The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile scenic drive through fall’s colorful show of reds, yellows and orange. But Applewood Manor guests will find that the show is all around them. And if they want to take to their cars, there are ample nearby opportunities for hiking and panoramic views without venturing more than fifty miles away—including such scenic points as Glassmine Falls, Craggy Gardens, Mt. Pisgah, Folk Art Center, Chimney Rock and the Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower. Each with trails for getting up close to nature with a walk amongst the falling leaves. However, don’t overlook the North Carolina Arboretum or the Biltmore Estate. The Arboretum has over 10 miles of trails traversing its 434-acres. As for the Biltmore, a walk through its gardens will dazzle you with nature’s showcase of colors.
One of the best ways to travel among the colorful fall landscapes is by bicycle and the Applewood Manor has all-road bicycles for its guests as a rental option. You can cycle around Asheville’s downtown area and the Manor’s historic Montford neighborhood, head out to one of Asheville’s many bike trails or just take off for a ride through the mountains. The serious cyclist might head for the Elk Mountain Scenic Highway. This 60-mile route features continuous elevation gain, but rewards riders with stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains before reaching the Blue Ridge Parkway. Once you get there, you might consider continuing the Parkway up to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.
For the ultimate fall foliage viewing, consider a hot air balloon trip. It isn’t inexpensive but if ballooning is on your bucket list, call Asheville Balloon Company at (828) 707-2992 or book a flight, from $300 to $400, on their website at https://ashevilleballooncompany.com/.
It isn’t just foliage that brings people to Asheville in the fall. There is a feeling of electricity in the air. The change of season creates an excitement and explosion of energy that brings on festival after festival in Asheville and the surrounding small towns and communities. Even with COVID still around, the website https://www.romanticasheville.com/fall_events.htm list forty festivals and events scheduled for September and October alone. And then there is Halloween. Halloween events abound—some hauntingly frightening like those events and tours organized by Ghost Hunters of Asheville (http://www.ghosthuntersofasheville.com) and Joshua P. Warren’s Grove House Ghost Hunt and others are entertainment and pure fun oriented—food, craft, and music events. Never forget that Asheville is considered one of the most haunted places on earth, allegedly fueled by its quartz laden mountains and the paranormal and energy vortexes in their valleys and mountain slopes. And locals will tell you that of all the places in Asheville none are more haunted than the Montford Historic District—the home of Applewood Manor—the perfect place to be on Halloween.