Blowing Rock
 

Is Blowing Rock or Boone, North Carolina a vacation destination? Is there enough to do there for a week or so? I ve been to the Great Smoky Mountains and Asheville before. What attracted me to the area was Grandfather Mountain and the Linn Cove Viaduct which I have not seen.

There is enough in that general area as you are in close proximity to many things to do. Blowing Rock is closer to the Parkway - www.blueridgeparkway.org & Julian Price Park - http://www.highcountryhiking.com/cone.htm. Blowing Rock itself is a little too crowded & touristy for me. Boone more of a college town. I would stay someplace out away from either of them, use vrbo.com. Some other 'stuff' - http://www.toddnc.org/, http://toddgeneralstore.tripod.com/, www.mastgeneralstore.com , www.grandfather.com,http://www.watauga-arts.org/

The town of Blowing Rock is a small tourist destination worth a 1/2 day visit. Boone is more of a locals town and college town. The real attraction is the drive north from these towns along the Blue Ridge Parkway. A great place to stay on the Parkway is the Peaks of Otter Lodge. If you have a whole week, I would add on Monticello, Williamsburg Historic Town, and James Town.

Asdaven, there is plenty to do here unless you need a big city. I myself go down here almost every June and am never bored. But I am an outdoors type traveller and go there primarily for hikes, scenic driving, backroad exploring, waterfalls, that sort of thing.

If this is not your thing, you might find it dull. The towns of Blowing Rock and Boone both have appeal, but probably not for a week if the towns themselves are your main focal point.

There are areas of the mountains there (Roan Mountain area, Beauty Spot, Unaka Mtn, Linville Gorge, etc and others aside from Grandfather) that are as good as it gets.

But, as I said, my priorities may be quite diffeent than yours. I'm there 100% for the outdoors recreation, which is endless, so things beyond that are not as important. Mid- June is especially beautiful.

Thank you- I myself are very much into the outdoors. But, we re also into towns too. We like somewhere with good restaurants. But, still we go places mainly for the outdoors.

There is a lot to do in the area, especially outdoors and craft shops. If you fish, it is lovely.

You will find very good restaurants in Blowing Rock and nearby in Banner Elk. Boone, not so much unless you like casual college-type places (there are good ones of those).

And good BBQ.

I prefer Banner Elk to Blowing Rock, which is charming but packed to the brim with tourists on the weekends (not sure about the weekdays). There is certainly a lot to do outdoors though, as mentioned above. We like to hike and have done several hikes in the area.

Tracy

Crippens is a very good restaurant in Blowing Rock.
The Bistro is also nice in Boone.

Plenty to do in Blowing Rock, Boone, and Banner Elk. If you like to horseback ride, Blowing Rock stables and Banner Elk Stables are good.
For restaurants in Blowing Rock, I recommend: Village Cafe, Canyons, Bistro Roca, Speckled Trout, Blowing Rock Grill, and Knights on Main. In Boone: Makotos, Casa Rustica, Peppers, and in Banner Elk: Banner Elk Cafe and Stonewalls.

Blowing Rock park is a great place to people watch. The shops are great and there is that little town feel. On the parkay I recommend going to Moses Cone Manor House, Price Park, Viaduct, hiking at Rough Ridge and Beacon Hill. Grandfather Mountain, Linville Falls, and the caverns in Linville are also work a visit.

Have a great time!