Many people think the Blue Ridge Parkway is a highway. It has no resemblance to a highway and is rather the anti-highway par excellence. The Blue Ridge Parkway is Americas longest and most visited national park. It is a 469 mile two-lane country road, in pristine condition from pavement, botanical and landscaping perspectives, that winds its way from The Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee on one end, to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, on the other end. It is for want of a better description a 469 mile botanical garden with a very safe 45mph speed limit and with some of the most breathtaking scenery to be found anywhere. It is a favorite road of most Porsche and Harley-Davidson owners in the Southeast.

"Outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most popular units of the National Park System. "America's Favorite Drive" winds its way 469 miles through mountain meadows and past seemingly endless vistas. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads and historic structures complement spectacular views of distant mountains and neighboring valleys." - www.blueridgeparkway.org

"The Parkway incorporates several recreation areas, some exceeding 6,000 acres. These parks within the Parkway have visitor centers, camp grounds, picnic areas, trails and, in many instances, concessionaire-operated lodges, restaurants, gas stations and other facilities." - www.blueridgeparkway.org

"Building the Parkway through mountainous terrain was a monumental labor. Authorized in the 1930s as a Depression-era public works project, the Parkway was more than a half-century in the making. It was the nation's first, and ultimately longest, rural parkway, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Enduring standards for parkway engineering and design were pioneered here." - www.blueridgeparkway.org

"Developed areas at regular intervals along the Parkway each carry a distinct personality, highlighting the natural or cultural history of the region. Although short walks or stops at these various locations will give visitors an up- close view, springtime blooms or magnificent vistas can be enjoyed from behind the wheel of your vehicle." - http://www.nps.gov/blri/

"The Blue Ridge Parkway can be experienced in many ways and at many levels. First and foremost, it is a scenic driving experience. It has been dubbed "America's Favorite Drive" and is one of only 23 roads nation-wide that has earned All-American Road status. No wonder. The Parkway wends 469-miles across narrow ridges flanked by scenic valleys, along pastoral mountain plateaus and through some of the highest mountains in the eastern United States. In Virginia and portions of northwest North Carolina, picturesque log cabins, a postcard perfect grist mill and miles of split-rail fence are interspersed with piedmont vistas and a ridge-top drive that overlooks the historic Great Valley. Further south, the high mountains of western North Carolina provide panoramas of seemingly endless peaks, including the highest point east of the Mississippi River. It's easy to see why recreational driving is the most popular activity that our visitors enjoy. But to limit your Parkway experience to that would be to miss so much that is here to enjoy. For instance, nearly 400-miles of trails meander the mountainsides and meadows, giving you a chance to experience the smell of a spruce-fir forest, view waterfalls, behold our tremendous variety of wildflowers, and glimpse the Parkway's abundant wildlife. Some trails are short and can be enjoyed by those who may not be up to a strenuous outing. It's all a matter of personal choice." - Philip A. Francis - http://www.nps.gov/blri/ - www.blueridgeparkway.org

Some of the most spectacular man and nature made day-destinations close to the parkway in our area are:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Biltmore Estate
The Museum of the Cherokee Indian
Chimney Rock Park
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Grandfather Mountain
Old Salem
Mount Mitchell State Park
Lake James State Park
Lake Norman State Park
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad

“Club Ferdinand in Valle Crucis, North Carolina,
is the first “Fleet-Sharing Club” in the World composed exclusively
of the legendary Porsche Automobiles.
Three surprisingly affordable membership options
enable Members to benefit from the use of the club’s
“Luxury Sports Car Fleet” of new Porsches,
using a reservation and points system which assures equitable-share
usage of the fleet by all club members.
Explore North Carolina behind the wheel of your collection
of new Porsches and discover a whole new level of freedom.”


ClubFerdinand
1644 Broadstone Road
Historic Valle Crucis
Banner Elk, North Carolina 28604
Telephone: 828-963-5857, 828-963-2626
Fax: 828-963-6404, 626-608-3594
Toll Free: 1-888-963-5857
www.clubferdinand.us
info@clubferdinand.us

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