Plus: Stunning campus gardens; stone crab season; Lexington favorites

PHOTO: VISIT HAYWOOD

Downtown Waynesville, North Carolina.

Nearly a month after Helene, many parts of Western North Carolina are still reeling from the storm’s impacts, but a growing number of mountain towns are asking for travelers during their busiest tourism season. “If a town is open…go!,” says Jason Reeves, owner of The Outpost Inn in Cashiers and the Highlander Mountain House in nearby Highlands, both once again welcoming guests. “Your presence shows that the outside world cares.” So, if you’re looking for a fall escape—it’s still peak leaf season—consider heading to a WNC community that can accommodate visitors. Discover where and how you can responsibly travel within the recovering region.

Alexandria, Virginia. After two decades of living 3,000 miles apart, my best friend recently moved to Virginia, where I now live. To celebrate, we’ve been meeting up every few weeks. Alexandria, with its boutique shopping, diverse restaurants, and pumpkin-adorned historic district, felt like the ideal spot for our fall getaway.

Right on track. Trains are such a novelty in the U.S. that it’s easy to forget they’re an option. So I was delighted to learn that Amtrak offers twice-daily service from Charlottesville to Alexandria. I upgraded to a business-class seat on the Cardinal line, which allowed me to work comfortably on my laptop while enjoying picturesque views during the two-and-a-half-hour journey. Upon arrival, I easily caught the free King Street Trolley, which collects passengers at the train station, and headed into town to find a coffee shop to finish my remote work for the day.
Shop ’til you drop. We laced up our sneakers and set out to explore the five miles of King Street’s chic storefronts. Along the way, I picked up a French workman’s jacket from Crème de la Crème, a mini calendar from the irresistibly twee Penny Post, and the tiniest bottle of Runamok Sparkle Syrup at Red Barn Mercantile for my son’s Sunday morning pancakes.
Sky’s the limit. Our stay at the newly opened Hotel Heron in Old Town allowed us the added bonus of dining at its innovative restaurant, Kiln. Executive chef Matthew Maienshein, a protégé of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, showcases his expertise in Mid-Atlantic-inspired dishes, like a stunning tilefish paired with carrots prepared three ways and an unforgettable grilled and smoked Maitake mushroom dish. After dinner, we headed to the hotel’s rooftop bar, Good Fortune, where we enjoyed breathtaking views of the Capitol and the Washington Monument in the distance.

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