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Visiting the Mountains in the Fall

Visiting the Mountains in the Fall

Coming to the mountains during the month of September can be lots of fun. The leaves will begin to change and the weather will become cooler, making it the perfect time to visit the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. When you stay in one of our Stay Blue Ridge vacation rentals, you will be close to where the fun and action is happening. Let’s look below at some of the activities happening in the area during the month of September!

Play in the Corn Fields

Looking for a little more fun and adventure to have with the family, then spend the day playing in the corn fields together. The Ashe County Corn Maze & Pumpkin Festival kicks off on September 21st and ends October 28th. You will be able to come and go through the maze which is roughly 5 acres and will take you from anywhere to 30 minutes to an hour to complete. The price to get in is $12 per adult and child and kids under 3 will get in for free. There are also several different activities that you can complete from the pumpkin cannon, knocker ball to pumpkin bowling. There is an activity pass that you can purchase for $20 per person. Don’t miss out on this amazing and fun activity to do while you visit the mountains.

Visit the Alpaca Farm

Have you ever been to an alpaca farm before? If not, this event may be the highlight of your vacation or getaway! on Saturday, September 29th and Sunday, September 30th you can head to Landmark Farm Alpacas for their National Alpaca Farm Days. You can visit from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm both days and you will be able to join in on some of the fun. Meet the alpacas of the farm, watch artisans demonstrate their crafts and join in on how to hand spin or weave together the fibers. There is no admission fee for this event and it will happen rain or shine! Please do not bring any pets with you. There will be a livestock guardian dog on site and on duty!

Orchard Fun

Visiting the Mountains in the Fall

And if you are more into going to an orchard to be able to get some fresh apples for those holiday treats. Then we know of several within driving distance fo your vacation rental. Getting fresh apples to be able to make homemade apple pies, homemade applesauce or even homemade apple butter can be the pick of the vacation. Going to a local orchard you will be able to find treat and sweets even for you to enjoy. Maybe stop in for a hot apple cider or how about an apple donut. Many locals love to head to an orchard to be able to make treats for the holidays. Don’t miss out on finding one either while on your vacation or before heading home.

Visiting the Mountains in the Fall

While there are many other fun activities to do in the area such as hiking or heading to Grandfather Mountain with the family, these are a few that we thought you would enjoy. If you are still searching for a mountain vacation rental for your vacation or getaway, we have some availabilities for you to check out. We hope that you are able to come join in on some of the mountain time fun this year!

Enjoy Labor Day Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Enjoy Labor Day Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains

West Jefferson is the place to be to help celebrate Labor Day weekend this year. With endless activities in the area that will keep you and your family entertained there is something for everyone. From painting to live entertainment, there happen to be countless ways to celebrate the last weekend of summer. Let’s take a peek at what is coming for you to enjoy below.

Backstreet Park Concert Series: Zephyr Lightning Bolts

Listening to live music while vacationing in the mountains is just what the soul needs. Come and enjoy the music and fresh outdoors for the last concert of the summer at Backstreet Park on August 31st. Starting at 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm enjoy the sounds of Zephyr Lightning Bolts at the West Jefferson Backstreet Park in West Jefferson. This is a free event so just bring yourself and maybe a blanket to sit on and enjoy the live music!

Ashe County Farmers Market

Enjoy Labor Day Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains

When you are staying in one of our vacation rentals, head to the Ashe County Farmers Market for some fresh veggies. On Saturday, September 1st starting at 8:00 am you will get to spend time at the local farmers market. Grab some fresh veggies or fruits before you head back home. Looking for some beautiful flowers to spruce up the rental for the weekend, this is where you can get some gorgeous flowers. This is located in West Jefferson, you won’t have far to travel for this gem.

Rockfest

If you are up for a little drive, then head to Emerald Village in Little Switzerland, NC for some mining. You and your family can enjoy some mine tours, a treasure hunt, guided mine hikes and more. This is something that is on-going from September 1-September 3rd beginning at 9:00 am. While the price differs from what you do, there is something for everyone to enjoy! Head to their website to see what else they offer at the mines.

Music on the Green

Enjoy Labor Day Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Enjoy some more live music before you head back home on Monday at The Museum of Ashe County History. This is the final Music on the Green concert that will be featuring the Harden Brothers. The concert begins at 3:00 pm and is free for you and your family to enjoy. Bring a comfy chair, blanket or even a sunshade to sit and relax to the music. Don’t miss out on this fun and entertaining concert on your Labor Day weekend vacation.

While there are several more events happening Labor Day weekend, these are just a few we’d thought you’d like to enjoy. When staying in a vacation rental with Stay Blue Ridge, you will be near where the fun begins. If you don’t want to attend these events, there are plenty of other things you can take advantage of in the area. From hiking to doing Yoga in the mountains, there is something that everyone can do. We can’t wait to see you for your next vacation to the Blue Ridge Mountains!

 

5 Reasons A Summer Mountain Vacation is for You

There are many reasons why you need to take a mountain vacation this summer. When staying in one of our vacation rentals, you will have access to relaxation and views. The mountains have been a favorite for those in the fall and winter, but the summer can be just as fun. Check out just a few of the reasons why you need to take a mountain vacation this summer!

The Views

When you come stay in the mountains, the views are breathtaking. You will get to see gorgeous views every which way you turn. Between finding a waterfall to taking a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you won’t be disappointed. The views in the summer are just as beautiful as they are in the fall. You will have to just come see for yourself!

Relax and Reconnect with Your Family

 5 Reasons A Summer Mountain Vacation is for You

The Blue Ridge Mountains are incredible, but getting to spend time with your family is irreplaceable. A North Carolina mountain vacation will offer you plenty of opportunities to spend quality time together. Enjoy a nice family hike on one of the local trails to see a waterfall. Find a swimming hole if you feel the need to be adventurous with your loved ones. There is something for you to do to bring you all together. 

The Weather

One of the best parts about summer in the mountains is the unbeatable weather. The weather most days are warm and sunny with clear blue skies. But sometimes there happens to be a nice summer rain shower to help cool you off. Sometimes sitting on the porch of your vacation rental is the best recipe for relaxation. 

 Adventures Everywhere

 

When you visit the Blue Ridge Mountains, you won’t run out of activities to do. If you’d like to go on a day trip to Grandfather Mountain or how about a trip to Rocky Knob? There are so many things to do in the area that you won’t get tired or bored at all. No matter which way you turn, there is something always to do in the mountains. It’s just waiting for you to experience it!

 Local Food

 We know that when you are on vacation that sometimes cooking is not what you want to do. Don’t worry about it, we fully understand and there are plenty of local restaurants that you will want to come back for more. Looking for some local favorites, then head on over to When Pigs Fly BBQ for some of the best BBQ in the area. The Dairy House, The Log House and Hillbilly Grill are some other favorites among our guests. 

 If you are looking for a change in pace and a different kind of summer vacation, then come to visit the mountains. If can be a new experience for those who normally visit other places. We would love for you to come visit the area as we have plenty of things for you to see and enjoy. We look forward to having you visit us this summer and for years to come!

Don’t Miss the Christmas in July Festival

Every July the Christmas in July Festival takes place in historic West Jefferson, NC! The Festival started in 1987 as a celebration of the Christmas Tree Industry that Ashe County, NC is known for. It is one of the best, old-fashioned summer festivals in the South drawing thousands each year.

The Festival is a free event held in Downtown West Jefferson and features the best of traditional mountain music, handmade arts & crafts vendors throughout the region while still celebrating the Christmas Tree industry.

Christmas-In-July Festival

There will be numerous food vendors featuring a variety of delicious festival foods and more. Civil War re-enactments will take place throughout the day of the festival at the West Jefferson Municipal Park.

Children’s activities, roving performers, competitions, non-profits and the Farmers’ Market are all a part of the festival as well.

Local community groups and individuals include dancing, clogging, singing and music will perform both Friday starting at 3 p.m. and Saturday starting at 9 a.m. on the Main Stage and Saturday starting at 9 a.m. on the Community Stage.

Be sure to vote on the “Best of the Best” Christmas tree competition. Voting takes place Saturday, July 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The winner of the competition will be announced at 4 p.m. Voting will enter you in the contest to win a free Choose ‘n Cut Christmas Tree this holiday season!

Parking is available in lots located in close proximity to the festival as well as throughout the downtown area. Some parking areas/lots are used for fundraising opportunities by local organizations the day of the festival and parking fees may be charged.
 
 

Things To Do During Summer In The Blue Ridge Mountains

Vacation-Blue-Ridge-Mtns

Some say vacationers are divided into one of two camps – Those who love the beach and those who love the mountains. We say you can love both! We do!

When it gets just too hot at the beach in the latter part of summer, why not retreat to the Blue Ridge Mountains where the air is cool, crisp and clean!

While beach vacations are usually about golf, swimming, and relaxing, a mountain vacation offers all those things and more!

Picture yourself sitting on a rock with your feet dangling in a cold mountain stream. Now see yourself dropping a line into a deep hole and BAM! you pull out a trout! Let’s see you try that at the beach!

Vacationers to the Blue Ridge Mountains enjoy such events as white water kayaking, mountain biking on ski trails, hiking to remote swimming holes for a dip, and plenty of fresh water fishing!

If this hasn’t tempted you by now, then just picture our amazing vacation home rentals where you can kick back and relax on the deck or in a hot tub and enjoy the mountainous views.

Hop in the car and enjoy a day trip to Lansing Creeper Trail Park or Mount Jefferson State Park. Don’t forget your bikes and helmets because there are plenty of places to ride!

If the arts are your thing there’s plenty of arts and culture in the area. Check out the Ashe Arts Center, Catch Light Gallery, R.T. Morgan Art and Glass by Camille, and the Ashe Custom Framing and Gallery.

Make a day of it and there are plenty of places to enjoy a relaxing lunch followed by a walk around town!

We hope to see you this summer!

Waterfront Cabin Rentals Offer Phenomenal Fishing Opportunities

Come enjoy some of the best fishing just steps out the door from our waterfront mountain cabin rentals. The beautiful scenery the Blue Ridge Mountains provide, sounds of the birds calling and the solitude you’ll experience, will provide you with what may be the best vacation of your life.

Dove-Cottage
 
Bring all of your fishing gear and prepare yourself for great fun whether you plan on fishing from the shore, a dock or a boat. For those who prefer still-water fishing, largemouth bass, whitefish, catfish, pike, and bluegills abound in the region’s myriad lakes and ponds. In deepwater lakes such as Fontana Lake, northern fish such as walleye, muskie, and smallmouth bass are also favorites.

The New River provides water sports for many of our vacationers who are staying in cabin rentals fortunate to be sitting on the river banks. Renowned as the second oldest river in the world, the New River is a National and State Wild and Scenic River and one of the first American Heritage Rivers.

River-Haven
 
North Carolina maintains three state parks along the river, each a day’s canoe ride apart for primitive riverside camping and picnicking. So for those who enjoy exploring, be sure to take a trip down (or up) stream to see the parks and more.

If you want want to view the collection of waterfront cabin rentals that Stay Blue Ridge can provide you with, do an advanced search on our website and select “Waterfront” under Amenities. We look forward to your visit!

Plan Your Honeymoon in the Mountains of North Carolina

If you’re looking for a secluded and romantic place to spend your honeymoon then how about the mountains of North Carolina in one of our West Jefferson cabin rentals. Cabins are an ideal place to spend a honeymoon with the privacy they provide in a gorgeous setting where you can relax and just focus on each other.

Honeymoon-Cabin-Rental

Our cabin rentals have all the amenities you could want including fully equipped kitchens so you can hide away from the world for the duration of your honeymoon stay. Cabins are fully furnished and offer private decks, hot tubs and other comforts of home. You can enjoy the breathtaking views and enjoy pleasant natural luxuries like rivers, trees, creeks, and fresh air to breathe.

If you’ve never been to the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains you’re in for a real treat. Spending your honeymoon in the mountains of North Carolina will make memories to last a lifetime. With a vast assortment of cabin sizes and price ranges you’re sure to find the perfect rental from among our large inventory. Some cabins are located far back in the woods and are very secluded with fishing and hiking available, while others are located closer to the town of West Jefferson, thus providing shopping and more cultural activities.

Hot-tub-cabin-rental

While you’re in West Jefferson, be sure to enjoy all that our town has to offer visitors. From pubs, bakeries, coffee shops and restaurants, to art galleries, antique centers and clothing shops, there’s plenty to see. West Jefferson may be best known for its Arts District. Numerous art galleries and studios featuring local and regional artists work can be found here. We’re also the site of 15+ murals that provide visitors with a walking tour throughout downtown that you won’t want to miss. The murals were designed and painted by local artists and reflect the area’s history and unique mountain character. A walking tour map can be picked up at the Ashe Arts Center and Ashe Chamber of Commerce.

When you’re considering places to honeymoon, be sure to consider Stay Blue Ridge.

Florence Thomas Art School Celebrated its 10th Anniversary in Ashe County

 

Florence Thomas Art School

Downtown West Jefferson is home to the Florence Thomas Art School, now celebrating its 10th Anniversary in Ashe County. The school offers classes on subjects as varied as making barn quilts, a variety of painting techniques, wool dying, writing and basket making (to name a few). The sun-filled building is brimming with beautiful art that’s worth checking out.

The school joins the Ashe County Arts Council (Celebrating their 40th anniversary!), in making the arts a focus for our Blue Ridge mountain community. Both offer interesting events and participate in the Gallery Crawls, held June to October on the second Friday of each month in the downtown West Jefferson area.

In celebration of a decade since its founding, the exhibit during the fundraiser will be the work of the late Florence Thomas. Born in 1909 into a way of life we’d hardly recognize today, Florence produced a bounty of work documenting life in the mountains. A believer in paying it forward, Florence’s passion for art extended to teaching, and she spent twenty years providing classes in the basement of her home on her farm in the Grassy Creek area of Ashe County.

She took it a step further. Upon her death at 98 in 2007, she left the financial means and all her remaining paintings to create the school now bearing her name. Through her legacy, Florence made art a possibility for future generations in our Appalachian mountain county.

Why not book a North Carolina Mountain cabin today!

 

 

25 Good Reasons to Bring Your Pet on Your Next Vacation

We realize that sometimes finding suitable pet friendly rentals can be tough yet leaving your pets at home isn’t a great option either. At Stay Blue Ridge we have 25 awesome pet friendly rentals that will be just perfect for your next mountain vacation.

Pet Friendly Mountain Homes in West Jefferson, NC

Whether you’re traveling solo and want to bring your best four-legged friend on a relaxing vacation, check out Creekside Escape that offers both privacy and peacefulness. Close your eyes and you can hear the babbling stream that runs behind the home and the birds chirping in the trees. There’s also a delightful deck to enjoy your breakfast on each morning.

You could actually wind up paying less for your next vacation if you bring your pets along! You’ll save on those pricey fees that boarding facilities and dog sitters charge so that’s more money to spend on your vacation away.

Our vast assortment of vacation rentals that accept pets range from 1-4 bedrooms and are just waiting for your arrival! Many homes are perched on a mountaintop among the forest. Stately homes offering stunning views, with spacious and roomy layouts and, most importantly, privacy.

Pet Friendly Homes in Jefferson, NC

Those traveling with a large group of family of friends will delight in Kapena Escape (above), one of our newest rentals that can sleep 12. Located in the countryside of Jefferson you’ll have your own lake for swimming or boating. Even fido will appreciate jumping off the dock and into the cold mountain water! Multi-dogs are permitted at this home with a maximum of two dogs allowed.

These homes offer amenities like hot tubs, large flat screen TVs with satellite, spacious chef’s kitchens, and en suite bathrooms with tub/shower combos.

The hot tubs and fire pits some homes provide offer a delightful place to wind down after a day hiking on mountain trails or cycling the hilly well-paved roads.

At Stay Blue Ridge, we strive to offer the most affordable luxury vacation rentals in the Jefferson NC area. We’d be happy to talk with you further about any rentals you may be considering.
 

Book a Valentine’s Day Cabin!

 

HappyValentinesDay

 

Holidays can be important signs on the busy highways of our lives, reminding us to reflect, honor, and celebrate. Valentine’s Day is the one that tells us to stop and say “I love you” to the person – or people – we hold most dear.  For some it’s just another busy day, but this year we encourage you to take a weekend to celebrate love – for one another, for our families, for our friends, and even for ourselves and retreat to the mountains, away from the busy-ness of our lives, to reconnect with each other and our own selves which often get lost in the shuffle.

 

hearthands

This year, we can help you speak your love in a well-appointed mountain cabin, perhaps with a hot tub for a delicious soak in the cool air, or by a cozy fireplace, the flickering light creating the ambiance. In 2018, Valentine’s Day falls mid-week, so that gives you the weekend before or after to make plans. Two weekends doubles the odds your favorite cabin is available to surprise your beloved with a weekend in the mountains or make your escape from the kids to reconnect. Perhaps this year Valentine’s Day is a celebration of the love of family, so bring your children (and dog, too, to one of our many pet friendly cabins).

If love finds you single this year, gather a few friends and retreat from all the advertising and celebrate friendship, which brings fullness to our lives, whatever romantic place were in.

While here in Ashe County, you’ve got several dinner options, romantic or otherwise, in downtown West Jefferson.  The Hotel Tavern and Boondocks are favorites of visitors and locals alike.  At Boondocks, try one of their own beers like the Bookworm Raspberry Chocolate Milk Stout, or the Backwoods Campfire Scottish Ale. If you’re really brave – because the names are scary—try the Blue Ridge Brutal Brown (named after the famed bike race) or the Crumpler Crippler Citra. Of course, you can also have the familiar taste of the old standbys or one of the many craft beers now available. For something different, try the apple taste of the locally brewed Molly Chompers hard cider. Enjoy it with an appetizer, maybe the crab stuffed Portobello appetizer or the Boondocks Jalapeno Bottlecaps.  Dinner offers even more choices from healthy salads to Neapolitan Flat Bread Pizzas to Kobe Beef and Veal Lasagna. And don’t get us started on the desserts.

 

wineandredrose

Over at the Hotel Tavern, enjoy live music most weekends, a full bar with a diverse wine list, and a menu that includes our favorite Thai Chicken skewers for an appetizer or the decadent Potachos. Homemade soup and salads are a steady option (keep those New Year’s resolutions), and for dinner give the Maple Glazed Pork Loin a try, or a delectable pasta, chicken or seafood special.  Both restaurants are open for lunch, too, as is Sweet ‘n Savory (love their roasted red pepper soup!) and the Havana Grill on the Back Street.

Before you leave town on Sunday (do you really have to???), you can also try brunch at Rosebud Bakery and Café, which has baked goods that’ll throw your resolutions out the window, and a quiche that’s always great. We have yet to be disappointed with anything we’ve tried.

But maybe you love to cook, and a weekend away provides an opportunity to try a new recipe.  Many of our cabins are outfitted with complete kitchens, and some even have spices on hand.

Lastly, whether Valentine’s weekend is about romance or a celebration of friendship, consider the treat of a massage. Really, is there anything better than an hour (or more – try 90 minutes!) with someone’s warm, skilled hands melting your knots away? Ashe County has several talented bodyworkers who make house calls, which might be just the ticket this Valentine’s (or really, any) weekend. Marjorie Shinkle of the Ashe Massage Center ((336) 977-6272) makes outcalls, and will be glad to organize muscle relaxing rubs for you and your loved ones, and will bring another therapist if you have a crowd.

The mountains are calling, and we invite you to celebrate love in February with warm soaks, fireplaces, romance, fine food, exciting spirits and a good rub. What’s better than that?

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