Sunday, October 11, 2009
Life, Travel, In this Issue...
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Blowing Rock, N.C. worth the hike
IF YOU GO
Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock
North Main Street
Blowing Rock, N.C.
800-243-8652
www.chetola.com
Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant
239 Sunset Drive
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-3487
www.crippens.com
The Blowing Rock
Highway 321 South
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-7111
www.theblowingrock.com
Admission: $6 adults, $1 children 4-11
Open (fall) 9 a.m.–5 or 6 p.m., depending on weather
Grandfather Mountain
2050 Blowing Rock Hwy
Linville, N.C.
www.grandfather.com
Admission: $15 adults, $7 children 4-12
Open (fall) 8 am – 6 pm daily
Appalachian Ski Mountain
940 Ski Mountain Road
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-7828
www.appskimtn.com
Open for season Nov. 20–Mar. 14
Blowing Rock Visitors Center
7738 Valley Blvd.
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-4636
www.blowingrock.com
For information about dining and shopping
By Pama Mitchell
The North Carolina High Country encompasses six mountainous counties in the far northwest corner of the state. Bisected by the Blue Ridge Parkway, the area boasts some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Appalachian Mountains, several ski resorts, and a lively college town—Boone, home of the 16,000-student Appalachian State University. But the heart of the region is Blowing Rock, a town of about 1,500 full-time residents happily situated closer to the parkway than any other burg along its nearly 500-mile length.
STAYING IN STYLE
Blowing Rock has charms for visitors in at least three seasons per year, with fall and summer being the most popular. The town has the range of accommodations you would expect in a mountain resort area, from historic inns in the center of things to cute motels along the perimeter. At the top of the list for beautifully landscaped grounds and spacious guest rooms, Chetola Resort sits on 87 acres of rolling hills and itself has quite a range of accommodations, from hotel-like rooms in the Bob Timberlake Lodge to large condominiums with full kitchens, whirlpool tubs and private patios. The family-friendly Chetola Resort will expand its services later this fall by opening a new, full-service spa adjacent to the recreation area.
After using the indoor pool or well-equipped fitness center—or jogging along paths around Lake Chetola—guests can gather at the Headwater’s Pub to enjoy live music while quaffing North Carolina microbrews or a favorite cocktail. Then slip next door for dinner at the Manor House Restaurant, where Executive Chef Michael Barbato dishes up some of the freshest mountain trout you’ll ever taste along with innovative fare such as vegetable paella or crab and artichoke ravioli.
For a different Blowing Rock experience, stay in town at Crippen’s Country Inn, a nine-room bed and breakfast just two blocks off busy Main Street. The 1920s-era building was transformed by the Crippen family from a boarding house into a casual gourmet restaurant topped by two floors of well-appointed guest rooms, each with a private bath. There’s also an adjacent two-bedroom cabin. Owner Jimmy Crippen makes sure every guest has a good time, whether you’re trying a signature cocktail in the lounge, tucking into Chef James Welch’s specialties—such as pecan-crusted Alaskan halibut or chili-rubbed rib-eye with Jack Daniel’s peppercorn sauce—in the convivial dining room, or getting ready to sleep it all off upstairs in an antique bed.
GET OUTSIDE
Once you’ve settled on where to rest your bones, get ready to partake of the main reason people come here—to frolic outdoors at 4,000 feet and higher above sea level. No matter your fitness level, you’ll have chances to appreciate the area’s natural highlights—the Blowing Rock, Linville Falls, Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway that connects them.
To see the town’s namesake geographic phenomenon, drive a few miles outside town and several hundred feet higher in elevation. Operated as a privately owned tourist attraction since 1933, the Blowing Rock affords a spectacular view of Grandfather Mountain and the Johns River Gorge, 3,000 feet below. The Rock got its name because the walls of the gorge have formed a flume that makes strong winds flow straight upward, so that small dropped objects can blow right back up.
Later, head to the Blue Ridge Parkway—an entrance is less than a half mile from Main Street—and go south toward Grandfather Mountain, which is about 15 miles southwest of Blowing Rock on the Parkway. At almost 6,000 feet, it’s one of the highest mountains in the Blue Ridge chain and by far the most accessible of the southern Appalachians. In addition to the joy of appreciating the mountain vistas along the way, you’ll come across trailheads that range from fairly level paths around lakes to more demanding hikes along steep hills.
SHOP, EAT AND SEE A SHOW
Back in town after an invigorating day, look into the dozens of interesting shops along and near Main Street, highlighted by an especially nice choice of women’s clothing and accessory stores along with galleries, home decor and antiques shops. For a town of its size, Blowing Rock has an impressive line-up of restaurants. Local favorites include the don’t-miss-it Village Café for wonderful breakfasts (every day except Monday) and the eclectic, foodie-oriented Storie Street Grille, both on Main Street. A little bit outside of town, another popular dining destination is Bistro Roca, known for its creative cuisine and fascinating wine and microbrew beer offering.
Top off your visit by catching live music at one of the bars or cafes in town, or during the summer season, get tickets to a play at the Hayes Performing Arts Center. The Appalachian Ski Mountain resort’s season runs from Thanksgiving until early April. Various festivals and special events dot the town’s calendar at almost all times of year, including December Christmas celebrations, Winterfest in January and the Blue Ridge Wine Festival in April.
SP