From Mount Mitchell in the Appalachians, the highest point in the eastern United States, to the serene beaches and barrier islands off the coast, and charming cities in between, North Carolina is a mixture of traditional and progressive. Visitors can take a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, traveling between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park, and stop for a hike or to visit the Cherokee Indian reservation, or instead, head to the coast to relax and visit the site of the Wright brothers first flying experiments.