This scenic drive weaves across 469 miles, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” Travel + Leisure said. “The twisting blacktop was built for travelers seeking Appalachian overlooks and a panoramic drive for all seasons, with undulating slopes of color in the fall and a bounty of forest canopy in summer.”
The Parkway was also named a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. National Park Service in December, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Here’s what to know about the Blue Ridge Parkway.
What can you see while driving the Blue Ridge Parkway?
According to BlueRidgeParkway.org, the Parkway features several notable natural landmarks, the Observer previously reported:
- Mount Mitchell: the tallest peak in the eastern U.S.
- New River: North America’s oldest river, easily reached from Galax, Virginia
- Linville Gorge: the deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon
- Whitewater Falls: the tallest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, found in Jackson County
Before heading out, consider downloading the Blue Ridge Pkwy Travel Planner app, which offers offline maps, helpful in areas with limited cell service.
Is the Blue Ridge Parkway open?
Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene’s devastating hit on western North Carolina, more of the famous road has reopened, The News & Observer previously reported.
Earlier this month, a 12-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Blowing Rock and Linville Falls reopened, adding to the 95 miles that had been open following the storm.
Crews have been working since last fall to restore road access, repair road damage and stabilize slide areas, The N&O reported, completing projects in three phases through at least fall 2026.
Why was the Parkway built?
Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began in 1935 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, aimed at boosting the economy during the Great Depression, the Observer previously reported.
Work paused in 1943 due to World War II, with only about 170 miles completed at that point.
By the early 1950s, just half the Parkway was finished. The National Park Service’s Mission 66 program later accelerated progress, leading to the near-completion of the road by 1966, except for an eight-mile stretch at Grandfather Mountain. That final section was completed in 1987 with the opening of the Linn Cove Viaduct, a bridge designed to protect the mountain’s fragile environment.
The Parkway played a major role in revitalizing tourism across western North Carolina, especially in Asheville, which had been economically devastated during the Depression.
Other top road trips near NC
Travel + Leisure also highlighted T.N. 143, a scenic drive located just across the North Carolina border.
“Set out along Tennessee’s 12.5-mile Highway 143 in the Roan Highlands of the Appalachian Mountains to witness uninterrupted slopes cloaked in purple blossoms,” Travel + Leisure said. “The highlands portion of the Appalachian Trail is famous for its “balds” (summits covered in grasses rather than trees).”
The route can be reached by following N.C. 261 in the western part of the state to the Tennessee border.
This story was originally published August 4, 2025 at 7:00 AM with the headline "NC road trip with ‘scenic’ views ranked among the best in the US."
