About a week ago, I drove to Jefferson, roughly two hours from my hometown, to get a new driver’s license. (There’s a whole thing with DMV appointments close to me that caused me to go so far out.) While making my way to and from Jefferson, I found myself driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains—and Blowing Rock.
I became more curious as I passed through a brief part of Blowing Rock, so I decided to detour through downtown on my way home. The first grand building I saw was First Baptist Church. I immediately thought of beautiful Viking architecture with some German influence. I’m not sure that’s accurate, but that’s what I saw in my very limited knowledge of architecture. I was inspired and fell in love with the area, declaring I would come back to walk through the town properly.
The Town
A week later, I was back in Blowing Rock and walking through the historic downtown area. There are many, many women’s boutiques. Still, there are also camping/hiking stores, coffee around every corner, ice cream shops, restaurants, and pubs. All the buildings seem to compliment one another. They’re set in stone and timber, melding well with a European vibe that makes the area feel enchanting. Beautiful inns of many colors and shapes seem to be everywhere on the immediate outskirts of town, allowing visitors easy access to the shops and park, of course.
The children’s park was quite spectacular. It’s a fantastic woodland-themed park with giant slides, small slides, mushroom tables and seats, swings, and stepping logs. A child’s imagination could thrive in this park. Even as an adult, I really wanted to ride the longest slide and sit at the mushroom dining tables.
While the park is kid friendly, there are places for adults too. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, and a volleyball court, which I loved the idea of playing on. Quite a few adults seem to enjoy taking a relaxing break under the giant gazebo. I personally opted for the short, stone wall under the trees.
Walking around the park amongst the laughter of children and chatter of adults causes you to feel safe. The town, in general, has an essence of safety blanketing over it.
This town is the perfect place for a day trip or a stay. When I talked about visiting the area, my mom told me that our family would go to Blowing Rock on vacation, and we’d venture over to Tweetsie Railroad. My brother was obsessed with Tweetise and would sing a song about it all the time. I didn’t go to Tweetsie this time, but I made my way to the town’s namesake.
The Blowing Rock
Getting to and parking at Blowing Rock was fairly easy. After paying $9 to get into the attraction, it was a short walk to The Blowing Rock.
The rocks jet out from the ground in high slopes that you can walk on—at your own risk. From one spot, you can get an incredible sight of the rocks with the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lush green trees blanket the long stretch of rolling mountains. It was a cloudy day, but the sunshine occasionally broke through, gracing the land with moving light and cloud shadows. My favorite part of the mountains were the layers of peaks that grow bluer the further back they’re placed.
While similar views can enrapture me without paying $9, the legend behind this rock formation is quite fantastical. It’s the story of lovers from battling tribes, one Chickasaw the other Cherokee. The dark influence of opposition is overcome by the natural power of the world, helping bring back the man she loves straight to her arms.
Blowing Rock as an attraction was quaint. A couple of short paths wrap around the area, allowing people to see multiple views and angles of the mountains. I’m not sure I’d go again and pay $9 to do it, but I’m not sorry I did it. I loved the landscapes.
This entire day was a trip! And I didn’t even do all the things Blowing Rock provides. People around here can go hiking, camping, horseback riding, climbing, and ziplining. Maybe you’re not an outside type of person; I know I’m not into all those things, but even just walking around town is a fun experience. This town, and the wilderness around it, is beautiful.
Now that this trip is over, my mom is already talking about going up for a short vacation. We’ll go by Tweetsie for nostalgia’s sake (because it’s more for families with small children) and walk through some of the hikes. I’d love to be able to eat at some of the other local places. This will not be a one-time trip. Maybe it will revitalize our yearly stay in Blowing Rock! Who knows. But I’m excited about our future family vacation.
If you’d like to check it out, and I strongly urge you to do so, you can look up all that Blowing Rock has to offer here.
