This week, we share our spring travel feature, which takes you to Southern tea rooms and services between Charleston and Augusta that offer refined and delicious experiences. We’ve designed this journey to span three days, but you can stretch it out to four or five if you choose.

At the end of this post, our upgraded Explorer and Voyager subscribers will find Google Maps links for all three days, plus bonus information about unique accommodations to consider.

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GET THERE, Day 1

Day 1: Charleston > Ridgeway, South Carolina
Backroad Route:
2 hours, 56 minutes; 136 miles
Fastest Route:
2 hours, 9 minutes; 141 miles

STARTING POINT
We recommend making Charleston’s luxurious Loutrel hotel your starting point. Arrive on day one of your journey in time to enjoy Lady Loutrel’s afternoon tea service, then book a stay at the hotel that night before heading to Ridgeway the next morning.

Lady Loutrel’s Afternoon Tea
61 State Street, Charleston, South Carolina
theloutrel.com
Enjoy afternoon tea at the Loutrel’s private, biophilic-inspired rooftop in downtown Charleston. Savor heritage botanical blends from Oliver Pluff & Co.—including Countess Grey, Masala Chai, Jasmine, and more—poured into elegant Estelle Colored Glassware. The tiered tea tower features delicate finger sandwiches such as smoked salmon, pimento cheese, chicken salad, and cucumber. Finish the experience with warm scones and an array of sweet Southern pastries and confections. This two-hour experience includes optional alcoholic sips and is available Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. by reservation. A minimum of four people is required and prices start at $340.

Laura’s Tea Room
105 N. Palmer Street, Ridgeway, South Carolina
laurastearoom.com
Experience a charming three-course afternoon tea in an inviting upstairs tearoom within a restored 1911 building. Begin with the iced tea of the day, then share a pot of hot tea, and select another tea from an extensive menu of black, green, white, herbal, and literary-inspired blends. Enjoy scones with Devonshire cream and fruit, a seasonal specialty such as soup or salad, and a tiered tray of sweets and savories. The service is offered Tuesday through Saturday starting at 11 a.m. with the last sitting at 1:45 p.m. Reservations are required and the service costs $37.95 per person.

KEEP GOING, Day 2

Ridgeway, South Carolina > Augusta, Georgia
Backroad Route
2 hours, 12 minutes; 104 miles
Fastest Route
1 hour, 25 minutes; 94 miles

STARTING POINT
After experiencing Laura’s Tea Room, make the scenic drive to Augusta for afternoon or evening tea at Royal Tea on Reynolds. We recommend staying in Augusta at one of the nearby hotels in the Riverwalk area, or you can make the drive to Savannah and stay overnight there before heading to your final tea experience.

Royal Tea on Reynolds
1024 Reynolds Street, Augusta, Georgia
linktr.ee/royalteaonreynolds
Experience a refined afternoon tea in this charming downtown Augusta tea house that blends traditional British style with Southern hospitality. You’ll be served finger sandwiches, scones, and an array of sweet and savory pastries on fine china. The tea house also offers take-and-bake scones so you can relive the experience at home. Tea times vary but are often available into the evening hours. Call 803.474.4435 for pricing and to make a reservation.

AND BACK, Day 3

Augusta, Georgia > Charleston, South Carolina
Backroad Route
5 hours, 1 minute; 234 miles
Fastest Route
4 hours, 28 minutes; 244 miles

STARTING POINT
We’re starting day three in Augusta, but if you opt to stay in Savannah, adjust your starting point to the address of those accommodations. You’ll end your journey back in Charleston. Feel free to stretch this experience out to four or five days to provide more time for exploring all the region has to offer.

Gryphon Tea Room
337 Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia
scadgryphon.com
This charming café near the Savannah College of Art and Design presents an elegant afternoon tea service in a historic 1926 Scottish Rite building on Madison Square. Guests enjoy a refined three-tier experience featuring a selection of delicate tea sandwiches, warm scones with Devonshire cream and jam, and an assortment of pastries and petits fours, paired with a pot of premium loose-leaf tea from varieties like Earl Grey, Darjeeling, or Hot Cinnamon Spice. The full afternoon tea is priced at $31 per person. À la carte options include a pot of tea for $9, scones for $10, tea sandwiches for $13, and tea sweets for $13. The cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except for Sunday, when it closes at 3 p.m. No reservations are required.

Camellias Afternoon Tea
404 King Street, Charleston, South Carolina
hotelbennett.com/dining-and-lounges/camellias
End your journey with a sophisticated tea experience at Camellias in Hotel Bennett—a breathtaking, Fabergé-inspired space with pink interiors, an etched mirror ceiling, and a dazzling crystal chandelier. Savor a luxurious three-tier service featuring assorted chilled canapés, delicate tea sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and jam, and exquisite pastries from La Pâtisserie, paired with premium loose-leaf teas from Tealeaves. The adult tea price is $80 per person, while children ages 12 and younger cost $55 each. The Crown Tea option includes a flute of premium sparkling rosé. Tea times are 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, with an additional 4:30-6:30 p.m. service available on Sundays. Reservations are required.

Tea Time in America

Tea first arrived in North America during the 1640s through Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (now New York City), a bustling port settlement that served as the capital of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. The Dutch East India Company pioneered tea imports to Europe around 1610, shipping Chinese tea leaves as part of its lucrative trade network.

Dutch households in the area quickly embraced tea drinking as a social custom, displaying tea tables, teapots, sugar bowls, and silver strainers and establishing an early tea culture in the colonies before British forces captured the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam without resistance in 1664 and renamed it New York in honor of the Duke of York, the future King James II.

Fast-forward two hundred years. Afternoon tea originated in England around 1840 and is credited to Anna Maria Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. As one of Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting, she reportedly experienced a “sinking feeling” in the late afternoon due to the long gap between lunch and dinner, which was often served as late as 8 or 9 p.m. To bridge this hunger, she requested a private tray of tea, bread and butter, and cake in her rooms.

The practice proved delightful, and she began inviting friends to join her, transforming an afternoon snack into a fashionable social ritual among the aristocracy that soon spread widely. This structured Victorian-style afternoon tea spread to America in the late 19th century after the Civil War, embraced by the upper class and offered in grand hotels and tearooms.

As the practice spread among the Victorian aristocracy it evolved into a refined social occasion. Thinly sliced finger sandwiches—often crustless and dainty, featuring fillings like cucumber, egg and cress, or smoked salmon—emerged, inspired by the 1762 invention of the sandwich by John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. (He was an avid gambler and is believed to have requested meat placed between two slices of bread so he could eat without leaving the card table.)

Scones with clotted cream and preserves later joined the tea table, particularly in the 20th century, while an array of pastries, small sponge or seed cakes, and other sweet baked goods expanded the offerings. By the late 19th century, the tiered presentation of savory sandwiches followed by scones and then elaborate sweets became the elegant standard.

Google Maps Links

GET THERE, Day 1

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We’re breaking away from our usual email template to share our quarterly journey. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two destinations via winding rural roads lined with charming small towns, captivating landscapes, historic structures and, in this particular journey, vibrant winter gardens and arboretums that brighten up the year’s coldest season.

While numerous horticultural havens exist across the Southeast, this three-day itinerary focuses on those in Western and Central North Carolina, with routes that wind through frosty forests into towns and cities where you can enjoy a warm winter meal or cocktail in a historic inn or boutique hotel. Let’s begin.

At the end of this post, our upgraded Explorer and Voyager subscribers will find Google Maps links for all three days, plus bonus information about unique accommodations to consider.

UPGRADE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

GET THERE, Day 1

Asheville > Winston-Salem > Greensboro
Backroad Route:
4 hours and 48 minutes; 189 miles • 3 stops
Fastest Route:
2 hours and 44 minutes; 174 miles • 3 stops

STARTING POINT

If you’d like to spend a full day at Biltmore—or more—we recommend arriving the night before and staying at one of the on-site accommodations featured at the end of this post.

Biltmore Estate Arboretum & Gardens
1 Lodge Street, Asheville, North Carolina
biltmore.com
Biltmore’s expansive 8,000-acre landscape, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted beginning in 1889, offers the perfect starting point for this floriferous journey. View winter-hardy conifers, hollies, witch hazels, and evergreen magnolias across the estate’s formal gardens and mountain trails, then step inside the 7,000-square-foot heated glass Conservatory to view more than 2,000 exotic plants, including towering palms, ferns, and succulents.

Don’t miss the Conservatory’s orchid and production rooms, where many plants are propagated, and enjoy fragrant winter daphne and hellebores blooming outside near the Conservatory.

If you tour Biltmore House, you’ll immediately enter the Winter Garden room, an enchanting octagonal atrium located on the ground floor of the mansion that’s filled with exotic plants, providing a year-round tropical escape.

Reynolda Art & Gardens
100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
reynolda.org/gardens
From Biltmore, you’ll drive a little over two hours to the once-private estate gardens of tobacco magnate R.J. Reynolds. Reynolda Art & Gardens offers 129 acres with formal allées, a sunken greenhouse garden, and woodland trails. In winter, evergreens, hollies, camellias, and hellebores shine against the historic village backdrop, while witch hazels and paperbush add fragrance and color to the landscape. The historic 1913 Lord & Burnham greenhouses encompass lush palms, vibrant orchids, fragrant citrus trees, and seasonal displays of poinsettias and amaryllis.

Greensboro Arboretum
401 Ashland Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina
greensboro-nc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/parks-gardens/greensboro-arboretum
A quick 30-mile drive from Winston-Salem takes you to this 17-acre arboretum that contains a dedicated Winter Garden Collection filled with evergreens, hollies, textured perennials, and camellias, including the iconic Greensboro Red camellia—a light red semi-double japonica variety originating from a pre-1900 seedling at local Lindley Nurseries that is also the official flower of Greensboro. Trails showcase the camellias and offer ample opportunities for birdwatching.

GET THERE, Day 2

Greensboro > Kernersville > Durham > Raleigh > Chapel Hill
Backroad Route:
3 hours and 46 minutes; 135 miles
Fastest Route:
2 hour 26 minutes; 134 miles • 3 stops

STARTING POINT

The starting point is the Greensboro Arboretum, so adjust these directions based on your accommodations address.

Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden
215 South Main Street, Kernersville, North Carolina
cienerbotanicalgarden.org
A 15-mile drive from Greensboro brings you to these 7-acre gardens encompassing more than twenty-five sections, including the Piedmont Woodland Garden, Japanese Garden, Wetland Garden, Conifer Garden, a greenhouse, amphitheater, Children’s Learning Garden, Pattern Garden, Kitchen Garden, and Hornbeam Walk. Native shrubs and seasonal perennials contribute to this peaceful, year-round retreat.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens
420 Anderson St, Durham, North Carolina
gardens.duke.edu
Your next stop is 70 miles away on the historic campus of Duke University, where you’ll find the 55-acre Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Enjoy camellias near the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, fountains and birdwatching opportunities in the Japanese Garden, and patches of witch hazel along Hanes Lake and the garden’s walking trails. While you’re on campus, have lunch at the Washington Duke Inn’s Fairview Dining Room or sip an afternoon cocktail at the Bull Durham Bar.

J.C. Raulston Arboretum
4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina
jcra.ncsu.edu
Take a 24-mile detour to Raleigh to walk through this free, nationally acclaimed botanic garden boasting one of the largest collections of southeastern-adapted plants for superior landscapes. Part of North Carolina State University, it’s open daily and offers educational classes, events like Garden Story Walks, horticulture programs, plant sales, guided tours, and serene trails flanked with evergreen hollies, witchhazels, and hellebores.

Coker Arboretum
399 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
ncbg.unc.edu/visit/coker-arboretum
From Duke University, make a quick 10-mile drive over to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where you’ll find the 5-acre Coker Arboretum. Tread serene paths through loblolly pines, cedars, and southern magnolias along lawns framed with hollies and witch hazel.

Spend the rest of the day walking along the historic campus and dine at one of Chapel Hill’s famed cafés, like the Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery.

AND BACK, Day 3

Chapel Hill > Belmont > Asheville
Backroad Route:
6 hours 24 minutes; 267 miles • 2 stops
Fastest Route
4 hours 39 minutes, 269 miles • 2 stops

STARTING POINT

The starting point is Coker Arboretum, so adjust the directions based on your accommodations address.

Daniel Stowe Conservancy
6500 S. New Hope Road, Belmont, North Carolina
danielstoweconservancy.org
This 380-acre network of gardens near Charlotte showcases an 8,000-square-foot, five-story Williamson Conservatory containing 2,500 orchid specimens, exotic ferns, and carnivorous plants. The annual Orchid Spectacular takes place during winter, transforming the conservatory into a blooming wonderland. An event showcasing 20 ice sculptures was scheduled for January 16-17, from 5 to 9 p.m. Other highlights include the award-winning Four Seasons Garden with cascading fountains, the Woodland Garden Trail, and the expansive Piedmont Prairie showcasing indigenous grasses.

The North Carolina Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, North Carolina
ncarboretum.org

The North Carolina Arboretum spans 434 acres featuring 10 miles of scenic trails through native hardwood forests, wildflower gardens, and bonsai exhibitions, showcasing diverse Appalachian flora. Highlights include whimsical Thomas Dambo troll sculptures, a dazzling Winter Lights spectacle, and interactive exhibits. Finish your day, and trip, with a hand-prepared meal featuring local ingredients at the arboretum’s restaurant, Bent Creek Bistro.

Google Maps Links

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Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with charming small towns, captivating landscapes, historic structures and, in this particular journey, holiday events across the mountains of North Georgia, Western North Carolina, and Eastern Tennessee. Whether you go before, after, or during the holiday season, it’s a trip worth taking.

Below is a condensed weekend rural backroad journey from Dahlonega, Georgia, to Copperhill, Tennessee, that prioritizes scenic backroads, small towns, and festive experiences with Southern Appalachian charm. Pack warm layers, a thermos for hot cider, and a camera for the festive scenery. Be sure to check websites for updated information or schedule changes.

GET THERE, Day 1

Dahlonega to Ellijay, Georgia
Backroad Route:
52 minutes; 39 miles • 3 stops
Dahlonega > Ellijay

STARTING POINT:

Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas
Main Street, Dahlonega, Georgia
dahlonegachristmas.com
If you’re traveling during the Christmas holiday season, don’t miss this annual seasonal event in downtown Dahlonega that runs from November 28 to December 31. Activities include the Lighting of the Square, a Christmas Parade, a Candy Cane Kids Day, and holiday shopping. Enjoy Santa visits, photo ops, and festive events in a charming, historic setting.

Bourbon Street Grill
90 Public Square N., Dahlonega, Georgia
thebourbonstreetgrille.com
After exploring downtown Dahlonega, head over to Bourbon Street Grille for a meal with New Orleans flair. Enjoy Cajun and Creole dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and blackened red snapper; a weekend brunch; a full bar with craft beers and cocktails; and a vibrant atmosphere with patio and balcony dining.

Accommodations
We suggest Blue Sky Cabin Resort in Ellijay, Georgia. Read more in our “Where to Stay” section at the end of this post.

KEEP GOING, Day 2

Ellijay, Georgia, to Copperhill, Tennessee
Backroad Route:
1 hour 6 minutes; 40 miles • 4 stops
Ellijay > Blue Ridge > Copperhill

STARTING POINT:

Mercier Orchards
8660 Blue Ridge Drive, Blue Ridge, Georgia
mercier-orchards.com
Start your day at Mercier Orchards, a fourth-generation family and veteran-owned farm that hosts festive holiday events in November and December. Participate in the Winter Wine Run 5K on December 6 and enjoy a “Santa on the Farm” event on December 14. Participate in cookie decorating and wreath-making workshops, and savor fresh baked pies and hot apple cider tastings, all amidst a cozy, holiday-decorated market.

Downtown Blue Ridge
Downtown Blue Ridge City Park, Blue Ridge, Georgia
blueridgemountains.com/events/light-up-blue-ridge
While you’re in Blue Ridge, head downtown to view the holiday lights, drop a letter in Santa’s Mailbox, and explore the gingerbread village at The Arts Center. (Don’t forget to vote for your favorite.) You can also shop for handmade holiday gifts at local shops. If you happen to be there the weekend after Thanksgiving, don’t miss the Light Up Blue Ridge event and Christmas parade.

The Black Sheep
480 W. Main Street, Blue Ridge, Georgia
blacksheepblueridge.com
While you’re downtown, enjoy a memorable dinner at the Black Sheep Restaurant, offering refined dining under a 200-year-old oak tree, as well as the largest outdoor bar and covered patio space in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Open for dinner Tuesday through Friday and brunch on the weekends, guests also enjoy craft cocktails, local ingredients, and New Orleans jazz.

Accommodations
We suggest Treehouse Mountain in Copperhill, Tennessee. Read more in our “Where to Stay” section at the end of this post.

AND BACK, Day 3

Copperhill, Tennessee, to Dahlonega, Georgia
Backroad Route:
2 hours 47 minutes; 119 miles • 3 stops
Copperhill > Brasstown > Gainesville > Dahlonega

John C. Campbell Folk School
One Folk School Road, Brasstown, North Carolina
folkschool.org
The John C. Campbell Folk School celebrates its centennial anniversary this year with various events that started with a fall festival October 4–5. A Forge After Dark blacksmithing event and auction was scheduled for November 7-8. Attend a Fireside Sale on December 13 accompanied by live holiday music in a festive atmosphere. The school encourages visitors to explore its campus, craft shop, and history museum year-round.

Chattahoochee National Forest
1755 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville, Georgia
fs.usda.gov/r08/chattahoochee-oconee
The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests offer diverse outdoor activities including camping, reservable via recreation.gov. Activities include biking, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, off-road trails, scenic drives, boating, swimming, geocaching, and educational programs. For passes and information, visit the supervisor’s office (at the address above). Check the forest’s website or contact ranger districts for specific parking and site details.

Three Sisters Vineyards
439 Vineyard Way, Dahlonega, Georgia
threesistersvineyards.com
End your holiday weekend with a glass of wine at Three Sisters Vineyards, which offers handcrafted, estate-grown wines in a scenic, dog-friendly environment. Enjoy tastings and live music as well. Holiday events include festive wine tastings and Christmas markets that feature local crafts and seasonal pairings.

Google Maps Links

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Bob and Darian Poliachik moved to Leland, North Carolina, a few years ago after all three of their grown children ended up living in the area. They raised their kids in Apex, where they lived for 32 years, but with grandchildren on the way, the Poliachiks said it was a “no-brainer” to move to Leland, and a “dream come true” to be near their kids and grandkids.

Leland is less than ten miles outside of Wilmington and within forty minutes from most of the Wilmington-area beaches. We reached out to Bob and Darian after we heard they managed to visit eight nearby beaches in one day. How did they do it? Well … we’ll let them tell you! Also, their journey inspired our Summer 2025 There and Back Again feature. Be sure to check it out!

Does your proximity to so many different beaches make it possible for you to visit any beach you'd like at any time?

Bob: We have to drive 30 to 40 minutes to get to the ocean. While that is not quite a hop skip and a jump, it’s certainly close enough to make visiting the beach possible any day of the week, even though I still work full-time.

Darian: One of our favorite things to do in the summer is leave right after Bob is finished working, grab a sub on the way out, and head to the beach for the evening. Parking is free by that time. We still have two to three hours of daylight left, and we usually get to see a wonderful sunset over the water at the Brunswick beaches.

What led to your decision to visit eight beaches in one day, and which beaches made the list?

Darian: Bob and I were sitting under our umbrella on Oak Island, marveling at how many beaches we have to choose from that are within fifty minutes’ drive. I said, “I wonder if we could hit all of them in one day?” Suddenly it became a challenge to conquer.

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Backroads transport us to the places in-between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with charming small towns, captivating landscapes, historic structures and, in this particular journey, wide open beaches.

Our summer excursion is inspired by Bob and Darian Poliachik, residents of Leland, North Carolina, who decided to visit eight Wilmington-area beaches in one day. (Check out their story, written in their own words!) In honor of the Poliachiks’ ambitious idea, we’re stretching their journey out to two days, starting day one with a sunrise experience in Wrightsville Beach and finishing with dinner at Sunset Beach. The return trip home includes stops at a coastal museum, state park, and unique restaurants.

Driving time on day one amounts to 2 hours, 44 minutes, and 77 miles. The return trip takes 2 hours and 33 minutes, and covers 100 miles.

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Inspired by a Wandering Smoky Mountains article, we’re hiking to scenic waterfalls located throughout the Great Smoky Mountains. They’re beautiful any time of year.

Home base is Gatlinburg. From there, you can hike trails lined with lustrous vegetation to spectacular waterfalls. Book an overnight stay in Gatlinburg so you can fully enjoy the experience. Further down, paid subscribers can read about waterfalls a little further away that are worth a hike.

We’ve chosen Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg as the starting point to all trails for the purpose of providing distance estimates, but Gatlinburg offers plenty of other accommodations. Discover where at gatlinburg.com/places-to-stay/hotels-and-motels.

The Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg is situated on the west prong of the Little Pigeon River. Rooms on that side of the hotel include balconies so you can enjoy the relaxing sounds and view of the water as it trickles by.

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Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with charming small towns, captivating landscapes, historic structures and, in this particular journey, homes and businesses recovering from a devastating hurricane.

Our Winter 2025 excursion takes you from Lenoir, North Carolina, to Pickens, South Carolina—a historic corridor lined with American history and timeless beauty. Discover cozy cafés and tea shops, acclaimed wineries and breweries, an iconic overlook, artisan shopping, southern-style dining, and more.

The southbound drive from Lenoir to Pickens is 3 hours, 44 minutes, and 142 miles, compared to the journey back, which is 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 159 miles. We recommend booking a midpoint overnight stay so you can fully enjoy the journey. Be sure to check drivenc.gov for possible road closures and route delays.

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Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with historic ruins, captivating landscapes, preserved homeplaces and, in this particular journey, haunted destinations. Take one route there and another back for two unique experiences.

Our fall excursion follows coastal highway U.S. 17 from Charleston to Savannah, offering intriguing stops along the way. You’ll travel west then southwest into Savannah, passing through small towns and, at times, edging close enough to the coastline to see the ocean. Peel off side roads to explore some of the area’s hidden gems and historic treasures. 

Discover magnificent gardens, preserved ruins, a Civil War battlefield, and one of America’s most famous cemeteries. Walk through prominent homes, hotels, and other establishments rumored to be haunted. Tour a U.S. Marines museum, hike through a wildlife refuge, and stand under a famous oak tree. This journey has it all.

The drive from Charleston to Savannah is slightly longer than the trip back: 3 hours, 19 minutes, and 146 miles, compared to 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 122 miles. We recommend booking an overnight stay at one of the haunted hotels profiled in our sidebar for a spiritually enlightening experience. 

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Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature written by the Backroad Portfolio staff takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with rustic country stores, captivating overlooks, natural hot springs, and majestic waterfalls. Take one route there and another back to experience two unique journeys.

Our summer excursion travels down rural North Carolina and Tennessee backroads mapped out by two brothers, Chris and Bryan Shugg. Inspired by a Michigan-based driving tour for auto enthusiasts organized by their uncle, the brothers created the Great Smoky Grand. We’ve added stops along the way we think you’ll love. 

Start your journey in beautiful Boone, North Carolina, then end the first half of your trip in Knoxville, Tennessee’s pastoral suburbs. The drive to Knoxville takes approximately four hours and thirty-six minutes, while the return trip back to Boone takes different roads in exactly the same amount of time. We recommend booking an overnight stay so you can stretch out the experience and fully enjoy each stop. 

GET THERE:
Boone, North Carolina to Knoxville, Tennessee

BACKROAD ROUTE:
4 hours and 36 minutes; 188 miles • 7 stops
Boone > Sugar Grove > Banner Elk > Roan Mountain > Jonesborough > Sevierville > Knoxville

Google Maps Route Link

STARTING POINT:
Hickory Ridge History Museum
591 Horn in the West Drive; Boone, North Carolina
horninthewest.com

Discover what life was like during the settlement of Western North Carolina’s high country at Hickory Ridge Museum, where you can tour six historic cabins, complete with artifacts and furnishings. Don’t miss your chance to watch Horn in the West, the outdoor drama that portrays Daniel Boone’s adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains as he and other settlers fight to preserve their freedom before and during the Revolutionary War. 

The Original Mast General Store
3565 Highway 194 South; Sugar Grove, North Carolina
mastgeneralstore.com/original-store 

North Carolina’s first rural historic district, Valle Crucis, is also home to the original Mast General Store and Mast Store Annex in Sugar Grove. Slip into a timewarp as you step across creaking floorboards and are greeted by the store’s friendly staff. Inside, you’ll discover an old-fashioned community post office still in operation, 5-cent coffee, cast iron cookware, gourmet food, old-fashioned candy, a knife shop, and much more.

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This quarterly feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with pristine woods, spacious farmland, historic sites, and locally owned businesses. Take one route there and another back to experience two unique journeys. Stop by a cafe, restaurant, or farm for a seasonally-inspired coffee or bite to eat; or to shop for fresh produce, blooms, or artisan treasures. 

Winter 2024: Pittsboro to Statesville, North Carolina

Spring 2024: Rocky Mount, Virginia, to Bristol, Tennessee

Summer 2024: Boone, North Carolina, to Knoxville, Tennessee

Fall 2024: Charleston, South Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia

Winter 2025: Lenoir, North Carolina, to Pickens, South Carolina

Spring 2025: Wondrous Waterfalls

Summer 2025: There and Back Again – 8 Beaches

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Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with spacious farmland, historic sites, captivating overlooks, and locally owned businesses. Take one route there and another back to experience two unique journeys.

Our spring excursion follows a portion of “The Crooked Road,” an established music heritage trail in Southwest Virginia that offers more than just good tunes and live performances. It also leads to distilleries and vineyards where you can sample locally curated spirits; hikes to waterfalls and mountain overlooks; a country store that grows 600 varieties of daylilies and hosts cruise-in style music jams; and more. 

Start your journey in Rocky Mount, Virginia, then travel four hours and forty-three minutes to Bristol on the border of Virginia and Tennessee. The return to Rocky Mount takes four hours and thirty-three minutes. We recommend booking an overnight stay in Bristol to ensure enough time for maximum enjoyment of these intriguing destinations.

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By the Backroad Portfolio staff

Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with pristine woods, spacious farmland, historic sites, and locally owned businesses. Take one route there and another back to experience two unique journeys. Stop by a cafe, restaurant, or farm for a seasonally-inspired coffee or bite to eat; or to shop for fresh produce, blooms, or artisan treasures. 

For Backroad Portfolio’s first “There and Back Again” feature, we’re connecting the towns our founders live in: Pittsboro and Statesville. Not accounting for time spent at stops, this drive from Pittsboro to Statesville and back adds 52 minutes to the typical interstate drive (U.S. 64 to Interstate 85 to Interstate 40), while the route back adds about 30 minutes. Both options meander through small towns and communities, offering picturesque views of farmla…

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