Local Guide From Your Hosts

Things to Do Near Boone, Blowing Rock & Watauga Lake

After hosting mountain guests for over a decade, we’ve gathered our honest favorites, the places we send friends and family when they visit the High Country. Every spot below is within an easy drive of all three of our cabins: Cloud 9 in Mountain City, TN, Eagles Peak on Watauga Lake, and Legacy View Lodge in Blowing Rock, NC.Julie & Mark

Recognized Country

You Picked a Great Corner of the Mountains!

Nationally recognized as one of the best places to visit.

America's Best Small Mountain Town

Boone took the national title from Travel + Leisure in 2025, praised for its food scene, downtown, and year-round mountain access. Legacy View Lodge is about 13 miles away.

5th Best Small Town in the South

Blowing Rock placed 5th, and highest of any North Carolina town, in Southern Living's 50 Best Small Towns in the South, voted by readers. Legacy View Lodge sits about 4.5 miles from its downtown.

A Bill Dance Signature Lake

Watauga Lake is one of Tennessee's Bill Dance Signature Lakes, the only one in Northeast Tennessee. A 6,430-acre reservoir with 106 miles of shoreline, bordered by Cherokee National Forest. Eagles Peak sits right above it.

Blue Ridge Parkway

America's favorite scenic drive.

Grandfather Mountain

The Mile High Swinging Bridge.

Watauga Lake

Lake days, boats, and swimming holes.

Linville Falls

The Blue Ridge's most photographed falls.

Tweetsie Railroad

Steam trains and Wild West fun.

Downtown Boone

King Street shops and college-town energy.

Downtown Blowing Rock

A storybook mountain main street.

Ski Season

Appalachian Ski Mtn. & Sugar Mountain slopes.

Roan Highlands

June rhododendron blooms on grassy balds.

Julian Price Lake

Canoes and easy trails off the Parkway.

Attraction photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributors.

Iconic Mountains

Scenic Drives & Big Views

Blue Ridge Parkway

America's favorite scenic drive, with overlooks and trailheads near Blowing Rock. Open locally from Milepost 281 to 317, just 2.4 miles from Legacy View Lodge.

Grandfather Mountain

Home of the Mile High Swinging Bridge, wildlife habitats, and the famous Forrest Gump curve. Long-range views that earn the admission price on a clear day.

Linville Falls

The most photographed waterfall in the Blue Ridge, with hikes for every fitness level, and Linville Falls Winery nearby for afterward.

Watauga Lake & Rivers

Lake Days & Swimming Holes

Watauga Lake

One of the cleanest lakes in the Southeast, ringed by national forest. Boat rentals at Fish Springs and Lakeshore marinas; a designated swimming area at Shook Branch. Eagles Peak guests have dock access and a canoe just across the road from the cabin.

Laurel Creek Falls & Watauga River Gorge

Beloved local swimming holes for a hot summer afternoon, bring water shoes and a picnic.

Sink Mountain Boat Landing

A beautiful, easy spot to put boats, kayaks, or paddleboards into Watauga Lake, about 8 miles from Eagles Peak.

Family Favorites

Kid-Approved Adventures

Tweetsie Railroad

Wild West theme park with a real steam train, chairlift, deer park zoo, and gem mining. A High Country rite of passage for kids.

Mystery Hill

A gravitational anomaly plus gem mining, old-time photos, bull riding, and axe throwing, great rainy-day option.

High Gravity Adventures

Zipline and aerial climbing park next to Tweetsie for older kids and brave adults.

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster

A mountain rollercoaster through the trees near Banner Elk, worth the short drive.

Sip & Savor

Wineries & Town Time

Villa Nove Vineyards

Wine tasting with sweeping mountain views and live music, about 3 miles from Eagles Peak.

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery

Riverside seating along the Watauga River near Banner Elk, with food and live music most weekends.

Downtown Blowing Rock

A storybook mountain main street, shops, coffee, dessert, Memorial Park's playground, and favorites like Bistro Roca and the Speckled Trout.

Boone & App State

College-town energy, restaurants (we love Mellow Mushroom after a hike), breweries, and shopping along King Street.

Trails & Winter

Hiking & Ski Season

Bass Lake & Moses Cone Manor

A gentle 0.9-mile loop around the lake with carriage-trail extensions to the manor, perfect for a morning walk or jog.

Julian Price Lake Park

Hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and picnic spots right off the Parkway near Blowing Rock.

Appalachian Ski Mountain

Family-friendly skiing and snowboarding about 8 miles from Legacy View Lodge; Sugar Mountain's bigger slopes are 15 miles out.

Doe Mountain Recreation Area

OHV trails and side-by-side rentals in Tennessee for a different kind of mountain adventure.

Getting Oriented

Where Our Cabins Sit on the Map

Three different corners of the High Country. Tap any map to explore the area around that cabin.

Cloud 9

Mountain City, Tennessee. Cloud 9 sits high on a ridge just over the Tennessee line, about 17 miles from Boone and 12 miles from Watauga Lake. The map shows the general area; the exact address and turn-by-turn directions are sent after booking.

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Eagles Peak

Butler, Tennessee. Eagles Peak sits on the hillside above Watauga Lake, with the community dock just across the road. The map shows the general area; the exact address and turn-by-turn directions are sent after booking.

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Legacy View Lodge

Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Legacy View Lodge is in the Misty Mountain community, a few miles from downtown Blowing Rock and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The map shows the general area; the exact address and turn-by-turn directions are sent after booking.

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Stay in the Middle of It All

Each of our three cabins puts you within easy reach of everything above, and we share even more local recommendations with every booking.

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