Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake

Roanoke is a great base city for exploring Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains! To make it even better, Smith Mountain Lake is just an hour east of the city. SML is a popular lake getaway with 500+ miles of shoreline. Most folks just visit one or the other, but I found it was a great way to combine a mountain weekend and a chill lake weekend all into one trip together.

McAfee Knob

Roanoke Recommendations:

• Blindhouse Beer: A stellar brewery focused on Belgian and French styles where everything is a slow pour. The beers are fantastic and the vibes are great. You can also get Food Hut RKE delivered to your table.

• Go for a hike! The Appalachian Trail runs on the west side of the city and the Blue Ridge Parkway is on the east side, providing ample trailheads all close to downtown.

  • McAfee Knob via Appalachian Trail: This 8.1 mile long trail with 1,811ft of elevation gain leads to one of the most photographed areas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It takes just under four hours to complete. The trail is shaded the entire way which is a bonus in the hot summer months. The views are fantastic and the trail is quiet—highly recommend. You can also choose to go up or down the fire road which is flatter and smoother than the AT.

  • Carvin’s Cove Hay Rock via Appalachian Trail: A 7.9 mile/1,423ft of elevation gain hike to an overlook of Carvin’s Cove. You can also shorten the distance to 5 miles (same elevation gain) to the first lookout to save time. A nice view of the water below.

• Take a scenic drive: The Blue Ridge Parkway has some great viewpoints—a lot of them can be overgrown in the summer months but Great Valley is a stellar spot, especially for sunset.

• Big Lick Brewing Company: This brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap, a nice patio, and you can get food delivered to your table from nearby restaurants.

• A Few Old Goats Brewing: A solid brewery with chill vibes and a nice patio space.

• Mill Mountain Park & Star: The famed star overlooking Roanoke lights up at night and there is a great viewpoint over the city and surrounding mountains. Heads up the Google maps location is a little off if you search for the star, search for the park instead.

• Barrel Chest Wine and Beer: A bottle shop with self-pour beer and wine taps. They also have a charcuterie selection.

• Three Notch’d Brewing: An average brewery with a full food menu.

• Olde Salem Brewing: The Roanoke location of this brewery is located in the downtown market and their main taproom is in neighboring Salem. You can get food delivered to your table from nearby restaurants. The beer is mediocre.

• Twin Creeks Brewpub: A brewery off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Fables & Feathers Winery

Smith Mountain Lake Recommendations:

• Jake’s Place: A restaurant and beer bar on the water with a killer tap list. The food menu is pizza-focused and tasty. Great atmosphere and experience.

• Hickory Hill Vineyards: Very tasty wine in a relaxed atmosphere.

• Smith Mountain Trail: The lake’s namesake mountain provides a unique vantage point! There is a moderate trail that is 5 miles long with 1,000ft of elevation gain out to a cool viewpoint or you can go all the way up for another view. To reach this viewpoint you’ll turn left at the 2.5 mile point and go downhill to a small ledge with beautiful views. This trail takes just over two hours in totality and is very quiet. You will need an access permit which can be bought online ahead of time. 

• Fables & Feathers Winery: A nice winery a bit off the beaten path. Tasty wines, friendly service, nice patio overlooking the vines.

• Smith Mountain Lake State Park: This is a nice state park that has 7 short, mostly flat trails along with some water access and picnic areas. There is a $7 entrance fee.

  • Chestnut Ridge Trail: This trail is 1.5 miles long, is mostly flat, and takes about 40 minutes to complete.

  • Turtle Island Trail: This trail is 1.4 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about 30 minutes to complete.

• West Lake Coffee and Café: A decent spot for coffee and breakfast.

• Ramulose Ridge Vineyards: Another winery 2 minutes from Hickory Hill. They also offer sangria. Unfortunately it seemed like the bottle I ordered from had been open for far too long, wouldn’t really recommend.

• The Bagel & I: Solid bagel sandwich but the bagel itself was stale.

Shenandoah National Park Guide

Shenandoah National Park is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The park itself is long and narrow while the surrounding area is full of small towns. I enjoyed the views at the park and the various trails, but wouldn’t want to spend too much time in the nearby towns.

Planning a road trip? Check out my guide to nearby Washington D.C. here, Baltimore here, and Richmond here!

Hawksbill Mountain

Shenandoah National Park Recommendations:

Shenandoah National Park is relatively small and mostly based around one main road: Skyline Drive. You can easily tackle a good chunk of this park in a couple of days! I would recommend trying to visit on weekdays instead of weekends as much as possible just because it is quite popular and there are many large cities within quick driving distance that people visit from. You will need a National Park Pass or to pay to enter the park. One note—at this park most of the trailheads do not have bathrooms so keep that in mind when starting your adventures!

• Mary’s Rock via Appalachian Trail: This trail is 4.4 miles long with 1,210ft of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours to complete. The trailhead is just after the park entrance so there is ample parking here and a bathroom. It is a steep, steady and rocky climb up, and this trail is rated hard. It leads to a beautiful viewpoint of the surrounding area. Dogs are allowed on this trail!

• Berry Hollow to Old Rag Mountain Trail: This trail is 6.5 miles long with 1,751ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. Permits are required to hike Old Rag, so be sure to snag one before heading out. It is rated hard. Heads up this is one of the only trails in the park that is not off the main road, Skyline Drive. Parking is quite limited so try to arrive early. The traditional route for Old Rag is much more popular and more difficult at 9.3 miles long with 2595ft of elevation gain and many scrambles. Choose your own adventure!

• Stony Man via Appalachian Trail: This trail is 1.5 miles long with 321ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete. It takes you through the woods to a pop out with a nice view of the surrounding area. It is rated moderate but was a pretty quick, steady climb up.

• Dark Hollow Falls Trail: This trail is 2.1 miles long with 583ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour. It is a popular trail but not overcrowded and leads to a nice waterfall. There is also one more viewpoint at the bottom on a wooden bridge. It is a relatively steep climb back up to the parking area, and this trail is rated moderate.

• Hawksbill Summit Trail: This trail is 1.9 miles long with 672ft of elevation gain and takes about 50 minutes to complete. It is the highest peak in the park and a short trail so it is quite popular. It is a very steep hike up but since it is so short it is rated moderate. Dogs are allowed on this trail! An alternative option is the Hawksbill Loop Trail which is just a bit longer and takes you around the summit instead of straight back down.

• Take the scenic drive down Skyline Drive: There are overlooks throughout the straight shot drive from one end to the other. Boldface Mountain is a nice overlook on the south end of the park. If you have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway this has very similar vibes.

• Bearfence Mountain Trail: This trail is 1.4 miles long with 242ft of elevation gain and takes about 40 minutes to complete. This trail is full of rock scrambles so it is definitely not for kids or folks afraid of heights. Keep your eyes peeled for rattlesnakes as well. It is rated moderate. I did not love this trail because there was not a view at the actual summit, just some views with the rock scrambles along the way.

Broadporch Coffee

Shenandoah Valley Recommendations:

• Broad Porch Coffee: A fantastic spot in downtown Luray for breakfast and coffee. They have a cute spot with indoor seating and a back porch with river views. I went two days in a row because I enjoyed it so much!

• Elkton Brewing Company: A solid brewery in Elkton with a nice outdoor space. They have food trucks on the weekend, they are dog friendly and they are housed in a nice historic building.

• Quièvremont Vineyard & Winery: A nice winery with great views in Washington, VA. They also have food options. Heads up it gets quiet popular on weekends!

• Vibrissa Beer: Vibrissa has two locations in Front Royal and Winchester. They both have full food menus and outdoor seating as well.

• Gathering Grounds: A solid spot for breakfast in downtown Luray.

• I stayed at this Airbnb which was nice, but I would probably stay somewhere with a better view if I visited the area again. The outdoor space and screened-in porch were lovely.

• Wisteria Farm and Vineyard: An average winery in Stanley. The wine is fine but there are no views and the food is very overpriced and prepackaged. They are dog-friendly and you can bring your own food as well. It is a very casual spot and people loved it, I just wanted a bit more out of it.

• Pen Druid Brewing: A brewery with nice views in Sperryville. It was not my personal favorite but it’s worth checking out. They have an onsite food truck, Sumac.

Harrisonburg

• Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint: A simple spot for burgers and drinks in downtown with absolutely delicious eats. Highly recommend!

• Brothers Craft Brewing: A nice brewery just outside of downtown Harrisonburg. They have indoor and outdoor seating with chill vibes.

• Restless Moons Brewing: An average brewery with interesting vibes. I definitely watched multiple drug deals happen here. Their tap list is Sour heavy and they have pinball machines for entertainment.

Dark Hollow Falls

Exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia

The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia are a beautiful area to spend a long weekend. There are lots of great hikes to stunning views and large waterfalls, a plethora of wineries, and some solid breweries in the region. Below is a full guide to exploring this area, organized by town.

Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge is a great home base for exploring the region. It is an adorable little town, but it is going to be a bit of a drive to trailheads, as a forewarning. Heads up, the breweries in town do not have food or food trucks, so be sure to have a separate plan for eating! Pro-tip if you’re traveling with dogs—the public dog park at the Humane Society in town is really nice.
Recommendations:

• Amicalola Falls: These waterfalls are absolutely huge and are definitely a must-see while in the area. This trail is .9 miles long with 425 stairs and takes about 20 minutes to complete. I would actually probably recommend a different hike here, the one linked starts at the top of the falls and goes down to the bottom and then back up which was fine but check out the other options too. The entrance fee is $5 without a Georgia State Parks Pass.

• Springer Mountain Trail: This trail is 2 miles long with 393ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. This is the southern terminus of Appalachian Trail which is fun and there is a marker at the summit for the AT. It is a steady climb up and pretty rocky and muddy. The views are quite nice and this trail is rated moderate. It is quite the journey to get to this trail for such a quick hike, so just keep that in mind in your planning.

• Angry Hops Brewing: Easily the best brewery in town. This spot has chill vibes, a small patio, and angry music, for the brand.

• Mercier Orchards: A huge facility with a market and a bar serving hard cider, wine and 1 beer. The ciders are quite tasty. Go early if you want donuts, they tend to run out.

• Grumpy Old Men Brewing: A popular spot with a nice patio and average beers.

• Mountain Mama’s Coffee Lounge: A super cute spot with coffee, tea and a small food menu. The coffee is great here and they are located right downtown.

• Tipping Point Brewing Company: This brewery has a nice upper patio overlooking downtown with average beers.

• The Pasta Market: A nice restaurant and shop with solid pasta and an upper deck. They also have wine and beer.

• Falls Branch Falls: This trail is 1 mile long with 200ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. It is an uphill, muddy climb to the falls which are quite nice. This trail is rated moderate but was pretty easy.

• Bear Claw Vineyards & Winery: This winery has a nice outdoor space with a patio or picnic tables. They offer their wine by the flight, glass, bottle or slushie. They also have a small food menu.

• Elijay is another cute little small town south of Blue Ridge. Elijay Coffeehouse is a homey coffee shop with a small sandwich menu in the heart of downtown.

• Fannin Brewing: A small spot with mediocre beer and rustic outdoor seating.

• Skip Cucinella’s Pizzeria—the staff was not helpful and the pizza was average.

Helen

Helen is a German-themed town best known for their Oktoberfest and Decemberfest celebrations. River tubing is also quite popular here in the summer months. This is a very touristy little town that I would recommend spending a few hours in and then escaping. Expect heavy traffic and parking is $10 for the day anywhere downtown.
Recommendations:

• King Ludwig Biergarten: An outdoor beer garden in the main city square. They have a small food menu with German items alongside beers and wine. There is constant live music here as well.

• Hofbräuhaus: A German restaurant and beer garden. They are on the north end of Main Street a bit past the hustle and bustle on the river. The service here was not great and my beer was served warm, but it’s a decent stop.

• Anna Ruby Falls: This trail is 1 mile long with 220ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The trailhead is directly outside of Helen and quite popular because it leads to a beautiful large waterfall. It is a paved slightly uphill walk that I highly recommend. This trail is technically in a National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $5 to enter. This trail is rated moderate.

• Duke’s Creek Trail: This trail is 2.3 miles long with 337ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is an easy walk down to the waterfall that is pretty nice. This is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $4 to park. It is rated easy.

• Raven’s Cliff Falls Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 623ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. There are lots of roots along this path but there is also numerous river access points which is very nice. Overall the views here are just okay, but the river is nice. This is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest so you’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $5 to park.

• Brasstown Bald: This is the highest point in Georgia and provides stellar views for miles upon miles! You’ll drive up the byway to a parking area where you can either shuttle up (every 5 minutes) or hike a very steep .6 miles up. I’d recommend shuttling up and hiking down. Dogs are welcome on the shuttle as well. You’ll need a National Park Pass or pay $8 to enter. If you’ve been to Clingman’s Dome in Tennessee this is very similar.

• Tallulah Gorge State Park: A popular park about 45 minutes east of Helen. The entrance fee is $5 and the main attraction is the large gorge with waterfalls. Heads up, only the rim trail is dog friendly where you can visit 9 overlooks.

Dahlonega

Dahlonega is a very tiny town about 30 minutes south of Helen that is home to the University of North Georgia.
Recommendations:

• Preachers Rock from Woody Gap: This trail is 2 miles long with 436ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is part of the Appalachian Trail in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. It is a mostly shaded trail that pops out to an exposed rock with stunning views, especially in the morning. This was my favorite hike in the area and I highly recommend it. It is rated moderate.

• Accent Cellars: A nice winery on the river. They have glasses, bottles, tastings, or flights of wine along with wine cocktails and a few snacks in the cooler. They are on the river which is nice and more of an urban winery just 3 minutes from downtown. This spot is dog friendly inside and out.

• Barefoot Hills Hotel: A solid hotel that is very affordable and has great mountain views, especially for sunset. They are dog friendly and there are games on the property too.

• Montaluce Winery: A beautiful, fancy winery tucked back into nature. They also have a full service restaurant onsite. This spot is not dog friendly inside or out.

Cleveland

Cleveland is just south of Helen and the town itself is not worth visiting, but there is a good hike, brewery and winery to check out:

• Mount Yonah Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 1,453ft of elevation gain and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. This trail is quite steep and strenuous, as it is rated hard. The views from the summit are not quite as impressive as the other hikes in the area, but it is a great workout and still nice.

• NoFo Brew Co: This taproom is 5 minutes from the trailhead and the second location for NoFo. They have lots of outdoor seating with views of Mount Yonah but it’s also right off a pretty busy road so it’s not super serene. They have a wide variety of beers on tap. Heads up the flights here are very expensive.

• Yonah Mountain Vineyards: Around the other side of the mountain is a nice winery with mountain and vineyard views. They offer their wine in a glass, bottle or flight.

Have you explored the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia? What are you favorite spots? Let me know in the comments!
Cheers—Alexis

2 Days in Asheville, NC

Asheville is one of my favorite places to visit! It can be overwhelming to plan a visit to Asheville because there are just so many breweries and parts of town to explore. Check out my blog on the best breweries in Asheville here!

I’ve put together this guide for a two day trip to hit the highlights of this adorable mountain town. If you’ve got more time to explore check out my full guide to Asheville here!

Asheville Day 1

For your first day you have to go all in and hop around the South Slope area of town:

Start your adventure at Vortex Doughnuts to fuel up for a day full of brewery hopping.

Walk 2 minutes to Burial Beer, arguably the best brewery in North Carolina. Get there early to avoid the masses of people who will inevitably want to visit this great spot.

Walk 7 minutes to Hi-Wire Brewing. Their South Slope location is small but their beers are delicious!

Walk 12 minutes to Dssolvr, a newer brewery in central downtown. They are absolutely crushing it and I highly recommend a visit.

From the downtown strip walk 8 minutes to Terra Nova Beer Co for a tasty side pull Lager and some pizza to soak up your beverages.

If you are ready for another beer, pop over to Green Man, a 5 minute walk from Terra Nova.

Asheville Day 2

Start your day at Taco Billy for delicious breakfast tacos! You can order online ahead of time as well to save time.

Hike part of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail from the Folk Art Center to the Haw River Overlook. The views are gorgeous at the lookout of this 5.5 out and back trail. Plus, it is just a 15 minute drive from town!

After your hike take some time to drive part of the Blue Ridge Parkway for more stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

On your way back into town, check out New Origin for tasty beers and pizza and then the secret brewery Cursus Keme next door

Head to the Biltmore Village area for a relaxing afternoon:

• Grab beers and lunch at Hillman Beer

• Sit on the rooftop patio and drink delicious beers at Forestry Camp by the team at Burial

If you’ve got more time in Asheville, here are my other recommendations!

What are your favorite Asheville stops? Let me know in the comments!