Top scenic roadways include N.C. 12 on Outer Banks

Country magazine, a leisure travel publication that  specializes in drive vacations in America, released its 2014 list of "The Nation's Best Scenic Roads."

First on the annual top 10 is Outer Banks National Scenic Byway. Besides being pure eye candy, it's also the only highway on the list that's on a seacoast and the only one that's not overly far from civilization.

Here's the road roundup:

1. U.S. 12, Outer Banks National Scenic Byway. It begins in Nags Head and heads south along the Outer Banks to Ocracoke Island (shown above) and continues via ferry to Cedar Island. ( It also includes a ferry ride between Hatteras and Ocracoke islands).

2. Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway. It's U.S. 395 and follows the mountain range and deserts in eastern California from Topaz Lake, near the Nevada border, south to the China Lake area east of Bakersfield, Calif.

3. Monument Valley Scenic Drive. The Monument Valley area, in northeast Arizona and southeast Utah, is where westerns have been filmed for many decades.

4. Mount Hood Scenic Byway. It's the rugged northern edge of Oregon.

5. Kancamagus Scenic Byway. It's cut through the White Mountain National Forest, in New Hampshire.

6. Mich. 41, Keweenaw Peninsula. It's the rugged northern spur of Upper Michigan and extends into Lake Superior.

7. U.S. 195: "Heart of the Palouse." You'll find U.S. 195 on the eastern edge of Washington State, from Spokane south to the Snake River area.

8. Mount Evans ScenicByway. The "Road into the Sky" is the Colorado mountains.

 9. Grand Teton Loop. Another high-ground drive. This one's in Grand Teton National Park, south of Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming.

10. Badlands Loop Road. It goes through part of Badlands National Park, in South Dakota.

Looking for more ideas? Check the website for My Scenic Drives.

Like B&Bs? Try a room with a BOO

BnBFinder.com, an online bed and breakfast directory, has compiled a list of what it considers the most haunted places where you can park your hat this Halloween season - and at other times. 

And three on the eight-inn short list aren't that far away:  Two are in Savannah, Ga. (about a four-hour drive) and one is in Mountain City, Tenn. (2 1/2 hours from Charlotte,  north of Boone via U.S. 421). That would be Prospect Hill Bed and Breakfast, shown above.

Featured on the list:

The 17Hundred90 Inn and  Restaurant, Savannah, Ga. 

"While being a popular accommodation for the living, the inn is also frequented by many of Savannah’s most infamous spirits. One in particular, Anna has claimed a room of her own, often being seen and heard in room 204."

Ballastone Inn, Savannah, Ga. 

"Sitting on top of a former cemetery, the four-story antebellum mansion has had its fair share of mysterious happenings since being built in 1838... (including) a ghost cat as well as a little girl appearing to be lost and looking for her mother."

St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, Fla.

"No roommate needed if you decide to stay in 'Lily's Room.' A servant at the inn during the mid-19th century, she and her masters son carried on a secret affair.  Discovered, Lily was released from her duties causing the nephew, who was told to never see her again, to take his life.  ... Guests have reported makeup bags being filled with water, mysterious figures dressed in white roaming the halls, unexplained noises and chilling touches in the room."

Burn Brae Mansion, Glen Spey, N.Y. 

"Ghost hunters are stunned by the amount of paranormal activity found at this Catskill woodland retreat. Guests and innkeepers report hearing voices, feeling swift movements, witness objects moving or experiencing extreme temperature changes." 

Old Stagecoach Inn, Waterbury, Vt.

"This historic home is still watched over by one of its former owners. After tales of strange occurrences and a series of 'happenings', a local ghost hunter confirmed that there was an otherworldly presence residing at the Old Stagecoach Inn, especially in Room 2. "

Houmas House Plantation and  Gardens, Darrow, La.

"When renovations began on the plantation in 2003, it is believed that the construction disturbed the spirit of a young girl between the ages of 7 and 10. Guests frequently report sightings of the mysterious girl wearing a blue dress and standing on the staircase. "

Featherbed Railroad Bed andBreakfast Resort, Nice, Calif. 

The B&B features nine individual railroad cabooses. "Once a part of the Southern Pacific rail line, the Celebration caboose is frequented by a man in striped pajamas that sits on the bed."

Prospect Hill Bed and Breakfast, Mountain City, Tenn. 

"The man is believed to be Union Army veteran Joseph Wagner, the builder of the Victorian home. Guests ... are awoken by the smell of fresh baked peanut butter cookies and muffins that some say the previous innkeepers used to bake. The smell of spilled bourbon and rose scented perfume have also been known to fill the rooms at random times of the day."

For  BnBfinder.com's  complete list of haunted getaways, visit www.BnBFinder.com/HauntedInns.

That full roster also includes three in North Carolina: The 1898 WhiteGate Inn & Cottage (Asheville), the 1906 Pine Crest Inn and Restaurant (Tryon) and The Pack House Inn, (Edenton).