Tucked away among the ridges and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Blowing Rock appears to the traveler at first like some kind of mirage – here, just around the bend from coal mines and mountain roads that veer crazily like an asphalt roller coaster ride sits a Rockwellian image of that quaint little mountain town. So why should you call Blowing Rock home? Well, for starters…
Credit: VisitNC.com
Main Street is Literally the Cutest
With Blowing Rock City Park stretched along one side and a row of old-fashioned storefronts on the other, Main Street Blowing Rock is as close to Main Street U.S.A. as you can get outside of Disney World. Festivals and parades dot the calendar, sending residents flocking to the stone walls and sidewalks along the street, but any given Tuesday will find downtown bustling with people and humming with energy. You can spend your week going from one end to the other and never do the same thing twice.
And speaking of Disney World, Blowing Rock also offers…
Something for the Kid in All of Us
We’ll start with the obvious: Tweetsie Railroad. Packed with carnival rides of every stripe from the classic gravity-defying Round-Up to the more little one-friendly carousel, Tweetsie’s true claim to the fame is the railroad itself: an actual coal-driven steam locomotive that encircles the park with stops along the way for live-action wild west stunt shows. A little farther up the road towards Boone you’ll find Mystery Hill, where the laws of physics are broken in wonderfully head-scratching ways. Kids will have a blast toying with the forces of gravity – especially around the time their parents stumbling over themselves to walk “up” a perfectly level floor.
Credit: BlowingRock.com
And if you need some zen time after all the family frivolity…
The Blue Ridge Parkway
America’s longest linear park and one of its most popular, the stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway that winds its way through Blowing Rock is among the most scenic parts of the park. But for residents and visitors, the real star here is the Lin Cove Viaduct. Hanging off the edge of a gentle slope at the base of Grandfather Mountain, this uniquely elevated experience provides one of the most breathtaking driving experiences in the world. Viewing stations at either end let you soak in the exquisite views, while a nearby visitor center lets you learn about the viaduct’s construction and head out on some of the trails that snake through the hills below.
Speaking of hitting the trails…
Credit: BooneNCInfo.com
The Trails Around Bass Lake
The multi-use trails around Bass Lake make for a spectacular tour through the countryside, past old barns and fields and around the lake’s pristine waters. The loop around the lake presents an easy .8-mile loop that skirts the waters and takes you past some lovely streams and scenery. For an extra challenge, access The Maze just south of the dam. This three-mile trail swirls its way up a nearby peak for an invigorating uphill challenge with plentiful rewards like a chance to set a spell at an old apple barn and lose yourself in the tranquility of the forest.
And as long as you’re out this way…
Flat Top Manor
Built for $25,000 in 1898 money, this breathtaking mansion occupies a slowly descending sweep of countryside that builder Moses Cone originally used in pursuit of what he called “experimental gardening.” Today, it serves as a gift shop, destination wedding site and a chance for residents to tour its halls, walk its grounds, and get a glimpse of what life was like in Blowing Rock way back when. And come winter, you will find no finer sledding hills in the world than those at the nearby park.