It’s that time of year again. We are starting to see the changes of Fall here in the High Country. Blowing Rock is an excellent destination for fall color, some might say the best. There are a few reasons why our location is an ideal one with such vibrancy and it all comes down to variety.
From the Figure Eight Trail to Cragway Loop, these trails are all excellent places to see the shift to fall begin.
Our 2023 Daily Fall Photos begin tomorrow, September 23, and we are so excited! As we prepare to kick off the new season, we are taking a look back at last year’s scenes. We’ve selected ten of our favorites to share with you! See our 10 Best Fall Photos of 2022 below.
For August, we enjoyed the height of summer with tubing, visited the Blowing Rock Boulders, and trekked fan-favorite Boone Fork Trail.
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.
For July hiking, we chose trails that showcase diverse experiences, from mountaintops to riverside greenways!
Sky Valley Zip Tours offers different kinds of adventures for different adventurers. They have the Canopy Tour, the Whistle Pig Adventure for kids, Mountain Cat Off Road Adventure, and the Night Flight for the bravest of adventurers.
The Rosebay Rhododendron are at peak bloom and probably will be for another few days. The pictures below were taken at Price Lake off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Price Lake always has an impressive show of blooms this time of year. Right now the majority of blooms are open and displaying pale pink or white in color, giving the blossoming bushes a cloudlike quality. Again, unless there is incliment weather, these blooms should be around for the next week or so.
From the Blowing Rock History Walk to Linville Falls Trails, these paths near water offer a cool treat as the weather warms in summer.
Readers of Blue Ridge Country Magazine have named Blowing Rock among their favorite towns, attractions, activities, and more in the 2023 Best of the Mountains reader poll. The town of Blowing Rock and some of its local attractions have been awarded with accolades in several categories! Best Main-Street Local Shopping Town- Blowing Rock, NC (first place) Best Walkable Town – Blowing Rock, NC (first place) Best Arts Town – Blowing Rock, NC (second place) Best Theme Park – Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock, NC (second place) Best Outlet Shopping – Tanger Outlets (now Shoppes on the Parkway), Blowing Rock, NC (second place) Best Holiday Festival – Blowing Rock WinterFest, Blowing Rock, NC (third place) Best Paddling Lake – Price Lake, Blowing Rock, NC (third place) Best Family Destination – Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock, NC (third place) “We’re honored to know that Blowing Rock is top of mind for so many great experiences,” says Tracy Brown, Executive Director of the Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority. “Readers of Blue Ridge Country are folks from all across our region- essentially they are our neighbors. We couldn’t ask for any better recommendation.” The NC High Country is well-represented on the list, with neighboring towns, events, and attractions chosen as various favorites. Among nearby notables, Boone was recognized in several categories, including Best College Town (first); West Jefferson won the title of Friendliest Town (first); while Banner Elk’s Woolly Worm Festival was named the Best Quirky Festival and the Best Fall Festival (both first). The Blue Ridge Parkway, an important attraction for the region, was selected as the Best Loop Drive on a Tank of Gas (first) and Best Motorcycle Route (second). “Our readers know the Southern Appalachian region better than anyone,” says Blue Ridge Country Editor-in-Chief Kurt Rheinheimer. “We are so pleased to present their knowledgeable picks in our 35th anniversary issue.” Polling is conducted every five years. Blowing Rock was voted as the Best Main-Street Local Shopping Town (first) in 2018. This year’s survey features 48 categories. Readers submitted their votes online over the course of two months, resulting in over 130 first, second, and third place awards for the best cities, towns, attractions and activities from the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. “We wouldn’t be celebrating our 35th without our cherished readers and our loyal advertisers,” says Associate Publisher Cynthia Bruggeman. “Every issue highlights amazing destinations and the people, history and stories that make them unique. Our ‘Best of’ feature in the summer mag is a snapshot of winners sure to provide year-long travel ideas and inspiration.” A complete list of winners is presented in the July/August 2023 issue of Blue Ridge Country, available on newsstands in mid-June. A PDF of the full feature (Blue Ridge Country Magazine pages) is available for viewing here.
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