There are many things to love about the fall season in North Carolina: the apple harvest, fall farm festivities, and the cool crispiness in the morning air, to name a few. Perhaps, though, the most stunning part of autumn is the way the brilliant colors sweep across the Tar Heel State in a blaze of glory.

Few things quite compare to seeing the bright yellows, golds, and rusty red hues blanketing the landscape.

Flickr/Jack Parrott

If your fall agenda includes a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, then be sure to go ahead and book a reservation for an overnight at the Pisgah Inn.

Google Maps/Ghost Fox From this perch high on a ridge near Canton, North Carolina, you’ll have a front row seat to sit, sip, and admire the changing of the guard of colors throughout the mountains.

Of course, if your plans are more for passing though than spending the night, the Pisgah Inn also has a must-visit restaurant with all of the same views as the Inn.

Google Maps/Karen Skellie

Plan your dates according to the colors you love to see most.

Flickr/Steve Walker The website SmokyMountains.com publishes an annual fall foliage prediction map that for 2020 predicts patchy colors will begin their west-to east swipe across North Carolina as early as September 21st.

Over the next five weeks, according to the source, the colors will progressively roll through the state from one region to another until they reach the northern coastal areas.

SmokyMountains.com

Found right along the Blue Ridge Parkway at 408 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Canton, the Pisgah Inn and Restaurant gives visitors the feeling of sitting on a cloud high above it all. The restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling wall of windows doles out views that are equally as wonderful as the food.

Facebook/Pisgah Inn

Seating in the dining room though is by reservation only and the restaurant only accepts reservations up to one week in advance. So make plans — and then stick to them. This is one of the most impressive restaurant views on the parkway.

Facebook/Pisgah Inn

Pisgah Inn’s restaurant is open to the public and open daily for lunch and dinner.

Google Maps/22 bella Lunch includes a little of everything from meatloaf to BBQ, seared salmon, and a pot pie.

The dinner menu includes ribeye, filet mignon, and ham steaks. Other entrees include a mountain fried half chicken, a boneless pork chop, and fish and chips.

Google Maps/byron matthews Be sure to leave room for dessert! After this meal you may be glad you went ahead and booked a room at the Pisgah Inn, too!

For a leaf peeping experience you won’t find just anywhere in North Carolina, head to Canton to the legendary Pisgah Inn and Restaurant found right on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Facebook/Pisgah Inn

Learn more about Pisgah Inn and Restaurant from its official website, including hours of operation and any seasonal openings and closings.

Flickr/Jack Parrott

Google Maps/Ghost Fox

From this perch high on a ridge near Canton, North Carolina, you’ll have a front row seat to sit, sip, and admire the changing of the guard of colors throughout the mountains.

Google Maps/Karen Skellie

Flickr/Steve Walker

The website SmokyMountains.com publishes an annual fall foliage prediction map that for 2020 predicts patchy colors will begin their west-to east swipe across North Carolina as early as September 21st.

SmokyMountains.com

Facebook/Pisgah Inn

Google Maps/22 bella

Lunch includes a little of everything from meatloaf to BBQ, seared salmon, and a pot pie.

Google Maps/byron matthews

Be sure to leave room for dessert! After this meal you may be glad you went ahead and booked a room at the Pisgah Inn, too!

Know of another favorite restaurant with an amazing view of fall colors in North Carolina every year? Let us know with our easy nomination form!

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Address: 408 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Canton, NC 28716, USA