While we encourage rocking on the front porch, bird watching, reading, and snoozing as your primary activity, there is much to do and see within easy driving distance.

Music
High Country hills truly are alive with sound of music from Blue Grass through Jazz to Baroque.  There are free outdoor concerts every summer weekend in Boone and Todd plus many other outdoor musical events.  Appalachian State University's Summer Festival stages a stunning variety of outstanding  performances in July.  The Beautiful St. Mary of Hills Church is the setting for Blowing Rock's  outstanding Summer Music Series.  For a toe-tapping good time there's the Doc Watson Music  Fest in Sugar Grove and don't overlook the offerings at the local night spots.

Arts, Crafts and Museums

There are 400 artists living and practicing in the area and Boone is home to 14 art galleries and several museums.

The new Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and Appalachian Culture Museum shouldn't be missed.

The Cone Manor gift shop is another place to see and shop for outstanding crafts that include wood carvings, ceramics, metal and textiles.

Blowing Rock's monthly Art in the Park events provide a venue for local artists and craftspeople as does the craft shop at Moses Cone Mansion.
 

Ashe County's Frescos are famous and worth a trip.

Performance

Spectator activities include professional productions at  Blowing Rock Stage,  the Horne in the West Pageant as well as Lees McRae College Summer Theater  and Ashe County Little Theater

The great outdoors
Hardier souls who like to walk and hike, are invited to trot up and down the hills in our front and back yards -- but seriously folks,  we recommend the hiking trails at Moses Cone Manor and Julian Price Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway, New River State Park and Mt. Jefferson State Natural Area in Ashe County.  Glen Burney Trail in Blowing Rock leads to three water falls.  Further out, there are Linville Falls and Linville Caverns and of course,  Grandfather Mountain.   

For an experience that is both fun and heartwarming, visit the Watauga County Humane Society Animal Shelter and take a homeless dog for a walk along Boone’s Greenway Trail.

Other ways to enjoy the High Country outdoors include horseback riding, canoeing and inner-tubing on the New River, boating at Price Lake, great golfing and  trout fishing.

Shopping

For those who enjoy shopping, there are beaucoup boutiques in the quaint Farmer's Hardware Emporium downtown in old Boone where you'll also find many art and craft  galleries, antique shops, and unique eateries.

The original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis and the Mast Mercantile in  Boone are both favorites. 

Nearby Blowing Rock, made famous by Jan Karon’s Mitford books and at one time known as the Charleston Riviera, is home of much to enjoy including many trendy  shops and some fine restaurants.

For outlet fans, there are the Shoppes on Parkway six  miles from Boone on highway 321.

The shops at Banner Elk and Lees McCrae college are  about twenty-five miles away.

Big Sky Lodge is for sale.  Click here for details.