Beautifully nestled off the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway near Blowing Rock, this historic facility…read moreis worth the visit. Unfortunately we did not check the newly updated times they are open to go inside. On this day they were closed. The setting, grounds and trails are breathtakingly beautiful. Some were picnicking under a tree near the Manor entrance. We saw cows in a nearby pasture. One person was on a horse. The property even includes an Apple Orchard. We will return again when the Museum is open and we can also see the crafts offered for sale.

Our visit came in June of 2021 with the accompanying restrictions imposed by the pandemic and…read moreshortage of staff. That means parts of the manor are roped off, construction work on the house is in progress and the craft shop is operating out of a somewhat cramped space. That said, it's well worth a visit here. The views are amazing, and the crafts are wonderfully diverse yet so attractive (everything from lamps to trays to blown glass) and they are nicely displayed, though we should mention that the Southern Folk Art Center closer to Asheville has much larger collections in its shop and museum. The people working here couldn't be more helpful to visitors. The manor is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and parking is easy if limited. There are hiking trails nearby and restrooms also. It makes for a delightful stop with lots of do and see.

Now called Old Stumpy's Gem Mine…read more This small roadside gem mining experience is located in a river outfitter's gift shop. The rocks and minerals are typical of child-oriented attractions. There are a few mineral specimens available but nothing worthy of gifting to a true rock-hound. Their flume is covered which is helpful when the weather is bad and you need a place to entertain the kids. I love supporting small rock shops but honestly there are better options in this area for exposing your children (and your self) to interesting rocks. Their largest bucket ($100) comes in a cute metal tub.

We had a great time here. I'd definitely return. We…read morepurchased a $30 pail for our family of 4 and that was the perfect size. The folks on staff really knew the rocks. We had about 4 or 5 gems that could have been cut. We hadn't really budgeted for cuts (about $50 per gem) so we had to pass.

I love this place. Everyone is so nice, and it is beautiful and chill. It is seasonal, so be sure…read moreto stop by when they are open.

Love this place!! Haven't been able to see a concert or attend a workshop yet but hoping to do so…read moreon my next visit! My recommendations from the gift shop include: the white chocolate lavender bars. I haven't been able to stop thinking of it since! The lavender face mist is perfect in the morning when I just get up to invigorate and calm me before I start my day or post workout to cool my face and neck. The lotion bar with pieces of lavender in it was given as a gift this past Christmas and I use it as cuticle and nail moisturizer. I had just removed my acrylic nails after months of nonstop applications and my nails were crumbling and jagged, falling off in pieces. This stuff saved me! I use it multiple times a day and carry a bar with me everywhere I go. I swear by the products made at the Lavender House and will definitely return when I need refills.

The Original Mast General Store is located in Valle Crucis, NC. It was opened by Henry Taylor back…read morein 1883 as the Taylor General Store and has been operating ever since, so they are definitely doing something right! The landmark is on the National Register of Historic Places and is quite a popular place. While you won't be able to park right out front as they did in the past, there is plenty of parking located conveniently behind the store. W.W. Mast bought a half stake of the business in 1897, then bought the other half in 1913, changing the name to Mast General Store It was truly the Amazon of its day, offering everything you could possibly need with the motto, "goods for the living, coffins and caskets for the dead," which prompted the local phrase, "If you can't buy it here, you don't need it ." When the economy changed and the original store closed in 1977, it was thankfully saved and reopened in 1980 by preservationists John and Faye Cooper The front corner of the store features an active town post office The store spans two levels with beautifully creaking floorboards that instantly let you know you are in a nostalgic place filled with history. A lot of the original advertising posters from Mr. Mast are still mounted on the walls alongside the vintage counters and fixtures The original cast iron potbellied wood stove is still used to heat the store, the functional wooden trap doors in the floorboards still remain from where chickens historically were traded for store credit, and you can even get a cup of coffee for just 5 cents. You will find a massive variety of cast-iron cookware, old-fashioned candy in barrels, postcards, books, high-quality clothing, footwear, toys, and traditional mercantile goods. I even bought a delicious fried apple pie! The historic Little Red Schoolhouse sits right behind the main building and offers clearance merchandise, though I just enjoyed looking at the older architecture and reading about the school.

Been coming here for a few years now, we love visiting the area and stopping in for a moon pie and…read morea spicy ginger ale or cream soda!!!! There's so much to look at here, the property itself is stunning and surrounded by amazing nature, the staff are all warm and friendly, and you could spend literally hours here perusing the shelves. There's good old fashioned candy, popcorn, snacks, there's Valle Crucis souvenirs to bring home. It's never felt like a tourist trap, it's always felt very warm, country, and welcoming. The building itself is so old and stunning! The creamy floors and woodsy smells, it's always a treat to come here and there's so much to look at and buy. There's even a Christmas shop upstairs year round, where you can stock up on goodies ahead of time for Christmas. I'd say the value is pretty good, depending on what you're buying. Snacks, drinks, candy are all very affordable, but the souvenir and brand name products of course are higher up in price, which is to be expected. All in all, a wonderful place to stop by to grab a treat or bring home some gifts for family and friends. Highly recommend!!!

I can't believe I get to be the first to review. We have such a special story about GBG. My…read morehusband (boyfriend at the time) took a winter trip up to Blowing Rock years ago. We happened across this quaint wonderful little store as we were exiting the candle shop. He said, let's go in and look around. Inside we were greeted by the most wonderful father and daughter team. We were lucky enough that one of their gems dealers was in town for that weekend only. I was able to find a beautiful, vintage sapphire stone in an heirloom piece of jewelry. Long story short, I fell so much in love with it that my husband bought and it and it became the center of my engagement ring. I get more compliments than you can imagine on the work and setting they created for me. Truly one of a kind. Keep in mind this is everything that a jeweler should be. Many of them are handmade pieces, crafted with the most loving of care. This is not a chain; this is a family owned business. You will not find a better jeweler anywhere. They are the epitome of the jewelry craft in my opinion. We will be visiting Blowing Rock this fall sometime to see the changing of the colors and I will be sure to stop in again. Please take time to visit this wonderful shop, especially if you are saving up for a truly beautiful piece.

This Mast General Store was the 2nd of it's kind to open, apparently about 100 years after the…read morefirst...but still an OG. The store offers a small throw back to simpler times, selling anything and everything one would need for their household under one roof. They even had a slogan early on of "if you can't buy it here, you don't need it". The store offers homewares (glassware, plates, pots, pans and cast iron), decor, snack items, jelly's/jams, milled products, soaps, gifts, clothing, camping gear, and even barrels upon barrels of candy by the pound. With 2 floors fully stocked of product, it offers a glimpse of how things were in olden times. Pricing on many items is very fare, from what I saw and was able to compare. Staff were all very friendly, checking in as we shopped to see if there is anything we could be helped with. It's a fun store to poke through, with lots of nostalgia

We have visited other locations, but this one was nice because we were able to bring our dog inside…read morewith us! There is clothing, kids stuff, candy, and outdoor gear. We picked up cowtail candy and ate some pieces on the spot. They are kid and pet friendly and a nice spot to come in and walk around in.

I think the new owners are taking the store in the right direction and I really like the changes I…read morehave seen. I have had a lot of great interactions with them, and am optimistic about the store's future. New layout is much better. It's still a small space so their ability to play larger games and their selection is limited, but they are doing a great job with service and their prices are more reasonable than what I previously encountered.

Took my boyfriend to Dragon's Den after seeing a billboard for it on the highway. The place was a…read morelittle hard to find in a strip mall-esque location in Boone off a frontage road, but the GPS did take me right there. Overall, the store is a little small, but they were able to make really good use of the limited amount of space made available to them We stopped in close to store close, and it appeared we were the only guests at the shop during that time. One or two employees appeared to be there (playing a game with each other and customers, but still very welcoming and attentive to us and our needs) and two other presumably regulars were hanging out, as well. The one person working that evening had no problem getting up and looking for our requests (Tasha's Cauldren of Everything for DnD and Volo's Guide to Monsters) on the floor and in the back room and found it with no issue. He was clearly very knowledgable on all topics, including quickly and accurately speaking to what they had or didn't have in store. In asking his help for this review, my boyfriend described Dragon's Den as "what you might expect from a local gaming shop." While I am not 100% what that means, I guess I get the gist. The store had a wall with some small shelves of board games, a good variety of rulebooks for TTRPGs, miniatures, a small but interesting comic selection, and tables for playing. For those living in the Boone community, there appeared to be a lot of signs and ads right upon entering about upcoming games or events at the shop or in town. I enjoyed my time here and will definitely be back, but I would say this is not a store for people without specific interests in these types of games (aka me) or looking for specific items, as the "other" stuff (i.e., generic board games) is rather limited (which is fine). .

first of, thank you so much Thea for being absolutely amazing in my very first Footslogger…read moreExperience! You've really made an impact on me and will forsure be seeing me more often! a few of us (4) had came in a little under an hour before closing and Thea came to help immediately! i've never bought a pair of Chacos before and Thea came in and really made it a whole experience! not only that but she immediately knew more about my feet than i did forsure! she not only helped me get my first pair of comfortable chacos but she also fitted me for my first pair of Salomons! she also showed each one of my friends AMAZING service and i left a very VERY happy customer. i will be telling all my friends about Footsloggers forsure!

My kids decided they wanted to climb the wall when we visited Boone recently. Neither had any…read moreclimbing experience. The staff were wonderful. Made them feel comfortable. Explained everything well and had so much patience. My kids loved it. Want to go back again. If was great fun for me too watching them climb.