Family Weekend in Blowing Rock, NC

Thinking of a family trip to North Carolina High Country and looking for a home base? Look no further than Blowing Rock! This small, quaint town has a central location on the Blue Ridge Parkway, backing up to the Pisgah National Forest.

Blowing Rock has something for all ages and interests, whether you are a foodie or are looking to connect with nature, this is the town for you. There is no shortage of beautiful scenery here, from the winding mountain roads to the local shops downtown, not to mention the views and hospitality!

Blowing Rock is fun to visit during any season, but we were fortunate enough to visit during peak fall foliage (happy dance). We have compiled a list of the three A’s: Accommodations, Adventures, and Appetite!  If you have any questions about Blowing Rock or our trip please shoot us an email!

Accommodations

We stayed at the amazing Chetola Resort and all I can say is WOW. This 78-acre resort was made for families, offering 1 to 4-bedroom luxury condominiums (as well as the Chetola Lodge and Bob Timberlake Inn at Chetola Resort) and a wide variety of recreational activities and amenities.

We stayed in a 2-bedroom condo and it was huge. We had a full kitchen, two full bathrooms, washer/dryer, and a large living room with fireplace. Our balcony also had a beautiful view of the lake and fall foliage in the trees all around us. Add in the crisp fall area and it truly was an epic fall weekend getaway!

We enjoyed several of the amenities at Chetola. The indoor swimming pool is heated to 86 degrees (yes!!!) and we had a great time there with the pool to ourselves. They offer children’s swimmies and pool noodles to borrow while visiting. Our family had a great time fishing (though we did not catch anything), running around at the playground, and admiring the swans on property. We watched people play frisbee golf from our balcony as well which was a lot of fun.

Check the full list of activities available here.

Adventures

The Blowing Rock – This may seem like a no-brainer, but some people might not realize there actually is a Blowing Rock! Dubbed “North Carolina’s Oldest Travel Attraction”, this is the only place in the world where the snow falls upside-down! The phenomenon happens because the rocky walls of the gorge form a flume through which the northwest wind sweeps with such force that it returns light objects cast over the void. If is it windy when you visit – try throwing something light (and not litter!) over the side and see it come back to you! Bonus – this is just minutes from Chetola.

Grandfather Mountain – Grandfather Mountain towers 5,946 feet above northwest North Carolina. The Mile High Swinging Bridge, America’s highest suspension footbridge, gives visitors easy access to the breathtaking 360° views from Grandfather Mountain’s Linville Peak. The bridge does sway and make noise while crossing, so prepare for your heart rate to go through the roof! There is also animal habitats with otters, black bears, a cougar, and elk. A great way to spend 2-3 hours with the family. You will also pass the “Forest Gump Curve” featured in the movie where he is running!

Tweetsie Railroad – While we did not visit on this getaway, our family went to Tweetsie two years ago and had a great time. This is a great place to visit with kids. Ride the train to watch the cowboys and robbers duke it out – and hop on your train to catch a ride!

Mystery Hill – Another fun spot with kids – we visited two years ago (not this trip). Mystery Hill will truly mess with your mind as it tests gravity. The Natural Gravitational Anomaly left some a bit queasy, but don’t worry they have a walk around if you need one!

Apetite

Timberlake’s Restaurant – Satisfy your hunger with a meal at Timberlakes. We were thrilled to have dinner in this historic building, and the food was incredible! Definitely try the Fisherman’s Pie and their homemade desserts!

Pro-tip: Timberlake’s offers family style meals for carry out AND they can have them in your condo’s refrigerator upon checkin. Nothing beats this convenience! The meal comes with salad and rolls. They say it feeds four, but it can feed 6+ easily! Do yourself a favor and take advantage of this one of a kind offering.

Until next time…