Go west, young Dukie--
Fall Break is the perfect opportunity to head to where the leaves are already changing--the North Carolina mountains. Just a few hours of driving can land you smack dab in the middle of some of the most beautiful scenery around, but beware, everyone else in a 500-mile radius has the same idea. Hotel rooms and even campsites will be hard to come by as "leaf season" peaks, especially in high-traffic areas like the Smoky Mountains, so you may want to call ahead and check for availability.
That said, the mountains are the perfect place for hiking, fishing, rock climbing or paddling, but if you insist on having some indoor time this break, you'll need a home base. I highly recommend:
Asheville
A straight five-hour shot down I-40 West, Asheville offers the charm of a mountain town with all the amenities of a city. Aside from being home to one of the University of North Carolina campuses, Asheville is also known for being an artists' town'Äîcheck out Wall Street, where quaint restaurants and funky jewelry, clothing and local art abound.
A favorite stop for touring bands and theater companies, Asheville usually delivers plenty of night-time fun. This weekend's picks: Friday night, hit up Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Code Talkers at Stella Blue, and Saturday night, check out Hairspray, which attracts a diverse and fun-loving crowd.
From Asheville you can:
1) Drive on the gorgeous Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic highway that offers plenty of turnoffs to stop and see the leaves in action.
2) Go mountain biking at the Bent Creek recreational area.
3) Day-trip to a smaller town like Hot Springs (featuring, that's right, actual hot springs!) or Flat Rock, where you can visit the historic home of poet Carl Sandburg and hike to Looking Glass Falls.
4) Visit the Nantahala Outdoor Center and book a trip to kayak, canoe or raft the area's most challenging rapids.
Boone
After a mere three-hour drive, you'll find yourself rolling into this cozy college town. Home to Appalachian State University, Boone serves up a combination of down-home southern flavor and, well, smoked-out college kids. Mosey on down to King Street, where you can shop for beads, bikes or snowboards, or try some vegetarian food that's way too good to be vegetarian at Angelica's. If you're still hungry, the Daniel Boone Inn serves all-you-can-eat southern cookin', but the line is usually out the door. The Klondike, basically the only bar in town, is a favorite frat hangout, but most big parties are at houses, so you need to ask around.
From Boone you can:
1) Hike from the Parkway. Try either the Cascades trail which takes you by several 30 to 40 ft. waterfalls, or Hebron, which offers great rock climbing opportunities.
2) Hike or camp in Pisgah National Forest, where the leaves are just as pretty as they are in the more crowded Smokies. The trails are a little rugged here though, so be sure to get a map if you plan on doing any serious hiking.
3) Visit Grandfather Mountain, probably North Carolina's most famous scenic attraction. This Grandfather features a breathtaking swinging bridge strung between two peaks.
4) Go to Tweetsie Railroad--theme park, mountain style--and take the train ride where "Cowboys and Indians" jump out along the way or you can just eat some good old rock candy.
5) Take a day trip to Linville Caverns, where you can do some guided spelunking and see the "bottomless pit" too deep to measure.
Most of all, if you're headed anyplace in the mountains, you must pack warm socks, take plenty of film and sample a local delicacy, boiled peanuts--salty, squishy and sold on the side of the road, we guarantee you can't chomp on these in Durham.
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