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.

Right in the middle of the quaint town of Banner Elk is Lees-McRae College.The Hayes Auditorium…read moreprovides quality productions during the summer as well as fun productions for the children on Saturdays.

What a great spot to take a ride and Blowing Rock three minutes away made it even more special…read more Highly recommend this venue. Staff are super! Fantastic stable too.

This is one of my favorite facilities to go horseback riding and camping. Absolutely beautiful and…read moreso very well maintained. The stalls are large and well kept and access to trails is excellent. The staff are all super nice and accommodating. Marty ( the general manager) is the best. She goes above and beyond what is expected to make everyone s visit as easy and special as it could possibly be .I highly recommend this facility if you want a great vacation you can't go wrong staying here .I can't wait to go back. If you can't have a good time here and enjoy your trip then its time to hang up your hat and stay home ,because you won't be able to find a better place or people anywhere. Thank you Broyhill Preserve for all that you do to make my stay with my horse one of the best trips ever . I cant wait to go back

Outstanding job. So glad we ran into the owner at the Apple Hill outpost store in Banner Elk…read more.. Tyler, our guide, was phenomenal...Stunning views. We loved meeting all of the animals, and I bonded with Clyde!

The farm was so nice! The tour guide was super friendly and had a lot of great information. The…read moreanimals were so cute and friendly. overall a great experience! 10/10

I have been to West Jefferson more times than I can count, but I have never been here until…read morerecently and I'm so sad that I haven't been here sooner. The sweetest people work here. The vibe is amazing! Beautiful scenery and amazing wine. But that sangria!! My fav. Bottle that up, please! Cannot wait to visit again!

This is an amazing and beautiful place. They always have great local talent and bands performing…read morewhile you drink wine and enjoy the scenery. You are able to bring your own food snacks and cheese trays. They do have food trucks on the property. Don't worry if the weather is not good as they have a nice indoors for you to sit and enjoy the company check out the photos.

As we were at the Store next door, they recommended we come over and visit and it was worth it…read more It has a lot of products similar to the store except more expansive and some beautifully hand carved bowls, of which the wife purchased for her cooking salt and now she looks like Ina Garten. lol I recommend you drop in and and peruse, it really is a cool store.

This is a wonderful art gallery that showcases many different artists from around the region. There…read moreare many different artists and styles to choose from, from oil paintings to pottery. It is an eclectic store with so many things that will catch your eye, it will be difficult to leave without finding something beautiful for yourself. This is a place you will never regret stopping by! They also have a restaurant right next door that has wonderful food and a general store. This is a must stop place on your next trip to Linville.

My wife and I spent a delightful afternoon at Linville Falls Winery under the care and keeping of…read moreLindsay Wiseman, granddaughter of the founder and current marketing director. Our private tasting was perfect in every way - a total of six wines, along with the backstory of how each was produced. The live music made the afternoon even more splendid. Linville Falls Winery makes you feel like you're spending an afternoon in Tuscany. Multiple seating options, lovely gift shop, nearby food trucks - all make it a great way to spend a day in the mountains.

The staff was very nice and knowledgeable. The wine and cheese was very tasty. The grounds are…read morebeautiful. There was of course grapes growing on property, but surprisingly there were apples and Christmas trees growing on property also.

2nd visit this summer Love the red…read moreGreat, friendly service Had the sangrias - so refreshing So nice looking out from the patio Bought our 2nd bottle of red - great with grilled steak

Banner Elk is a nice winery that is well landscaped. On the day we went they had live music the…read morestaff was very attentive. They sell snacks but will let you bring outside food in if you want to bring a lunch. Visit here is well worth the time.