We're always looking for hidden gems here in the Tarheel State, and we'd love to hear from you. Beautiful scenery, friendly people, and a great vibe. The Ashe County Cheese factory and store are two great places to visit in West Jefferson, one of the cutest mountain towns in NC! Table Rock Mountain is one of the best hikes around. You'll also find a fine assortment of restaurants, many with outdoor patios. Flat Rock. We receive compensation if you make a purchase, but it won't cost you anything extra. ), Chimney Rock State Park (How to Enjoy an NC Icon), 20+ Amazing Things to Do in Maggie Valley, 75+ Fun Day Trips from Asheville (Within a 2-Hour Drive), 25 of the Most Amazing Winter Hikes in North Carolina, How to Find 20+ Haywood County Artists on Blue Ridge Craft Trails, Christmas in North Carolina (the Best Holiday Events), Craggy Gardens: A Beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway Stop, People of NC: Merlefest Director B Townes, Mingo Falls In Cherokee NC (a Great Waterfall + Easy Hike). Regardless of the season, the Chetola Resort is a wonderful accommodation option. It is easily one of the best mountain towns in North Carolina and is less than an hour away from Winston Salem, making it a fabulous day trip. Begin with our list of the best mountain towns in North Carolina. Grand Highlands encompasses 300 acres of woodlands and meadows. .site-header .header-image { } The Ramble Biltmore Forest, Asheville. You might say its a Foothills or Piedmont town, but well argue otherwise. Outdoor lovers can enjoy wonderful hikes and viewpoints in the surrounding Yancey County area, including those on nearby Mt. This stunning area is home to nearly 520,000 acres of forested mountains. Venture out and explore the rest of Burke County, hike to Hawksbill Mountains peak, Linville Falls, the nearby Wisemans View in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, and High Shoals Falls inside South Mountains State Park. Often called the crown of the Blue Ridge, it boasts both the oldest tourist attraction and a current vibrant visitor scene. In winter, Blowing Rock can be a nice place to base yourself if you are skiing at nearby Appalachian Ski Mountain just a few minutes away. Burnsville offers an authentic small-town experience, with a cute downtown area, where you can find shops, restaurants, and galleries lining the town square. Its also home to the only fly-fishing trail in the country on the Tuckasegee River, making this activity quite a draw. Get the latest Severe Weather Alerts. .right-sidebar .content-area { Best Mountain Communities in North Carolina - RomanticAsheville.com NC Tripping uses Mediavine to manage all third-party advertising on this Website. .search .content-area a { Best Towns to Live in the Smoky Mountains - MountainJobs.com The 5 Best North Carolina Mountain Towns to Live In Real Estate Blog The majestic peaks of the Blue Ridge Parkway, charming towns offering luxurious properties with panoramic beauty are just a few of the reasons that many seek out the best place to live in the North Carolina mountains. Historic Biltmore Estate is one of the. Tryons reputation as an equestrian haven and arts enclave is revered. Access to Roan Mountain goes through Bakersville and you can also enjoy the Toe Rivers waters here. Brevard has a pleasant feel about it. ), How to See Elk River Falls (Trail and Safety Tips), 100+ Unique Things to Do in North Carolina, The Asheville Art Museum (How to Visit + 7 Great Things to Do), Winter in Boone (20 Great Activities, Snow Tubing, and More! Bryson City is a great gateway if youre looking to explore the expansive Great Smoky Mountains. Well, youll need to answer that question when you visit Marion and their annual Bigfoot Festival! Listing information last updated on March 4th, 2023 at 4:24am EST. There are so many outdoor options in West Jeffersons surroundings, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, the New River (ironically one of the oldest rivers), and Mount Jefferson. height: 100%; A number of great restaurants and breweries (including Fonta Flora) are based here, too. Asheville is a city thats well known across the country for its charismatic charm, fantastic breweries, grand estate, proximity to waterfalls, and delicious restaurants. Pearsons Falls is also nearby. Our weekly newsletter shares weekly updates and tips on upcoming events. Read More: The Asheville Art Museum (How to Visit + 7 Great Things to Do). The Dry Falls are the claim to fame of the Highlands, a stunning waterfall you can walk behind and stay completely dry. Banner Elk is also a popular gateway to Grandfather Mountain State Park and the Mile High Swinging Bridge on the privately-owned Grandfather Mountain attraction. Each town has its own vibe and many unique outdoorsy things to do. The town of Cashiers is centrally located in the Plateau region and attracts thousands of visitors between May to October each year. The town itself is nice for a stroll from the county courthouse. Walk Score: 36/100. .ai-viewport-1 { display: none !important;} People visiting the quaint town of Sylva are advised to walk up the 107 stairs to the Jackson County Courthouse, where they will witness the panoramic views over the countryside, downtown, and the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. The tree-lined Main Street in the upscale downtown is filled with charming stores and tourist shops. All of these mountain towns in NC possess something unique, which is why we cant choose our favorite. We mentioned Lake Junaluska earlier and thought you should know that it is only 3 miles away from Waynesville. About Catawba Falls, we think youll love the 2.3-mile hike that leads to the 100-ft tall waterfall with beautiful cascades. It is no wonder that Brevard is one of the best North Carolina mountain towns. Be sure to wander up and down Boone's restored downtown, where you'll find a good selection of dining and shopping options, including a Mast General Store with its eclectic selection of merchandise, souvenirs, and fun selection of candy. Burnsville is one of the best North Carolina mountain towns for exploring the outdoors. The shores of Lake Toxaway are known for beautiful properties which date back to the turn of the century when industry giants such as the Fords, Edisons and Rockefellers vacationed here. Enjoy creekside beers at BearWaters Brewing, dance at Stompin Ground, and zoom through the iconic Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum. The 15 Best North Carolina Mountain Towns to Visit The Trail of Faith explores this heritage through a collection of preserved monuments and buildings. You're 20 minutes away from Raleigh, 20 minutes away from Durham, and 10 minutes away from Cary. You can see Table Rock Mountain, one of the most incredible hikes in the area, from downtown Morganton. Our love story begins in Wilmington, where we met while attending UNCW. Cherokee is home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and one of our favorite small mountain towns in NC. A massive aquarium, a mountain coaster and. Notably, Flat Rock also has the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, the famed Pulitzer Prize authors home. North Carolina's 6 Best Mountain Towns - This Is My South Read More: How to See the EPIC Rainbow Falls. Nearby is Grandfather Mountain with its suspension bridge. Fishing in North Carolina: The mountains are also a great place for fishing. Read More: Chimney Rock State Park (How to Enjoy an NC Icon). $( document.body ).append( '' ); If you want to immerse yourself further in the scenery, take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway or head over to Linville Falls, about 30 minutes away. Twitter It's no wonder Asheville is consistently voted as one of the best places to live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. #1 Best Places to Live in North Carolina Morrisville Suburb of Raleigh, NC 79 reviews Niche User: Morrisville is one of my favorite cities in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. .ai-viewport-1 { display: none !important;} The Best Places to Live in North Carolina in 2022 Linville Falls and High Shoal Falls are both close by and worth a visit. One of the top things to do in the summer is to catch the long running outdoor drama, Horn in the West. The sparkling North Carolina lake of the same name is the main draw for this mountain town. Boone is a no-brainer when it comes to top mountain towns in North Carolina, as this lively university town is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. .archive .content-area a { North Carolina is home to over 250 waterfalls with a number of them located in the Plateau region. Be sure to check out the historic courthouse and the wonderfully restored mansion that now houses Morganton Savings Bank. Do you have a favorite place you like to go or is there one that stands out among the rest? This is another popular destination in winter for skiers, particularly families. An all-natural water slide, you can rush down this smooth rapid for a refreshing thrill ride unlike any other. Beyond the downtown, you will find lovely homes and streets with manicured yards and views in all directions. . If you'd like to learn more visit the about us page. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, and shops. } America's 50 Best Small Towns in the Mountains | Far & Wide That last part is why Wilkes County is also home to the first-ever NASCAR track. Banner Elk Avery County NC Official Website If you are in town on a Friday, be sure to catch one of the free summer musical events taking place at Concerts on the Creek at the Bridge Park. Come explore the best mountain towns in NC! The Best Places to Live in The Blue Ridge Mountains | The Cliffs Madison County seat Marshall sits just north of Asheville and Buncombe County. North Conway might be best known as a ski townand that's a legitimate distinction with Cranmore Mountain Resort 's steeps and glades just a mile from . If you want to spend a night up in this area, have a look at the Old Edwards Inn and Spa, an incredible European-style, luxury hotel in the heart of downtown. ), and one of our favorite North Carolina distilleries (Oak & Grist). Accommodation: Where to Stay in Banner Elk. As a university town, the population reaches heights of around 20,000. 1 Sylva. Here are the best places to live near the mountains! ), Maggie Valley draws tons of tourists each year. Browse the bustling Main Street; brick sidewalks dotted with historic homes and many storefronts ideal for a day of shopping until you drop. Cashiers is the gateway to one of our favorite NC mountain escapes, Bear Lake Reserve. Read More: 100+ Unique Things to Do in North Carolina. Next on our list of the best cities to live in North Carolina is the Inner Banks community of Greenville. Live like a local and experience a leisurely day of exploration. And compared to larger cities in the area, the town offers good value. See our article on the Best Ski Resorts in North Carolina for ideas to help plan your ski vacation. Copyright 2023 PlanetWare Inc. All rights reserved. There's only one "big" city within an hour of the coast and that's Wilmington, with a pop of about 200,000 in New Hanover County, or 260,000+ in the Wilmington MSA.All the beach towns rely on a tourist-driven economy. Charlotte is one of the best places to live in North Carolina for a few reasons. Lake Glenville has the distinction of being the lake with the highest elevation east of the Mississippi River. - 5/13/2022 I lived in Black Mountain for about ten years and loved it! The national park on the Tennessee and North Carolina border is the most popular in the country, so picking the right place to stay in the Smokies can mean the difference between traffic and bright lights or the sounds of birds chirping and streams rushing. Originally settled in the 1850's as a health resort, Asheville has an interesting history- in the late 1800 . Her days were spent reading a book on the beach and enjoying a cold glass of sweet tea in between classes at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Is there anything more magical than a lakeside mountain town in NC?! @media only screen and (max-width: 359px) { The various festivals and several golf courses is what residents have come to love about Sapphire Valley along with the peaceful scenery that attracts many to the area. The ride down is thrilling, with the two-seater sleds hitting top speeds of 27 miles per hour as they twist and turn down the nearly 2,400-foot run. 80+ Great Small Towns in North Carolina (+ Top 10 Best) - NC Tripping With a population of about 14,000 people, you can find everything you need here, minus crowds, traffic, and parking hassles. Spruce Pine is a nice spot throughout the year, but two events here are really coolthe NC Mineral and Gem Festival in August and SPACE (Spruce Pine Alien Conference & Expo) in June. North Carolina Mountain Towns To Escape the Summer Heat Blowing Rock, North Carolina is one of the best small North Carolina towns and located just 10 minutes from Boone, it has a small village vibe. Brevard is ideally situated at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, close to some of North Carolina's most spectacular waterfalls. Sylva is a picturesque small town with a population of around 2500, and it's one of the best places to live in North Carolina. Yes, Colorado boasts its fair share of ski resort towns known for drawing the rich and famous: Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge , Telluride and the like. The attraction to Highlands is the ability to get outdoors on area trails, browse the Highlands Historic Village, or just explore downtown. Read More: The Best NC Blue Ridge Parkway Hikes. Read More: Christmas in North Carolina (the Best Holiday Events). The Emerald Village complex hosts 12 mines for gem and gold panning seven days a week from spring through fall. Filled with shops, boutiques, and the beautiful Village Green, there is always something to explore in this lovely town. A Short List of the Best Mountain Towns to Raise a Family WRITER: WNC Staff PHOTOGRAPHER: WNC Staff ILLUSTRATOR: WNC Staff Written by Jonathan Ammons, Jon Elliston, Tim W. Jackson, Randy Johnson & Melissa Reardon Sometimes, smaller is better. Best Places To Live In North Carolina In 2023 - Forbes Advisor It has just enough diversity within its quaint downtown to attract plenty of visitors, from eclectic eateries to art studios to specialty shops. The water also calls anglers to cast their lines in a variety of streams great for fly fishing. So many great mountain towns to choose from! At the same time, Chattanooga has many urban pleasures, including dining and entertainment options, a wide variety of public. Ayden wasn't even in the top 40 cheapest places to live in North Carolina last year, so this jump up to the #2 spot is quite impressive. The last one is an amazing introduction to the latter state park. Nevertheless a gorgeous one and one of the most romantic places to travel in North Carolina. Its downtown is home to nice shops, a cozy atmosphere, and great restaurants. ), downtown Brevard is charming and boasts the best toy store in North Carolina, O.P. Just outside the town, you can find the famous Grandfather Mountain and its Mile High Swinging Bridge. For such a small town, the selection and quality of restaurants is impressive. Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, on the doorstep of great hiking trails, scenic drives, and spectacular waterfalls, the location is hard to beat. Anglers come from far and wide to try and catch one of the river's colorful rainbow trout. 15 Cutest Small Towns In North Carolina (Mountains, Beaches, And More Art festivals are held here year-round and an impressive array of galleries and funky shops to browse. Read More: 20 Excellent Things to Do in Cherokee and the Qualla Boundary (and Nearby!). The town is an eastern equivalent of the many mountain resort towns that dot the American west, particularly in the Rocky Mountains. We are surrounded by wonderful small towns throughout North Carolina (especially historic ones! You can easily immerse yourself in local art, browse unique shops, and dig into each places amazing food scene. Bakersville is the Mitchell County seat and one of many arts-heavy communities in the area. In summer, you may see people fishing. Asheville, NC Bend, OR Boise, ID Denver, CO Flagstaff, AZ Salt Lake City, UT South Lake Tahoe, CA Tacoma, WA Asheville, NC Photo via @jared_kay Population: 87,531 Home Price: $212,000 median purchase price; $910 median monthly rent Crime Rate: Safer than 3% of U.S. cities } ); Affordable Mountain Towns for Retirement - US News & World Report The tallest dam in the Eastern US, Fontana Dam, is one of the more popular spots in Graham County, too. RELATED The 12 Most Charming Small Towns in South Carolina Mark Vandenberg 1. Be sure to stop by the scenic Lake Sequoyah and of course, the many natural wonders that surround Highlands. There. Upon graduation, she met her partner, Cameron, and they traveled the world together crossing 85 countries and six continents. Livability Asheville, NC Read the Magazine. "source": "woocommerce", The old brick buildings have been restored in a thriving downtown that offers all the amenities you could need. Make sure to get a taste of Hollywood at the Henry River Mill Village in Hildebran. 15 Best Small Towns in North Carolina - Great Small Towns to Visit and Live In NC 1 Best Easy, Cheap Dinner Ideas for Your Family 2 42 Best Bedroom Paint Color Ideas for 2023 3 Early Spring Flowers Will Combat the Winter Blues 4 What Our Editors Bought and Loved in February 5 Dad Jokes To Keep the Whole Family Laughing Make sure to stop in the Paces General Store (operating since 1899) and Thompons Grocery Market- North Carolinas oldest grocery store! For more ideas, see our list of the Top Attractions in North Carolina. Among its many quirky independent storefronts, its downtown is lousy with independent and adorable book stores.
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