WEEKENDER: Boone

Pining for some mountain air but don’t have time for an extended road trip? Pack up the car with your puffy coats and hiking boots and head to Boone for one last dash of winter. Explore the trails at Grandfather Mountain, mine for gemstones, peruse the shops on King Street, or go snow tubing—if there’s any snow left on the ground. Enjoy easy access to Blowing Rock or pack a picnic and bring it to the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway. No matter how you spend your time, it’s a great place to recharge when you crave some time outdoors.

STAY
You’ve got a range of hotels like Hampton Inn & Suites or Holiday Inn Express, or you can rent a cabin through Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals. But for a really memorable experience, book a room at Rhode’s Motor Lodge, a refurbished inn off Highway 321. The 54-room motel has mid-century design details and campy (but not kitschy) accents like tree trunk nightstands, three-legged camp stools, and blue Coleman coolers. All rooms have Wi-Fi, a smart TV, and a mini-fridge, and certain king rooms have a daybed and can sleep a family of four. On the patio, Adirondack chairs surround fire pits, and a canopy of string lights makes it an ideal spot to enjoy a drink after a long hike or listen to some live music when the sun goes down.

Rhode’s Motor Lodge

A King room with a daybed can sleep a family of three or four.

Rhode’s Motor Lodge has arcade games in the lobby.

EAT

Canteen is inside the lobby of Rhode’s Motor Lodge and open to the public. Come for dinner and enjoy burgers, brisket, and seared trout with a range of sides while the kids have their choice of corn dogs, mac & cheese, and lollipop chicken drumsticks. Weekend brunch features favorites like omelets, pancakes, and French toast. If you venture into town, visit The Local for no-frills sandwiches, burgers, and brews, or FizzEd, a new “family bar” with kid-crafted mocktails. If you’re a coffee drinker, check out Bald Guy Brew and Hatchet Coffee. When you have a sweet tooth, head to Blue Deer on King and customize your own ice cream sandwich.

Lollipop Chicken Drumsticks at Canteen.

FizzEd serves kid-crafted mocktails.

Blue Deer on King has make-your-own ice cream sandwiches.

PLAY
Visit Doc’s Rocks Gem Mine for indoor gem mining and let the kids pan for their own stones and fossils, then stay for a game of Paleo Putt-Putt. Take a stroll down King Street in downtown Boone and peruse the shops, and be sure to stop by Mast General Store for clothes, outdoor gear, toys, and old-fashioned candies. Go for an easy, kid-friendly hike on the trails of Middle Fork Greenway if the weather is mild. If it’s cold enough to go ice skating, head to Appalachian Ski Mountain, which has a large outdoor skating rink. (Note that there’s a $2 parking charge, and all reservations are made online.) 

Gem mining at Doc’s Rocks.

Paleo Putt-Putt at Doc’s Rocks.

Mast General Store.

Middle Fork Greenway.