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Blowing Rock North Carolina
offers visitors incredible scenery and a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, whitewater rafting, fishing, boating, golf, and skiing. In fact, almost any outdoor activity you can think of is available in or near Blowing Rock. The Nolichucky River is ranked as one of the top whitewater runs in the country. It offers eleven miles of spectacular scenery along with some of the most challenging rapids in the Eastern U.S. The Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests have rugged mountains, sheer rock walls and lush, thick forests with miles of hiking and backpacking trails. The town of Blowing Rock got its name from the rock formation over the gorge that creates an unusual current of air that spirals up from the valley below – even snow falls upside down here. There is an Indian legend about the rock that tells of a maiden whose young brave was returned to her by the Blowing Rock. The view from the rock is breathtaking - one of the best in the area. Grandfather Mountain is another popular area attraction where the scenery is incomparable. Located near the town of Linville, Grandfather Mountain has a nature museum, an animal habitat, food service and hiking. The mile-high swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain affords a view of the mountains like no other, and if you sit still and listen, you can hear the wind causing the metal in the swinging bridge to “sing.” The Tweetsie Railroad is just a short drive from Blowing Rock and is North Carolina’s first theme park that takes you back to the days of the Old West. It has amusement rides for kids of all ages and live entertainment throughout the park. You can walk down Main Street and talk with cowboys and gunslingers, enjoy a chair lift ride to Miner’s Mountain where you can pan for gold, and even watch a musical show complete with Can-Can girls. Mystery Hill is another natural phenomenon that is located on Highway 321 between Blowing Rock and Boone. Here objects seem to defy gravity and visitors are amazed by optical illusions. Other attractions in the area include Linville Falls and Linville Caverns, the Moses Cone Estate & Parkway Craft Center, The Orchard at Altapass, and “Horn in the West” outdoor drama.
Attractions within the town of Blowing Rock include the quaint downtown with its’ many unique shops, art galleries and pretty gardens. Blowing Rock is well known for their barbecue, so be sure to stop at one of the local restaurants. The Appalachian Cultural Museum is located in nearby Boone and has historical exhibits, authentic mountain musical instruments and more. The Appalachian Heritage Museum is located at Mystery Hill and is open daily, year round. Last, but not least, is the incredible Blue Ridge Parkway – “America’s Favorite Drive,” which is 469 miles of gorgeous scenic highway that winds its way through the southern Appalachians. Any portion of the Parkway is worth the drive and there are many scenic overlooks along the way with spectacular views – so don’t forget to pack your camera.
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