What to do in Banner Elk, NC?
March 12, 2006 8:28 PM Subscribe
Traveling to Banner Elk, North Carolina May 5-12 - need suggestions for places to go.
We just booked a week at Blue Ridge Village in Banner Elk, NC, from May 5-12. We want to have a relaxing week spent in a natural environment, and want to do such things as white water rafting, maybe canoeing and/or kayaking, horseback riding - time spent in nature. For instance, are there certain white water rafting tour guides to avoid due to incompetence, or certain rivers that're particularly nice? Is there anything that's little-known-about that would be awful to miss? We are willing to drive as far away as Asheville (which is where we really wanted to go anyway).
We're also open to other ideas, though. I am looking for recommendations based on personal experience or knowledge -- anything at all you can recommend will be appreciated! Dining or sight-seeing recommendations are also helpful. All we know at the moment is we have the room...
We just booked a week at Blue Ridge Village in Banner Elk, NC, from May 5-12. We want to have a relaxing week spent in a natural environment, and want to do such things as white water rafting, maybe canoeing and/or kayaking, horseback riding - time spent in nature. For instance, are there certain white water rafting tour guides to avoid due to incompetence, or certain rivers that're particularly nice? Is there anything that's little-known-about that would be awful to miss? We are willing to drive as far away as Asheville (which is where we really wanted to go anyway).
We're also open to other ideas, though. I am looking for recommendations based on personal experience or knowledge -- anything at all you can recommend will be appreciated! Dining or sight-seeing recommendations are also helpful. All we know at the moment is we have the room...
It's been over a decade since I rafted in Western NC, but I'm pretty sure the French Broad is gonna be much closer to you than the Nantahala. These folks can help figure your options; I'm pretty sure we used them when another teacher and I led a school trip down the river. They were great, but it was a while ago.
Chimney Rock Park is around 70 miles south of Banner Elk, just east of Asheville. It's stunningly beautiful to hike around, despite some cheeseball tourist elements (avoid the town at the bottom). it has both easy and difficult trails and is home to the gorgeous 404-foot-tall Hickory Nut Falls. I was there a couple of years ago and was surprised at how much I liked the area, what with my cynicism for all things touristy and all. If you're heading to Asheville for the day, try staying over and doing Chimney Rock the next day before heading back. Alternatively, you can search for waterfalls in Avery County (where Banner Elk is) at this ncwaterfalls.com page; nothing says "relaxing" like a waterfall, and that area's full of them. Elk Falls looks pretty, although far less spectacular than Hickory Nut.
posted by mediareport at 6:25 PM on March 13, 2006
Chimney Rock Park is around 70 miles south of Banner Elk, just east of Asheville. It's stunningly beautiful to hike around, despite some cheeseball tourist elements (avoid the town at the bottom). it has both easy and difficult trails and is home to the gorgeous 404-foot-tall Hickory Nut Falls. I was there a couple of years ago and was surprised at how much I liked the area, what with my cynicism for all things touristy and all. If you're heading to Asheville for the day, try staying over and doing Chimney Rock the next day before heading back. Alternatively, you can search for waterfalls in Avery County (where Banner Elk is) at this ncwaterfalls.com page; nothing says "relaxing" like a waterfall, and that area's full of them. Elk Falls looks pretty, although far less spectacular than Hickory Nut.
posted by mediareport at 6:25 PM on March 13, 2006
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asheville is a beautiful little city. there are tons of great restaurants there (one of my favorites is called tupelo honey), beautiful architecture, lots of awesome art to see, and bunches of great bars.
you are going to be really close to grandfather mountain, i recommend seeing that as well as the mile-high bridge. if you go to boone, make sure to grab a soda at the boone drug store. if you're a vegetarian, check out angelica's. can also drive up to howar
linville gorge is pretty awesome, as is pretty much anything you can find on the blue ridge parkway. driving virtually anywhere out there is breathtaking. just make sure you gas up before leaving, not many gas stations out there.
feel free to mail me with questions. youre going to have a great time. that part of NC is amazing that time of year, especially because of the weather and the lush green environment.
posted by kneelconqueso at 8:53 PM on March 12, 2006