Hotels in Blowing Rock, North Carolina

A little about Blowing Rock...

Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000. These "summertime residents" consist mainly of people from the State of Florida who come to Blowing Rock to escape the heat and humidity of the Deep South.

The town of Blowing Rock takes its name from an unusual rock formation which juts over 1,500 feet above the Johns River gorge. Due to the rock's shape and size, wind currents from the gorge often blow vertically, causing light objects to float upwards into the sky. The Blowing Rock area was once fought over by the Cherokee and Catawba Native American tribes. According to legend, two lovers - one from each tribe - were walking near the rocks when the man received a notice to report to his village and go into battle. When his lover urged him to stay with her, he became so distraught that he threw himself off the blowing rock into the gorge. The woman prayed to the Great Spirit to return her lover, and the Spirit complied by sending a gust of wind which blew the man back up the cliff and landed him safely on the blowing rock itself. Today "The Blowing Rock" is a popular tourist attraction and is well-known for its superb views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

Another popular tourist attraction in Blowing Rock is the Tweetsie Railroad theme park, which is home to the only remaining fully-functional steam engine train in North Carolina. Visitors to Tweetsie can ride the train for three miles and enjoy the mountain scenery; the park also contains traditional amusement-park rides and attractions. Other attractions in the Blowing Rock area include the elegant Green Park Inn and Country Club, and the Blowing Rock Stage Company, which presents plays and musicals. On the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway is Moses Cone Memorial Park, which offers scenic views of the surrounding mountains. The park contains the impressive Moses Cone Manor and Estate, and features a large lake surrounded by woods and forests. Adjacent to the park is the Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve, where visitors can rent a horse and take a guided-trail ride across the Moses Cone Park; there are 25 miles of riding and carriage trails in the park. Annual festivals in Blowing Rock include the "Art In The Park" festival, a monthly summertime event in downtown Blowing Rock where artists of all types set up booths to sell their work to tourists, the "Fourth of July" festival and parade, and the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show which has been a tradition for 84 years. It is the longest continuously-run horse show in the United States. The show features some of the best horse riders in the Eastern United States.