Things to Do in the Mountains

"There is nothing quite as relaxing as  sitting on the banks of the Watauga River in the shadow of the beautiful  Grandfather Mountain, add our award-winning and various wines and  there’s no place you’ll rather be than at Grandfather Vineyard!" 

 About the Mile High Swinging Bridge

The Mile High Swinging Bridge, America’s highest suspension  footbridge, was built to give visitors easy access to the breathtaking  view from Grandfather Mountain’s Linville Peak.

 Walking and Hiking at Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain has 11 trails varying in difficulty from a  gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks. It is  in the backcountry of Grandfather Mountain State Park that you come up  against the more challenging hikes.

Animal Encounters

Glimpse a bear in its natural mountain habitat. No need to run the other way. Talk to Grandfather Mountain staff about the animals and observe an  animal enrichment. An enrichment is anything that breaks up an animal’s  day — maybe a special scent or toy newly introduced into their habitat.  Visitors to Grandfather are encouraged to view the animal enrichments,  as they provide a great opportunity to see each animal active and close  to the overlook of the habitat. No additional cost.

Tons of Rides - Take a whirl on the Carousel, Ferris Wheel, Boats and Planes, Free Fall, and Tilt-A-Whirl—and don’t forget the Mouse Mine Train!

Tweetsie Railroad has a near-endless supply of fun things to do.

When you're looking for fun things to do in North Carolina with kids, there's plenty of live entertainment at Tweetsie Railroad.
Don't miss a single show! 

Just a few miles away, Sugar Mountain is the closest skiing and snowboarding. In addition to great skiing and snowboarding runs, Sugar offers a variety of activities and attractions including snow tubing, live music, ice skating, snow shoeing, kids events, child care, food, and more. Check out their website for more information and prices! They even have activities during the summer!

Fun for the Whole Family

• Featuring four different areas to snow tube with over 30 lanes of fun!
• Lanes are 400 – 1,000 feet long with three moving carpet lifts to bring you back to the top.
• 100% snowmaking and lighting on all lanes.

From the Greater Foscoe Mining Co.'s website:

"The Greater Foscoe Mining Company gem mine was started in 1988 by owner  Kenneth Pickett. Over the years it has grown into the largest gem mine  in the area and just keeps getting bigger and better! We pride ourselves  on taking the very best care of each customer that visits the mine and  that everyone has a memorable experience. Our commitment to this goal  wouldn’t be possible without our wonderful staff." 

The small community of Valle Crucis is North Carolina’s first  rural historic district and is where you’ll find the Original Mast  General Store and the Mast Store Annex. Still the center of the  community, the Original Mast Store houses the Post Office and offers up a  5¢ cup of coffee. Traversing its creaking floorboards, you’ll find  country gourmet foods, cast iron cookware, speckleware, old-fashioned  toys, footwear for all walks of life, hardware, and even a pair of  galluses, if you need them.

Make sure to wander back to what was once used as a potato grading room and a feed room to find the Mast Store Knife Shop.  Opened in June, 2016, this shop within a store features 500 different  knives - fixed blade and folders, culinary and tactical. You'll even  find axes, machetes, and more. The staff members are well educated and  ready to help you make the right decision for your needs and use.

Take a short walk right around the corner to our sister store Rivercross Made in USA.  These hills provide inspiration to artists that are native to the area  as well as those who move here. A number of the artists featured in this  handmade destination live within a rock's throw of the front door,  while others call the state and the southeast home. Rivercross is  kid-friendly!