Blue Ridge Parkway Tours and Activities

The Blue Ridge parkway Scenic driving tour is chauffered by a certified Naturalist that can tell you all about the flora, fauna an history of the parkway. He will stop at great vistas for photo opportunities and for some short hikes if the guests would like to.

As featured in Southern Living Magazine and MSN News, discover the authentic beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway with a naturalist guide to show you the best vistas, photo spots, and waterfalls that make Asheville famous. This intimate, small-group tour makes it easy to get to know your experienced, expert guide and learn more about the region. -Learn about the area’s history, plants, and wildlife from your naturalist guide -Visit famous waterfalls and ones that most tourists miss -See the best of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s expansive mountain views

Horseback riding through the Blue Ridge Mountains is a beautiful way to explore the area’s natural attractions. Trot through fern groves, past rows of wild flame azaleas, and into a white pine forest on well-trained, gentle horses. This tour includes a safety training, too, making it a good choice for beginner horseback riders and children.

Hike the best of the Blue Ridge Parkway on this guided day trip to three scenic waterfalls from Asheville. Take in views of the mountains as you tour the classic road in a comfortable van and hear stories about the area’s natural history and culture from your local guide. Watch for blooming laurels and rhododendron as you walk the easy to moderate trails through lush oak and hickory forests. Enjoy light refreshments along the way with plenty of time to relax by the falls before returning to Asheville.

All photo tours include hands-on coaching and instruction to help you improve your photos both artistically and technically. Most tours include two guides, a husband and wife team who are skilled, award-winning Nature & Fine Art photographers. You get lots of personal attention and guidance, and tours are customized to the types of photography and natural locations that interest you the most.

All photo tours include hands-on coaching and instruction to help you improve your photos both artistically and technically. Most tours include two guides, a husband and wife team who are skilled, award-winning Nature & Fine Art photographers. You get lots of personal attention and guidance, and tours are customized to the types of photography and natural locations that interest you the most.

Experience a scenic and memorable guided horseback riding adventure at Arrowmont Stables and Cabins outside of Asheville, North Carolina. Choose from a wide variety of departure times, then ride the beautiful Flame Azalea Trail, traveling through hardwood and white pine forests, plus open meadows with majestic, elevated views of the all-American Blue Ridge Parkway. Get to know the horses in advance. Guided safety training plus a ‘test drive’ and helmet (mandatory for those under 18) are provided.

Award winning photographers, Chris and Bonnie Allen escort you to beautiful locations in the Blue Ridge mountain region during the height of Autumn color season; and provide personalized instruction to help you make better photos. This photo class will help you slow down, connect more deeply with the natural world and learn how to build more feeling and impact into your photos. Instruction includes basic to advanced camera technique, as well as best practices in composition, the use of light for dramatic effect, and slow shutter speeds for more magical images. In addition to a personally rewarding and fun experience, you will come away with a host of new photography skills to advance the enjoyment of your photography passion both for yourself and others.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are one of the oldest ranges in the world, arising from tectonic plates colliding hundreds of millions of years ago. With misty mountains, winding roads, and sprawling green vistas, the blue mountain parkway is one of America's most beautiful drives. The Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina are stunning no matter the season - with fresh blossoms in the spring, rushing waterfalls in the summer, rusty autumnal colours in the fall, and peaceful snow cover in winter. On your private excursion, your guide will take you through the mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where you will enjoy several scenic highlights and have the opportunity to hike, should you wish to. You will stop for lunch in a quaint town, where your guide will recommend a place for the best Southern food and hospitality. After a day spent exploring the towns dotting the highway and the striking geological features of the ridge, your guide will drive you back to your hotel in Asheville.

Clearcut by loggers over 100 years ago, these high mountain peaks offer some of the best views in all of Pisgah National Forest. The Plott Balsams, Black Mountains, and even Mount Mitchell can be seen from their summits. Along the way, we'll offer a brief history lesson to how the area came to be.

Need a guide to help you find the elk in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? We’re offering just that! We currently have a 100% success rate in finding the elk! For our private Half-Day Elk & Waterfall Photo Tour, we put a lot of effort into thinking about what would be the most enjoyable half-day winter tour we could possibly put together. What we came up with is a trip that takes you about an hour west of Asheville out to Great Smoky Mountain National Park to see the elk herds in Cataloochee Valley and visit a couple of waterfalls. Our Elk & Waterfall tours are very adventurous and sure to please! We know when and where to find the elk We can get you (safely) close to the animals! We’ll make sure you have the right settings to capture the elk! Things we'll cover on this tour: - Long exposure settings for getting smooth, silky waterfall effects - What filters to use and why - The best settings to use for wildlife - And so much more!