Asheville, N. C. — with its lively arts district, locavore food movement and over-the-top, Gilded Age mansion — attracts hordes of leaf peepers as soon as the temperatures start to drop. But a two-hour drive up the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the less-visited Boone, a gem of a college town in the heart of Southern Appalachia, offers many of the same attractions, and plenty more besides. Come for the fresh air and majestic mountain views, but stick around to sample the local brews, enjoy live music and admire the fine crafts of the area’s talented artisans. The Blue Ridge Parkway is well worth the small detour for its historic sites and sweeping overlooks, while nearby Blowing Rock — a genteel resort town long favored by well-to-do Southern tourists — offers fine dining, swank boutiques and one of the most famous views in the state.

Friday

1) 1 p.m. Cuisine with a conscience

For a high-quality, locally sourced meal in a warm and friendly setting, stop by F.A.R.M. Café on King Street. It’s not obvious at first glance, but this easygoing diner, which attracts a mixed crowd of professor types, families and tourists, doesn’t have fixed prices (although there is a suggested donation of $7 for a small plate and $10 for a large). The cafe’s full name is Feed All Regardless of Means, and its goal is to eliminate hunger in North Carolina’s High Country. The menu changes every day but always includes a home-cooked soup, main, two sides, salad, dessert and as much iced tea as you can handle.

2) 3 p.m. High country hike

The forested bluffs of Elk Knob State Park might have been turned into a housing development had it not been for a group of concerned citizens who joined with the Nature Conservancy to purchase the land and hand it over to the state government in 2003. Now protected, the park’s 4,200 acres are home to wild turkeys, bobcats and black bears, as well as flame azaleas, orchids and the rare Gray’s lily. Get a close-up look at this high-mountain habitat along the 1.9-mile Summit Trail — a steady, well-marked climb that leads you to the top of Elk Knob (5,520 feet) and rewards you with a panorama of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. The views are especially radiant in the first half of October, when the fiery autumn colors at this elevation usually reach their peak. On a clear day, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi.