Is Blowing Rock worth the drive?
I can certainly say that if you are driving from Tennessee to Blowing Rock, NC on U.S. Highway 321, I would shout a resounding YES. The winding road in the summer alternates between deep green tunnels of leafy trees, glinting lakes and streams, steep hillsides cleared of trees generations ago and dotted with rolls of hay and remote mountain communities that make you think of the Hatfields and McCoys. That stunning drive alone would make the trip worth it and I plan to focus on that for another article, but after driving through all that Appalachian beauty, the reward I was looking for this time was Blowing Rock.
The drive actually takes you through Boone, home of Appalachian State University. The town is a typical college town in that it’s most interesting and eclectic shops and restaurants are near the college. Highway 321 takes you right through that part of town, but again (I know this is making you crazy, but keep focused!) we were not stopping there this trip, so we navigated through Boone and continued on the next few miles to Blowing Rock.
The town of Blowing Rock takes its name from an unusual rock formation which juts out over 1,500 feet above the Johns River gorge. Due to the rock's shape and size, wind currents from the gorge often blow vertically, causing light objects to float upwards into the sky.
The Blowing Rock is also the scene of an old folk tale. The Blowing Rock area was once fought over by the Cherokee and Catawba Native American tribes. According to legend, two lovers - one from each tribe - were walking near the rocks when the man received a notice to report to his village and go into battle. When his lover urged him to stay with her, he became so distraught that he threw himself off the blowing rock into the gorge. The woman prayed to the Great Spirit to return her lover, and the Spirit complied by sending a gust of wind which blew the man back up the cliff and landed him safely on the blowing rock itself.
I have actually been to Blowing Rock several times over the last six years, so I have seen it change somewhat over time. The terrible economy of the last few years really hit the town hard and some of my favorite shops are no longer in business. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the traffic on Main Street. The traffic continues to be a problem that probably can’t be fixed, so try to visit on shoulder or off season if you don’t like crowds.
On the bright side, the main street of town is still a charming flower bedecked, easy to walk and shop place. Tiny alleys lead to jewelry kiosks and mom & pop clothing shops. There are LOTS of small home décor and art galleries and it is interesting to see what is on display.The best part of walking along Main Street is nearing the fudge and ice cream shop. The smell is divine! The sweet scent wafts up and down the sidewalk luring customers in to sample their sticky delicious wares.
The holy grail of our pilgrimage to Blowing Rock though is always the Six Pence Pub, for a yummy lunch of Fish and Chips and Smithwicks Beer. If you love English pubs, I would have to say this is one of the best this area of North Carolina and Tennessee, it is an offshoot of the Six Pence established originally in Savanna, GA. Yes I know, this North Carolina area was settled by the Scotch-Irish, but I’ll take this English pub since no Scots pubs are on offer! The pub is authentic and the food is really great. Not only can you get typical American dishes, but you can find pub favorites like, Beef and Guinness stew, Bangers and Mash, Sheppard’s Pie, Scotch Eggs and of course Fish and Chips. The beers range from imported greats like Smithwicks, Boddington and of course Guinness, to local micro-brews and you can have a flight of beers if you just aren’t sure which you are in the mood for!
There are many fantastic restaurants just outside the main street area, but if you are in Blowing Rock for just the day, they can be a little inconvenient to visit and I would recommend saving them for whenever you have time for an overnight or weekend visit. There are tons of hotels and motels and resorts in the Bowing Rock area since people have been coming to this area for the cooler climate, nature and magnificent views since the mid 1800’s (Blowing Rock’s elevation is 3500-3600 feet). One side trip that shouldn’t be missed if you have time is Grandfather Mountain with its Mile High Swinging Bridge and thousands of acres of hiking, camping and Wildlife viewing.
This day trip gets a big thumbs up from me. It satisfied my need for good art and great food and beauty of the area really reminds me that North East Tennessee and Western North Carolina are two of the most beautiful regions in our country.
I can certainly say that if you are driving from Tennessee to Blowing Rock, NC on U.S. Highway 321, I would shout a resounding YES. The winding road in the summer alternates between deep green tunnels of leafy trees, glinting lakes and streams, steep hillsides cleared of trees generations ago and dotted with rolls of hay and remote mountain communities that make you think of the Hatfields and McCoys. That stunning drive alone would make the trip worth it and I plan to focus on that for another article, but after driving through all that Appalachian beauty, the reward I was looking for this time was Blowing Rock.
The drive actually takes you through Boone, home of Appalachian State University. The town is a typical college town in that it’s most interesting and eclectic shops and restaurants are near the college. Highway 321 takes you right through that part of town, but again (I know this is making you crazy, but keep focused!) we were not stopping there this trip, so we navigated through Boone and continued on the next few miles to Blowing Rock.
The town of Blowing Rock takes its name from an unusual rock formation which juts out over 1,500 feet above the Johns River gorge. Due to the rock's shape and size, wind currents from the gorge often blow vertically, causing light objects to float upwards into the sky.
The Blowing Rock is also the scene of an old folk tale. The Blowing Rock area was once fought over by the Cherokee and Catawba Native American tribes. According to legend, two lovers - one from each tribe - were walking near the rocks when the man received a notice to report to his village and go into battle. When his lover urged him to stay with her, he became so distraught that he threw himself off the blowing rock into the gorge. The woman prayed to the Great Spirit to return her lover, and the Spirit complied by sending a gust of wind which blew the man back up the cliff and landed him safely on the blowing rock itself.
I have actually been to Blowing Rock several times over the last six years, so I have seen it change somewhat over time. The terrible economy of the last few years really hit the town hard and some of my favorite shops are no longer in business. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the traffic on Main Street. The traffic continues to be a problem that probably can’t be fixed, so try to visit on shoulder or off season if you don’t like crowds.
On the bright side, the main street of town is still a charming flower bedecked, easy to walk and shop place. Tiny alleys lead to jewelry kiosks and mom & pop clothing shops. There are LOTS of small home décor and art galleries and it is interesting to see what is on display.The best part of walking along Main Street is nearing the fudge and ice cream shop. The smell is divine! The sweet scent wafts up and down the sidewalk luring customers in to sample their sticky delicious wares.
The holy grail of our pilgrimage to Blowing Rock though is always the Six Pence Pub, for a yummy lunch of Fish and Chips and Smithwicks Beer. If you love English pubs, I would have to say this is one of the best this area of North Carolina and Tennessee, it is an offshoot of the Six Pence established originally in Savanna, GA. Yes I know, this North Carolina area was settled by the Scotch-Irish, but I’ll take this English pub since no Scots pubs are on offer! The pub is authentic and the food is really great. Not only can you get typical American dishes, but you can find pub favorites like, Beef and Guinness stew, Bangers and Mash, Sheppard’s Pie, Scotch Eggs and of course Fish and Chips. The beers range from imported greats like Smithwicks, Boddington and of course Guinness, to local micro-brews and you can have a flight of beers if you just aren’t sure which you are in the mood for!
There are many fantastic restaurants just outside the main street area, but if you are in Blowing Rock for just the day, they can be a little inconvenient to visit and I would recommend saving them for whenever you have time for an overnight or weekend visit. There are tons of hotels and motels and resorts in the Bowing Rock area since people have been coming to this area for the cooler climate, nature and magnificent views since the mid 1800’s (Blowing Rock’s elevation is 3500-3600 feet). One side trip that shouldn’t be missed if you have time is Grandfather Mountain with its Mile High Swinging Bridge and thousands of acres of hiking, camping and Wildlife viewing.
This day trip gets a big thumbs up from me. It satisfied my need for good art and great food and beauty of the area really reminds me that North East Tennessee and Western North Carolina are two of the most beautiful regions in our country.