The Swag Country Inn

If you like to drink your first cup of coffee while watching the sunrise at a 5000' perch, there's no better place to do it than from Gooseberry Knob located on the property of The Swag Country Inn. The Swag was recently featured in three articles in the Asheville Citizen-Times (1) (2) (3) and voted the number two small inn in the US by Conde Nast Traveler (and number 72 in the world for all hotels).

The inn caters to hikers and lovers of seclusion. After passing through the gate, visitors drive two and a half miles through private undeveloped property to the top of the mountain. The inn offers 15 upscale, yet rustic rooms with wood burning fire places, outdoor hot tubs and amazing views.  The rooms are literally a stone's throw from the most popular national park in the nation, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  Meals are an event all unto themselves.  Served family style and featuring food grown either on the property or nearby, Chef Brian Kimmet, keeps the guests well fed with creations matched only in the finest restaurants.

The good news for Greenvillians is that this sanctuary is less than two hours away.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 93 miles. 


View Larger Map

Lake Lure, NC

Lake Lure is a quiet mountain lake where the mountains drop down to the water. It's deceptively large due to it's shape. The lake contains a variety of coves so it appears small and quaint. Several movies have been filmed at Lake Lure including Dirty Dancing, My Fellow Americans and Firestarter.


The town of Lake Lure contains several nice restaurants and is located next to the tourist town of Chimney Rock.  Cabins, hotels, motels and campgrounds are all located nearby.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 64 miles.



View Larger Map

Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa

If you live anywhere within a day's drive of Greenville or Asheville, you owe yourself a trip to the Grove Park Inn. Built in 1913, the Grove Park has expanded from it's original structure to include two newer wings. Personally I prefer the rooms in the older wing. These are not only cheaper but cozier and more "inn-like."

View from one of the outdoor terraces.

The spa is a truly fantastic experience. You enter it through a hallway lined with stone walls, dim lighting, soft music and the aroma of eucalyptus. The spa itself is built to look like an underground cave. It features an indoor lap pool, a heated pool, hot tubs with waterfalls pouring hot water over you, a dry sauna, a wet sauna, etc, etc. Fires are burning in the various fire places inside and out. New age and classical music plays throughout, including under the water. No children are allowed and the spa limits the number of guests to a few dozen per day to assure a tranquil experience.

There are several restaurants within the inn ranging from moderate pricing to extremely upscale. There are many other amenities including a golf course, a gym, antique car exhibit, a great room with two enormous wood fireplaces and lots of places to find a private place to enjoy a drink and smoke a cigar.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 65 miles

View Larger Map

The River Garden Bed and Breakfast

The River Garden is located on the banks of the beautiful and pristine Holston River. The innkeepers, Scott and Paula, have provided three rooms in their home so that guests can get a small taste of peaceful southwest Virgina countryside that they enjoy daily.

The Holston is a fisherman's dream. During a canoe trip down the river, we found no area where trout were not abundant. All of the rooms open to a large porch overlooking the river.

In addition, Great Blue Herons, Redwing Blackbirds, Canadian Geese, Wood Ducks, Humming birds and a variety of other birds are found in every direction.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 180 miles.


View Larger Map

A Tailor's Lodging Bed and Breakfast

A Tailor's Lodging is located one block off Main Street in Abingdon, VA. The home was built in the 1840's by the town tailor. Although much of it has been updated, the owners have done an excellent job keeping it as authentic as possible. There are two rooms in the main house, one upstairs and one downstairs, and a large common area on the middle floor which includes a study, the kitchen, and a sitting room. The innkeepers, Rick and Susan, are very accommodating and generous, allowing guests free run of the place. They also offer great stories about the area.

An additional room is found in this cottage located next to the main house.

The house is one block from a bike rental/shuttle business and two blocks from the end of the Virginia Creeper Trail. The Martha Washington Inn is one block the other direction with the Barter Theatre located across the street. The Tavern is located about four blocks away and several other good restaurants are within walking distance.

Since Rick and Susan have regular jobs and don't live in the home, they don't offer a traditional breakfast. They will provide either a continental breakfast or a 10% discount for no breakfast. There is a great little place called the Trail Cafe one block away that offers some great breakfast options.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 172 miles.

View Larger Map

Three Wineries

The following three wineries are located a short distance from the town of Abingdon. They are all small and fairly young but each has a nice selection.

Corey Ippolito Winery and Bed & Breakfast. My favorite of the three.
Location

Right down the street is Countryside Vineyards & Winery. They also sell homebrew supplies.
Location





Closer to Abingdon, is the Abingdon Winery.
Location

Distance from downtown Greenville: 143-

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park is primarily accessible via the Skyline Drive, which is sort of like the Blue Ridge Parkway except there is a fee to access it. If you want to see wildlife, this is the place to see it. The deer are so friendly they sit within a few feet of the trails. The bear are also abundant but a bit more shy..fortunately. If you want a good meal and a good beer check out Big Meadows Lodge or Skyland Resort.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 400 miles




View Larger Map

The Windover Inn

The Windover Inn is a great little Bed and Breakfast in Waynesville, NC. The house itself is beautiful and somewhat reminiscent of Thomas Wolfe's home in Asheville.

The grounds are quiet and peaceful offering several places to sit and read or enjoy a glass of wine. Downtown Waynesville, which is within walking distance, offers several nice dinning options. For good beer options check out Nick and Nate's or Headlights. For upscale Southern cuisine with a good wine selection check out Sweet Onion. For wine, cigars, and craft beer to take with you check out Vin Wine Bar.







Distance from downtown Greenville: 84 miles


View Larger Map

Hot Springs, NC

Hot Springs is an odd little town reminiscent of something you might find in a David Lynch movie. The town was originally named after the natural mineral springs found here.

Unfortunately they've dried up, but there are man made "hots springs" that still draw visitors. (These hot springs are basically hot tubs sitting in a gazebo.)

While sipping an Oatmeal Porter in the Paddler's Pub on Main Street, a fellow patron noticing my hiking boots asked if I had hiked up from Greenville. This would be an odd question in any other pub, considering Hot Springs is a two drive from Greenville, but the town is a well known stopping point for through-hikers traveling via the Appalachian Trail, so it was certainly a reasonable question. The AT runs through the center of town. 

Being located on the French Broad River, the town is also a popular put-in and pullout for paddlers. In addition to the various spas, there are also campgrounds, cabins and B&B's available in the town.

And of course, no small town in the South would be complete without its share of religious proselytizing in the form of vandalism.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 96 miles


View Larger Map

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort

If you're looking to take that special someone on a fabulous ski weekend, Wolf Ridge is probably not the place you want to go. However, if you're just looking for a place to hit the slopes, this is one of the easiest places to reach from G-Vegas.

Currently the resort is pretty basic but there appears to be a strong effort to turn it into something much more. For now, it's just a good place to spend a day.



Distance from downtown Greenville: 92 miles


View Larger Map

Nantahala Cabins

Located just outside of Smokey Mountains National Park, these cabins offer a number of amenities including hot tub, pool table, fire place and a large kitchen. The Appalachian Trail, Nantahala Lake and Nantahala River are only a few miles away.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 117 Miles


View Larger Map

Nantahala Outdoor Center

The Nantahala Outdoor Center is located where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Nantahala river. (There are also several branch locations.) They offer many adventure trips, most of them centered around paddling on the areas best rivers.

They also have an outfitters shop, a couple restaurants and a general store which not only sells the best local microbrew in the area but offers a decent wine selection as well. Lodging is also available.



Distance from downtown Greenville: 129 miles


View Larger Map

Table Rock State Park

Table Rock State Park is one of the nicest state parks around. It has two nice lakes with canoes, paddleboats and rowboats for rent. One of the lakes has a small beach and is open for swimming during the summer months.

It also has some great trails of varying degrees of difficulty.


It has two RV/tent campgrounds, as well as primitive walk-in campsites and some very nice (although rustic) cabins for rent. One of the great things about the cabins is that they have large stone fireplaces that (unlike many cabins) burn real wood.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 32 miles.


View Larger Map

South of the Border

If the words cheap, tawdry, and dayglo fluorescent conjure positive images in your mind, then South of the Border is the place for you. Located just south of the North Carolina Border on I-95, SotB is the prime stop for the best kitsch in the state. From fireworks to bumper stickers to tacos you wouldn't feed your neighbor's pitbull, this place has it all. And if you just can't get enough in one day, a campground and several motels are located within walking distance of the the shops, miniature golf course and amusement park.




View Larger Map
Distance from downtown Greenville: 214 miles.

Linville Falls Village, NC

The Village of Linville Falls is located on Highway 221 atop the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with an elevation of 3400 feet and an average summer temperature of 67 degrees. Unique in location, it is situated in three counties: Avery, Burke and McDowell.
http://www.linvillefallsvillage.com/



Linville Falls is a great weekend retreat. The village (which is really more of a single intersection) contains many cabin and camping opportunities. It is also home of Linville Gorge (The Grand Canyon of North Carolina) and Linville Caverns.

While in the area make sure to try a meal or two at Famous Louise's Restaurant, where you can dine in one of three counties.


View Larger Map
Distance from downtown Greenville: 115 miles
Local Geocaches

The Cozy Cabin

The Cozy Cabin, located near Cashiers, NC, is great little place to run away to on a weekend. It's minutes from great hiking, fishing and golfing and the outdoor hot tub is a great way to both start and end the day.


View Larger Map

Distance from downtown Greenville: 72 miles

Pleasant Ridge County Park

Pleasant Ridge County Park is a great little park in northern Greenville County that appears to be practically unknown. Every time I've been there, there has never been more than a handful of people in the park.

The park contains both car camping sites and primitive camping sites, hiking trails, a small lake which is good for both swimming and fishing and four cabins for rent. It also the future home of Camp Spearhead. To the right of the picture above were a flock of Canadian Geese and Great Blue Heron. Unfortunately they were all a bit skittish and I was not able to get a photo.



Distance from downtown Greenville: 21 miles


View Larger Map

Mount LeConte, TN

Mt. LeConte is located in America's most popular national park (Great Smoky Mountains National Park).  At an elevation of 6642' it is only 291' lower in elevation than Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in the east. There are five trails that lead to the summit (seen above).


The shortest trail is the Alum Cave Trail, named after the cave above.

At the top of Mt. LeConte is a lodge with several small heated cabins. The lodge is accessible only by trail (5 miles being the shortest).  

A bear apparently tried to get into one of the buildings the night before we were there.

Distance from Downtown Greenville: 126 miles

View Larger Map