Visiting Blowing Rock, North Carolina
I have to say, if Kyle and I could own a home in the mountains, it would be in Blowing Rock. Blowing Rock is three hours west of Raleigh and our FAVORITE mountain town. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it has a quaint yet lively Main Street with beautiful shops, restaurants, and breweries. It’s truly incredible! Since Kyle and I decided to visit in 2019 for my birthday, we have returned at least once a year.
Kyle and I typically take a trip for Valentine’s Day, so we decided it was time to revisit Blowing Rock and get some fresh mountain air after a long winter. We stayed in a few different places on our visit, including AirBnb’s and little inns in town, but this time we decided to stay at Main & Pine right in the middle of Main Street.
When they were building this boutique collection with six units, I told Kyle, “Wow, I’d love to stay there.” Well, three years later, my wish came true! I was connected with The Carolina Experience, a short-term rental company with offerings in premier locations throughout North Carolina, and they offered to host Kyle and me for two nights in our favorite town. HOW PERFECT!
We stayed in Main & Pine’s Franklin One Bedroom Unit. It was cozy, gorgeous, and had everything we needed to feel at home and comfortable during our stay. You can watch a video tour just below to get a layout of the space! The Carolina Experience Team was responsive, easy to communicate with, and went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied with our stay. The unit was in great condition, clean, and they even had a cute little welcome bag with popcorn, wine, and a hand written note when we checked in.
Blowing Rock Travel Guide
Now for the reason y’all are here - my list of recommendations for how to make the most out of your next visit in Blowing Rock.
Where to Stay:
Main & Pine - There are six units ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms. Situation right in the middle of Main Street and walkable to everything within the town of Blowing Rock. Truly my TOP recommendation for where to stay. The friendly team at The Carolina Experience gave me a discount code for you to stay at ANY of their properties throughout 2023! Full disclaimer - I do NOT make a commission off your stay, but this is a generous courtesy of them. Use “LAMBERT” when you book directly through The Carolina Experience website.
Ragged Garden Inn - VERY cute Bed and Breakfast located in town
Hellbender Bed & Beverage - Another cute Bed and Breakfast
Meadowbrook Inn - Kind of like a bouquet hotel experience
Owl’s Nest Airbnb - we stayed here the first time we visited Blowing Rock and loved it. It is about 5-10 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock but still a prime location
Chetola Resort - this spot has a lot of offerings on property for you to enjoy
Where to Eat & Drink:
*Disclaimer: Breakfast is HARD to come by. We realized this the last two times we have visited during off season. We struggled with finding a sit down option before 11 AM that actually served a full breakfast. If you are staying at an Airbnb, I’d recommend getting some breakfast food on hand.
Coffee:
Bald Guy Brew
Camp Coffee Roasters
Breakfast:
Hellbender Bar & Beverage - does do basic coffee and biscuit breakfast sandwiches
Village Cafe - in season (spring through fall) a great little spot where you sit in a garden
Dining:
Twigs
Bistro Roca - a favorite of ours for dinner and the ambiance is super cute. Make sure you check out the bar area and see all the dog portraits on the wall
The Cellar - a finer dining experience
The Speckled Trout - great for lunch or dinner!
Hellbender - option for lunch
Town Tavern - a sports bar type place and open late
Timberlake’s
Storie Street Grill
Beer/Drink:
The Speckled Trout
Blowing Rock Brewery
Town Tavern
Hellbender Bar & Beverage
Sunset & Vine
Violette’s Cafe
Sweets:
Kilwins
Blue Deer Cookies
Where to Shop:
Stable - women’s boutique
Stable @ Home - home decor store
Boone’s Belles - fast fashion boutique
The Last Straw - home & garden store
The Bee and Boxwood - home decor and gift store
The Common Good - the most gorgeous print and home items.
What to Do:
Visit THE Blowing Rock
Drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to get to Grandfather Mountain Winery or Linville Falls Winery
Visit Grandfather Mountain
Where to Hike:
Rough Ridge Lookout
Bass Lake Loop Drive
Julian Price Park
Fire Tower Hike
Mose Cone Memorial Park
Where to Relax:
Westglow Spa - we LOVED it here. We did a half day pass where we enjoyed all the amenities for 5-6 hours and each got a massage. I ended up adding on a pedicure too!
The Spa at Chetola Resort
