Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By Caitlin Moore

Asheville, North Carolina is the rare vacation destination that will show you a little bit of everything. Distinctive architecture and funky public art make the city an eye-popping place to be, and the surrounding mountains, parks and waterfalls provide an element of unmatchable natural beauty. Everywhere you turn there is something to examine, investigate and engage in, so take a few days off work and head this way for your next vacation.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are an impressive and activity-filled sight to behold. Miles and miles of hiking and biking trails, raft-worthy rushing rivers, wildlife, and the general sense of calm that goes along with immersing yourself in an ancient forest are what you’ll have to look forward to. Guided tours of the area are available, or if you’re an thrill seeker who’s been stuck too long in an office, lace up your hiking boots and set out on an adventure of your own making. The lush greenery, exhilarating altitudes, fragrant wildflowers and craggy cliffs are sure to erase all evidence of worry lines from your face and anxiety from your muscles, so don’t miss the chance to explore nature’s offerings.

After you’ve whetted your appetite for all things wild, check out the fascinating city of Asheville. More dynamic, progressive, and artistic than you might think, this southern town is filled with idiosyncrasies. The Urban Trail is a path through the city that stretches for nearly two miles and shows off a number of intriguing pieces of art. Not only will your aesthetic senses be delighted, but you’ll actually learn something too; Asheville’s history has been mapped out with artistic flair by means of plaques and sculptures along this enchanting pathway.

The Art Deco influences make for another nice touch, so as you amble through the pedestrian-friendly downtown be sure to notice the buildings that surround you. Take a seat on one of the many park benches, or even better, plop yourself down on the patio of a café or restaurant for some high-quality people watching. Sip a latte or order a sandwich at one of the many bistros and you’ll find yourself quite entertained. After this, do some window shopping or seek out the perfect souvenir at a one-of-a-kind boutique or antique store.

Other attractions in Asheville itself include yearly festivals, live bluegrass music, art galleries, theatres and much more. For travelers who live the energy of a big city but the comfort and charm of small-town life, Asheville provides a happy medium. Check the calendar of events before you make your lodging and transportation plans so that you’ll fill your trip with the best possible sights, sounds and smile-inducing pursuits.

So whether you want to enjoy a cosmopolitan vacation with a little nature mixed in or a wilderness getaway with a touch of the city, Asheville is the place to be. From a quiet canoe trip on Lake Powhatan to a banjo concert with a few hundred of your new best friends, every mood you find yourself in will be met with a complementary experience. All that’s left to figure out is where to stay.

Vacation rentals make a good choice when it comes to squeezing every drop of fun and excitement, not to mention relaxation, from your Asheville trip. The possibilities range from cute and cozy to luxurious and large, so narrow down your goals and expectations before seeking out the perfect home away from home. Unlike many hotel rooms, your vacation rental will be blessed with extra amenities and a certain unique charm. If you want to see the fall foliage up close and personal, pick a quaint cabin in the woods. If you’re bringing the kids for a fab family trip, check out the condo options nestled in the majestic mountains. There’s something for everyone, so start investigating ASAP for the best selection and the best deals.

Your Asheville vacation is sure to be a success, so get the planning process started today. Choose an Asheville Vacation Rental, pull the suitcases down from the attic, and be sure to take enough time off work to properly enjoy all that this exciting destination has to offer.

By Stephen Morgan

“They die hard, those old ways, in the mountains; some of them were good ways” – Horace Kephart Great Smoky National Park is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the United States and is also one of the most biologically diverse environments on Earth.

These are pretty bold statements to make but are actually born out by fact and also by detailed inspection.

The Cherokee, the original inhabitants and custodians of the land called this territory “Shaconage” (Shah-con-ah-jey) meaning in rough translation “land of the blue smoke”. Later inhabitants and settlers came from Scots-Irish backgrounds soon to be joined by those of French and German background. This mix of various Western European settler characteristics you can be assured gave a very interesting (if not as one settler described, “a Heady brew”) mix of inhabitants.

The Smoky Mountains are arguably some of the oldest in the World and detailed inspection of tectonic history will show that what we see now is a vast difference from what was originally in place and also a vast difference in location as well. The history of the Smoky Mountains is such that such is it’s history and bio diverse ecology that it has been designated an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

The Great Smoky National Park was authorised by the US Congress in 1926 and was created from land in both North Carolina and the state of Tennessee. Unlike other American National Parks which were formed from existing Government land, the land that formed the Great Smoky Mountains National Park actually was comprised of land that belonged to Private Individuals or Companies.

The Mountainsides and Forest were a goldmine for Logging Companies who raped and pillaged their way across the landscape until it was calculated that approximately 65 percent of the available forest had been logged. The knock on effect of this was that the farms and the farmland that was created by this deforestation existed primarily to support and feed the loggers.

The other hidden and not so hidden consequence of logging was the destruction of the natural habitat for the resident wildlife and the absence of tress and any forest cover induced widespread erosion which in turn clogged streams with sediment and reduced the opportunity of the land to replenish itself.

The bottom line in all of this is that without the support of wealthy individuals and benefactors such as John D Rockefeller Jr who contributed nearly $5 million towards the purchase of the land, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park would not have become a reality. Other notable supporters and “influencers / fans” included the Historian Horace Kephart who came up with the initial idea of preserving the Smokies as a National park after visiting the area for his health.

After much haggling back and fore, the Federal Government finally obtained the land and proclaimed a national park on June 15th 1934. The Park comprises some 520.197 acres of land roughly split along the 70 miles of the eastern Tennessee – western North Carolina Border.

The apparent success of the present day park does not accurately reflect the history and the struggle that earlier Park Superintendents had to wage with what was in effect land that had been ravaged by uncontrolled logging and mineral exploitation and land that had become a hostile environment for a great number of the so called native species.

The outstanding success of the Park Service in re introducing Elk, Peregrine Falcons and river otters has helped restore the parklands to a state almost bordering on the primeval.

This is not to give the impression that the battle is completely won and that the Park doesn’t still suffer from and face daunting challenges from the effect of life in the 21st Century. Air Pollution, Traffic Congestion and the continued destruction of what are called high-elevation forests by persistent pests mans that the Park service has to be ever vigilant.