The 7 Best Hikes on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina

Clingmans Dome on the Appalachian Trail

Of the 2,000-plus miles of AT stretching up the East Coast, the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina has just under 100 miles of the world-famous trail coursing through it. Another 217 miles are shared along the Tennessee border. Nevertheless, some of the most beloved sections are part of the Appalachian Trail in NC, including Clingmans … Read more

The 6 Best Boone NC Breweries & Brewpubs (with Map)

Boone NC Breweries

Boone NC is perhaps best known for its iconic Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks and the easy access it offers to excellent campgrounds, hiking, snow tubing, and downhill skiing options. But thanks to the area’s continual growth, in recent years Boone has also become home to a number of popular breweries that are frequented by locals and … Read more

The 10 Best Restaurants in Boone NC

Popular dishes at Red Onion Cafe in Boone NC

The North Carolina High Country (which includes popular towns like Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, and Boone) is home to an abundance of delicious eateries. Home to Appalachian State University, Boone is located approximately two hours north of Asheville. The hip mountain town offers an array of attractions for locals and visitors alike.  There are all sorts of art … Read more

The 10 Best Things to Do in Weaverville NC

Downtown Weaverville NC Town Hall

We started this website in large part because we wanted to explore the small towns of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the search for our future home. We’ve since visited dozens of towns all across North Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, and found some potentially great places to live in each state.  In NC … Read more

The 10 Best Waterfalls Near Boone NC

Couple at Elk River Falls in Banner Elk NC

Located in the North Carolina High Country, Boone is a scenic college town with a surplus of art galleries, shopping, restaurants, hiking trails, Christmas Tree Farms, and beautiful overlooks.  The Blue Ridge Parkway runs right through Boone, which is close to small towns such as Blowing Rock, Seven Devils, Wilkesboro, Newland, Linville, and Banner Elk. This … Read more

The Mysterious Brown Mountain Lights of Morganton NC

Looking for Brown Mountain Lights at the Brown Mountain Overlook near Morganton NC

The history of the Blue Ridge Mountains is riddled with Appalachian folklore, including the Mysterious Brown Mountain Lights of Morganton NC.  They range from various age-old superstitions to mythical monsters such as Bigfoot, Mothman, and the Snallygaster, a half-bird, half-reptile chimera that reportedly terrorized 18th century German immigrants. One of the more famous Appalachian folktales … Read more

The 15 Best Boone NC Hiking Trails to Explore

Boone NC Hiking Trails

[Updated August 3, 2021] The Blue Ridge Mountain town of Boone NC is best-known for its Christmas tree farms and outdoor recreation opportunities, offering everything from mountain biking and rock climbing to whitewater rafting and snow skiing. The county seat of Watauga County has a population of around 20,000, which is pretty big for the Western … Read more

Things to Do at the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area (Near Linville Falls NC)

Things to Do at Linville Gorge Wilderness Area near Linville Falls

Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains are renowned for their rugged beauty, and the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area ranks among the most dynamic places to see it. This 12,000-acre section of Pisgah National Forest is locally referred to as “The Grand Canyon of the East.” It is one of only two wilderness gorges in the … Read more