Shenandoah National Park

Both Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Parkway straddle the eastern-most “front range” of the Appalachians. That can mean that most of the snow from the region’s storms falls on more westerly ridges West Virginia peaks can receive nearly 200 inches of snow!.

via Winter: A “Secret Season” in the South’s Loftiest National Parks | National Parks Traveler.

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John-Boy might not be there, but you’ll still get a taste of Appalachian Christmas cheer with a visit to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park this coming Saturday.

Each year, deep in Appalachia, the holiday season is ushered in as Christmas-red cardinals decorate snow-covered hemlocks. Icicles become nature’s diamonds frosting rocky mountainsides. The brisk air makes one’s skin tingle. Christmas bells treat ears to a medley of jingles. And at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park’s “Taste of Christmas Past” children of all ages will thrill in the magic of mountain holidays of old.

via Head To Cumberland Gap National Historical Park To Taste Appalachian Christmas Cheer | National Parks Traveler.

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John Washburn, who grew up in Ruffin, N.C., and graduated from George Washington High School in 1965, is currently building Bold Rock Cidery and Brewpub near Wintergreen in Nelson County, where he now lives. Right now, 15,000 square feet of cidery buildings and a restaurant are under construction, but eventually the cider pub will offer four varieties of hard ciders and a relaxing atmosphere nestled in the Blue Ridge countryside.“It’s a bold project,” Washburn said.

Washburn and friend Brian Shanks, co-founded Bold Rock Partners Lt. in March after deciding to pursue cider, or alcoholic fermented apple juice. Shanks has more than 30 years experience in the cider business, including in New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain. Washburn, who bought a farm in Wintergreen and developed property there for about 14 years, saw an opportunity to add cider to the area’s burgeoning brewery scene.

via Danville native to open Virginia cidery | GoDanRiver.com.

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Charlottesville, Va. Historically speaking, Charlottesville overflows with places to enjoy year-round, including Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Michie Tavern and the University of Virginia Rotunda. The city’s health system consistently ranks among the nation’s best and weather is mild most seasons. Shoppers laud the car-free mall area filled with cosmopolitan shops, while art and culture buffs frequent the Ash Lawn Opera Festival, The Virginia Film Festival, the Community Symphony Orchestra performances and shows by The Virginia Players.

via 12 Retirement-Friendly Retreats – Retirement & Relocation – Blue Ridge Living.

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Slow is almost always better in this part of the world, I was learning. A traveler should be sure to leave time to savor another ready-to-levitate biscuit or a melting sunset or a stranger’s drawling tale—and especially, to linger at the mountain banjo-and-fiddle jams that the region is known for. This music cannot be heard with half an ear—it has 400 years of history behind it, and listening to it properly takes time.

via A Musical Tour Along the Crooked Road | Travel | Smithsonian Magazine.

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