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We've compiled the best of the best in The North Carolina Mountains - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
The spectacular setting is the main draw at the rustic Pisgah Inn, perched on a mountaintop at 5,000 feet. Rooms have small porches or balconies with rocking chairs where you can take in the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant has huge windows facing the tree-clad slopes and serves mountain trout, fried chicken, and other tasty fare.
What was once a dilapidated roadside motel is now one of the most popular bars and restaurants in town—and arguably Boone's new best place to stay. A courtyard between the two primary buildings features firepits and comfy seating, while rooms show off with custom-built beds and built-in desks that continue the furniture-grade plywood aesthetic of communal areas. Canteen, the lobby restaurant, has a pool table, arcade games, and an inspired menu of sandwiches and Appalachian fry bread tacos.
This midcentury-modern lodge was designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright devotee, abandoned for decades, and is now restored to glory. Forty rooms all feature porches or patios, and an exemplary restaurant, Oak Steakhouse, offers views across the valley below. Perks of the modernization include heated bathroom floors and the gorgeous Butler's Bar speakeasy, featuring a small library, a fireplace, and a wall of windows to soak in the mountain vista.
Walkable to the Village Green and with its own on-site brewery, this polished option features single rooms, suites, and luxurious cabins, making it suitable for any travel party. Canopy beds, shiplap, black exterior stain, and sapling trees used in porch construction lend thoughtful, boutique appeal. The property also includes Whiteside Brewing, which offers a full lunch and dinner menu, and a breakfast food truck.
