Road Trip · 5–7 days · ~500 miles

Blue Ridge Parkway & Great Smokies

Asheville → Gatlinburg → Shenandoah

America's most scenic drive — forested mountains and Southern charm.

About This Route

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile ribbon of road that runs along the spine of the southern Appalachians. No billboards, no stoplights — just overlooks, hiking trailheads, and mountain towns. Pair it with Great Smoky Mountains National Park (the most-visited park in America) and you have a road trip that hits both the park and the drive with one round of gas.

Asheville is the foodie/brewery anchor at the south end. Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Smokies. Between them is some of the best scenic driving anywhere on the continent. Fall colors peak mid-October — that's also when hotels run their highest rates, so book early.

— Our Travel Editor

The Route

4 stops · book hotels at member rates in each city.

Stop 1

Asheville, NC

Base here for two or three nights. Biltmore, breweries, and access to the southern Parkway.

Full guide to Asheville, NC See hotels in Asheville, NC

Stop 2

Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg)

Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, and black bears. Gatlinburg's the hotel town — Townsend is the quiet alternative.

See hotels in Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg)

Stop 3

Blue Ridge Parkway

A slow driving day between the parks. Stop at Linn Cove Viaduct, Mabry Mill, and every overlook that catches your eye.

See hotels in Blue Ridge Parkway

Stop 4

Shenandoah National Park

Skyline Drive, waterfalls, and a quieter alternative to the Smokies for the northern leg.

See hotels in Shenandoah National Park

Hotels to Build Your Route

A curated list of member-rate hotels along every stop on this drive.

How to build your road trip

Book each hotel below through its link to lock in member rates for every night of your trip. One click per stop — no coupon codes, no timing games. Complete your bookings in the order you'll drive the route.