DEL.ICIO.USFROM ATLANTA to ...BLOWING ROCK, N.C.
Scenic ‘High Country’ town is a fall favorite
Endless activities make it a destination for all seasons
For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Awakened as temperatures cool and leaves change colors, many Georgians head to the mountains, and to this town just a pretty five-hour drive away.
Though Blowing Rock is particularly popular in the fall, it’s also a year-round destination.
Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority
Come fall, the scene along the Blue Ridge Parkway, just outside of Blowing Rock, changes into a feast of reds, yellows and oranges. The parkway will celebrate 75 years in 2010.
Todd Bush
Whether shopping for antiques, eager for food or just taking in the sights, Blowing Rock’s Main Street is a great place to start.
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At 4,000 feet in North Carolina’s “High Country,” it sits astride the Eastern Continental Divide, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and from the top of Blowing Rock (yes, there really is one), you’ll view gorgeous scenery.
Blowing Rock is a festival of wild blooms in the spring, cool in the summer, dazzling with color in the fall and a Currier and Ives portrait in the winter. Activities seem as endless as the view — hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, mountain and road cycling, rock climbing, fishing and hunting are close at hand, along with skiing in the winter.
A short history
Blowing Rock has welcomed visitors since the 1880s. Reminiscent of a small New England village, it has a population of about 1,500 that grows to nearly 8,000 during summer and fall.
Visitors will find high-end retail shops, unique restaurants, upscale retreats and charming inns, renowned artists and cultural events, cottage gardens and trails.
The town has virtually no chain hotels, fast-food restaurants or strip malls. Almost all lodging and dining venues are locally owned and operated, with many in historic buildings constructed with local natural materials.
Blowing Rock’s savvy, small-town atmosphere inspired best-selling author and former resident Jan Karon to pen her “Mitford” series and prompted thousands to head for the mountains. She started the series in 1994 and has written nine “Mitford” books.
Many people think Blowing Rock is Mitford because Karon lived here when she was inspired to write “At Home in Mitford” and other books in the series. Those who love Karon’s books flocked to “Mitford Days,” held in Blowing Rock last fall, which included the world premiere of Karon’s play, “Journey to Mitford,” at the Mariam & Robert Hayes Performing Arts Center.
Karon attended the premiere, and although there are no plans for another Mitford Days, other special events pack the town’s calendar (including “Linda Lavin’s Songs & Confessions of a One-Time Waitress” at the Hayes Performing Arts Center on Sept. 21).
Getting artsy
The Hayes Performing Arts Center, a 26,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility, stands on a mountain overlooking the town. It is home to the Blowing Rock Stage Company, which has produced traditional and original theatrical presentations for more than 22 years, as well as a variety of touring performances and a classic film series. It’s a facility more typically found in America’s larger cities.
More evidence of appreciation of the arts: The “Art in the Park” series, now in its 46th year, features the works of 100 juried artisans in watercolor, oil painting, fiber, metal, wood, basketry, glass, clay, jewelry and photography. The last event this year will be Oct. 4. Gallery strolls are an important part of an “Art in the Park” weekend, but shopping for art can be a year-round activity.
Farther afield
Within easy driving distance is Grandfather Mountain, a spectacular, privately owned biosphere reserve with a mile-high swinging bridge, wildlife habitats and incredible views. Also nearby are attractions like Tweetsie Railroad, Linville Caverns, Mystery Hill and the city of Boone.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2010, the Blue Ridge Parkway passes just outside town. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s Go Blue Ridge Card is a multi-attraction pass that provides discounts and offers throughout the 25-county region.
The card is available online, at www.goblueridgecard.com and travelers can use it at more than 35 attractions, restaurants and merchants. The accompanying pocket-sized, full-color guidebook is filled with attraction locations, hours, descriptions, directions, maps and points of interest near Blowing Rock and beyond.
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