Blowing Rock, North Carolina – what to do & where to eat

Blowing Rock is one of my favorite places to visit in the North Carolina mountains. Here’s where to eat and what to do while visiting!

My husband grew up in Boone, NC, but long before we met, I loved visiting Boone and Blowing Rock in the Blue Ridge Mountains, probably because it reminds me a lot of home. I’m from Utah, so I love the mountain views, crisp air, hiking and trail running.

The elevation of the “High Country” is over 3300+ feet so it’s significantly cooler there than Winston-Salem in summer months. I crave those cooler mountain mornings so much this time of year! And the fall colors are truly breathtaking. People travel from all over the United States to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall to see the colors.

We visit Blowing Rock, North Carolina every couple of months, and a bit more often in the summer to escape the heat. Tommy’s parents still live in Boone, which is close to Blowing Rock and a great excuse to visit. (Be sure to check out my post on things to do and restaurants to eat at in Boone too!) And now that Tommy and I have our own townhouse in Boone as well, we’re up in the mountains much more frequently!

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

I feel like I discover something new every time I visit, so here is my most recent list of must-do’s and must-hit restaurants in the Blowing Rock area.

We own a place up there, but if you’re planning a weekend away, and need a place to stay, my friends own two rentals houses, one in Blowing Rock and one in Boone. These are the two places I recommend to friends and family when they visit the High Country. I provided some details below about each and I know they take a lot of pride in providing great experiences for their guests so I’d book ASAP before their calendar fills up. If you book with them, mention you found their home on my blog and you may get a little surprise at check-in! 😉 

• Blowing Rock Rental Home – “Cone Mountain Cottage” has 3 bedrooms, 5 beds and 2.5 baths. It’s five minutes from downtown Blowing Rock, a few minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Moses Cone National Park, and has stunning views of Grandfather Mountain. It’s a perfect spot if you want to explore the outdoors, but also be able to pop into town for shopping and dining. This house has amazing views – I’m jealous!

• Boone Rental Home – “Grand Escape” has 5 bedrooms, 6 beds and 4.5 baths and is centrally located to everything in the High Country, which is great if you want to explore all the different towns in the area! It’s less than 15 minutes to downtown Boone and Banner Elk, less than 20 minutes to Blowing Rock, and most importantly, a two minute drive to Grandfather Vineyard & Winery. 😉 It has five bedrooms (including three large king suites), which makes it perfect for multi-generational gatherings or multi-family trips. The setting of this homes gives you both privacy and easy access to all the various outings. I especially loooove the backyard and outdoor fire pit at this house.

If you’re looking for a nice romantic getaway, I’d look into Chetola Resort. It’s a historic building with 42 rooms in the lodge, Timberlake Restaurant, and a spa.

Best Blowing Rock Restaurants

The food scene in Blowing Rock is really fantastic. These are my staples.

Hellbender

We’ve been 3 times in one week we love it so much. If you’re hungry, try the BBQ plate (pulled pork, slaw, and two sides). You can also spend the night here! Hellbender is on Sunset Drive.

The Best Cellar

Best Cellar is great for an adults-only dinner (ask for a patio seat when you make your reservation if the weather is nice!). Tommy and I try to have a date night here whenever possible! They have gourmet meat and seafood, but a few of the highlights are Oysters Rockefeller, and entrees like North Carolina mountain Trout picatta and parmesan-crusted buttermilk chicken. You’ll find this restaurant in the Inn at Ragged Gardens on Sunset Dr.

Village Cafe

Village Cafe is a cozy spot for a girls’ brunch or lunch (expect a wait). People love their crab cakes!

Foggy Rock

Big menu, solid food, comfort food, casual vibe. I love their blackened salmon on any salad. This is a great downtown Blowing Rock option. This is on Valley Blvd.

Sunny Rock

Sister restaurant next door with a huge breakfast menu. Come hungry and expect a wait if you’re hoping to dine in.

Bistro Roca

The food is fantastic with an upscale-casual setting. They’re known for their wood-fired pizzas and lobster mac and cheese. This is located on Wonderland Trail.

Blowing Rock Ale House & Brewery

Blowing Rock Ale House has a great burger and craft beer!

The New Public House

This is a newer restaurant I haven’t visited yet but I keep hearing SO many good things from my friends who live in Blowing Rock full-time.

The Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop

Haven’t tried yet, but it’s on my list! The Speckled Trout restaurant also doubles as a bottle shop. They have regional dishes, which I love. I hear good things, and I want to sit on their outdoor patio!

Blowing Rock Market

We love this spot for so many things – sandwiches, snacks, and they have expanded their front patio and I think they have been doing grilled food in the summer now.

Blue Deer Cookies

They make homemade chipwhiches (or you can get the cookies or ice cream separately).

The Town Tavern

Nothing remarkable about this food (pub food,) but it’s the spot to go if there’s a game you want to catch on TV, or you just need to feed hangry little people easily. There’s usually cornhole outside and plenty of seating. They have anything from fries and wings to tacos. They have a burger with garlic, mushrooms, and swiss that I hear good things about.

Woodlands Barbeque Restaurant

Kid friendly. They have great BBQ and it’s loud, so who cares if your kids are loud! Their wine list is eh, so plan to drink beer. 🙂 Live music on most weekends!

Six Pence Pub

Six Pence Pub is a British pub that I haven’t been to yet. They have indoor and outdoor seating and searve things like bangers & mash, fish and chips, and of course, shepherd’s pie.

Moon Thai

We haven’t been here but it’s an asian fusion spot. A few items I’m interested in are the duck wontons and shrimp shumai.

Boone Restaurants

I have an entire blog post dedicated to Boone restaurants that you can read here!

Banner Elk Restaurants

If you want to venture a little further out, you’ll be rewarded with AMAZING restaurants. For a very nice dinner, definitely make reservations at Louisiana Purchase or Artisanal.

• Louisiana Purchase – great wine list!
• Stonewalls Restaurant
• Artisanal – great date night spot with an incredible ambiance. If it’s warm out, request a table on the patio overlooking the river. Make reservations pretty far in advance!
• Eric’s Wine & Cheese Shop
• Banner Elk Cafe – casual spot for breakfast and lunch.
• Mountain Grounds –  great coffee and huge tea selection.

Coffee & Dessert in Blowing Rock

• Camp Coffee  – don’t miss the homemade lavender syrup! Their nitro coffee is fantastic too.
• Kilwins  – amazing ice cream and free fudge samples. Don’t stress if there is a line – it moves quickly.

Things To Do In Blowing Rock NC

I hope you like the outdoors because there is SO much to do year-round in the High Country. I’ve included activities in and around Blowing Rock, since there are so many great close by places to visit as well.

Grandfather Mountain

Hike the profile trail for an active day, or head to the state park with the swinging bridge for a short walk. They start at different places so be sure to make sure you go to the right spot.

The Blowing Rock

Blowing Rock National Park is worth the $7 entry fee for the views alone! Great for all ages and fitness level.

Boone Golf Club

The prettiest public golf course I’ve ever seen. There’s also a driving range if you don’t want to play a round.

Wineries

• Banner Elk Winery
• Grandfather Winery
• Linville Falls Winery

Music on the Lawn

West Jefferson

This place is charming. There’s a cheese factory too. It’s a fun outing but a bit of a drive from Blowing Rock (about 30-45 minutes, depending on where you’re staying).

Tubing

I haven’t done this yet, but plan to soon!

Tweetsie Railroad

Great for kids! I believe they have limited hours in the fall and winter so be sure to check that.

Fishing

Google this for good options since I can’t personally recommend any! I believe Valle Crucis is a popular area for fishing.

Blowing Rock History Museum

American art, history & Appalachian culture with classes & events.

New River State Park

This area is beautiful and especially popular if you like water sports, like canoeing, paddling or swimming. Reference their website before you go since only certain activities are available at certain areas.

Kayak/Canoe at Julian Price Lake

The rental shack is at mile marker 297. It costs about $15/hr. Opens at 11am, so I recommend getting there about 10:45. They do include life jackets!

Valle Crucis Park

About 20 mins from Boone in Banner Elk. A nice park with a great playground for kids. Just a little ways back is a place where you can get into the riverbed to play and walk up & down the river a bit (unless they’ve had a big rainfall – then be careful.) It has clean bathrooms nearby.

The Mast General Store

A must-do for kids. Make sure to grab some fun candy! This store is located in downtown Boone.

Julian Price Park

Another great park (a true park, no playground). We park in the picnic loop and go down near the bottom of the loop. There’s a spot where the kids can get in the river and play.

Blowing Rock Playground

This is right on Main St. Nearby Bald Guy Brewing where you can get a coffee or hot cocoa in the winter months and ice cream in the summer (Kilwin is across the street).

Horseback riding

If you visit the Moses Cone Manor trails, you’ll likely see people on horseback. You can book rides through Vx3 Trail Rides.

Skiing

• Appalachian Ski Mountain
• Beech Mountain
• Sugar Mountain

Where to hike & run

There are so many options, but here are a few of my favorite trails near Blowing Rock and Boone. (Be sure to download the AllTrails app if you want more hiking options!)

I asterisked the trails that are some of my favorite spots for running.

(And if you want to run during your vacation, you should consider the Zap Endurance Running Camps – seriously amazing. Read about my first camp here.)

Rough Ridge

It’s a short hike but the trail is pretty rocky with lots of roots. But, the views are INCREDIBLE, especially at sunset (pictured below).

Bass Lake*

It’s a gravel path that’s very flat and very pretty. It’s a great place to take the pup or kids. There are great trails that run above the lake for longer hikes or runs too. You’ll often see the Zap Fitness elite runners out there too! Afterwards, drive into town and get coffee / breakfast sandwiches at Blowing Rock Market. OR if it’s later in the day, buy a bottle of wine and snacks and sit outside. (Also, they have free WiFi if you need to catch up on a few emails after a day of playing.)

Moses Cone Manor *

Amazing views from the top! It connects down to Bass Lake. This is also called Flat Top Manor or The Cone Manor trail.

New River Trail

This area is beautiful and especially popular if you like water sports, like canoeing, paddling or swimming. Reference their website before you go since only certain activities are available at certain areas.

Grandfather Profile Trail

This is a tougher hike that will take most of the day, but a very popular and classic hike in the area.

Glen Burney trail

This is an easy-to-moderate hike that is right behind Blowing Rock main street. There’s a great waterfall at the end and gorgeous views that open up to see forever.

Fire Tower*

The fire tower at the top has incredible views!!!

New River trails

They have beginner to advance trails, and some trails that are handicap accessible.

Trout Lake*

This is a flat trail that’s great for kids.

Linville Falls/Linville Gorge

There are short and longer hike options. The short hikes are family friendly!

Figure 8 Trail

This is a 0.7 mile “hike” (totally do-able for kids) but it feels like a real hike because you’re in the woods the whole time. It’s a big loop – follow the trail arrows, and there are restrooms near the parking lot. Park here: 6570 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Blowing Rock, NC. Walk down to the manor house. If you’re facing the manor house, the trail is off to the left up a little bit. There’s a sign that marks it. It’s not the big gravel path that goes down the mountain. (That will take you back down to Bass Lake but is longer & hillier.)

Cascade Trails

A 0.8 mile out & back trail that walks alongside a creek and down stairs to 2 waterfalls (just to see, not to play in.) This is slightly more challenging, but doable. Don’t go if it’s just rained – there are a few spots that would be too slippery. The trailhead is in a large parking lot with picnic tables & restrooms.

This is by Moses Cone Manor.

This is along the Fire Tower trail.

At the top!

This is Rough Ridge.

This is on the trails between Bass Lake and Moses H Cone Memorial Park.

You can see more pictures from some hikes in Boone/Blowing Rock on this post about what to do with a weekend in North Carolina. And if you’re headed to the coast, be sure to read my tips for a weekend in Wilmington, NC.

TIP: The weather in the High Country (e.g. Blowing Rock, Boone and surrounding areas) can be finicky. The mornings can be cold, even if the afternoons warm up. So pack layers and be prepared for some wind in the fall and winter months!

If you’ve visited Boone, Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain, Linville or Banner Elk, what are your favorite things to do? What is your favorite restaurant?

Shop my favorite items to pack for Blowing Rock