Fuel up your car and start your vacation on the northern parkway near Roanoke, Virginia. Visit Humpback Rock and go south, stopping at all of the scenic overlooks, which afford fabulous scenic views of the mountain scenery. Stop at Mabry Mill and see an old-time grist mill in action. Buy some fresh ground cornmeal. Stop at Floyd, Virginia, and see the Artists Village. Check out bluegrass and country mountain music along the way. Check the Internet to see what is scheduled each night along the parkway. Music is featured in many towns at nightly venues.
Bring your own horse (BYOH). You will hear this at places throughout the parkway towns. There are many stops made for horses and many trails along the way to go horseback riding. Blowing Rock, North Carolina, in particular, has great riding trails, as does Moses Cone Manor.
Visit Cherokee, deep in the mountains of North Carolina, to see how the Cherokee Indians lived. Listen to storytelling and see Cherokee artifacts. End up in the German village of Helen, Georgia, which features notable architecture and food, and will make you feel like you are out of the country.
