Mountains, waterfalls, gems, apples and one very big house. Short, fun and easy to share.
At 6,684 feet, Mount Mitchell near Burnsville is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. You can drive nearly to the top.
Brevard and the surrounding county are known as the Land of Waterfalls, with hundreds of falls in the Pisgah National Forest area.
Highlands sits at about 4,118 feet, among the highest towns east of the Mississippi. Nearby Whiteside Mountain is one of the tallest sheer cliff faces in the East.
The French Broad runs through Asheville and is often said to be one of the oldest rivers in the world.
The park straddles the NC-Tennessee line and regularly tops the list of most-visited national parks in the U.S. Cherokee is one of its gateways.
A towering granite monolith above Lake Lure, with Hickory Nut Falls dropping about 404 feet nearby.
Western NC sits on some of the oldest mountains on Earth. The Appalachians are far older than the Rockies.
Franklin bills itself as the Gem Capital of the World, and visitors can dig for stones at local mines.
Hendersonville is known for its orchards and the NC Apple Festival every Labor Day weekend.
Brevard is famous for its rare white squirrels, and the town celebrates them every year.
Saluda is home to what is often called the steepest mainline railroad grade in the country.
Elk were reintroduced to the Cataloochee Valley in 2001, and you can see them in the fall.
Poet Carl Sandburg spent his last years at Connemara in Flat Rock, now a national historic site.
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Facts summarize widely published local history and common knowledge. Names are for reference only; we are not affiliated with these places or productions. Hours and access change, so check before you go.
Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet, is the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.
Yes. Tell us the stops and your group size, and we plan the day. Drivers wait while you explore.
Yes. We run day trips through Brevard, Cashiers, Highlands and beyond.
