Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2015 - 44

While You're Weekending

Mountain Harbour B&B welcomes Appalachian Trail hikers among its guests.

motorcourt just off downtown, then
cruise south along the Blue Ridge
Parkway. In short order you'll reach
the lauded Linn Cove Viaduct, a
suspended, "S"-shaped, elevated bit
of roadway that's breathtaking in
terms of the view and the thrill of
driving its length. This was the final piece of the Blue Ridge Parkway,
connecting the northern and southern stretches of the drive in 1987.
The Linn Cove Viaduct follows
the contours of Grandfather Mountain, your next stop. From the top,
you'll have a tremendous view of
the sun setting over the Blue Ridge;
just be sure to get there by 5:30 so
you can get a spot on the summit
and watch evening overtake the
hillsides around.
Drive back to the tiny town of
Valle Crucis where dinner awaits at
Over Yonder, a new restaurant from
the chef at the storied Mast Farm
Inn. At Over Yonder, Chef Andrew
Long follows the local and seasonal
flavors to create an inspired menu
of Appalachian and Southern dishes. From pan-fried mountain trout
to grits topped with a farm egg to
traditional pimento cheese, Long's
menus do not disappoint.

SATURDAY: ADVENTURE
IN THE TREETOPS

You have a full day today, so make
your way to Boone's Dan'l Boone
Inn for a belly-busting country
44 BlueRidgeCountry.com

breakfast. Served as a familystyle feast, it provides a table
piled high with scrambled
eggs, pancakes, biscuits, gravy,
country ham, sausage and fresh
stewed apples. It may be a lot of
food, but you'll need the energy at
your next stop.
At Sky Valley Zip Tours, get ready
for an exhilarating morning of zip
lining through the canopy and
across a valley or two along the way.
Zip lining is more thrilling than
scary, but one element of the tour-
the cliff jump-leaves many weak in
the knees. (We won't ruin the surprise, but be prepared to take a leap
of faith from the top of a 40-foot
cliff.) And remember, it's not just
OK to cheer, whoop or even scream
here, it's encouraged.
You'll be hungry after the adrenaline dump of zip lining, so grab a
bite to eat at Bistro Roca in Blowing Rock as you head to Tennessee
for the rest of the day. Bistro Roca's
sandwiches are great, but think flatbread, especially the chorizo and
roasted pepper, when you're ready
to order.
Follow US 321 north out of Boone
and turn onto N.C. 194/U.S.19E until you reach Tenn. 143 and Roan
Mountain, Tennesssee. Spend the
night at the Mountain Harbour Bed
and Breakfast, where you'll see more
than a few Appalachian Trail hikers. Ask them for a good afternoon

Lost Province Brewing Co.: 828-2653506, lostprovince.com
Over Yonder: 828-963-6301,
overyondernc.com
Dan'l Boone Inn: 828-264-8657,
danlbooneinn.com
Sky Valley Zip Tours: 855-475-9947,
skyvalleyziptours.com
Bistro Roca: 828-295-4008,
bistroroca.com
Mountain Harbour Bed and
Breakfast: 866-772-9494,
mountainharbour.net
Thai Am: 423-725-3424
Captain's Table: 423-725-2201,
lakeshore-resort.com/captains-table/
The Blowing Rock: 828-295-7111,
theblowingrock.com

hike, or head down the road to Roan
Mountain State Park where you'll
find more than 12 miles of trails to
explore.
For dinner, you have two choices.
If you're feeling international, try
Thai Am, near Hampton, for some
unexpected, but not unwelcome,
authentic Thai food. If you'd like to
eat up some beautiful scenery along
with dinner, try Captain's Table on
the shores of Lake Watauga.

SUNDAY: THE WIND IN
YOUR HAIR

After a hearty breakfast at the B&B,
head back to Blowing Rock to visit
the town's namesake attraction, The
Blowing Rock. This natural attraction has drawn visitors to the high
country for more than a century,
and like all good natural attractions,
it has a legend. In the most common story about Blowing Rock, a
Native American warrior and chieftain's daughter fell in love, but being
from different tribes, their love was
forbidden. The brave threw himself
from the cliff but his love prayed for
his return. A gust of wind blew him
back into her arms and now a wind
blows there constantly. Truth aside,
The Blowing Rock is one of the best
stops in the Blue Ridge. 

http://www.lostprovince.com http://www.overyondernc.com http://www.danlbooneinn.com http://www.skyvalleyziptours.com http://www.bistroroca.com http://www.mountainharbour.net http://www.lakeshore-resort.com/captains-table/ http://www.theblowingrock.com http://www.BlueRidgeCountry.com

Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2015

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