Category: Romantic Getaways

Blowing Rock NC Ingrid Lemme Photo

Blowing Rock: A Bucket List Destination

Our new friends Ingrid and Marcus came to visit Blowing Rock and take a look around in mid-September. Marcus had visited Blowing Rock many years ago, so our town had been on their list for a while. They arrived on a Sunday and stayed two nights. Ingrid and Marcus packed a ton of fun into their three days in town!  A Concert in the Park, dining around town, visiting Grandfather Mountain and The Blowing Rock, shopping, and more. Here’s a bit of what Ingrid had to say about their experience: “Let me say from the start that we’ve found another destination that really belongs on everyone’s bucket list and that we hope to visit next year once again as there is so much more for us to do and experience in and around the historic, charming, beautiful mountain town of Blowing Rock. The famous Rock, less than two miles from our hotel, that we visited the next morning, is the oldest tourist attraction in North Carolina and features an immense cliff jutting 4,000 feet above sea level. Blowing Rock is a year round destination, but fall is especially beautiful in the mountains when the leaves are turning, and The Blue Ridge Mountains, with Blue Ridge Parkway access right in Blowing Rock, offer one of the most colorful and longest running fall leaf seasons in the world. One of the reasons is the varied elevations that show prime fall colors for over a month. Lucky us, a little of these famous fall colors were already becoming more noticeable around the Blowing Rock area during our visit in mid September.” “We arrived in town on a blue-skied early Sunday afternoon and fell instantly in love with its beautiful, blooming Main Street…” “We had reservations at the Meadowbrook Inn, a charming 62-room eco retreat surrounded by still blooming gardens and located just a block from all these cute shops, restaurants, and galleries on Blowing Rock’s Main Street. A couple of ducks, who demanded the right of way, welcomed us by the main entrance. They seemed to be on the way to the duck pond which is part of the surrounding ‘Certified Wildlife Habitat by National Wildlife Federation.’” Ingrid shares many more details on her website. Head over to Ingrid’s blog, Escape From Paradise, to see their entire Blowing Rock adventure, and SO MANY more photos: Mind-blowing Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.  Looking to recreate Ingrid’s trip? Start at Meadowbrook Inn in downtown Blowing Rock! “I especially liked The Final Touches Home & Garden boutique.” “Sunny Rock Eggs turned out to be a cozy, warm place with a hot breakfast and perfectly basted eggs! Btw our waitress Sheila rocked.” “Little will match the exhilarating feeling of being on top of the world while looking out across views of mountain ridges cascading to the horizon. Here we met other free spirits like us.” “Superb, is an understatement. Timberlake’s at Chetola Resort is a destination restaurant.”

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A Wine Lover’s Guide to Blowing Rock, NC

Blowing Rock has long been a culinary destination with restaurants boasting extensive wine lists and shops with unique, hard-to-find wines. It’s the natural marriage of fine wine and creative cuisine, set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Please check with each individual business about COVID precautions and hours.  Wine Shops Sunset and Vine Located in downtown Blowing Rock, Sunset and Vine features unique wines and also offers boutique, high-quality olive oils, artisan cheeses, chocolates, wine accessories, and picnic supplies. Be sure to check their website for a schedule of wine tasting flights, specialty classes, and demonstrations. It’s a great place to find that “unicorn” wine or discover your new favorite. Blowing Rock Market Also located downtown, Blowing Rock Market has a great selection of wines, in addition to a deli, coffee bar and more. If you are heading to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a picnic, Blowing Rock Market is a great place to get a picnic lunch and a bottle of the perfect complimentary wine to drink as you survey the views. Restaurants & Inns The Best Cellar Restaurant Established in 1975, the original location of The Best Cellar was a basement on Main Street, where the previous owners served soups, sandwiches and sold books. The restaurant is now located inside The Inn at Ragged Gardens in downtown Blowing Rock and you will dine in the wine cellar. Over the years the menu has evolved from soups and sandwiches to creative dishes featuring the freshest meats and seafood. The 11-page wine list at The Best Cellar is extensive and offers the perfect sip to go with amazing bites. Bistro Roca & Antlers Bar Just off the beaten path in downtown Blowing Rock, Bistro Roca features a wood-fired oven created from bricks recovered from the landmark Antler’s Bar, the oldest continuously serving bar in North Carolina. Bistro Roca features American bistro fare, Neapolitan style pizzas, French-influenced comfort food, and a carefully cultivated wine selection, craft beer, and cocktails. Half glasses are available, which makes pairing multiple courses a breeze. Café Violette Locally-sourced, house-made French Mediterranean cuisine including focaccia, baguettes, desserts, and vegetarian options. Menu changes as foods/ingredients may not always be available. Featuring an eclectic wine list and a selection of classic French cocktails.   The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn Using fresh ingredients available from local farms and small-batch purveyors located in the Blue Ridge, The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn offers a creative, ever-changing menu with an extensive wine selection. Dine al fresco on the terrace with mountain views or in the European-styled dining room.  Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop Part bottle shop and part restaurant, The Speckled Trout offers elevated Appalachian cuisine along with “home-grown” beers and ciders and wines highlighting small producers from old world to new. Enjoy fresh mountain trout, soup beans, and hoe cakes complemented by the perfect beverage. Also, enjoy live music on Thursdays from 6-8 PM. Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort Overlooking Chetola Lake, Timberlake’s Restaurant is a collaboration between artist Bob Timberlake and Chetola Resort. Enjoy the finest wines paired with dishes that include savory shrimp and salads of mountain-grown spinach, pan-seared duck, roasted Carolina quail, mouth-watering Angus bistro filets, and house made desserts. Dine outside on the patio or in the elegant, rustic dining room.  Twigs Offering fine dining in a rustic atmosphere, Twigs boasts a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list featuring over 200 bottle selections and 14 wines by the glass in addition to 35 beer options, many of which are NC craft beers, and artisan cocktails. Enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights. View more restaurants in Blowing Rock >> High Country Wine Trail Just a short drive away, the wineries on the High Country Wine Trail is a must-experience for any wine enthusiast. These wineries are part of the Appalachian High Country American Viticultural Area (AVA), a fairly new AVA, and one of only five in North Carolina. The Banner Elk Winery Banner Elk Winery is the first commercial winery built in the area, debuting in 2006. The Winery was awarded Gold Medals at the 2013 International Eastern Wine Competition for the 2011 Banner Elk Red and 2011 Marechal Foch, in addition to several other awards for the 2011 and 2012 Banner Elk White. Other popular wines include the The Banner Elk Blueberry and Ice Wines. Overlooking the vineyards, The Tuscan-inspired villa on the grounds is available for overnight stays and events.  Grandfather Vineyard & Winery Located at an elevation of 3,300 feet in Foscoe, the vineyards and tasting room at Grandfather Vineyard & Winery are in the shadow of Grandfather Mountain. Hybrids grow extremely well in the cooler climate and wines often end up with high acidity and bold fruit flavors. Enjoy wines like “Whiskey Barrel White” and “Appalachia Red” on their patio or at the edge of the Watauga River. Linville Falls Winery  Located just north of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Linville Gorge, the 40-acre Linville Falls Winery offers grape varieties that include Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Noiret, Marquette, Petit Verdot, Marechal Foch, and their flagship grape, Riesling. In addition to grapes, you’ll also find blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, heirloom apples, pumpkins, corn, and Christmas Trees.

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specials at chetola

Winter Warm Up

Blowing Rock and the surrounding area is a winter wonderland, with snowy views, warm places offering cozy respite, and great winter sports. Spend a day with this suggested itinerary for a truly memorable winter experience!

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the blowing rock

Romantic Spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway

No matter what the season, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the perfect place to share the breathtaking beauty of North Carolina’s mountains with your sweetheart. Below are just a few of our favorite “romantic spots” that are near Blowing Rock. Rough Ridge Overlook – Milepost 302.8Amazing views while hiking the Tanawha Trail up the mountain and over boardwalks. Bring your camera and recruit a fellow tourist to capture the moment. Julian Price Park & Price Lake  – Milepost 297-298A beautiful setting for a picnic or a romantic canoe ride. Take a leisurely hike around the Lake, and stop to enjoy it all. Beautiful spot for a proposal! Moses H. Cone Park – Milepost 294Enjoy hiking or a romantic picnic on the carriage trails and find treasure for yourself or your significant other inside the Parkway Craft Center. Stop a minute on the front porch and enjoy a moment in the rocking chairs. Thunder Hill Overlook – Milepost 290.3For a romantic evening under the stars, turn on some tunes and drive to Thunder Hill. The views are far reaching and on a clear night the stars are amazing. Check with your favorite Blowing Rock restaurant and ask if they can fix a picnic for you!

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the blowing rock

The Legend of The Blowing Rock

According to legend, a Chickasaw chieftain, who was protecting his beautiful daughter from white man’s admiration, journeyed to The Blowing Rock and into the care of a squaw mother. One day the lovely maiden was daydreaming on the cliff and noticed a Cherokee brave wandering in far below. She playfully shot an arrow in his direction and they began to flirt.  Soon he appeared before her wigwam, courted her with songs of his land, and they became lovers, wandering the pathless woodlands and along the crystal streams. One day a strange reddening of the sky brought the brave and the maiden to The Blowing Rock. To him, it was a sign of trouble commanding his return to his tribe in the plains. With the maiden’s entreaties not to leave her, the brave, torn by conflict of duty and heart, leaped from The Rock into the wilderness far below. The grief-stricken maiden prayed daily to the Great Spirit until one evening with a reddening sky, a gust of wind blew her lover back onto The Rock and into her arms. From that day a perpetual wind has blown up onto The Rock from the valley below. For people of other days, at least, this was explanation enough for The Blowing Rock’s mysterious winds causing even the snow to fall upside down. For more information about the legend, and to purchase tickets to visit The Blowing Rock attraction, visit www.theblowingrock.com

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