Blowing Rock is full of family fun! Find plenty of entertainment for pre-teens and teenagers, too! See the list below for some great activities to enjoy with your pre-teens and teens.
Adventure:
Sky Valley Zip Tours offers traditional ziplining for adrenaline junkies of all ages. You can soar through the canopy and experience the beauty of Blowing Rock that way. They also offer their new Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures for ages 14 and up. Drive their new, all electric, 4 wheel drive adventure vehicles through the forest and experience the mountains from the ground as well! Are you a night owl? Take a night flight and experience the thrills of the zipline in the dark. They are open March – November and select times around the holidays.
High Gravity Adventures offers traditional ziplining as well so this is another great option for your adrenaline junkies. They also offer a ropes and climbing course and a giant swing that is guaranteed to give you butterflies. High Gravity Adventures is open for business the majority of the year. For specific days and hours, check here.
Price Park – Head on over to Price Park and have a picnic. Some of the tables have charcoal grills for grilling out. Bring your own charcoal. Enjoy open fields for playing frisbee or throwing a ball. Lots of people will lay out in the sun and read or hang a hammock. Find the trailhead here for Boone Fork Trail, a moderate to strenuous trail that passes Hebron Falls and is about a 5 mile loop. Price lake also offers a trail around the lake for hiking. Price Lake Boat Rentals rents out canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards so you can explore the lake from the water as well. Both options offer beautiful scenery.
Hike – Blowing Rock is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway and has some of the best hiking in the area. What better way to bond than to go out in nature and experience the sweeping views Blowing Rock has to offer. The trails are great exercise, great bonding, and there are some great selfie spots on the way too! Hike up to the fire tower at Moses Cone Memorial Park, or out to Hebron Falls by way of Boone Fork Trail. If you are looking for something more challenging, head out to Glen Burney Falls, a steep trail that takes you into the gorge behind Blowing Rock and has waterfall views.
Be aware that Price Park, Price Lake, Moses Cone Memorial Park, and certain hiking areas are accessed via the Blue Ridge Parkway which can be closed due to inclement weather.
Vx3 Trail Rides – Get out on a trail on horseback! With a local guide and friendly horses you can’t go wrong. Build a relationship with your horse while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Vx3 tours go out year round.
Fly Fishing – Speckled Trout Outfitters offers guided fly fishing trips that would be a perfect experience for a teen or pre-teen. Their knowledgeable guides are with you every step of the way and tailor the trip to your experience level. Sportsmen and novices alike can enjoy the thrill of catching a fish!
Entertainment:
Mystery Hill – Mystery Hill has fun for the whole family. Take a turn throwing tomahawks on Tomahawk Hill, or see how long you can ride their mechanical bull. Take some old-timey photos at Professor Finnegans and finish off the trip by stopping at Front Porch Eats and getting an Over The Top Mason Jar Milkshake. Open year round.
Doc’s Rocks – More than a Gem Mine, Doc’s Rocks has Paleo Putt-Putt and VR Laser Tag where you can battle it out with aliens, zombies, and more. You can also battle your friends in their fully loaded Nerf Battlezone. If Gems and Fossils are more your thing, then you’ll want to check out their gallery store, McCoy Minerals. Proving that all that glitters is not gold, McCoy Minerals is home to tons of sparkling gems, and impressive fossils. Open year round.
Robbins Pool – Cool off and have a blast at Robbins Pool! The pool is shaped like a “u” and that separates the wading pool from the deeper end. There is a winding water slide that is fun for anyone. Lifeguards are on duty to enforce the rules and make sure that everyone is having fun in a safe environment. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 12:00 pm – 7:30 pm.
Around Town:
Recreation – Blowing Rock Memorial Park rents out all kinds of equipment on a first come first served basis. Play a pickup game of basketball, pickleball, tennis, volleyball, football, soccer, kickball, or horseshoe! Grab your family and get a little competitive in the park. The equipment stand is located right in the heart of the park. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, it is operational from 9:00am – 7:30pm every day.
Shopping – Blowing Rock has great stores as well. Both downtown and at Shoppes on the Parkway. From designer to funky, to locally owned and more, there are a variety of stores to enjoy.
Clothing & Accessories: Sunset Tees, Funky Tulip, We’re Good Sports, The Stable, Rooster Rock, Deeply Rooted, Oliver’s on Main, Monkee’s, Boone Belles, American Eagle, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic, Sweet Mimi’s.
Artsy Shops: Art Walk, Bolick & Traditions Pottery, Mountain Thread Company, Unwound, Curiosity, Coal Miner’s Daughter, High Country Candles
Sports & Outdoor Shops: Speckled Trout Outfitters, Footsloggers, We’re Good Sports, Appalachian Outfitters
Eats & Drinks:
Ice Cream – Kilwins, Blue Deer, Sunset Sweets & Heat – What better way to finish off a day of hard play than with a tasty treat. All of these spots have you covered on that front. From Kilwins’ famous waffle cones and array of flavors to Blue Deer’s mix-and-match ice cream cookie sandwich to Sunset Sweets & Heat’s Ice cream sundae and nostalgic candies and sodas, you cannot go wrong getting a sweet treat at these spots.
Restaurants – We have plenty of restaurants with a family atmosphere here in Blowing Rock. If you feel like Mexican food you can check out Mexican Rock or El Rincon (temporarily closed for renovation but reopening as soon as it’s ready). For elevated American food you can check out Storie Street Grille, Cupcrazed Cafe, or Bistro Roca. For more family friendly options, you can head over to Wheelie’s Refresher or Pedalin’ Pig.
Mocktails – Who doesn’t love ordering a colorful, creative, artisanal beverage? Bistro Roca has a seasonal mocktail menu making it a great option because they don’t have to order the same thing twice. Hellbender Bed & Beverage also offers mocktails upon request. The Speckled Trout Restaurant & Bottle Shop has several mocktails on their menu which they also update seasonally, so they are another great option.
Seasonal:
Ghost Train – This takes place on select evenings at the end of September and through Halloween. A spooky festival atmosphere with live shows, haunted houses, and the iconic ride on the Ghost Train. Takes place on select nights from the end of September to the end of October.
Tweetsie Christmas – A Festive Christmas experience wrapped in glittering lights. Treat yourself to a smore, enjoy a themed variety show, and of course ride the Train and see over 1 million twinkle lights in the process. Takes place on select nights from the end of November to the end of December.
Appalachian Ski Mountain – Opens mid November through mid March. Learn a new skill and pick up skiing or snowboarding. Soar down a hill and enjoy the wind around your helmet. Appalachian Ski Mountain is home to the French Swiss Ski College and is a great place to learn. They also have ice skating if gliding around a rink is more your speed. The lodge offers a cafeteria, ski shops, and full equipment rentals so you don’t have to have any gear of your own to participate.
Now that’s fun for the whole family!
Get more information about Recreation.
Get more information about Dining.
Get more information about Shopping.
Get more information about Attractions.