One Western North Carolina town stood out to WorldAtlas writers as the “quirkiest” in the state.
Founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, WorldAtlas publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel.
In the April 9 article, WorldAtlas writers named Blowing Rock North Carolina’s quirkiest town.
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Previous Asheville Citizen Times articles have covered numerous mentions of Western N.C. from WorldAtlas, including “idyllic” and “unpretentious” towns, scenic drives, a favorite downtown area, towns that rival Europe’s best and more.
Here’s why they chose the Western N.C. location, plus what they suggest checking out during a visit and more.
Where is Blowing Rock, NC?
Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Watauga and Caldwell Counties, Blowing Rock is roughly 90 miles from Asheville.
What is there to do in ‘quirky’ Blowing Rock, NC?
The WorldAtlas article named Blowing Rock in the recent piece, in part for its “quirky attractions.” Some of the attractions mentioned by the article included:
- Mystery Hill, “where optical illusions and the Natural Gravitational Anomaly turn an afternoon into a memorable story”
- The Native American Artifacts Museum, showcasing one of the world’s largest private collections of Native American Artifacts, is also through Mystery Hill
- Tweetsie Railroad, a Wild West-style theme park with a historic steam train, rides and seasonal events throughout the year
- Nighttime ziplining with Sky Valley Zip Tours
- The downtown Art and Sculpture Trail with 15 stops
Events in Blowing Rock, NC
Also praised in the article were Blowing Rock’s wide range of year-round events, with the following receiving special mention from WorldAtlas:
- Winterfest, held every January, which invites residents to “come out of hibernation and enjoy a variety of cozy winter activities” such as polar plunges, ice carving demonstrations, chili cook-offs and winter feasts
- The Blowing Rock Trout Derby, offering awards for the largest brown, rainbow and brook trout caught, plus special categories for kids
- Blowing Rock’s Fourth of July Symphony by the Lake, which generally attracts more than 4,000 attendees who gather to enjoy “lively music and delicious food outdoors,” plus a fireworks display to close out the celebration
Reporting by Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times / Asheville Citizen Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
