Where to Stay, Dine and Have Fun in Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Nestled in the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina is a charming little town called Blowing Rock. When you visit Blowing Rock, you’ll notice that you seem to have taken a step back to a time when neighbors greeted you, everyone held the door open, and mayor works at the local visitor’s center (he really does!) There aren’t any big shopping malls or sports venues, just a quaint Main Street full of shops and restaurants where you can shop for dresses or housewares, have a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants and then top it off with some ice cream at the end of the night.
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Tips for Visiting Blowing Rock, NC
- Visiting during the Late Spring, Summer, or Early Fall for the best temperate climate weather.
- Blowing Rock, NC is a great budget friendly vacation destination – many of the attractions like hiking trails, museums, and parks are free or low cost!
- Parking is free in downtown Blowing Rock but we recommend you stay at a hotel within walking distance so you don’t even have to worry about the car.
- Be sure to check out the festivals during the Spring and Summer months including SAVOR Blowing Rock, Independence Day Festival, Symphony by the Lake at Chetola, and many more!
Where We Stayed
Meadowbrook Inn
We stayed at Meadowbrook Inn right in Downtown Blowing Rock and we were within walking distance of all of the shops and restaurants. Meadowbrook Inn offers 62 rooms and suites ranging from a standard rooms with two queen beds to a two-floor suite with a private pool! One of our favorite parts about staying there is they also have a pond with a resident duck family and a little baby duck had just been born. They provided us with duck food so we could go out to the pond and feed the ducks every morning!
We stayed in a newly redone Deluxe King Room and it was absolutely lovely! We had a fireplace, sunroom, and beautiful tiled bathroom. As part of our stay, we received a complimentary breakfast every morning and the thing I really liked about it was that not only was it delicious but it changed every morning unlike your typical hotel breakfast which is the exact same boring eggs and bacon over and over!
We were at the Meadowbrook Inn as part of a conference so we also got to experience their conference and meeting rooms, terrace, lounge, and ballroom spaces. The Meadowbrook Inn also has an award winning executive chef on staff so we were lucky enough to sample some of his creations (the Shrimp and Grits was our favorite!) I can just imagine how lovely a wedding reception would be here!
Where We Dined
Bistro Roca & Antlers Bar
Our first night, we visited Bistro Roca and the Antlers Bar. The first thing I noticed was the decor, it was very rustic with a hint of sophistication. We enjoyed sitting at the bar and ordering two of their specialty handcrafted drinks. We got the Sparkle Pony – a mixture of tequila, cointreau, St. Germain, cranberry, lime, and edible glitter of course and then the Port of Agave – tequila, chili pepper syrup, citrus, and Syrah port. They were probably two of the most interesting mixed drinks we have ever had!
Sunset & Vine
Sunset & Vine is the perfect location to have a wine tasting and eat some cheese while sitting on the patio and watching the world go by. Sunset & Vine prides itself on carrying artisan wines that you can’t find in a regular grocery store. We loved their wine displays, especially the Rose display in the middle of their store. Sunset & Vine also offers picnic baskets, chocolates, and gifts for that wine lover in your family!
The Blowing Rock Ale House
The Blowing Rock Ale House (also an Inn) serves up their own craft beers and locally sourced ingredients for their entrees. We got the Power Green Salad with toasted walnuts, bleu cheese, dried cherries and grilled chicken and the Carolina Bison Burger with charred tomato jam, smoked provolone, smoked pecan bacon, stout glaze and grilled onions. Both were excellent and when we return I would like to try their Porter Braised Brisket Tacos or their Orange Ginger Duck!
Camp Coffee
It’s no shock to anyone who reads our blog that we love coffee, all kinds, we don’t discriminate. Camp Coffee is located right on Main Street and shares a building with Footsloggers, an outdoor activities store. It’s a great place to grab a coffee before heading out for your day of adventure whether it be hiking, biking, or maybe even skiing!
Kilwin’s Fudge Shop
My favorite thing about Kilwin’s Fudge Shop is how everytime the door opens, it produces this delicious aroma which seems to fill the nearby Main Street area. Kilwin’s not only serves fudge but also ice cream, caramel apples, kettle corn, and chocolate.
Where We Had Fun
Downtown Blowing Rock
If someone were to mention the phrase “quaint Southern town” I would be pretty positive they were talking about Downtown Blowing Rock. Whether you’re into boutique clothing shops, garden decor, housewares, or outdoor supplies, Downtown Blowing Rock pretty much has it all! Located mostly on Main Street (and some side roads), you could spend an entire day visiting the shops and enjoying the atmosphere.
One of the neatest things we ran across was a Prayer Tree beside a clothing boutique, True Heart. They had cards you could write prayers on and then put them in plastic sleeves and hang them in the garden. If you follow our Instagram (@thewanderlustcoupleblog) then you’ll know that my mom had back surgery shortly after our trip to Blowing Rock. We wrote out a card and hung a prayer on the tree for her – what a lovely idea the Prayer Tree is!
Glen Burney Trail
We walked to the beginning of Glen Burney Trail right from our hotel, The Meadowbrook Inn, which only took about 15 minutes. We went early, around 6:30am, so it was really neat to walk along Main Street when no one was awake yet. If you go as far as Glen Burney Falls, it’s about a 2.4 mile hike. We visited both Glen Burney Falls and Glen Marie Falls so it was about 3.2 miles roundtrip. The hike definitely had some steep spots so it isn’t for the faint of heart but also not overly difficult either.
Julian Price Lake Trail
After our trek from the day before, we decided to do a trail that was a little more gentle to rest the muscles. Julian Price is a gorgeous lake located only minutes from downtown Blowing Rock. Aside from walking the trail around the lake, you can also rent a variety of non-motorized watercraft such as canoes and kayaks.
Grandfather Mountain and Vineyard
So this may not have been the smartest idea but we went to visit Grandfather Mountain when it was 50 degrees and raining outside. By the time we got to the top to walk across the Mile High Swinging Bridge, the rain had picked up and the winds were about 50mph at the top of the mountain. While Grandfather Mountain is usually one of the most popular tourist attractions near Blowing Rock, we were the only ones there! We walked across the Mile High Swinging Bridge and on the way back, we saw a park ranger motioning for us to come inside, turns out they had just closed it due to high winds – oops!
After visiting Grandfather Mountain and the Mile High Swinging Bridge, we made a stop at Grandfather Vineyards which is only about 15 minutes away. We did a wine tasting and purchased a bottle of their Syrah. I wish it hadn’t been raining because I would have loved to sit outside and admire the vineyards and Watauga River on their huge patio.
Moses Cone Memorial Park
We visited Moses Cone Memorial Park to view the beautiful mansion constructed in 1901 known as Flat Top Manor. Moses Cone also has over 25 miles of trails that you can either walk or horseback ride on. We ran out of time to walk along the trails but we did get to see a lot of beautiful work by many artisans at Flat Top Manor so it was worth the trip.
The Blowing Rock
The namesake of Blowing Rock is The Blowing Rock, a large rock that overlooks the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. There is a legend of a Native American girl who fell in love with a boy, then one day the sky turned red and the boy went to investigate by jumping off the rock, the girl prayed for his return everyday and finally, a strong gust of wind blew him back onto the rock. Hence, The Blowing Rock! The area is also home to their Visitor’s Center, and yes, the mayor does work at the front desk. There are trails throughout that you can walk and visit a small museum and learn about the history of Blowing Rock.
If you’re looking for a weekend getaway (or longer!) we would highly recommend Blowing Rock, North Carolina. We really enjoyed the Meadowbrook Inn for its spacious rooms, complimentary breakfast, and great location! We got to see and do a lot of things but there are still so many other attractions, restaurants, trails, and shops we didn’t get to. We are planning a return visit for sure!
Thanks to the Meadowbrook Inn for hosting us! As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
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