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Carter Family Fold

5.0 (12 reviews)
InexpensiveMuseums, Music Venues
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Probably one of the greatest intersection signs in the USA.
Scott W.

At the corner of AP Carter Memorial Highway and Wildwood Flower Private Drive sits the Mecca of American Country and Folk Music. This is indeed the town where the legendary Carter Family resided, and their spirit still lives on every Saturday night with mountain music concerts - in fact the 3rd generation of Carters are running it now. Shows begin at 7:30, and when the "flat-foot" music kicks in the dancing starts up immediately afterwards. We saw everyone from kids to college students to senior citizens. Some were doing the "I've never really danced before" shuffle, some were getting in a circle, some were busting some mountain moves that must have taken years to master, and one elderly guy just put a bottle of water on his head and skedaddled around. The fiddle-led band was going to town on music that sounded like the Harry Smith box in the modern age, but despite the amplification the clogs on the floor were providing heavy percussion. It was that kind of place (though there's ample room for seating so you can let others cut the rug for you). Admission is typically $8 for adults and $1 for kids aged 6+, but you'll also want to bring extra cash because the Carter Family Museum & AP Carter's childhood cabin are each $5 suggested donation. Also there are souvenirs (CDs and t-shirts) and food (hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and ice cream). No credit cards taken. We stayed in Kingsport TN and drove over, which was about 20 minutes' worth of pretty driving scenery. A pretty magical place, one for the ages.

Anna B.

Driving down the crooked highway leads you to the roots of American music. My trip to the Carter Family Fold was planned. I bought the five disc Carter Family 1927-1934 set, and listened to it as I drove. I stopped at the Blue Ridge Music Center, and learned about the difference between Folk and Bluegrass music, then I drove to Bristol to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and bought the Bristol Recordings CDs, then, after a nap at my hotel, I drove to the Carter Family Fold. It opens at 6PM, and I was there early to meet the many volunteers who keep the fold alive. A.P. Carter asked his daughter Sarah to keep the Music alive, and now, four generations later, it is alive and thriving. The cabin where A.P was born, (and raised with 8 kids in the family) has been lovingly restored, with many thanks to Johnny and June Carter Cash and others who donated. The General Store that AP ran is now a small museum with relics, hand written lyrics and pieces of the past. Next door to the store is an understated auditorium, which belies the capacity. (I'll let you guess, but for a theater in the mountains of Virginia, it is bigger and more comfortable than some NYC venues I've visited) Listening to the White Top Mountain Band (seriously, check them out... AMAZING), and watching the community of flat foot/two stepping dancers ranging in age from 3 to 93 was a vibrant celebration of mountain life. With special guests from Nashville and Sussex England, the music filled the house and our hearts. A 91 year old yodeler who sang Jimmy Rogers? Check. A Dog that waltzed, check. Seeing a photo journalist from The Roanoke Times take pictures, and then dance with a regular, check. Seeing a local pastor in overalls, dancing with his friends, check. A BBQ sandwich, Red Velvet cake and Lemonade for $5.50, check. Having EVERYONE be so welcoming, and introducing me to so many members of the community? check. I made so many friends that night. And I was invited to sit and rock in Johnny Cash's rocking chair..... I'll be back Poor Valley.... and next time, I'll wear my dancing shoes (And remember to buy a jar of boiled peanuts before then end of the evening....).

a music studio with a guitar and other instruments

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New experiences for the soul, for the mind, for the spirit . Different and delightful

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Review Highlights - Carter Family Fold

If you have ANY interest in old-time mountain or Bluegrass music, you owe it to yourself to visit this monument to the family and the music that started it all.

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The Down Home

The Down Home

4.4(7 reviews)
24.5 mi
$

The Down Home is an excellent venue for acoustic music, with great sound and lights…read more Tonight's artist - The Tennessee Bluegrass Band Performed for a near full house, many bluegrass standards and some newer material with near perfect vocals and instruments. Ed and his staff were friendly and accommodating. Parking behind the club was easy (or on the street).

The Down Home is the kind of place you have to experience to appreciate how special it is. The…read morename is very appropriate!! What is special is it is just very laid back .. a place you can settle in .. and enjoy the atmosphere or truly amazing and talented entertainment that is offered. Many acts that play here go on to be be well known signed acts. I can't say enough about the quality of the live music in a nice, intimate place where you can truly appreciate and interact with the performers. Food is basic but well prepared .. don't expect knock your socks off but decent and filling. They have a really wide variety of beer -- something for everyone. Beer prices have remained low and very affordable over the years I have enjoyed Down Home. Also a great place to meet and talk to people in town. I have ended up sharing a table with strangers and a pitcher many times. So if you are new to town this is a great place to meet new people and just enjoy. Everyone needs to try this place with live music of a kind that you enjoy. It is hard to not feel right at home here!!!

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The Down Home
The Down Home
The Down Home

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LUMAC Rooftop Bar - Menu

LUMAC Rooftop Bar

3.6(27 reviews)
13.7 mi

Hey friends! I went out with some new coworkers to this cool spot downtown…read more This spot is the rose that grew from concrete. Bristol is a rural town but certain areas are becoming more chic, such as this rooftop bar. I ordered a brown sugar old fashioned to start with. It was AMAZING. I would definitely recreate it at home, the flavors balance perfectly. For my entree, I had the chicken sandwich. The batter was perfectly crispy and seasoned well. I like that they use chicken thighs, which are juicy and makes for a delicious sandwich. Fries were okay, I wish they weren't steak fries. +Our server was friendly! She recommended great menu items. +Limited parking +Outdoor seating with a beautiful overlook of the city. Indoor seating as well. +Prices are a little above average. +Restaurant was clean and well stocked. I hope enjoy!

Hands down, people, this is the best bar in Bristol. Why?…read more Happy Hour! M-F from 2-5pm, all the Shareables are 50% off and drinks are really discounted! It's a really great way to try the food! Food (5/5): Elevated bar food! The kitchen from the downstairs restaurant, Vivian's Table, makes the food and it is really delicious. We tried the popcorn shrimp, which are breaded and crispy. Really great. We of course, had to try the Mountain of fries - these are matchstick fries and the best part was the three different sauces that come with it. The chipotle ketchup was my favorite. We also tried the wings, which were good..I am not a huge wing fan, though. The jalapeno poppers (wrapped in bacon with a cheese filing) were great, as were the steak nachos. And of course, the hummus with the fry bread was great, too. My hubby liked the hazy IPA that was on draft. Even better at $3.50 a pint during Happy Hour. I really liked the cocktails - some of my favorite was a new espresso based tequila (for the summer menu) and the creamsicle. Service (5/5): Everyone up here is super nice - the manager Landry, bartender Raine and all the servers were really fantastic. Ambiance (5/5): Location - This is the top of the Bristol Hotel, and one of the only rooftop bars in Bristol. From the top you have a lovely view of the famous Bristol sign, great when it lights up at night.

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LUMAC Rooftop Bar - Drinks

Drinks

LUMAC Rooftop Bar - Food

Food

LUMAC Rooftop Bar - Indoor seating

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Indoor seating

State Line Bar & Grille - 1/2 rack

State Line Bar & Grille

4.0(89 reviews)
13.6 mi
$

I've been going to State Line at least twice a week since 1998 and…read more "Never" had a bad meal, poor service or found a dirty bathroom.Their food is exceptional and I've never experienced bad service. I love their pulled pork sandwich, chicken plates and their food has always been fresh and just delicious. In 27 years of going there I have NEVER had a menu pick that wasn't very tasty or poor service. I was a high school music teacher and corporate pilot for 20 years and know what bad food and poor service really are! In addition to their great food I love their Thursday night karaoke. As a pilot who has traveled the world I always tried to find the best karaoke bars in wherever I was spending the night. I've been to karaoke bars from Oslo, Norway to Athens, Greece. Hundreds! Looking for the best karaoke bars in town that also serve food. And what I found and come to the conclusion was that State Line, in GOOD OLD BRISTOL TENNESSEE, has the best KARAOKE shows along with the BEST FOOD that could be found around the world. My apologies for this long missive. I'm retired now, my rabbits foot had no more hair on it, and have an armful of grand babies to entertain!

We were in town visiting the area with friends. They took us to Borderline Billiards (see their…read moreown review), and wanted to get some lunch. State line bar and grill is just a few doors down. This grill, it appears, to be in a converted warehouse space. It is likely the whole block was a warehouse which was sectioned into separate commercial properties. It has 20' ceilings with tin ceiling tiles and nice industrial wood flooring. They have live music and karaoke nights. They have a nice selection of food. Seafood, burgers, quesadillas, wings, salads, wraps ... I tried their mushroom Swiss burger which was huge, juicy and delicious. I needed to cut it in half to figure a way to attack it and a lot of napkins. A fun fact: it is the State line grill because it is in Bristol TN but you cross the street and you are in Bristol VA! If you are in the area, I highly recommend stopping in to try it out.

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State Line Bar & Grille
State Line Bar & Grille - Loaded potato Soup and salad

Loaded potato Soup and salad

State Line Bar & Grille

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620 State - Parmesan garlic Fries was the winner and delicious burger w bacon. Sushi was fresh.

620 State

4.2(420 reviews)
13.7 mi
$$

Amazingly inspired menu with a plethora of culinary stimulating selections! The strawberry martini…read morewas an exceptional treat for my taste buds. Can't wait to come back! Reservations are recommended but not required.

Tasty menu with lots of variety! I went here on a weekend night and was lucky enough to be seated…read moreright away. We were told there was going to be a 15 min wait, but we're seated with five minutes. We got crab Rangoon, which was delicious. The portion was fairly small for the price. But, fortunately main courses followed soon after. I got the pad thai and it was really tasty. I chose tofu as the protein, and they went fairly light on the tofu. Also, I'm used to my pod Thai having a few more bells and whistles, like more greens, sprouts, and more than one lime wedge. But, it's on me for not requesting extras of those things. I ate all of my food. The portion was just right for a sit down meal and that worked well for me because as a tourist who was bopping around town, I did not want to have a to go box. Service was friendly and attentive. The place was pretty big and fairly loud, but the tables were spaced well between each other so we weren't impacted by the noise on either side. If you're trying to find a place that multiple people will agree on, this isn't a bad choice because they have a variety of different cuisines. Overall, I would definitely stop back at some point, though I might not seek it out as my top choice for a place to eat in the area.

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620 State - Inside

Inside

620 State - General Tso's

General Tso's

620 State - Smoked Old Fashioned

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Smoked Old Fashioned

The Local - The Boonie Burger

The Local

4.3(883 reviews)
51.0 mi
$$

We tried to get a table here almost every day of our 5-day trip, but it was packed! We finally…read moresmartened up and called a day ahead for a reservation. It might have just been the holiday rush, but I always figure "busy means good," so my expectations were high--and The Local didn't disappoint. We started with the nachos; they were delicious, though I do wish they came with a bit more meat. For mains, the burger was outstanding--probably one of the best we've had in the entire area. We also ordered the Brazilian steak, which was cooked perfectly and came with great plantains. The quinoa with tofu was good, too, though it was a little dry and would have been perfect with a sauce. The service really stood out. Our waitress was incredibly attentive and refilled my water at least four times without me asking. Great ambiance and an all-around good experience. Definitely worth the wait!

I was visiting my son in Boone, as we move him into college... Ordered the wings, I had what I…read morebelieve was a blackened goat cheese, and fig burger with caramelized onions, which was off the charts, my son had the Salmon. Ratings- He gave the salmon a seven I give my Burger a nine, and the wings were about a seven(dry rub). That said, sitting at the bar was absolutely a treat... Erin was fantastic. Will 100% return and this is definitely a spot not to be missed. Also fantastic beer selection!!!

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The Local - Bar area

Bar area

The Local - Pulled Pork & Smoked Gouda Nachos

Pulled Pork & Smoked Gouda Nachos

The Local - PULLED PORK & SMOKED GOUDA NACHOS

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PULLED PORK & SMOKED GOUDA NACHOS

The Barn at Paint Fork - Megan Mullins on our stage.

The Barn at Paint Fork

1.0(2 reviews)
63.9 mi

I Purchased two tickets to see the Artimus Pyle Band show on Sept. 28, 2024. Due to Hurricane…read moreHelene, the show was "postponed". Obviously, this was COMPLETELY understandable. After almost 6 months, and after not hearing any word on the status of the show, I contacted ETIX on 3/3/25 for a refund. They told me that they haven't heard a word from the venue and couldn't issue a refund. After being denied a refund, I reached out directly to the venue via email to request a refund, or the date for a make up show, and got no response or bounced email. I then sent several messages via Facebook Messenger with no response. The messages show as READ. They have been posting on Facebook all along, and the county GIS shows the venue is still intact. WHERE IS THE MONEY????

I Purchased two tickets to see the Artimus Pyle Band show on Sept. 28, 2024. Due to Hurricane…read moreHelene, the show was "postponed" which is entirely understandable. It was announced the show had been rescheduled for April 2025. With no further announcements, I contacted the owner through their Facebook website. The owner said the show had been cancelled and refunds would be issued in the next 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, I again contacted owner about the refund. He promptly blocked me from their website. Hopefully, my bank will be able to get my refund. Slimy as heck owner and business.

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The Barn at Paint Fork - Ali Randolph sings on our stage.

Ali Randolph sings on our stage.

The Barn at Paint Fork - Larry Stewart (Restless Heart) and Richie McDonald (Lonestar) together on our stage.

Larry Stewart (Restless Heart) and Richie McDonald (Lonestar) together on our stage.

The Barn at Paint Fork - Just getting started for the night...

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Just getting started for the night...

Carter Family Fold - museums - Updated May 2026

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