Top Activities Near Boone and Banner Elk

Live Entertainment

Yes, we’re in the country but we have big time entertainment. From summer concerts to outdoor theater productions we have lots of live entertainment to choose from. Besides our festivals and holiday events, our smaller restaurants, pubs, inns and parks frequently have live entertainment. Here are just a few of the top activities near Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock, NC to check out.

Beech Mountain Summer Concert Series is performed on an outdoor summer stage. Bring a couple chairs, and a picnic blanket. This is the kind of stuff Summer was made for.

Appalachian Summer Festival Boone, N.C. is presented by Appalachian State University, this festival is getting nationwide attention for both the quality and range of its programming. It features dance performances, musicians, theater productions, art presentations and films.

Horn in the West Boone, N.C. is a long running annual summer production that takes place in the 18th century during the Revolutionary War. This historical outdoor drama is a perfect way to spend a High Country summer evening.

Banner Elk Concerts in the Park is a family friendly free concert series that takes place each summer in the Tate-Evans Town Park Amphitheater. The series offers a variety of performers and there are food venders on site.

Farmers Markets

The High Country is full of farms providing fresh local produce, flowers, and crafts. Take your pick:

Watauga County Farmers Market in Boone is held every Saturday morning May through November, and offers locally made and produced food, art, music and crafts in a mountain setting in the heart of Boone.

Avery County Farmers Market in Banner Elk occurs every Thursday 4:00 to 6:30 pm at the Old Banner Elk Elementary School, and offers fresh, locally grown food.

Blowing Rock Farmers Market happens each Thursday afternoon, 3:00 to 6:00 pm, May 20 – September 30, 2021, and offers fresh flowers and plants, dairy, beef, baked goods (including gluten]-free options), herbal products pasta and local produce.

Cookouts and Firepits

All of our Cabins have access to Grills, outdoor patios or decks, and firepits for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.

Hiking

Here in the North Carolina Mountains there are an almost overwhelming number of trails to explore. Some of the most well known hikes are the top activities near Boone, NC and accessed from the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Grandfather National Park.

Additionally, there are several nearby access points for the Mountains to the Sea trail. The Mountains to the Sea Trail stretches more than 1,000 miles across North Carolina from the Great Smokey Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail is broken down in segments and we are lucky to have some of the most picturesque sections close by.

For shorter 1 day hikes, a visit to a waterfall is a great choice. We recommend Glen Burney Falls in Blowing Rock, and Linville Falls in combination with Linville Caverns. If you don’t mind driving a little further Crabtree Falls is an Iconic Smokey Mountain sight to see.

Wahoo’s Adventures Banner Elk Office

Wahoo’s Adventures offers rafting, kayaking, tubing, stand-up paddle boarding, and canoeing. Starting points for these activities are located on the New River in Todd NC, the Watauga River near Elizabeth Town TN, and the Pisgah National Forest near Blowing Rock NC. Heritage Hill Cabins is the ideal central location to explore these activities.

Hawksnest Zipline, Mountain Ziplining Tours Seven Devils, N.C.

Hawksnest Zipline offers four miles of ziplines catering to beginners and adrenaline junkies. Located within 30 minutes of Heritage Hill Cabins.

Fly Fishing

The Mountains of western North Carolina have more than 3,000 miles of waterways open to the public for trout fishing. About half of it is wild self-sustaining trout waters and the remaining half is stocked with mostly brook and rainbow trout, and some brown trout as well. The Watauga River is stocked and is considered one of the best waterways for Trout Fishing in N.C. There are many public access points to the River, and our favorite is the Valle Crucis Community Park just down the road from Heritage Hill Cabins. There are an abundance of other trout fishing in the Boone, Banner Elk, and Blowing Rock area.

There are also numerous reputable local fishing guides. Due South Outfitters offers both wade and float trips. Foscoe Fishing Company is endorsed by Orvis and specializes in fishing the Watauga River.

Want to improve the odds of a trout dinner? The Grandfather Trout Farm provides all the equipment and no license is required. They stock their pond and will clean your catch for you. This can be a fun option for little ones just learning to fish.

Biking

Beech Mountain
The Beech Mountain Resort has scenic lift rides and includes trails for the experts and the kids. The town of Beech Mountain has a beautiful 8mi network of trails called the Emerald Outback.

Sugar Mountain
There are also bike trails throughout the Village of Sugar Mountain. The Sugar Mountain Resort offers a lift service for mountain bikers who want to take a break from the climb and focus on downhill skills.

Rocky Knob Bike Park
This park in Boone holds 185 acres of trails and has something suitable for every skill level. Mountain Biking is proving to be very popular up here and the number of trails are growing every year.

The Boone Greenway Trail
This multi-use recreational trail is ideal for families with smaller children who want more even paved paths. For those who prefer road biking, we have plenty of spectacular routes for that too.

The Blue Ridge Parkway
A favorite for many cyclists. Another road biking route made popular by Lance Armstrong runs right through Valle Crucis where Heritage Hill Cabins are located.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Skiing is what it’s all about up here when the snow falls. We have 3 Ski Mountains nearby; Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, and Appalachian Ski Mountain. Beech Mountain has an elevation of more than 5,500ft making it the highest ski area in the Eastern United States. Sugar Mountain ensures you’ll be able to enjoy the slopes with snow making capacity for more than 100 acres. Appalachian Mountain is the oldest Ski resort in the area and a great place to get lessons in a family friendly environment. We are centrally located to enjoy any or all of the 3 Ski mountains during your time here.

Both Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain offer Snow Tubing, however, the largest snow tubing park on the East Coast is at Hawksnest in Seven Devils. Hawksnest has over 30 lanes for tubing! Hawksnest is less than 15 miles from Heritage Hill Cabins.

Ice Skating

The Appalachian Mountain Ice Skating Rink provides scenic views of the slopes. The Beech Mountain Skating Rink is surrounded by traditional mountain style architecture and is located in Beech Tree Village.

Sugar Mountain boasts a 10,000 sq. ft Ice Skating Rink and is conveniently located in close proximity to other popular winter activities.

Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing

Cross Country Skiing is done on the Blue Ridge Parkway during the Winter months when the road is closed. The Parkway has some flat stretches with wonderful scenery. Roan Mountain in TN is a great choice for more experienced Cross Country Skiers. Roan Mountain State Park is around 25 miles from Heritage Hill Cabins. Elk Knob State Park, the Appalachian Trail, the Boone Greenway, and the Bass Lake Trail are all possible locations for Cross Country skiing weather permitting.

Sitting in Front of a Cozy Fire

All of our cabins allow you to enjoy sitting by the fire after a long day. Raspberry Hill has a wood burning stove. Uncle Earl’s and Mam’s Refuge have gas fireplaces, and Gazebo and Maple Spring Cabin have gas stoves.