The southeastern United States, exploring another side to America

A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is covered by vast spruce and hardwood forests, rocky peaks, and expansive prairies crisscrossed by rivers popular with fly fishers. Marked trails lead you alongside the tracks of deer, elk and even grizzly bears. The park owes its name to the mist that regularly blankets its landscapes, offering hikers a mysterious atmosphere.

North Carolina has long attracted gold and gemstone seekers. In memory of adventurers of a bygone era, the small Jackson Hole facility has been mining a seam since 1977, offering young and old visitors alike the chance to pan for rubies, sapphires, topaz, and amethysts at its outdoor covered sluice. Fun and educational workshops in a region dotted with waterfalls and wonder.

This is a unique place: The Dollywood theme park was founded by Dolly Parton, an iconic country music star and a native of the region. The park is full of suprising, thrilling rides and other Appalachian-themed attractions. Many concerts and other music events are held here year round. This is a total immersion in country culture!

This Châteauesque-style mansion, inspired by the French Renaissance, has 250 rooms and constitutes a significant part of American architectural heritage. Built in 1895, the huge residence spans over 175,000 square feet and remains the largest private residence in the United States. Biltmore still belongs to the same family and to the heirs of George Vanderbilt II. Much of the furniture is original. The beautiful grounds, like the house, are now open to the public.

Consistently celebrated as one of the most beautiful small towns in North Carolina, downtown Blowing Rock looks like it was taken straight from a postcard. Fewer than 2,000 inhabitants enjoy this small town where antique shops, clothing shops, and excellent cafés and restaurants rub shoulders. The Blowing Rock Equestrian Center, which has magnificent equestrian shows and is home to the longest continually running horse show in the country, is also located nearby.

The Carolina Tiger Rescue is neither a reserve nor a zoo. The sanctuary, which is open to visitors, was established in 1973 to save and protect wild animals in captivity and in the wild. The site is thus home to felines of every kind—lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, servals, and other wild cats—in wide-open spaces replicating their natural habitat. In addition to protecting wild animals, the Carolina Tiger Rescue works to educate visitors and raise public awareness.