Wednesday, October 21, 2020

High Country Day Trip

 

Hey y'all and Happy Wednesday! Today, I'm sharing all about our day trip to the High Country of North Carolina. This past Saturday, we decided to spend the day in the mountains, just like we did the same weekend last October. The weather was perfect for a mountain adventure and it's peak leaf season!

Our first stop was for a visiting to The Blowing Rock. We had been here before but we weren't totally prepared for just how cold it was going to be at 8:30am when we stepped out of the car into the mountain air! It was so cold. In the 30s and windy! Our visit was short but the views were incredible. There is a fee to go out on the outdoor trails but if you have never been, I would definitely recommend going at least once. It's actually North Carolina's oldest travel attraction!


Our next stop was for coffee! We went to downtown Blowing Rock to hunt for a good cup of coffee at a local coffee shop. It was around 9:30am and most of the downtown area was still closed at that time but we did find one coffee shop open. Josh grabbed a latte for me at Bald Guy Brew and then we let the girls play at the playground in the middle of the downtown area. They always look forward to playing there and I am definitely going to be sad when they stop asking to play there!

S U N G L A S S E S | N E C K L A C E

After some playtime, we decided to find something to eat. Our plan was to find some brunch in Boone but everything had a super long wait. We quickly discovered that a lot of people were spending their Saturday in the mountains! So, we ended up going to The Cardinal, just like we did on our last visit to the High Country. Due to COVID, they only had outdoor patio seating and it was still pretty cold outside but we made it work. We were hungry and wanted to maximize our time so we froze a little for a good meal! 


Next, we drove down the road to Grandfather Mountain Vineyard and Winery, which is located in Banner Elk, North Carolina. We have been to this vineyard three times before and it's one of my all time favorites that I have ever visited. The views are gorgeous and the wine is amazing, too! The girls love playing in the creek and hiking with us through the vineyard. This place is a must see!


We were all over High Country on this day trip because after the vineyard, we headed to Blowing Rock to get treats from Blue Deer Cookies. We discovered this place a couple of years ago and we always have to go back when we are in town! They have delicious cookies, ice cream, and the best combination, an ice cream cookie sandwich! We tried lots of fun flavor combinations, including oatmeal with apple pie ice cream! So delicious! If you are ever in the area, you definitely need to check this place out for a treat!


We braved the traffic and got back on the road, this time towards Linville Falls. We decided to go to another winery that we love, Linville Falls Winery, which is located in Newland, North Carolina. This was a beautiful drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway from Blowing Rock. At this winery, there's also a Christmas tree farm. How fun would it be to do a wine tasting and pick out a Christmas tree all of the same spot?! We discovered this winery about five years ago when we came to Linville Falls for my 30th birthday and now we always try to make a stop. We love their dry red wines!


Our last time of the day was a short hike to see the Linville Falls. If you are in the High Country area and you are looking for a great hike for the family, I highly recommend this one. It's not long or strenuous and it ends with a gorgeous view of the falls!


Here's to many more adventures! I hope y'all have a great day!

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