We are going to visit family in Washington DC next week and intend to drive off to North Carolina for a week in the middle of our stay (beg Oct) to give everyone a break and see a bit of the country. Does anyone have any advice on that area?
though it's a longer haul (but easily doable in a week), have you considered driving up to New England to look at the autumn colours? Beautiful. Google leaf-peeping for best locations, updated every day or two.
If you were entertained by the movie The Last of the Mohicans, be sure to take the drive to Chimney Rock Park, on the eastern edge of Hickory Nut Gorge in Rutherford County, NC and re-visit all of the breathtaking scenery in the last twenty or so minutes of the film..Absolutely beautiful!