Option 1: Would be a long day, though wouldn't be bad to make it a two day trip. Just to many small and curvey roads.
Option 2: My vote. Last time I was up on the parkway in that area, we came home down 221. Very nice road to travel except for Rutherfordton, but even that wasn't bad.
Option 3: Not a bad option if you want to stay on multi-lane roads as much as possible. However, 221 between I85 and Hwy 74 is a very nice and pretty rolling road with little traffic. Because of this, I would put this below Option 2.
FYI, about 10 miles from I85 on 221, where 221 makes a turn in Chesnee, you will pass a Hot Spot. Usually has some of the cheapest fuel in the area and definitely much cheaper than NC.
