the entire state of Carolina waits for me

June 19, 2006 3:00 PM

Help me find a place to stay in NC!

a few friends and I would like to rent a house somewhere in North Carolina for a week in August. I've searched craigslist and googled some, but I've been disappointed in what I've found, quality-wise.
I'm looking for suggestions to specific areas or places that you've visited that meet our requirements. Please feel free to mention places to avoid or must-see attractions in the area.

Our few requirements:
-in the mountains, definitely not beach
-near (or on-site) fishing and boating
-good area for minor hiking (we don't want to be in the total, no-one-will-ever-find-you wilderness, but we don't want to be in a city)

would love to have:
-screened porches
-hot tub
-boat rentals on-site (or free with house rental!)
-fishing equipment rentals (do they even do this?)

There will be 6-8 of us going (probably two couples and some friends).

Thanks in advance for the help

posted by Flamingo to Travel & Transportation around North Carolina (7 answers total)

I stayed here recently. A couple of hours north of Asheville, it's fairly near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Linville Caverns is nearby as well. It was a little odd because very few other people were staying there - lots of empty cottages. But our cottage was nice, clean, and the back porch faced the river. I don't know if they have boats, though.
posted by one at 3:22 PM on June 19, 2006

No recommendations, but props on the B.G. reference in the title. I did a double-take when I was reading my feeds.
posted by patr1ck at 3:24 PM on June 19, 2006

The Boone/Banner Elk/Linville Gorge/Blowing Rock area should have everything you're looking for. I'd suggest *not* staying in Boone proper (touristy/college towny), but it's a good center point to start looking. I don't have any specific recommendations (the cabins we used to stay at are no longer open), but there are a lot of cabin/resortish areas in Watauga County.
posted by jlkr at 4:07 PM on June 19, 2006

If you can find something in the extreme southwest of NC, around Robbinsville, you'd have a lot of outdoor options.

Chief among those would be proximity to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, home of some of the last virgin woods in Appalachia. Astounding mixed temperate rain forest with HUGE trees (by eastern standards), lots of flora in general. One of my favorite places on the planet.

Also, towards Knoxville on I-40 there is a place called Big Creek, which feeds the Pigeon River. ANother favorite place, it is perforated with old logging roads and has many wonderful, easy hikes... kind of light on views, but very wonderful woods and water. Water like looking through the botttom of a Coke bottle... almost green. It is just east of I-40 and the Tennessee line at Waterville. (Actually, Big Creek is IN the Great Smokies National Park, the most visited park in the country, so you may have company.

Many towns in the western part of the state have their own charms, and the Appalachian Trail crosses civilization in many places. Mars Hill / Marshall have proximity to Asheville, which is definitely worth visiting if you want a small city. Asheville is great for live music and decent restaurants. Lots of B&B's, too.

Have fun!
posted by FauxScot at 5:31 PM on June 19, 2006

I'm from Boone, so I second jlkr's suggestion.

You can rent canoes and go rafting down the New River, from Wahoo's Adventures, between Blowing Rock and Boone.

Further down Hwy 105, toward Linville (go see Linville Caverns! Cool stuff.) there's some fishing gear rental places that will also take you out and give you a guided fishing trip.

Grandfather Mountain is nice. They've got a "Mile High" bridge up there and the views are killer.

Boat rentals I'm not familiar with (but I've never heard of a free boat with house, just not a lot of lakes up there, just rivers), but house rentals for vacations are all in Blowing Rock. Start there. I'm sure some rentals (I think you'll probably be looking at a cabin or condo) have screened in porches, but the bugs aren't that bad, even in summer, so they're not all that common.

As far as hiking goes, Boone and its surrounding areas are nice for non-strenuous outdoor activity.

Boone's got some decent places to eat and has a nice, laid back vibe, while Blowing Rock has some excellent restaurants (a little $$ though).

I'm not as familiar with Asheville, but from my few visits it seems like a really cool, medium sized southern town with some great architecture and cool shops. Big hippie vibe too. Hope that helps somewhat.
posted by Destroid at 7:14 AM on June 20, 2006

I went to school in Boone and pass through their every once in a while, but it is not somewhere I would choose to spend a week. Way, way, too commercial and touristy for me. Good luck with your search, though.
posted by JamesMessick at 9:13 AM on June 20, 2006

Check out Hot Springs. You can fish, hike, hang out, take a hot tub, and it's only a half hour from the bright lights, big city of Asheville. Gorgeous scenery, right on the French Broad river.
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:32 PM on June 20, 2006