Roan Mountain Drive & Dine/Abingdon Overnight

Registration Opens March 15 at 12:00 p.m.

Enjoy the Blooms Drive & Dine with an Optional Overnight

The flowering Rhododendron at Roan Mountain is world famous for their pop of color every spring. And, the roads to get there are great Porsche driving roads as we wind along the Toe River.

This year the Appalachian Region will conduct a Drive & Dine to Roan Mountain to time the blooms on Thursday, June 3, 2021. Nature can’t be controlled, but this is the normal blooming period so we can only hope to time it right. The tentative meet-up time will be 9:30 a.m. to reach Roan by noon.

The drive will start in Weaverville where we will glide along the beauty of Ivy Creek up to Prices Creek where we will take a break in Burnsville. Once we cross 19 we’ll follow Jacks Creek until we connect with the majestic Toe River. The Toe is a wide, fast moving river providing a scenic drive as we drive along its banks before reaching Roan Mountain for our picnic lunch.

After the drive to Roan Mountain, we’ll be having an outdoor bring-your-own picnic in the park. If the Rhododendrons are blooming you can enjoy the spectacle from your Porsche or you can walk the short Rhododendron Gardens Trail or visit the site of the former Cloudland Hotel from the turn of the century.

After the time at Roan Mountain, you have two options:

1. Return to Asheville making it a great one day driving and social event, or...
2. Drive to Abingdon, Virginia for an overnight get-away with other club members.

Abingdon, Virginia is about an hour away from Roan Mountain and offers a quaint downtown with an artsy vibe and historic charm. Upon arrival in Abingdon around 3:00 p.m. you’ll have the option to rest and relax in your room, walk the shops in the city or continue driving some of the fabulous roads in the area.

We’ll be lodging at the Country Inn & Suites in Abingdon with dinner at the historic Tavern Restaurant as a group that evening.

The Tavern was built in 1779 and was originally a Tavern and overnight Inn for Stagecoach travelers. The Tavern has hosted such guests as the King of France and President Andrew Jackson. The Tavern is home to the oldest bar in Virginia and is one of the oldest in the United States. And, the food is darn good. We’re sure to enjoy ourselves over dinner.

On Friday morning there will be an optional early drive over to Back of the Dragon if you want to experience that unique driving experience. Or, we might drive Hayter’s Gap that is in the backyard of Abingdon. It’s your choice.

The return to Asheville on Friday is two-hour drive via the freeway or you can enjoy back roads including the world famous Snake US-421 from Tennessee into North Carolina. The back road drive to Asheville will be 4-5 hours.

Please register below for the one-day Roan Mountain Drive & Dine or the two-day Roan Mountain to Abingdon Overnight event.

If you plan on joining us overnight in Abingdon you will need to book a room yourself. Don Therien has arranged a special rate of $82 plus tax for Club Members at the Country Inn & Suites. You pay for this yourself along with your individual dinner bill at The Tavern. The club has handled reservations for the group at The Tavern.

Hotel Reservation Details – Reservation Required by April 15

Country Inn & Suites

940 E. Main St

Abingdon, Virginia

T276.676.2829

To receive the group rate of $82, plus tax for a King or 2 Queen room, you will need to ask for the Appalachian Region-PCA discounted rate.

Book your hotel now (hotel reservations are open now.) Room rates are only valid until April 15, 2021.

Registration for the one-day drive to Roan and the two-day drive with an overnight to Roan and Abingdon will open on March 15 at 12:00 p.m. (There are separate limits on the two options; if only one appears on the registration form, it means the other is full. Note that the one-day drive does not include the overnight stay.)