Tar Heel Travels
Highway 64
Revisited
Take the scenic tour of
North Carolina on our version of Route 66
Right: The Elizabethan Garden in Manteo is
one of several notable
attractions along Highway 64, which runs from the mountains to the
coast
By Bill F. Hensley
Sometimes
it’s hard to still see the North Carolina we grew up with, but
it’s still there – if you take the time to get off the interstate
and drive the less-traveled roads that criss-cross the state. The best
thing about these leisurely journeys these routes still will take you
to many of North Carolina’s finest destinations. Three driving
options I recommend are Route 64, Interstate 40 and Highway 74. Of
those, the best may be Route 64 because it traverses the entire state,
west to east, from Murphy to Manteo.
I-40 (360 miles) and Highway 74 (423 miles) offer more four-lane
traveling, but neither links the western border to the ocean and both
bypass some key areas. Although 64 is narrow and winding in the
mountains and often sparse and lonesome near the coast, it reaches an
infinite variety of interesting things to see and do along its 543
miles.
Start your Highway 64 journey in Murphy, a small, attractive,
community in the shadows of the Great Smoky and Snowbird mountains.
The area features several large lakes — Hiwassee, Chatuge, Nantahala,
Fontana and Santeetlah — where water sports, fishing and hunting are
popular, and life is unhurried. Majestic, panoramic views are around
every turn through the often rugged terrain.
The John C. Campbell Folk School in nearby Brasstown is a must for
arts and crafts lovers. It is nationally known as one of the
nation’s oldest and most successful craft learning centers, and its
varied classes draw students from around the globe.
Going east, the route passes through Hayesville and Franklin, a
destination in itself for mining and tubing on the little Tennessee
River, before reaching the state’s unique “waterfall country” of
Highlands and Cashiers, a beautiful summer vacation area tucked away
peacefully in the mountainous southwest corner of the state. Great
scenery, golf courses, country inns, restaurants and cool breezes are
permanent residents of this lovely area.
The journey continues past Lake Toxaway and the outstanding Greystone
Inn, to Brevard with its summer music festival, Hendersonville and the
Apple Festival, Flat Rock and the Carl Sandburg home, Chimney Rock,
and Lake Lure, each with a special charm.
A short drive north off 64 enables the traveler to enjoy Asheville,
the state’s “Land of the Sky,” with the renowned Biltmore House,
gardens and winery, the Blue Ridge Parkway, craft center, and a wide
assortment of interesting attractions and facilities.
Continuing, the road winds through Rutherfordton, Morganton, Lenoir,
and Statesville where it intersects with I-40, before reaching
Lexington and its many famous barbecue restaurants, race car shops and
Bob Timberlake Gallery. Be sure to arrive with a healthy appetite for
North Carolina’s favorite dish and side orders of cole slaw and hush
puppies.
Next up is Asheboro and the state zoo, although side trips to the big
cities of Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point are short hops
away. The zoo is a spacious, well-maintained facility that offers a
variety of interesting animal life.
En route to the capital city of Raleigh, pause in Pittsboro and spend
a night at the Fearrington House, the state’s only Five-Star,
Five-Diamond inn and restaurant. And it will take another day or so to
absorb the culture of Raleigh’s many fine museums, including a
highly-regarded State Museum of Art. Enjoy a meal at the popular Angus
Barn Restaurant or the 42nd Street Oyster Bar.
Travelers along 64 will find themselves in the heart of the state’s
farming country in Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Williamston and Plymouth.
Fields of cotton, soybeans, and peanuts stretch for miles on each side
of the road, and lonely tobacco barns stand out against the blue sky.
There are streams for fishing, wildlife refuges, antique stores,
battlefields, historic sites, and enough inns and local restaurants to
satisfy the most discerning visitor.
Before heading to Manteo, cross the Albemarle Sound and spend a day in
Edenton, arguably the state’s prettiest and most historic town.
Experience a visit to yesteryear where dignified, stately colonial
homes and churches, built in the late 1700s, line quiet, tree-shaded
streets. The town’s focal point is a spectacular waterfront that
played a key role in the state’s colorful past.
In Manteo enjoy the Elizabethan Garden, the North Carolina Aquarium,
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, the Elizabeth II vessel, and the
Waterside Theater where the famed outdoor drama “The Lost Colony”
has been performed since 1937. For accommodations, check out the
elegant First Colony Inn in Nags Head or the Sanderling Inn in Duck.
Although the highway ends here, the journey doesn’t because an
exciting new world opens where the Outer Banks begin. Enjoy the Wright
Brothers Memorial, Jockey’s Ridge, the wild ponies en route to
Corolla and its lighthouse, and a leisurely, memorable drive thorough
the National Seashore to Cape Hatteras and the lighthouse. And then
it’s a short ferry ride to adventuresome Ocracoke Island, a treasure
trove of legends and lore.
Route 64 is North Carolina’s all-purpose highway and it provides an
enlightened study of the state’s history and heritage.
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