Blue Ridge Country July/August 2023 - 36

BEST OF
O
THE
ne of the most wonderful parts of having
covered the Southern Appalachians for
35 years is that we have come to learn a
great deal about the breadth, bounty and
beauty of the towns, scenery, culture, recreation
and more of the seven-state mountain region.
But once every five years we call on the real
experts for their views. In polling conducted this
spring, the readers of Blue Ridge Country have
shared their judgments and recommendations.
We're pleased to present them here.
BEST MAIN-STREET LOCAL
SHOPPING TOWN
1 Blowing Rock, NC
2 Waynesville, NC
2 Blue Ridge, GA
BEST ARTS TOWN
1 Asheville, NC
2 Blowing Rock, NC
3 Floyd, VA
Blowing Rock, North Carolina, took
honors for best shopping town.
BEST RETIREMENT TOWN
1 Hendersonville, NC
2 Brevard, NC
3 Roanoke, VA
3 Boone, NC
TODD BUSH
NEW ATTRACTIONS & DESTINATIONS
the Blue Ridge Tunnel. Both Trains
run Thursday through Sunday. All
tickets include a meal, dessert and
beverage selection. 434-391-9772;
virginiascenicrailway.com
Learn more from our May/June
2023 article: BlueRidgeCountry.com/
TrainRides
Virginia Maple Syrup Trail
Virginia Scenic
Railway began
service in the
summer of
2022.
W
ith so many new things to
see and do in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, there was no way we
could list them all. Here are a
handful that impressed our readers.
Virginia Scenic Railway
(Staunton, Virginia). Sit back
and soak in the beauty of the
Virginia countryside from a
renovated 1940s passenger car. The
Alleghany Special heads west from
Staunton and ventures through
the Shenandoah Valley. The Blue
Ridge Flyer route departs the
Queen City and passes through
36 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
(Highland County, Virginia).
Highland County is known for
its maple syrup, and in 2020,
developed a seven-stop tour.
Participants collect stamps along
the way. Camps stamp passports
year-round with the exception of
select dates in March. 540-4682550;
virginiamaplesyrup.com
Soaky Mountain Waterpark
(Sevierville, Tennessee). This
50-acre aquatic amusement park
opened in '21 and features 20
attractions for all ages. Highlights
include an inflatable obstacle
course, a wave pool, water slides
and water coasters. 833-687-6259;
soakymountainwaterpark.com
New River Gorge National
Park (West Virginia). While not
a new attraction, the New River
Gorge was designated a national
park by Congress in 2021, and
this year, 963 acres of public
hunting and outdoor recreation
land was added. There are eight
primitive campsites-those that
have limited restroom facilities
and no drinking water or power
hookups-and visitors don't have
to pay a fee to stay overnight. Also
consider whitewater rafting or
hiking on one of the park's many
trails. 304-465-0508; nps.gov/
neri/index.htm
Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail (Nelson
County, Virginia). The 1858 Blue
Ridge Tunnel was built to allow
trains to travel under Rockfish
Gap, and reopened as a public
trail in 2020. Visitors are welcome
to venture through this nearly
mile-long historical landmark,
but be sure to bring a headlamp
or flashlight. 434-263-7130;
blueridgetunnel.org
For more, see our March/April
2022 feature: blueridgecountry.
com/Crozet
-SARAH RIDDELL
VIRGINIA SCENIC RAILWAY

http://www.virginiascenicrailway.com http://www.BlueRidgeCountry.com/trainrides http://www.nps.gov/neri/index.htm http://www.virginiamaplesyrup.com http://www.blueridgetunnel.org http://www.BlueRidgeCountry.com/crozet http://www.soakymountainwaterpark.com http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM

Blue Ridge Country July/August 2023

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