For Richie Wagner, moving to the High Country and opening up a fitness studio wasn’t a dream, but a requirement. As a lifelong athlete from Chicago, Illinois, Richie grew up playing every sport he could participate in, which eventually led him to bodybuilding.
Each year, spectators gather around the north end of Chetola Lake on the Saturday morning of WinterFest to watch this exuberant celebration of winter fun!
Join us in Blowing Rock for the Holiday Stroll, a celebration of winter and the Christmas season in December. It’s like a town-wide holiday open house! Shops are open late, many with special deals just for the season!
Christmas in Blowing Rock has been awarded the title of “Best Holiday Glow” for 2024! Twenty shop windows were part of a public rating poll, available via QR codes in the windows and announcements on social media. This poll is always fun for our shops and helps spread holiday cheer with festive displays! Leading up to the Holiday Stroll on December 13th, over 700 people rated shop windows to crown the “Best Holiday Glow” in Blowing Rock. The team at Christmas in Blowing Rock created a sweet and festive window with wrapped gift boxes, a candy cane pajama set and sweater, a peppermint snowman, frosty garlands, and a candy-strewn Christmas tree. Christmas in Blowing Rock got the highest rating, with Barks & Co coming in second, followed closely by neaco. A big thank you to everyone who participated and voted in this year’s poll. What fun window displays will next year bring? Stay tuned, the search for “Best Holiday Glow” will be back in 2025.
After the devastation of Hurricane Helene the High Country banded together and worked to help those who lost everything. It was a very emotional time but it was also a time of hope as we saw the strength in our communities.
A 20-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway opened yesterday, October 23, from Milepost 285 to Milepost 305. This includes many people’s favorite spots such as Beacon Heights, Rough Ridge, and Price Lake. Color on this section of Parkway is varied depending on location.
The area between mileposts 285 and 305 on the Blue Ridge Parkway includes many favorite locations, including Thunder Hill Overlook, Cone Estate, Price Lake, Rough Ridge, and Beacon Heights.
Blowing Rock businesses are open and eager to serve you! Visitor support is vital to the survival of our local tourism-based economy, so your visit contributes to area recovery. Western North Carolina needs you! Full recovery from Hurricane Helene will take time. If you are visiting soon, we urge you to visit thoughtfully and keep several things in mind. Here are our tips for enjoying a fun and exciting trip to the Blowing Rock area. Plan Ahead Be sure to make all your reservations in advance, including activities and lodging. If your favorite is booked, browse our lodging availability to find a different new hotel or lodge. Check ahead on your favorite activities to be sure they are open and available. Know Routes Before You Go Main routes are clear and access to all local attractions and businesses is restored. Some secondary roads are still under repair, and a few closures remain, so check ahead on routes to more remote activities. Check DriveNC.gov for the latest road conditions. Be Patient & Expect Delays Allow more time for travel and expect heavy traffic in some areas. As area travel patterns are still using mostly main routes, delays can occur. A lot of construction and repair work is still ongoing, too. Please be cautious and patient as you move throughout the area. Bring that same patience and sensitivity to interactions with staff at local businesses. Many are still personally dealing with difficulties from the storm, and potentially working while understaffed as well. Obey Closures and Restrictions Obey closure signs on roads and trails. Not only can it be incredibly dangerous to venture past closures, unwelcome exploration can cause delays to much-needed repairs. Travel Respectfully Visitors are asked to avoid residential spaces outside business areas while recovery efforts continue. Be sensitive to and respect the needs of our neighbors who are still repairing and rebuilding. Please don’t wander to look for damage as entertainment. Support Local Businesses Shop and dine locally as much as you can- it makes significant impacts on the families who own our small businesses. Our shops are full of one-of-a-kind holiday gifts and it’s a great time to shop. Enjoy our restaurants and please be generous with your tips for our local workers. Many of our Blowing Rock attractions are family-owned as well, so plan to stop in at attractions like The Blowing Rock, Mystery Hill, and Doc’s Rocks and make a reservation for activities like Appalachian Ski Mountain, Sky Valley Zip Tours, High Gravity Adventures, and Tee 2 Green Indoor Golf. Other Ways to Support If you are shortening your usual visit or If you are still waiting to visit in person, consider purchasing gift cards or shopping online from our local businesses as a meaningful way to show your support at this time. If you are looking for additional ways to help, we hope you will contribute to one of the many organizations working to help those hit hardest by Hurricane Helene. Our community’s resilience is unmatched. The spirit of the NC High Country is strong, and we stand together in support of those affected by this storm. We are deeply grateful to all those helping western NC- all the work, the contributions, and the kindness. We are so appreciative to everyone who has reached out to support Blowing Rock and the High Country!
Even the leaves have felt the effects of Helene. Many of the trees at higher elevations lost their leaves due to the high winds. However, a bit of fall color is still developing here in the High Country.
Though the storm is over, recovery is ongoing. As most of our visitors know, the fall leaf season is vital to businesses in the High Country, but that kind of robust economic activity wasn’t possible this October. Additionally, lots of our local businesses showed up for our community in big ways. Several directed a large portion of their resources to relief efforts like providing free meals, resident and responder support, and supply collection work. Many are still contributing and helping their employees and neighbors. Even if you have postponed a visit, there are still ways you can support your favorite High Country businesses during this difficult time! Jump to link list for gift cards, online shopping, and special initiatives >> Here are some ideas: Restaurants Purchase a gift card from your favorite High Country restaurant! This cash flow will help our local restaurants stay on their feet. Several local restaurants are helping to feed the community, and extending support to their staff still without basic utilities. Some offer gift card sales online, and you can also call to inquire about purchasing a gift card over the phone. You may also consider purchasing gift cards to be used for free meals for displaced residents or meal deliveries- call individual businesses to inquire about that possibility. See all Blowing Rock restaurants & their contact info here >> Shops & Retail Buy online from those great shops you’d usually visit on a fall getaway! Blowing Rock shops are operating, and those in Boone are as well. These business owners need our dollars to stay open. If they don’t have an online shop, check to see if they are posting merchandise on social media instead. Complete your holiday shopping and support small businesses at the same time! See all Blowing Rock shops & their contact info here >> Lodging Sponsor a room for a local resident or a relief worker! If you can support our local hotels in this way, it will help make a huge difference. Many local hotels hosted utility workers and recovery crews, while also providing places for displaced residents to stay or even simply take a shower. They are true community partners! Reach out to your favorite lodging operator to see how you can “reserve” a room for this use to help cover these costs. See all Blowing Rock lodging & their contact info here >> Some local attractions offer online gift cards! The annual economic boost in the fall helps keep the lights on during the quieter winter and spring months. Please do what you can to help support local businesses who had to miss out on such an important economic boost. It’s Easy to Support Local! For your convenience, here is a list of Blowing Rock businesses and local attractions that offer gift cards or online stores. Viewing on mobile? Turn your device or scroll over to see all four columns. Business Name Gift Card Shop Online Initiatives Almost Rodeo Dr. Call 828-295-3422 Alpine Village Inn Click here >> Provided lodging to linemen & workers. Call 828-295-7206 for rates. Appalachian Outfitters Shop now >> Aqua B Boutique Shop now >> Arcadian Massage Click here >> Donate a massage to a volunteer. Art Walk Shop now >> Azalea Garden Inn Click here >> Provided lodging to linemen & first responders – call 828-295-3272 for rates. Bald Guy Brew Click here >> Shop now >> Best Cellar Click here >> Bistro Roca Click here >> First Responders Meals Blowing Rock Ale House Click here >> Shop now >> Blowing Rock Furniture Gallery Shop now >> Blowing Rock Inn Click here >> Housed linemen Blue Deer Click here >> Shop now >> Bolick & Traditions Pottery Click here >> Shop now >> Blowing Rock Art & History Museum Shop now >> Cafe Violette Click here >> Provided free meals for residents Camp Coffee Roasters Shop now >> Buy a can of gas for generators >> Chetola Resort Click here >> Housed linemen & workers Christmas in Blowing Rock Click here >> Shop now >> Cliff Dwellers Inn Housed linemen & workers Cupcrazed Cafe Click here >> Doc’s Rocks Gem Mine Shop now >> Famous Toastery Click here >> FA Supp Shop Shop now >> Final Touches Shop now >> Finley House Couture Call 828-295-6373 Shop now >> Firelight Book & Candle Shop now >> Donate emergency candles >> Funky Tulip Shop now >> Gamekeeper Restaurant Click here >> Gilded Lily by Patra Click here >> Shop now >> Grandfather Mountain Sponsor Animals>> Avery County Helene Relief >> Green Park Inn Special rates provided to linemen & workers Gregory Alan’s Click here >> Shop now >> Grounded Works Shop now >> Hanna’s of Blowing Rock Shop now >> Hellbender Bed & Beverage Click here >> First Responders Meals. Housed displaced residents. call 828-295-3487 to sponsor a stay. Hemlock Inn Click here >> Volunteers stay at 15% off 828-295-7987 High Country Candles Shop now >> High Country Woodworks Call 828-372-7021 High Gravity Adventures Click here >> Holiday Inn Express Housed linemen and volunteers Homestead Inn Call 828-295-9559 Housing displaced residents. call 828-295-9559 to sponsor a stay. Inn at Ragged Gardens Click here >> Housing displaced residents. call 828-295-9703 to sponsor a stay. Jack Hamrick Art Shop now >> Jerky Outpost Shop now >> J. McLaughlin Click here >> Shop now >> Martin House Gallery Shop now >> McCoy Minerals Click here >> Shop now >> Meadowbrook Inn Click here >> Housed linemen & first responders. Mellow Mushroom Click here >> Monkee’s of Blowing Rock Shop now
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