Plan Your Perfect Day

🍳 Breakfast: Banner Elk Cafe & Tavern

• Enjoy a hearty breakfast and espresso drinks before a day of outdoor adventure
  • Location: 324 Shawneehaw Avenue South, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-4040 or (828) 898-3444

🥪 Lunch: Lowes Foods Deli Section

• Grab pre-made sandwiches from the deli to take along for when hunger strikes after your hike
  • Location: 4000 NC-105 South, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-9565

🍏 Afternoon Activity: Altapass Orchard

• Pick a bucket of apples and enjoy more scenery along the Parkway
• check their website to make sure they are open, as they close seasonally each winter
  • Location: 1025 Orchard Road, Blue Ridge Parkway MM 328.3, Spruce Pine NC 28777
  • Phone: (828) 765-9531

🍷 Indoor Alternative: Banner Elk Winery

• Relax with a glass of wine indoors or on the covered patio
  • Location: 135 Deer Run Lane, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-9090

🌮 Dinner: Puerto Nuevo Mexican & Seafood Restaurant

• Refuel with burritos and margaritas after a full day outdoors
  • Location: 2941 Tynecastle Highway, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-3332

🎸 Evening Activity: Live Music or Trivia

• Check Banner Elk Cafe for weekend live music or Trivia nights
• Sometimes live music is also available nearby at the Bayou and Sorrentos

🍻 Seasonal Events: Oktoberfest & Woolly Worm

• Oktoberfest: usually the 2nd weekend in October
• Woolly Worm & Valle Country Fair: usually the 3rd weekend in October
• Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad: usually takes place around Halloween
• Check current dates before planning your visit

🎿 Day Before: Black Tie Ski Rental Delivery

• Order your rental equipment and set it to be delivered first thing in the morning, directly to your rental unit
  • Location: 301 Pinnacle Inn Road, Beech Mountain NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 416-0118

🥧 Breakfast: High Country Pies

• Go grab a hearty breakfast pie before heading to Sugar Mountain for a full day of skiing!
  • Location: 3277 Tynecastle Highway, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-2086

🍔 Lunch: Sugar Mountain Cafeteria

• Take a quick break from skiing in the main lodge, or visit the upstairs bar
• On the weekend they usually grill burgers on the lodge deck!

 🌮 Lunch Alternative: Puerto Nuevo Mexican & Seafood Restaurant

• just across the street from the main entrance of Sugar Mountain
  • Location: 2941 Tynecastle Highway, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-3332

⛳ Indoor Alternative: The Turn Golf Simulator

• Perfect if you need a break from the slopes, or if you’re not skiing at all!
  • Location: 1136 Shawneehaw Avenue, Suite A, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 860-8876

🍝 Dinner: Bella’s Italian Neighborhood Restaurant

• Fill up on some hearty Italian dishes after a long day of skiing
  •  Location: 3585 Tynecastle Highway, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-9022

☕ Evening Activity: Stay In

• Head over to Lowes Foods to grab some hot chocolate mix, then back to your rental to cozy up next to the fireplace for the rest of the night
  • Location: 4000 NC-105 South, Banner Elk NC 28604
  • Phone: (828) 898-9565
• You could always get a night skiing ticket and head back to Sugar Mountain, night session runs from 6:00-9:00pm most nights

🐻‍❄️ Seasonal Events: Events at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort

• Sugarfest – usually takes places in early December
• Santa at Sugar – usually takes place the week surrounding Christmas
• New Year’s Eve Celebration – torch light parade on the last day of the year
• Sugar Bear’s Birthday – Great Bear Race, special treats, cake and ice cream
• Easter Egg Hunt – lucky winner gets a season pass for next year
• check current dates before planning your visit

🥞 Breakfast: Sunrise Grill

• Hands down one of the best breakfast places in the High Country
• make sure you get there early or there will likely be a wait list, they get very busy because they are so good!
  • Location: 1675 NC-105, Boone NC 28607
  • Phone: (828) 262-5400

🚩 Morning Activities: Mini Golf or Walking the Greenway

• Mini Golf is located next door to Sunrise Grill, enjoy 18 holes of Mini Golf
• If you’re looking to take a walk, but want to stay on a paved trail then the Greenway is perfect for you
  • Greenway Parking: 231 Complex Drive, Boone NC 28607 (just beyond the Watauga Community Recreation Center)

🥣 Lunch: Coyote Kitchen

• Located near Walmart, so you can pick up any necessities while you are in town too
  • Location: 200 Southgate Drive, Boone NC 28607
  • Phone: (828) 265-4041

🏈 Afternoon Activity: ASU Football Game

• Catch an Appalachian State University home football game if you’re visiting in the fall
• Check their website for their home game schedule first
  • Location: Kidd Brewer Stadium, 270 Stadium Drive, Boone NC 28607
  • Phone: (828) 262-7825

🎳 Indoor Alternative: High Country Lanes

• If the weather is bad go enjoy a round of bowling while you cross your fingers for better weather!
  • Location: 261 Boone Heights Drive, Boone NC 28607
  • Phone: (828) 264-3166

🐖 Dinner: The Pedalin’ Pig

• Get some BBQ while you are visiting!
  • Boone Location: 2968 NC-105, Boone NC 28607
  • Boone Phone: (828) 355-9559

🍪 Dessert: Appalachian Cookie Company

• Shop featuring a wide variety of baked-to-order treats, from classic chocolate chip to vegan options
  • Boone Location: 1087 W King St, Boone, NC 28607 
  • Boone Phone: (828) 355-4448

🍺 Evening Activity: Lost Province

• Enjoy a cold beer downtown, and walk around King Street before or after
  • Location: 130 North Depot Street, Boone NC 28607
  • Phone: (828) 265-3506

🛣️ Seasonal Events: Boone’s Calendar of Events

• Explore the town’s event page for things like concerts, annual events, and more…

🧇 Breakfast: Social on Main

• breakfast menu served until 2pm with plenty of outdoor dining space
  • Location: 870 Main Street Blowing Rock, NC28605 
  • Phone: (828) 414-9440 

☁️ Morning Activities: Sky Valley Zip Tours

• aerial adventures over a wooded setting, along with a waterfall, via ziplines of varying sizes and speeds, as well as a guided ATV ride and a canopy tour
  • Location: 634 Sky Ranch Rd, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 
  • Phone: (828) 264-0002

🍕 Lunch: Mellow Mushroom Pizza

• funky, art-filled pizzeria featuring craft beer, calzones & creative stone-baked pizzas
  • Location: 946 Main Street Blowing Rock, NC28605 
  • Phone: (828) 295-3399

🚂 Afternoon Activity: Tweetsie Railroad

• family-oriented Wild West theme park; centerpiece of the park is a 3-mile ride on a train
  • Location: 300 Tweetsie Railroad Ln, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 
  • Phone: (828) 264-9061

🚙 Indoor Alternative: drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

• enjoy the scenery while driving in your car along the Blue Ridge Parkway and stop at any Lookouts that you want!
  • Entrance Location: US-221 Junction at Mile Post 294 (closest to Blowing Rock)
  • Entrance Location: US-221 Junction at Mile Post 305.1 (closest to Banner Elk/Sugar Mountain)

🦎 Dinner: Bistro Roca at Hellbender Bed & Beverage

• upscale-casual bistro & bar serving New American comfort foods from a wood-burning oven
  • Boone Location: 239 Sunset Dr, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 
  • Boone Phone: (828) 295-4008

🍦 Dessert: Blue Deer on Main

• cookie and ice cream spot making desserts and cookies fresh, and specializing in ice cream sandwiches
  • Location: 960 Main St Ste 3, Blowing Rock, NC 28605  
  • Phone: (828) 372-9050

🍺 Evening Activity: Blowing Rock Brewing Company

• laid-back microbrewery featuring a restaurant/bar with terrace seating
  • Location: 152 Sunset Dr, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 
  • Phone: (828) 414-9600

🛣️ Seasonal Events: Blowing Rock’s Calendar of Events

• Explore the town’s event page for things like music, annual events, and more…