Things To Do

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster

So much fun! Highly recommend.

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery

Gorgeous mountainside vineyard where you can drink your wine next to (or even in) the river.

Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum

Downtown Blowing Rock

Antiquing, Kilwins, and lots of cute shops. Be sure to get lunch or dinner at the Speckled Trout.

Original Mast General Store

Valle Crucis Lavender House

Linville Caverns

Take NC 184 to intersection with NC 105, turning right & traveling south to Linville. In Linville, turn right onto NC 181 (Large Grandfather Mtn. sign in directly in front of you at light) & travel to the first traffic light to turn left onto US 221 South toward Marion. Cave entrance on right in 15 mi. Approx. Travel Time: 30 mins.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Hop on to the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy a casual drive past some of the most breathtaking views in North Carolina.

Laurel Creek Falls

Laurel Creek Falls is a popular waterfall trail and swimming hole on the Watauga River. A short path across the street from the parking area will take you to the lower falls. Make sure to descend carefully, the path is extremely steep and rocks can be slippery. Continue on the path to get to the upper falls. Directions: From the intersection of US 321 and US 421 in downtown Boone, head north on US 321/421 for 6.4 miles. Take a left when the highway splits, and continue on US 321 north for 5.4 miles. Just after US 321 crosses the river, there is a gravel parking area on the right, which provides access to the unmarked trail on the left.

Beacon Heights Overlook Trail

Beacon Heights is a short one-mile round-trip hike at Milepost 305.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway offering a big pay-off with spectacular views from several rock platforms that you can explore safely. It's a best-kept secret for sure since most Parkway visitors do not know about it. The trailhead at this parking area crosses a small road and then heads up the mountain to Beacon Heights. About 2/10-mile up the trail, it forks to the left as the Tanawha Trail. Turn right to reach the top of Beacon Heights. Near the summit, the trail splits again. To the right, the trail leads you to the south-facing rock face with plenty of room to sit on the smooth rock face and enjoy the beautiful views of multiple mountain ranges. To the left, the trail climbs a bit to another rock dome with great views of Grandfather Mountain to the west and more peaks to the north and east. Elevation at the top is around 4,340 feet.