Whether you're a seasoned "leaf peeper" or planning your first fall foliage tour, the questions are the same. Where do you find the most vibrant colors? Which scenic highways and byways provide the best opportunities for your viewing pleasure? Where are the best places to see the show?
The best places to see brilliant autumn colors and awe-inspiring mountain vistas are right here, in the western mountains of North Carolina. The hills and mountains in and around Asheville are world-renown for their "fall color show". This area is consistently ranked high on "Best Places to Visit" lists because of it's natural beauty and southern charm. Many believe that autumn is the best time to be here.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a perennial favorite. Breath-taking panoramas and leaf-carpeted forests are abundant in this timeless oasis. But, if you're the one driving, keep your eyes on the road. The stunningly beautiful sights along this drive can be a big distraction. And, at those elevations, you do not want to run off the road. Stop at the designated "scenic overlooks" to take your turn gazing, or switch drivers occasionally if you can. During leaf season the Blue Ridge Parkway can become a little crowded. If you want to get off the beaten path you might consider the drive through Hickory Nut Gorge, or The Pacolet River Scenic Byway.
In early October the leaves start to change in the higher elevations along the parkway, beginning around Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. Along the parkway you'll find campgrounds, picnic areas, trails, waterfalls, and recreation areas. The parkway also passes right through Asheville, so there is a wide range of exciting tourist destinations and shopping nearby.
Popular destinations north of Asheville include Grandfather Mountain and Linville Falls along US 221 near Boone, Craggy Gardens on the Parkway, and Roan Mountain, on the Tennessee border. To the west you can raft down Nantahala River, see the highest dam this side of the Rockies at Fontana Lake, or hike up Cold Mountain, made famous by the book and movie of the same name. Also west of Asheville are the towns of Cherokee and Maggie Valley, offering a diverse range of native crafts and eclectic shops. To the southeast, near Hendersonville, you'll find Lake Lure, (where Dirty Dancing was filmed), and Chimney Rock Park,which Boasts one of the highest waterfalls in the state, at 404 feet.. And southwest of Asheville, near Brevard, are several popular diversions such as Dupont State Forest, Looking Glass Falls, and the Forest Discovery Center at the Cradle of Forestry Historic Site.
Closer to Asheville, colorful views abound at Mount Pisgah or Graveyard Fields along the parkway. Magnificent views and aesthetically pleasing architecture combine at Biltmore House and Grove Park Inn. To see a wide variety of native foliage up close, stop in at the North Carolina Arboretum, just off the parkway at mile marker 393 or The Botanical Gardens of Asheville, near UNCA.
Driving through is a good way to see lots of color, but you may get more out of it if you immerse yourself fully in the experience. As mentioned earlier, you could take a hike or go rafting under the multi-colored canopies. You might enjoy a scenic train ride on The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Dillsboro, or if you want a completely different perspective, you might find consider flying above it all in a hot-air balloon. Remember you may have to book most of these excursions in advance.
If you plan an overnight visit, remember that local lodging becomes quite crowded as well. Consider making reservations in advance or planning your trips for Sunday through Thursday, if possible. You might even want to stay at places a bit farther away from the more frequented routes.
Items you may want to bring along include a warm jacket, a camera, extra food, drinks, a cooler, a map, a cellphone, and maybe binoculars. And remember to top off your gas tank occasionally.
The North Carolina mountains are definitely the place you want to be when the leaves are changing. But be warned, once here, you may never want to leave.
Botanical gardens are places where a enormous variety of plants are developed, usually for scientific purposes. Not all botanical gardens are open to the public, but the ones that are serve as a great educational tool, as you will be able to study many different plants up-close. While research certainly takes place on these plants, a botanical garden also serves as a place for conservation, keeping these plants protected in the process.
Here are some of the best botanical gardens in the world.
1. The New York Botanical Garden is one of the most well-known botanical gardens in the world. Situated in the Bronx borough of New York City, this garden sits on 250 acres and contains 50 gardens and plant collections. It was founded in 1891 and it acts as the region's leader in research and plant collection. The New York Botanical Garden has also remained as international leader when it comes to research. If you ever are scheduling a trip to see one of these gardens, this would certainly be a place to keep in mind, as they contain some of the best collections of plants in the entire world.
2. The Missouri Botanical Garden is also very popular in the United States. Located in St. Louis, this particular garden is known for having some of the finest botanical research around. There are also a number of horticultural displays and education programs geared toward training people everything about botanical gardens.
3. Denver's Botanical Garden is one of the top-rated gardens in all of the United States. This is a very exceptional garden because of where it is situated - the western part of the country. Therefore, by visiting this garden you will get a quick look at some plants you will not find in many other places, especially back east. Visually dazzling and essentially a work of art, this botanical garden has been around for over 55 years and has served as both an eye pleaser and an educational tool.
Those are just three of the most popular botanical gardens in the United States. These gardens can be found all over the world and each one has something different to offer. While these are usually used for conducting research and other learning purposes, one really can look at a botanical garden as a work of art. Beautifully designed, you must visit one in your lifetime; it is guaranteed that you have not seen anything like it, and surely you will not leave disappointed
Here are some of the place where you can see the gardens of the world.
1. Florida contains two gardens that are considered gardens of the world. There's Leu Gardens as well as the Fairchild Tropical Garden. Leu Gardens is in Orlando, while Fairchild Tropical Garden is in Miami. Both gardens enclose over fifty acres of rare and beautiful species of plants and flowers.
2. The Ness Botanic Gardens is one of the gardens in the world in Liverpool, England. It was been added to by exotic plant hunters since the nineteen hundreds and is even part of Liverpool University's work.
3. In Russia, there are two gardens of the world. There's the Botanic Garden of the Irkutsk State University, which isn't usually open to the public since it's primarily used for the University's work, and then there's the Petrozavodsk State University Botanic Garden, which seeks to work together with other gardens of the world to boost its variety and also add to the variety of other gardens.
4. There's even one of the gardens of the world in New Zealand, where they have the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, which is home to many acres of trees, flowers and shrubs. When you arrive, you become the master or mistress over all of these acres, and you will love the many walkways, bridges, and shady rests that are available to all who visit.
There are several other gardens of the world, and they are all beautiful and unique in their own right. If you truly love nature and would like to view exotic species and varieties of plants and flowers, and much more, visit one of the gardens of the world near you or begin your travels to all the corners of the world to visit gardens of the world in other countries and states. You'll love what you see and you'll love how the power of nature overwhelms you as you likely have never felt before.
Both James Rice & Cindy Heller are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
James Rice has sinced written about articles on various topics from Environment. James Rice is a lifelong resident of western North Carolina. Visit for links to resources with more detailed fall foliage information, includ. James Rice's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.
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