Take Memories and Leave Footprints: Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina

One of the things we love about living in the Carolinas is the proximity to both the mountains and the beach. On the whole, I would say our family definitely prefers the shore, but we love to take the occasional mountain trip as well and NC offers some very beautiful options.

Blowing Rock is an absolute must see. The observation area is not huge, but there are a few different platforms and rocks to climb on, all showing off incredible views like these. There is an admission fee of $7 for adults, $2 for kids 4-11. Plan on spending about 45 minutes to an hour here.

The area is quite safe for kids as long as you are keeping a close eye on them. My daughter is 3 here and occasionally got a bit too adventurous for my taste :)

We have only driven through the little town of Blowing Rock, but it is on our list to visit again in the future - very cute and quaint!

Grandfather Mountain in Linville, NC is another one of our favorite places. It is one of the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and you can basically drive to the top. There are miles and miles of hiking trails we are looking forward to taking advantage of as our daughter grows, but in the meantime, there are TONS of things for kids to do here! You get a CD with admission at the gate (adults $20, kids 4-12 $9) and you can play it as you go for a guided tour - one of our daughter's favorite parts! Be sure to visit the website before you go as they often host fun events, festivals, classes, etc.

One of your first stops will be the Nature Museum, which houses several interesting exhibits. The really fun stuff, however, is behind the museum in the wildlife habitats. They have several bears rescued from the wild and you feel very up close and personal! You can stop for a snack or a meal at Mildred's Grill and don't miss the Fudge Shop for sweet treats!

Beautiful vistas around every corner

When you reach the top of the road/mountain, you have the option to take on the Mile High Swinging Bridge. I've said this before, but I am NOT one for heights. This bridge scares everything out of me, and I have now walked across it twice. My four year old daughter held my hand the second time, whispering, "It's ok, Mommy. You'll be fine. Don't look down!" The good news is that the bridge really doesn't "swing" very much and that it is a mile above sea level, not above the nearest ground. Still...

The middle

This is on the far side of the bridge and they are not kidding - be very cautious!!

But it's worth it!! At least once :)

We usually spend between 3-5 hours at Grandfather Mountain - you could probably get through it all in about 2 or spend a whole day! It's just a gorgeous area and you really feel close to nature here. Expect crowds on the weekends, but the really place you only feel this too much is around the bridge itself.

One last fun attraction in this area is the Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock. Unless you are really into the Wild West or cheesy theme parks, it's for the younger set - probably age 2-8 would enjoy it the most. We definitely had a good time with our three year old! Again, this could take all day if you wish, or you could do it all in a few hours. It is pricy ($41 for adults, $27 for children 3-12), but annual passes are available if you might be taking advantage a few times in a year.

There is an adorable train that runs around the entire park - it's definitely something you don't want to miss while at Tweetsie.

The train stops at a few places for a wild west show. This is pretty low key and aimed at the littles, but they do really seem to enjoy it. There are even characters who board the train!

At the bottom of the mountain, there is a wild west stage show you can see as well as building setups (a jail, etc) and amusement park rides, including go carts and a carousel. When you're done with all that, head up the mountain in the chair lift for more shows, little kid rides, and a fun petting zoo.