Every fall it seems that we find ourselves visiting Blowing Rock, NC. It’s definitely one of our favorite mountain getaways that is only three hours away from Raleigh so it’s an easy drive, and a spot that feels totally different than Raleigh. Our trips up there usually consist of walking through Blowing Rock’s downtown, a hike, and going to the wineries. I have a blog from last year that recaps what we did and you can find that here. Our trip time was more or less the same in terms of finding a good hike, going to a winery, etc. but we tried a couple new spots this time! This year we also went a little later than normal (we usually go early/mid October vs. November) but I think the leaves changed a lot later this year because we still got to see a ton of beautiful fall colors!

We stayed in an Airbnb per usual, and this one had a great location. It was less than 10 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock so it was super convenient. The place itself was also super cute- 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a decent size kitchen and living room area. It was perfect for us and the other couple we went with. So definitely recommend if you want to be close to Blowing Rock!

The first day we got there we did an early dinner at Bistro Roca which is one of our favorite restaurants in Blowing Rock. It’s super cozy and has a lodge/cabin feel to it and the food is always good! They have a decent variety and the prices are pretty reasonable for a nicer restaurant (especially compared to some of the other spots in the area). Afterwards we went to Hellbender Bed & Breakfast to sit outside and grab a drink. At night a lot of their outdoor tables have fires lit so it’s a cozy vibe if you want to go somewhere after dinner!

The next day we had breakfast at the Airbnb and then decided to go for a hike, grab some lunch, and finish the afternoon at a winery. We knew we wanted to go to the restaurant Over Yonder in Valle Crucis for lunch so we looked up hikes and wineries close to there. This area is about 30 minutes away from Blowing Rock but not a bad drive especially if you’re going to spend most of your day in that area like we did. We did a hike to this waterfall area at Crab Orchard Falls and it was an easy/moderate hike that was about 1.5 miles. If you did the full hike, it was about 6 miles so you have options. Below are some photos from it.

After this we went to lunch at Over Yonder which was only 2 minutes away – so really convenient! My friend on the trip had only been here for dinner but remembered it being really good and I’m so glad we went back for lunch. Stephen got their dipped chicken sandwich – it’s fried chicken dipped in a hot sauce and maple syrup (or something similar) so you get that sweet/tangy/spice all in one. It was so good! I got their fried rice bowl with the dipped chicken and it was amazing. I was honestly really surprised! Not that I didn’t expect it to be good, but everyone’s meal, apps, and drinks were excellent. Would definitely recommend for lunch or dinner!

Afterwards we went to Banner Elk Winery which was only 15 minutes away from the restaurant. This is a winery I had been to before (we usually go to this one or Grandfather Vineyard & Winery) and I think they are both great. We usually just go to whichever one is more convenient location wise that stay. They do offer tastings here (you can book in advance) but we just got a bottle of wine and sat outside and enjoyed the fall weather. After hanging out here for a while, we ran to the store to pick up ingredients to make pizza. That night we just stayed in at the Airbnb, ate our homemade pizza, and discovered the new Netflix show Catching Killers. Highly recommend if you’re into true crime 😉

Our trips to Blowing Rock are always pretty low-key but that’s what I love about them! It’s such a beautiful area and you definitely feel refreshed after a weekend up there. Hopefully this gave you some ideas of what to do if you’re planning a visit and I’ll share my other blog on Blowing Rock and the surroundings areas here.