Davidson, App State and ETSU in 3 Days: A Charlotte-to-the-Mountains College Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing Davidson College near Charlotte on day 1, Appalachian State in Boone on day 2 and East Tennessee State in Johnson City on day 3: student-led tours at all three, where to park, four hotels from budget to upscale, drive times and seasonal weather, every fact sourced.
Sanford Mall in winter, App State. Photo: Clayhefner · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
Davidson College (Davidson, NC) · Appalachian State University (Boone, NC) · East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, TN)
Days
3 weekdays: Davidson in the morning of day 1, then the drive to Boone; App State on day 2; ETSU on day 3. Arrive in Davidson the evening before.
Fly into
Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 43 minutes from Davidson with no traffic. Fly home from Tri-Cities Airport (TRI), about 27 minutes from ETSU.
Best base
Courtyard Boone, about 2 minutes by car from App State's Holmes Drive tour parking deck and about 1 hour 35 minutes from ETSU.
Car or transit
Rent a car: Davidson to Boone is about 2 hours 6 minutes and Boone to Johnson City about 1 hour 35 minutes, on mountain roads.
Registration
All three schools take visit sign-ups online. App State asks tour visitors to follow Admissions' parking instructions, and ETSU asks you to print a visitor parking permit.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare three very different schools: Davidson College, 19 miles north of Charlotte off I-77; Appalachian State University in Boone, one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System with more than 21,000 students; and East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, with more than 14,000 students and 180 academic programs.
The three campuses sit in a line from the Charlotte suburbs up into the mountains, so the trip runs one way: fly into Charlotte, drive up to Boone and on to Johnson City, and fly home from Tri-Cities Airport.
We trimmed Gardner-Webb University from this plan: it's about 1 hour 32 minutes from Davidson and about 2 hours 14 minutes from App State with no traffic, in the opposite direction from the mountain schools.
Why this order
Day 1: Davidson's visit pairs a 45-minute information session with a 75-minute student-led walking tour, and Davidson's Main Street is steps from campus.
Day 2: App State's campus tours are led by a student guide, with Honors, Walker College of Business and Beaver College of Health Sciences tours offered on select days.
Day 3: ETSU's campus tour runs about two hours, with an admissions information session and a guided walk with a current student, and prospective students get a dining-hall meal voucher.
Register first: each campus has its own visitor parking
Davidson: visitor parking is near the Office of Admission (Grey House) off Jackson Street; check in at the Admission and Financial Aid Office lobby.
App State: campus tour parking is in the Holmes Drive Parking Deck; follow the parking instructions from Admissions.
ETSU: register for and print a Visitor Parking Permit, then park in the Welcome Center reserved spaces in Lot 35.
Tour availability varies by season.
App State's walk-in visitors get a self-guided visit instead of a tour, so register ahead, especially in busy seasons.
Johnson City-area winters bring about 3 inches of snow in both January and February on average, and the drives to Boone and Johnson City cross the mountains, so check road conditions in winter.
2. The suggested 3-day plan
Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Add a cushion for Charlotte rush-hour traffic on I-77 and for slower mountain roads.
Arrival evening: fly into Charlotte and drive to Davidson
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) → Homewood Suites by Hilton Davidson (125 Harbour Place Dr.)
Driving (no traffic)
~43 min, 27.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Rent a car at CLT
Davidson is 19 miles north of Charlotte off I-77 at Exit 30; the main campus entrance is at 405 North Main Street.
Day 1: Davidson College in the morning, then the drive up to Boone
Homewood Suites Davidson → Davidson College Office of Admission (405 N. Main St.)
Driving (no traffic)
~4 min, 1.1 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Davidson College → Courtyard Boone (1050 Highway 105, Boone)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 6 min, 98.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Davidson's visit is a 45-minute information session plus a 75-minute walking tour, so a morning slot leaves the afternoon for lunch on Main Street and the drive to Boone.
Bring comfortable shoes and a water bottle; Davidson has a refill station.
Day 2: Appalachian State University in Boone
Courtyard Boone → App State Holmes Drive Parking Deck
Driving (no traffic)
~2 min, 0.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Holmes Drive Parking Deck → Office of Admissions, John E. Thomas Hall (287 Rivers St.)
Driving (no traffic)
~11 min walk, 0.5 mi
Driving
On foot
Optional evening: Courtyard Boone → Carnegie Hotel & Spa (1216 W. State of Franklin Rd., Johnson City)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 36 min, 56.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Registration is required for App State's campus tours; each registered student can bring up to 2 guests. Pets aren't allowed (service animals only), and wheelchairs aren't provided.
Need accommodations? App State's Office of Disability Resources (828-262-3056) recommends 10 business days' notice.
Day 3: East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, then home
Courtyard Boone → ETSU Lot 35 (Welcome Center reserved spaces, off Gilbreath Dr.)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 35 min, 56.0 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Or, if you stayed in Johnson City: Carnegie Hotel & Spa → ETSU Lot 35
Driving (no traffic)
~2 min, 0.3 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Lot 35 → ETSU Welcome Center, D.P. Culp Student Center, Suite 250
Driving (no traffic)
~4 min walk, 0.2 mi
Driving
On foot
ETSU → Tri-Cities Airport (TRI)
Driving (no traffic)
~27 min, 17.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
Or: ETSU → Charlotte Douglas (CLT)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 hr 35 min, 142.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Car required
ETSU's tour takes about two hours, so a 1-hour-35-minute drive from Boone means an early start; the Carnegie night beside campus makes day 3 easier.
Want to meet with a specific academic program? ETSU asks for at least two weeks' notice.
3. Campus by campus
Philanthropic Hall at Davidson (Oct 2025). Photo: P. Hughes · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Book a Visit Davidson slot: a 45-minute information session followed by a 75-minute student-led walking tour. Guests are welcome.
Davidson's admission team looks at demonstrated interest, so a visit counts. Groups of 10 or more need to request a group visit at least three weeks ahead.
Visitor parking
Visitor parking is near the Office of Admission (Grey House) off Jackson Street. Check in at the Admission and Financial Aid Office lobby.
Getting there
Davidson is off I-77 at Exit 30, and Charlotte Douglas airport is about 25 minutes southwest by Davidson's estimate. The CATS 77X express bus connects Davidson with Charlotte, but a car is simplest for this trip.
What to know
The Davidson photo in this guide shows Philanthropic Hall. Davidson competes in NCAA Division I in 21 varsity sports, and home games are typically free and open to the public.
Pick up the Visit Brochure: it gives a 20% discount at the Davidson College Store. Main Street is steps away, with a farmers market on Saturdays.
Contact
Davidson College, 405 North Main Street, Davidson, NC; (704) 894-2000.
Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Register for a student-guided campus tour; Honors, Walker College of Business and Beaver College of Health Sciences tours run on select days. Each student can bring up to 2 guests.
App State also hosts Open House events and offers a self-guided tour; walk-in visitors get a self-guided visit.
Visitor parking
Campus tour parking is in the Holmes Drive Parking Deck; follow the parking instructions from Admissions. Parking questions: 828-262-2120 or admissions@appstate.edu.
Visitors at other times can use the Rivers Street Deck with ParkMobile. Parking in any lot is free after 5 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends unless signs say otherwise.
Getting there
Plan on a car: Boone is about 2 hours 6 minutes from Davidson and about 1 hour 35 minutes from ETSU.
What to know
The App State photo in this guide shows the library and student union from Sanford Mall in winter. Founded in 1899, App State offers more than 150 undergraduate majors and has a low student-to-faculty ratio.
The free Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on West King Street is a few minutes from campus; it's closed Sundays, Mondays and during home football games.
Contact
App State Office of Admissions, John E. Thomas Hall, 287 Rivers St., Boone, NC 28607; 828-262-2120, admissions@appstate.edu.
Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Book a Daily Campus Visit: an admissions information session plus a guided walking tour with a current student, about two hours in all. Campus tours run every weekday.
ETSU also hosts Open House days, which include lunch in the dining hall.
Visitor parking
Register for and print a Visitor Parking Permit, then park in the Welcome Center reserved spaces in Lot 35, near the Reece Museum stop off Gilbreath Drive.
Your visit begins at the ETSU Welcome Center, D.P. Culp Student Center, Suite 250, 412 J.L. Seehorn Jr. Rd.
Getting there
Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) is about 27 minutes from ETSU with no traffic, so day 3 can end with a flight home.
What to know
The ETSU photo in this guide shows the campus quad. ETSU has a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, more than 300 student organizations and 18 Division I teams in the Southern Conference.
Prospective students get a dining-hall meal voucher and a 20% bookstore coupon; the dining hall and bookstore close at 4:30 p.m.
4. Where to stay: one night in Davidson, one or two in Boone, and an optional night beside ETSU in Johnson City
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickMid-range
Courtyard Boone
1050 Highway 105, Boone, NC
Why here
It's about 2 minutes by car from App State's Holmes Drive tour parking deck and about 1 hour 35 minutes from ETSU's Lot 35, so it works for the night before App State and, if you like, the night before ETSU.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
It's about 2 minutes by car from ETSU's Lot 35 and about 27 minutes from Tri-Cities Airport, so a night here after App State makes the ETSU morning easy.
Good to know
Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.
Our arrival-night pick: it's on Davidson's hotels page, off I-77 Exit 30, about 4 minutes by car from Davidson's Office of Admission and about 43 minutes from Charlotte Douglas airport.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Davidson's hotels page notes that some local hotels offer discounts for college visitors, so ask when you book.
Book one night in Davidson, then Boone for the night after Davidson. For the last night, stay in Boone again or move to Johnson City after App State so ETSU is a 2-minute hop instead of a 1-hour-35-minute morning drive.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
ETSU dining hall (Johnson City)
Prospective students on ETSU's campus tour get a dining-hall meal voucher, so plan lunch on campus on day 3 (the dining hall closes at 4:30 p.m.).
Davidson's Main Street
Davidson's Main Street is steps from campus, and Davidson's visit page links to its own restaurant recommendations.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
423 W. King St., Boone, NC
App State's free art museum, about 4 minutes by car from Courtyard Boone, with six galleries and outdoor sculptures across campus. It's closed Sundays, Mondays, university holidays and home football game days.
A free museum of Appalachian history, art and culture on ETSU's campus, right by the Lot 35 visitor parking, with about 22,000 artifacts in its collection.
Check the Davidson Wildcats, App State Mountaineers and ETSU Buccaneers athletics calendars for a home game on your dates; Davidson home games are typically free.
Davidson visitors park near Grey House off Jackson Street; App State tour visitors use the Holmes Drive Parking Deck; ETSU visitors print a permit and park in Lot 35.
Davidson to Boone is about 98 miles and 2 hours 6 minutes, and Boone to ETSU about 56 miles and 1 hour 35 minutes, with no traffic.
Flying in and out
Fly into Charlotte Douglas (about 43 minutes from Davidson) and home from Tri-Cities Airport (about 27 minutes from ETSU). Driving back to Charlotte from ETSU takes about 3 hours 35 minutes.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Bristol/Tri-Cities Airport)
Spring: April averages about 69°F highs and 43°F lows, with about 3.8 inches of rain.
Summer: July averages about 86°F/65°F, with about 5 inches of rain, the wettest month.
Fall: October averages about 70°F/44°F, with about 2.5 inches of rain, the driest month.
Winter: January averages about 47°F/26°F, with about 3 inches of snow; February is just as snowy.
Parent checklist
Register for a Davidson morning visit for day 1, an App State campus tour for day 2 and an ETSU Daily Campus Visit for day 3.
Book a night in Davidson and one or two in Boone (or Boone then Johnson City), plus a one-way rental car from Charlotte Douglas to Tri-Cities Airport.
Print ETSU's Visitor Parking Permit before you leave, and watch for App State's parking instructions from Admissions.
Pack comfortable shoes and a water bottle for Davidson's 75-minute walking tour.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Davidson College, Appalachian State University and East Tennessee State University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Carnegie Hotel & Spa, Johnson City (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Johnson-City-Hotels-Carnegie-Hotel-Spa.h891178.Hotel-Information)
