Right Off North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway Is A Fairytale Mountain Town With Award-Winning Cuisine

Blue Ridge Parkway, America's favorite drive, is packed with jaw-dropped views and quaint mountain towns extending from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. This beautiful stretch of highway has its share of hidden gems, like Little Switzerland, the jewel of the Blue Ridge Parkway with its Swiss-style chalets and scenic overlooks, and the charming mountain town of Blowing Rock.

Blowing Rock is located in North Carolina's High Country, defined by scenic landscapes fringed by the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is named after a nearby rock formation, whose unusual upward current inspired Indigenous legends. Its quaint downtown boasts art galleries, boutique shops, and upscale restaurants, the perfect stopover on a road trip across the Blue Ridge Parkway. Moreover, Blowing Rock is the ideal jumping-off point for outdoor adventures like hiking Grandfather Mountain or hitting the slopes at Beech Mountain. This picturesque mountain town is also a culinary hotspot, home to a smattering of restaurants serving farm-to-table cuisine, including a semifinalist in the prestigious 2024 James Beard Awards.

While small in size — around 1,000 people call this mountain town home — Blowing Rock is a powerhouse for exceptional cuisine. The star of the show is the Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn, designated a 2024 James Beard Award Semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category. This prestigious culinary award is bestowed upon restaurants "that demonstrate consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations" (via James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards). In addition to semifinalist status, the Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn also received the Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2024 award and hundreds of perfect five-star reviews on the platform. 

Spend the evening dining al fresco in the crisp mountain air or indoors in the intimate yet classy dining room with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn's menu changes seasonally, dictated by the ingredients from local farmers. From perfectly tender marbled Wagyu steak and decadent escargot to bourbon maple creme brûlée, guests say the food is so good you'll want to lick your plate clean. The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn is reservation only, so be sure to book ahead to experience Blowing Rock's culinary showstopper.

No visit to Blowing Rock is complete without visiting the namesake rock formation suspended above the Johns River Gorge with sweeping views over Grandfather Mountain. The Blowing Rock is touted as the oldest travel attraction in North Carolina, drawing in visitors since 1933. This peculiar gneiss cliff is named for the strong updraft created by the gorge below, and lightweight objects thrown out over the gorge are said to float back up to the sender. According to Indigenous legend, these strong winds arose after a young Cherokee man threw himself into the gorge in commitment to his tribe, and the current swept him back up to the top and into the arms of his beloved Chickasaw maiden.

In addition to exceptional cuisine, Blowing Rock boasts an excellent local wine scene. Sip on a wine flight at one of the area's most popular spots, Grandfather Vineyard and Winery. Located on the banks of the Watauga River overlooking Grandfather Mountain, this scenic vineyard is open year-round. It's the perfect winter spot for an après ski, and the summer months are the best time to explore the picturesque property, from wandering the terraced vineyards to wading in the shallow Watauga River. Experience the unique terroir of high-elevation growing with a glass of Pinot Gris, or sample the label's award-winning Appalachia Bubbles, a sparkling blend of Traminette and Vidal Blanc. Wine lovers should also add Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards to their Blue Ridge Mountains itinerary, a gorgeous North Carolina vineyard with panoramic mountain views.