Art in the Park was an adorable event. We found free parking nearby and walked through the booths…read more I didn't buy anything, but there were a wide variety of pieces for sale. I especially liked the waterfowl decoys and carved wood pieces.

I all about the pottery and was thrilled to see some local artists represented. They had a little…read moreof everything between all the shops. Candles, jewelry, clothing and more. Any kind of gift or treasure you could want! Prices were fair, I snagged a couple of Christmas gifts!

I went in Artwalk today with a couple of friends. One of my friends wanted to see if a sweater on…read moredisplay was available in her size. She asked a clerk and was told that the sweater on display was the only one available. As the clerk did not offer further assistance, I reached up to undrape the sweater from a t-shirt so that my friend could try it on. When I did so, the clerk came running across the store screeching, "Don't mess up my display!" I'm sorry, but I thought the purpose of a store that sells clothing was to entice customers to come in, try on the merchandise, and then buy it. If that's the case, someone should educate the clerk with the abrasive customer service skills. I will NEVER return to this store!

The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is located in downtown Blowing Rock and offers free…read moreadmission, along with a convenient free public parking deck and garage. The museum officially opened its doors in 2011, but the community planning started much earlier, following a generous donation of artwork from the family of celebrated local artist Elliott Daingerfield. The building utilizes a beautiful mountain-modern design explicitly crafted to blend into the natural landscape of Watauga County. It is an impressive 21,000 square feet, but it feels like it fits into downtown. It had an inviting feel the minute I walked in. The front desk staff was exceptionally friendly, asking if it was my first time visiting before suggesting I start with the introductory video, guiding me through the main artwork galleries, and directing me to the local history exhibits upstairs. There is a large elevator to access the second level if you would prefer not to take the stairs. It features a unique built-in wooden bench. I had never seen a bench inside an elevator before, but I thought it was an absolute genius accessibility feature. The introductory video was very informative, providing a fantastic background on Blowing Rock's heritage. The downstairs gallery spaces are beautifully organized, making it easy to walk naturally from one piece to the next. I was absolutely delighted to tour the temporary exhibition "Silver & Smoke: George Masa & Ansel Adams." As a lifelong fan of Ansel Adams, getting to see an exhibit of his legendary work for free was a massive highlight. I had no idea he photographed so extensively in Western North Carolina. Ansel Adams was awarded a fellowship by the Guggenheim Foundation in 1947 to photograph all the national parks and monuments in America. So he traveled east to photograph the lush, ancient forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the winding roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The downstairs gallery space has a great layout. Immediately after the video, your eyes will be drawn to a delicate flower installation that is suspended from the ceiling. I was also drawn to a powerful wall of historical photographs showcasing early local residents and vintage landscapes of the town. Another fascinating contemporary exhibit featured a collection of artistic photographs of tree stumps. It is a wonderful reminder that you never know what a creative mind can transform into art that you will truly appreciate. If you choose to take the stairs to the second level, the Open Door Gallery utilizes the towering vertical space beautifully with eye-catching art running all the way up the stairwell wall, making the walk feel like a continuous gallery experience. Upstairs was a textile exhibit showcasing the deep heritage of Appalachian weaving, quilting, and coverlets, highlighting how mountain women used local flora to dye wool and create intricate geometric patterns to keep their families warm. This textile section blends seamlessly into the local history room, which chronicles how Blowing Rock evolved from a rugged settlement into a premier resort destination. The room is packed with fascinating artifacts, vintage memorabilia, and engaging storyboards detailing the golden age of grand mountain hotels. They even have an interactive section where you can write a postcard to someone, and the museum will mail it out for free! Make sure to stop in the curated gift shop before you leave for some great regional finds. Between the local crafts, history books, and unique souvenirs, I never seem to leave a museum gift shop empty-handed.

This place was closed due to COVID the last time we were in town but we were pleasantly surprised…read morethat they were open on July 4 when we were walking around downtown. This is a cute little museum that has rotating art displays on the bottom floor and a smaller history museum upstairs. We saw a whimsical display of chickens, and another from a collection of art from a school in California. When we were there the upstairs had an exhibit about the annual horse show in town. The museum is free to visit but we gladly left a donation.

We've come for Thomas the Tank Engine Day for past 3 years. Always so much fun! They love getting…read moretheir picture taken with Sir Topham Hat and playing the activities under the Thomas Day tent. The kids love riding the big train, although the loud whistle scared the little one this year. But we had noise-canceling headphones, as a just-in-case, so all was well. The kids are still little and really enjoy the activities up at the top. We had a stroller, so took the free shuttle to the top, rather than the skylift. The mine train, gem mining, and the little-kid rides were a big hit. Feeding the animals (goats, llamas, deer, emus) is always super fun, too. Before you enter the animal area, you can buy ice cream cones filled with animal feed ($1 a cone). Once you've handed out all the feed, then you break the cone apart and feed it. We bought 3 cones; could probably have used a 4th. The animals were all very friendly and gentle. Even one of the llamas came over for some feed; they are usually a bit aloof. Look forward to coming back!

We visited Tweetsie Railroad over Christmas break. The Christmas lights were really pretty and the…read moreholiday décor was fun and festive. There were several rides and activities geared toward kids, which made it a nice family outing. The train itself is very loud for little ones, so that's something to keep in mind, but overall the kids loved it and had a good time. For a family of 5, tickets for the train (which includes admission and all the rides) is pretty costly.

An out of the way, and down the street, artistic pottery place. Helpful and insightful lady running…read morethe shop. When I say artistic pottery store, it is almost museum quality for some of the pieces. Yes, that means, for a cheapy like me, that some things are too high a price for my cheaoness. Still, we found a couple of gifts for the almost daughter-in-law which later were well received.

From the owner: 5th and 6th generation potters from the Owens family of Seagrove, NC. Bolick and Traditions Pottery…read morecontinues the old shapes as well as new designs. Functional, decorative, and folk art pottery. All pottery is microwave, oven and dishwasher safe. The shop offers a great selection of inspirational and sentiment items in flat art, pillows, and hand towels. Seasonal items such as flower pots, and garden flags thru the summer, and jackolanterns for the fall. Our shop is sure to become a favorite of yours while visiting the village of Blowing Rock.

Outstanding experience ! Worth every penny . The staff was so helpful and kind . After my…read moregrandchildren completed finding their gems . They then took us to a display room where they took their stones and separated them into types. And then gave them an overview of the type of gem as displayed by a finished, cut and polished stone. It was a fun and truly educational experience for all!!!

Amazing customer service ! Great spot to come when it's too cold outside or you want a change of…read morescenery, or your kid loves Dino's or rocks or exploring new activities! It's hands on, the people working are exceptional! Highly recommend!