Visited: Monday, September 9, 2024 - Tuesday, September 10, 2024
The is a challenge, following up something spectacular. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a nice drive - but compared to Shenandoah, it's just not in the same ballpark. The views are much rarer, and less spectacular. The wildlife doesn't stand out more. The constant cross-roads and nearby homes, farms, and other structures pull one out of the moment constantly - particularly compared to the two mid-drive exits of Shenandoah.
BUT - the Blue Ridge Music Center, the Southernmost stop on the Parkway in Virginia, is _very_ well worthwhile. First, they have live bands play, which is great. The museum is great, and covers how African American music played an impact on the musical styles of the region.
We only drove the Virginia portion of the parkway - that was our plan, once we realized that continuing to the Great Smoky Mountains was unrealistic - but now completing the full drive is no longer on our list of must-dos; instead, we'll try to hit a few key places in North Carolina.
Nothing to do with the NPS, but after deciding this we stopped down to Mount Airy, NC, and visited the Andy Griffith museum. It's small, but fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment