South’s Best Mountain Towns Includes 1 In North Carolina You Might Not Be Familiar With
We see suggestions in travel publications every day for amazing vacations. And, I ran across a list from Travel + Leisure for the South’s best mountain towns including one in North Carolina you might not be familiar with.
Obviously, when we think of North Carolina mountain towns, we think of the areas around Boone and Asheville. And certainly, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a must visit in the Fall. But, one on this list was a little town I had to research to learn more about.
Where Is One Of The South’s Best Mountain Towns?
Lansing, North Carolina made the author’s list of the South’s best mountain towns. So, upon searching for information about Lansing I found the tiny spot is in the mountains of Ashe County. It’s often referred to as a bit of a hidden gem of the High Country. Google searches indicate visitors can find trout waters, historic u-pick farms, live music and amazing food.
And, according to census numbers from 2020, the population of one of the south’s best mountain towns was just 126. So, it’s definitely away from the hustle and bustle of more populated areas.
What To Do In One Of The South’s Best Mountain Towns
So, what can visitors to Lansing, North Carolina plan? Apparently, the Old Orchard Creek General Store is a nice stop for coffee, tea or a tasty pastry. And, they offer a nice selection of books and locally made crafts.
Plus, for the outdoorsy types Lansing offers plenty. There’s the Lansing Creeper Trail Park with fishing, walking, mountain biking, a farmers market, live music and more. And, at roughly two and a half hours by car from Charlotte, it’s a nice little weekend getaway.
Where To Stay In One Of The South’s Best Mountain Towns
And, even though it’s a tiny spot, there’s no shortage of lodging in Lansing, North Carolina. A quick search reveals various options including Chetola Resort, Graystone Lodge, The Cabins at Healing Springs, Buffalo Tavern, Holiday Inn Express West Jeffferson and more.
So, perhaps it’s time to plan a getaway to one of the lesser known among the South’s best mountain towns. For more suggestions, see the full article.
Travel Experts Say This Is The Most Picturesque Small Town in North Carolina
North Carolina is home to some incredible small towns. From the mountains to the coast and everywhere in between. With so many spots, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Especially when each has something unique to offer. Many are gorgeous, and while we know that it’s nice to see others recognize that beauty. The travel experts over at North Carolina Travel Guides recently ranked the most picturesque small towns in the country. And they include 6 North Carolina towns on the list. But what is the most picturesque small town in North Carolina?
Their team worked to find the 120 most picturesque small towns in America. These towns are the ones that are “an absolute must-see and that one shouldn’t miss out on this summer.” So how exactly did they do this? North Carolina Travel Guides travel experts compared 500 small towns to create this list of 120. Metrics used to determine the most picturesque included search trends, popularity with photographers, and popularity for photography with the general public. And I know what you’re thinking. If this was commissioned by North Carolina travel experts they were probably biased. Right? Wrong. The top towns are not in NC. In fact, while North and South Carolina each had 6 towns included in the 120, the SC ones ranked significantly higher.
One South Carolina town ranked number 6, another 11th, and a third 23rd. The highest ranking NC town? It was 50th. So no bias here! Towns in both Carolinas are spread between all areas of the states. So whether you are looking for a quiet spot for a weekend getaway, a weeklong vacation, or a place to relocate you’ll want to read this list. Below you’ll find the top-ranked picturesque small town and towns in North Carolina followed by those in South Carolina. You can read the North Carolina Travel Guides article here.
Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.
