Get Away for Scenic Adventures in Boone and Blowing Rock

A mountain vacation to North Carolina’s High Country promises stunning vistas, ancient charm, fresh air and locally sourced food that incorporates the region’s agricultural gems. Get to know Boone and Blowing Rock, neighboring mountain towns where you'll enjoy outdoor fun by day; and by night, kick back with local brews and sunset views.

Choose your place to stay based on the type of mountain charm you’re going for. Find plenty of cabin rentals in Boone, from rustic to amenity-filled. Or stay at Blowing Rock’s Westglow, named by Travel + Leisure as one of the top spa resorts in the world. Or choose a private cottage or guest room in the farmhouse at Mast Farm Inn in nearby Valle Crucis.

In Boone, fuel up with the hearty, home-cooked helpings doled out at the Sunrise Grill, dishing up staples like pancakes, quiche, and biscuits and gravy. Or sample from the locally sourced menu at Melanie’s Food Fantasy, featuring everything from made-to-order omelets to stuffed waffles. Coffee purists preferring to seize the day with a quick dose of caffeine will love Hatchet Coffee Roasters, which also sports popular breakfast items like the breakfast burrito.

No matter if your home base is Boone or Blowing Rock, situated smack dab between the two sits High Gravity Adventures, an aerial adventure park with a ninja ground course and two aerial courses that take two to three hours to complete. Add on a 45-foot-high giant swing – three people can ride it at once – for an extra thrill that starts with you pulling the ripcord. You can’t miss what’s next to High Gravity Adventures, either: Tweetsie Railroad, a Wild West-themed amusement park that’s one of the most popular attractions in our state.

Since the Blue Ridge Parkway cuts between Blowing Rock and Boone, consider booking a guided horseback ride on the miles of bridle trails along this iconic roadway. Sky Valley Zip Tours is also central to both mountain towns and comes with the added bonus of an ATV ride to and from the course.

Continue your exploration with Wahoo’s Adventures, which offers tubing, canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding on the New River, and all the equipment you’ll need is available for rent. For a more serene experience, spend time at Price Lake, where the water activities are rivaled by the hiking trails. Hiking opportunities abound in the area, whether you opt for the renowned Linville Gorge or iconic destination Grandfather Mountain.

Does adrenaline fuel your fun? Outside of Boone, Blowing Rock Boulders offer an abundance of easily accessible problems suitable for a variety of skill levels (with ratings from V0 to V10). Farther south of Boone on the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milepost 312.2), Linville Gorge is the one of the East Coast’s premier climbing destinations. The plunging chasm is flanked by features like Table Rock Mountain, a 3,930-foot peak capped with a craggy rock pompadour, and 4,020-foot Hawksbill Mountain, loaded with sport and trad routes (with difficulty ratings ranging from 5.7-5.12c).

Because you worked up an appetite, order dinner with a side of live music at Woodlands BBQ in Blowing Rock, featuring local musicians most nights and barbecue plates that come with two sides and a bread. Not in the mood for ’cue? Cozy up at NC’s longest-serving watering hole, Bistro Roca and Antlers Bar. There you can savor inventive comfort food creations like an angus strip loin with smoked bleu cheese butter. For a more relaxed vibe, Blowing Rock Brewing Company's Ale House Restaurant serves award-winning craft beer, and all items on the food menu are made fresh daily.

Craft beer is also a centerpiece of evenings in Boone, led by Appalachian Mountain Brewery and Lost Province Brewing Co. Each pays homage to the High Country, both in name and through commitment to sustainable practices and supporting the mountain community and its causes. AMB also brews ciders, while Lost Province pairs its suds with wood-fired pretzels, pizzas and even wood-fired mac and cheese.

You’d be remiss if you didn’t encounter the folklore of the area’s most iconic figure: Daniel Boone. Dine at Dan’l Boone Inn, a staple of Southern food for more than a half-century. Then watch his story come to life in the outdoor drama "Horn in the West," showing five nights a week during the summer season. Learn how Boone and fellow settlers survived in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the years before the Revolutionary War and helped shape the region’s destiny.