# Scenic/nice drive from PCD to CT?



## Nunnink23 (Jun 25, 2013)

Hello, I just signed up for these forums after seeing that there is a lot of information on PCD here. I reads ton of topics and decided to schedule a date to pick up my next m3 at the performance center. Thanks to the wealth of information here, I only have one or two questions. 

I am going down August 1st (Thursday), for August 2nd delivery. We arrive early and plan to enjoy the town a bit and relax. After the performance center we planned to hit the blue ridge parkway. We have to drive back to CT and be home for Sunday morning. I am not 100% sure if we are going to stay somewhere Saturday night yet, but we definitely are staying Friday night somewhere in North Carolina. 

My question is, after the blue ridge parkway, what is the most scenic route back to CT? We thought about taking I81, because I assume I95 will be congested and probably full of stones and sand like it is in Connecticut. However after reading a bit, it appears that I81 is not much better as far as road quality. We also have never drive south of jersey so we don't know if there are any scenic roads. Has anybody made the drive back to the tri-state area and found a nice choice of roads? 

Also, where is a good town to stop after the blue ridge parkway? It looks like most people driving north hop off the blue ridge in Asheville NC, but we might want to drive a little farther after Asheville Friday night. 

Thanks guys! Anyone else picking up a car August 2nd?


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## JimD1 (Jun 5, 2009)

I drove the Blueridge parkway end to end a couple years ago at leaf change time. It rained some of the time but it was still fun. I spent two nights along the way. The first night was in Little Switzerland and wasn't so great. It was scenic but an old place that smelled musty. The local BMWCCA has driving weekends out of this place sometimes so I thought it would be fine and it wasn't terrible. Dinner and breakfast were included and were good. There are several hotels in that area that are just off the parkway. There are also inns on the parkway. If you go 10 miles south of Ashville you come to Mt. Pisgah which has a hotel right on the parkway. 

The other night I stayed at a nice B&B near the northern end of the parkway but I can't remember the name. It started with "O" and included the word "mill" and was near Buena Vista. It was a small place with a nice restrauant downstairs and comfortable rooms. I recommend it but I can't remember the name. Even the road off the parkway was a nice drive - twisty turny. Wish I could remember the name.

I don't have experience with scenic drives further north but you should continue onto skyline drive after the parkway. The parkway will dump you right onto skyline drive and it is similar and gives you a few more miles up into Virginia. One idea, not sure if it is good, would be to cross over to the coast and come up route 1. I've seen stories about driving 1 all the way up and down the coast but never done it.

Jim


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## Nunnink23 (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks for the response. I just looked at what you mentioned, and now I realize the blue ridge parkway goes a bit farther than I originally thought. What is skyline dr? A similar scenic road? I did follow it on the map to the end, and after I can pick up I81 if I want. 

So is the blue ridge/skyline dr a clean good condition road? Or are there a lot of in maintained areas? I just can't stand the thought of chipping up my new cars good with a dirty sandy highway.


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## tonydetiger (Apr 21, 2013)

I know the Blue Ridge Parkway through SW Virginia is in good condition. I grew up near a section of it, and drove/biked it often. 

Just know that the speed limit rarely goes above 45 mph. 


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## JimD1 (Jun 5, 2009)

The blue ridge parkway is part of the national park system. Speed is inforced by park rangers, not police. When I drove it the condition was excellant. It is not suited for big trucks and they are probably banned so it doesn't get the same challenges as our typical roads. So I would expect it to remain above average to good in condition. It is high enough elevation that it gets freeze/thaw cycles over most if not all the length. It closes when there is freezing conditions so it is not always open the full length. 

The biggest traffic challenge was moblile homes. There are lots of turnoff places for pictures. That also can make it slow going. But the speed limit is low so the drive is not challenging unless you go well over - and then you risk federal enforcement of the law. I liked the tunnels on the southern part the best but you will miss most of those starting in Asheville. It gradually gets less mountaneous and straighter as the parkway goes north.

I only drove a few feet onto skyline drive before turning around to head home but it looked the same to me. What I read also says it is similar. If you haven't googled blue ridge parkway you should. There is a good pdf you can download from the government with a map and things to do along the route. The pdf covers both the blue ridge parkway and skyline drive. I turned off for an hour or so at Lynwood falls, I think was the name, which was worth the time. It is a scenic water fall you get to by hiking through the woods. Some people spend as much as a week on the parkway by taking all the little side trip opportunities. I can't move that slow but planning on a minimum of a side trip or two (of an hour or two each) is probably a good idea for most people. Stopping for pictures at least every hour or so or as interesting things come up (need to reference the map) is also a good idea. The map I am recommending has the side trip opportunities and recommendations on lodging.

Jim


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## Virginia Bill (Oct 18, 2005)

The Skyline Drive is simply a continuation of the the Blue Ridge Parkway. It ends at Front Royal, Va., from where you can easily get to I66 then I81. All the roads are in good condition. I81 can be a little congested (trucks), but its much better than I95. 

Don't even think about route 1; it's unrelieved urban congestion from Quantico north. Whatever you do, avoid metro D. C.; we're heading into a year or so of reconstruction on I95 which will certainly snarl traffic.

Your first thought -- Shenandoah Valley into Pennsylvania -- is your best choice.


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## Nunnink23 (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. I am definitely doing skyline drive, but I'm not sure I will have time to do the entire blue ridge parkway. I plan on getting on the blue ridge after my delivery since it seems like a good road for initial break in. Then I was going to stay the first night in Boone NC area. 

Does anybody know which parts of the blue ridge are the nicest? I would like to be on it in VA, since the troopers are real hard on speeding, so I figured its a good time to be on the blue ridge. 

But if I decide to hop on 81 from Boone, and then get back on the blue ridge before Skyline drive, would I be missing anything? I see so many nice photos of the blue ridge parkway, but I'm not sure where each of them are taken. I certainly don't want to miss it.

Also, I searched around to see what you all are doing to protect your paint from chipping, and I can't find a topic my friend told me about. From what he said, the Performance Center offers you a removable clear plastic film that you can tape on to the car and drive it home with? I don't drive my m3 in the winter, or on bad highways, so I'm trying to avoid 1000 miles of stone chips in the first 2 days of ownership. 

Thanks!


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## GeorgeT (Jun 22, 2007)

Right now a section of the Parkway North of Asheville is closed for repairs due to recent heavy rains. Check their website for more info. It may be open by the time you take delivery.


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## Nunnink23 (Jun 25, 2013)

GeorgeT said:


> Right now a section of the Parkway North of Asheville is closed for repairs due to recent heavy rains. Check their website for more info. It may be open by the time you take delivery.


George, I just saw that yesterday actually. I am glad it is closed at that section. My plan now is to get on the blue ridge at the intersection of 287, then get off in Asheville. After getting off I am going to hop on 81 and go up to Blacksburg or somewhere around there, and stay the night.

Saturday is still what I am not sure about. I need to make it near NJ before we end the night, within 2 hours of NJ. I am not sure where to get back on the blue ridge. If I can find out what section is the nicest, or most scenic, that is where I will get back on.

From what I read, skyline drive is even nicer than the blue ridge , so I should drive to the end of that road if I can.


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## JimD1 (Jun 5, 2009)

To me the south end of the blueridge parkway is the nicest. It is the hilliest and has the most tunnels. As the blueridge parkway goes north it gets gradually flatter. It's all nice but that is my take on it.

I spent two nights in a hotel as I drove the parkway.  The nicer of the two was in a B&B. I just decided where I wanted to stop and looked at what was available. I think the nicer place was on the blueridge parkway guide I mentioned in an earlier post.

Jim


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## Nunnink23 (Jun 25, 2013)

JimD1 said:


> To me the south end of the blueridge parkway is the nicest. It is the hilliest and has the most tunnels. As the blueridge parkway goes north it gets gradually flatter. It's all nice but that is my take on it.
> 
> I spent two nights in a hotel as I drove the parkway. The nicer of the two was in a B&B. I just decided where I wanted to stop and looked at what was available. I think the nicer place was on the blueridge parkway guide I mentioned in an earlier post.
> 
> Jim


Hi Jim. Here is my most recent plan, let me know what you think.

Hop on the blue ridge at the earliest point logical from Greenville (287). Then I am going to head north and get off in Asheville, where the parkway is closed from damage. After that, I'm going to stay in Burnsville area. We want to get back on the blue ridge before the linn cove viaduct, because that looks really interesting. After the viaduct, back on 81 until roanoke, then back on the blue ridge for the rest of the drive and skyline dr.

That works with my schedule, and should still give me good views. If skyline drive isn't nice, I can get off and go back on 81. We need to be in New Jersey for Sunday morning.

Any particular advice for my planed trip? I'm very excited!

P.s. what is up with BMW not including m3 mats anymore!?


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