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4th Most Picturesque Road Trip In The Country Is In North Carolina

Author Debbie Nance

As Labor Day approaches we all look for one last trip before Summer ends. Turns out the 4th most picturesque road trip in the country is right here in the Tar Heel State. So, let’s find out more about it and the other beautiful trips you can take by car.

How The Results For Most Picturesque Road Trip Were Tabulated

Travel+Leisure conducted a survey looking for the most searched American road trips by looking at terms including ‘road trip,’ ‘itinerary,’ ‘the loneliest road,’ and ‘Route 66,’ of course. Then, when the travel publication ranked the routes considering the average monthly search volume, they arrived at the list for most picturesque road trip in the country.

Not surprisingly, the number one spot belongs to the Pacific Coast Highway in California. The historically famous route gets more than 250,000 searches a month. And, several of the top spots include ones you know already like Route 66 and Big Sur.

4th Most Picturesque Road Trip In The Country In North Carolina

But, which North Carolina spot came in as the 4th most picturesque road trip in the country? Well, that privileged ranking belongs to our beloved Blue Ridge Parkway. After all, the Blue Ridge Parkway is commonly referred to as “America’s Favorite Drive.” And, it’s searches number more than 100,000 per month.

The Blue Ridge Parkway encompasses close to 500 miles and takes visitors through the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. And, anyone who has taken the drive knows the beauty it holds with mountain views and incredible opportunities to see stunning Fall foliage.

I remember when we first moved to the Carolinas back in the mid ’90s, everyone told us we had to take the drive to see the leaves change in the start of Fall. We grew up in Texas, and we didn’t have the gorgeous Fall color of the Carolinas. So, we jumped at the chance. And, it truly was unforgettable.

There’s a name for the folks who make the trek to view the North Carolina Fall leaves every year…’Leaf Peepers.’ And, it’s so worth it. Plus, there’s plenty of chances to visit national parks and do some hiking along the way on your journey through the 4th most picturesque road trip in the country.

So, fill the tank and start driving. See the full study to see the complete list of the most picturesque road trips in the country.

Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.

3 Of The Nation's Best National Parks Are Within Driving Distance Of North Carolina

I spent a lot of my childhood traveling to different National Parks in both the US and Canada on summer vacations.  And for the most part I can honestly say I did not appreciate it at the time. But now my world has started to come full circle and my friends are starting to choose to visit the places I went as a child. But what are the nation’s best National Parks? The travel experts at Conde Nast Traveler ranked the 25 best National Parks and 3 of them are within driving distance of North Carolina.

The Nation’s Top National Parks

And that is saying something considering many of the often thought of a “best” National Parks are out west. You immediately think of places like Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), Yellowstone (Wyoming), Grand Teton (Wyoming), and Yosemite (California). On the east coast the first one that comes to my mind is Acadia National Park in Maine.

Each of those understandably made Conde Nast Traveler’s list. And while all those are fantastic places to visit (many would call them must see parts of America), they are costly if visiting from NC. While I guess theoretically you could drive, it would require a significant time investment, one many of us just don’t have to commit. Which is why it’s great news that 3 of those top 25 National Parks are within driving distance of the great state of North Carolina.

While none of them are in either of the Carolinas all three of these destinations are a reasonable drive. You’ll find each of those three below and learn a little more about them. Interested in reading the top 25? You can find that here via Conde Nast Traveler. Have you been? Perhaps 2024 is the year you’ll check one or more of these off your bucket list!

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

    Oconaluftee overlook, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Fall 2014

    The closest national park, Great Smoky Mountain sits on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. It’s actually America’s most visited national park! Great Smoky Mountain National Park is known for its diversity of plant and animal life, the stunning beauty of the mountains, and that Southern Appalachian mountain culture. Learn more here.

  • Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

    Sunset over the Shenandoah Valley from Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

    Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park is about 75 miles outside of Washington, D.C. According to the National Park Service it features “cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows.” Shenandoah National Park consists of more than 200,000 acres land that is home to animals such as  deer, songbirds, and black bears. Get more info here.

  • New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

    New River Gorge Bridge, WV

    And finally we have southern West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park. It’s highlighted by the whitewater river-the New River- that flows through the deep canyons that make up the park. The new river is one of the oldest rivers in North America. New River Gorge National Park is made up over over 70,000 acres with many scenic views and opportunities for recreation. Learn more here.

     

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