High Country NC

Here are a few shots of our trip to Blowing Rock, NC. It's a beautiful place, and we highly recommend it. The city is a small mountain town and is as picturesque as it gets. A good amount of the locals are senior citizens and for good reason--it looks like a great place to retire.

Blowing Rock is just outside of Boone, NC (home of App State University) and is right on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Having lived near the Blue Ridge mountains for a good part of my life, I wonder why I never took more trips around here.

Our Accommodations

Kojay's Cafe
I wish Cary had more independent coffee shops / breakfast cafes like this.

(...and the breakfast too).

Historic [Apple] Orchard at Altapass
About an hour South on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you'll run into this gem: an apple orchard on top of a mountain that specializes in apple products (duh), hayrides, fudge, and having a good old time.

The Blowing Rock
The town's namesake. You can read more on the story of the blowing rock in the link above. More impressive are the views from the observation deck.

Mast General Store, Valle Crucis, NC (est. 1883)
This place is straight out of old school NC. Back when times were simpler, general stores sold everything you would possibly need ("if we don't have it, you don't need it"). Wish it was still like that today.

Local blue grass band pickin' on the front porch of the store