Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 33

more than 9,000 acres. Ovenbird and yellowthroated vireo call these woods home, as do ruffed
grouse, bobcats, hikers and mountain bikers.
Eat and stay: Savage River Lodge, Frostburg
(301-689-3200/ savageriverlodge.com), whose
food and wine have received national press.

South Carolina

Float above

south carolina department of parks, recreation and tourism

Some two dozen balloons will ascend over
Anderson, S.C., Oct. 10-12 in the annual Balloons
Over Anderson Hot Air Balloon Festival. Book a
ride or watch the evening Balloon Glow, when
pilots light their balloons up like lanterns.
Eat: Sullivan's Metropolitan Grill, Anderson
(864-226-8945/ sullivansmetrogrill.com) is fine
dining in a 1800s-era store.
stay: The Bleckley Inn, Anderson
(864-225-7203/ bleckleyinn.com).

Come late

Shaped by the Blue Ridge Escarpment, Cherokee
Foothills Scenic Highway is a 112-mile two-lane
road past Cowpens National Battlefield and Lake
Keowee. Fall comes late to the Upstate, making this
prime leaf country in October and November.
Eat: Paesano's Italian Restaurant, Seneca
(864-882-3368/ paesanositalian.com).
stay: The Lowry House Inn, Seneca
(864-888-0122/ thelowryhouseinn.com).

See Forever

At Caesars Head State Park near Greenville, a suspension bridge affords a look over 420-foot Raven
Cliff Falls while the overlook on top on the park
has views into Georgia and North Carolina.
Eat: Sassafras Southern Bistro, Greenville
(864-235-5670/ sassafrasbistro.com).
stay: Pettigru Place Bed & Breakfast,
Greenville (864-242-4529/ pettigruplace.com),
whose lush gardens are a short walk from
Greenville's historic Main Street.

DeSCenD rapiDly

The Northern Crescent bicycle route covers 105
miles of Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway on its
360-mile route to the South Carolina coast. Start
near Westminster for handsome valley views and

gorgeous mountain vistas.
Eat: Beef and Rib Restaurant, Westminster
(864-647-0011).
stay: Magnolia Manor, Westminster
(864-647-8559/ magnoliamanorbb.com).

SCuba Dive

Filled with crystal clear mountain spring water,
Lake Jocassee near Salem is surrounded by 75 miles
of shoreline, very little of it developed. Devil's Fork
State Park has great access to excellent trout fishing
and (get this) scuba diving.
Eat: The Steak House Cafeteria, Wahalla
(864-638-3311/ thesteakhousecafeteria.com).
stay: The environmentally friendly Three
Pines View Bed and Breakfast Boutique Lodge,
Salem (864-784-2974/ threepinesview.com). 

Facing page top: Flyfisher folks adore Savage
River State Forest (Md.),
where two rivers make
for fabulous fishing.
Facing page lower: See
the foothills of the Blue
Ridge from a balloon
during Balloons Over
Anderson (S.C.) Hot Air
Balloon Festival.
Above: Scenic views
abound the length of the
112-mile two-lane
Cherokee Foothills
Scenic Highway (N.C./
Tenn.).

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 | 33

http://www.savageriverlodge.com http://www.sullivansmetrogrill.com http://www.bleckleyinn.com http://www.paesanositalian.com http://www.thelowryhouseinn.com http://www.magnoliamanorbb.com http://www.sassafrasbistro.com http://www.pettigruplace.com http://www.thesteakhousecafeteria.com http://www.threepinesview.com

Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014

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