Category: Blog

Through this partnership with Black Folks Camp Too, the Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority aims to promote more unity and inclusion in outdoor spaces and activities.

Blowing Rock infrastructure is getting some much-needed upgrades! Main water and sewer lines are being replaced along Main Street in the downtown core now through Spring 2024.  Key Takeaways: Access to businesses and activities on Main Street will remain open. Expect single-lane closures and potential travel/traffic delays. One full closure of Main Street is required in a residential section. Construction activity will be limited to Mon-Thurs when possible. About the Project: According to the contractor’s project page, “the existing and new water and sewer lines are located within the roadway. In order to complete replacement of these lines, the pavement on Main Street will be removed within the trench area. With the majority of this work occurring within the paved roadway, traffic control is required, and travel will be reduced to one lane during construction.” These single-lane closures will be controlled with automated flagging devices with barrier arms. While every effort will be made to reduce traffic impacts, some delays should be expected when driving through all downtown areas. Main Street Closure Details: One full closure of Main Street is required north of Chetola Resort. This closure will not prevent access to any businesses, but visitors to Chetola Resort, McCoy Minerals, and other north Main locations will need to access those places from the south end of Main Street. That simply means that downtown visitors, including school traffic, will need to access Main Street via Sunset Drive. This full closure of north Main Street from Chetola out to the US Highway 321 intersection will be active Monday mornings through Thursday evenings from February 12 through at least mid-April 2024. The road will be opened Friday mornings through the weekends. This closure is for 18-inch sewer line replacement. See area marked in red on full map below. Downtown Core Construction Work: Currently, sewer installation continues on Main Street between Chestnut Drive and Morris Street, along the parking spaces on the east side of Main Street. Sewer installation will progress north on the east side of Main Street toward US Hwy 221. Single-lane closures and lane shifts will be necessary during this construction. Sidewalk access for pedestrians will remain open throughout the project. Fridays of each work week will be reserved for clean-up (unless work days are lost through the week), with both traffic lanes and on-street parking reopening for each weekend. Starting in mid-March, water line installation will begin on the other side of Main Street, following the same method. This work will begin at Ginny Stevens Lane and continue north on Main Street through downtown. The west side of Main Street parking and the south bound lane will be utilized for water installation. Single-lane closures and lane shifts will be necessary during this construction as well. See this area marked in yellow on full map below. Additional Details: For information about additional parking areas off of Main Street, click here. Entire water and sewer project completion date is September 10, 2024. Please note that all dates listed are approximate and the timing of all construction activity is weather-dependent. More information about the project is available on the project website.

The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge in Blowing Rock, North Carolina is a 2024 James Beard Award Semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category. Semifinalists are recognized as exemplary in their category; the top 5 in each award category will be announced as Nominees this spring.  According to the James Beard Foundation’s website, the Outstanding Restaurant Award recognizes restaurants that “demonstrate consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations while contributing positively to their broader community.” The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge has been a fine dining staple in Blowing Rock for many years. It has become known for thoughtfully crafted, locally-sourced fare and attentive service. Wide mountain views surround the intimate dining area. The restaurant is housed inside a rustically elegant inn, built in 1941 as a summer estate by the Lindau family, relatives of Moses and Bertha Cone. The Milner family purchased the establishment in 1984 and in 2000, Cobb and Cindy Milner opened The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge.  “This honor is the result of many years of effort by our wonderful staff, from the kitchen, to the servers, cleaning staff and managers who made this all possible,” Cobb Milner said. “And especially our Executive Chef, Hunter Womble.” Womble became the Executive Chef at The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge in 2014. As he has applied his creativity and vision, the restaurant’s reputation for exceptional experiences has grown. He is excited about this latest recognition for the restaurant. “There are so many incredible chefs and restaurants represented in these categories,” Womble said. “Just to be considered for this distinction really is an honor. We appreciate the show of confidence, as well as the consistent support from our local community over the years.” Community connection is especially valued by the team at The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge. “We couldn’t have reached such success without our local community including our farmers, suppliers, friends, and families who have given their time and expertise to helping our business shine,” Cindy Milner added. “Families have been with us for decades and shared their generations. We are ever grateful and humbled by that support.” The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge has been recognized with multiple accolades in the last several years. Just a few months ago, the Restaurant at Gideon Ridge received Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Award for the second year in a row. The online travel review giant ranked The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge as #2 Fine Dining Restaurant and #3 Date Night Restaurant in the United States, based on quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings. The restaurant is also currently recognized by Fodor’s Travel as a Fodor’s Choice selection.   The 2024 James Beard Award Restaurant and Chef semifinalists are recognized across 22 categories. North Carolina’s rich culinary culture is well represented in the lists. Eleven other North Carolina restaurants and chefs join The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge as semifinalists across several categories. Nominees will be announced on Wednesday, April 3, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 10. The 2024 James Beard Awards are presented by Capital One. Learn more about the James Beard Awards and see the full Semifinalist lists at jamesbeard.org. Get information and reservations for The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge at gideonridge.com. January 2024