We had a blast at Gem Valley! I took my 4 year old nephew and 2 year old daughter and it was…read moreeverything we expected and more. The people working were super helpful and fun! We will definitely be back!

We really enjoyed our time at gem valley. The staff was attentive and kind; they really looked…read moreafter us. We bought a $50 bucket and shared it between our family of five. We found some beautiful gems and minerals. They have several options for sifting, a clean port-a-John on the premise, and beautiful scenery. Great outing for families!

The people who own it are very nice. Good selection of gems and it's just extremely relaxing.read more

Fun, fun, fun + more fun! Coco is a fantastic tour guide!…read moreMine is a great escape from a crazy world!

We have visited numerous gem mining venues in NC and TN with very satisfactory results. These…read morepeople fill their buckets with gravel (not sand) and our experience was that less than 1/2 of 1% contained any rocks not considered gravel, so at 99.5% gravel they are making a lot more money than all the other gem mining operations. Our $129.99 "Gloryhole" bucket was junk literally and in reality. A word to all who read this: AVOID THIS JOINT!!!!!

I came here with my family and we got the big bucket, we got lots of great gems. The value was…read moregreat for the amount of gems we got. I can't wait to go back ! The service was amazing, the people up front were so nice.

Super super cool activity to do with friends or family!! Went with three friends, we split the $100…read morefamily bucket between us and it was a really good deal for the insane amount of cool stuff we got from it. The whole experience is cool, especially at the end where the lady at the desk examines the gems you found. 100% recommend!!

What a fun experience! We got the $45 bucket and found all kinds of good stones. Very friendly,…read morehelpful staff. Definitely a must do.

Everything was absolutely amazing. The staff was extremely knowledgeable about the gems, the area…read moreand everything involved. They were so kind and courteous and respectful. The area itself was beautiful. Me and my family had such a blast. Highly recommend this to anyone of any age. Absolutely worth every penny.

One of our favorite places to go during the summer! We love going down to the creek to see what we…read morecan find. We always walk away with some awesome stones and memories we will never forget. Make sure to wear water shoes... it's slippery lol. Employees are always nice and fun to talk to.

I was skeptical going to this place but its chill. They've got buckets at any price point you can…read moreimagine, packed with gems ... the store is not gigantic but packed with stones of any size and price point you can wish for ... and they have a bar with beer, wine and thc. Great find off the beaten path

My boys had the best time today. First they went shopping in the unbelievable gem store with so…read moremany selections and then they each went mining and found great gems. There was indoor mining with a heater on which was much appreciated in the cold weather . The Staff was very friendly and helpful. Great pricing too!

What a total gem of a shop! Everyone here was awesome, happy to answer any questions you might…read morehave. They have gorgeous displays and lots of different gemstones to peruse. The even have a small museum of things I got their mystery eggs and loved what it sas packed full of! All the gemstone glitte.

Shhh.. don't tell anyone. There isn't going to be a 10 carat ruby/sapphire/diamond hidden in that…read morebucket of dirt. But nothing is more fun than watching little kids try so hard to find one, especially in a place with all the COVID precautions needed to keep everyone safe. We had a fantastic time at Crystal Mountain. The "mine" is well set up with all sorts of crystals and stones on display and available for purchase. On the right side of the shop is a sluice that runs roughly 30 feet. If you head into the back of the mine, you will see fossils and other unusual finds. After walking around a bit, we decided to go with the green bucket to split between our two girls and used an online coupon to save a few bucks on it. The green bucket comes with all those little extras, including a geode, that kids find so important. The very kind and well informed owner/manager of Crystal Mine carried our bucket to the sluice and showed our girls how to find those special stones. He gave us several bags to hold their treasures and then left us to 'mine' for gems. Our girls cried out over every little find. They especially loved anything quartz. The owner came to check on us and showed the girls how to tell what kinds of gems they were finding. We filled up four bags with various kinds of stones including a huge geode. Once the bucket was empty, our girls looked over the store and the owner helped them make their own necklaces. We appreciated how mindful he was of expense. Each one cost just $6 when all was said and done and yet he made our girls feel as if they were wearing Cartier. The best moment came when he cracked their geode. In an unexpected bit of good luck in rotten 2020, the big geode turned out to be two geodes. Each one cracked to reveal a cavern of crystals and our girls were simply thrilled. The owner wrapped each one in paper so they could take their geodes home. Our kids had such a good time in this gem mine. It filled them with wonder, something I want for them every day. Much of the credit goes to the owner/manager. He made every moment into an experience... even if we didn't find that 10 carat sapphire.

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.

From the owner: Gems By Gemini is a small, independent Blowing Rock, North Carolina, jewelry and gift shop…read morespecializing in colored gemstone jewelry featuring genuine stones from leading gem mines throughout the world. You may choose from the large inventory of our finished jewelry or have your new jewelry custom designed to meet your personal style & taste. We work in most metals including 10 kt., 14kt., 18kt. gold, as well as palladium, platinum, and sterling and you can trade in your 'old gold' for credit on in-store purchases or custom creations! We are very fortunate to have several extremely experienced goldsmiths that can do everything from repairs to wax carvings. Our other custom manufacturers have been carefully selected for their capabilities, quality, and the fact they produce your jewelry here in the US! Gemini can also help you with your diamond needs, whether it is a personal jewelry purchase or for a special occasion. We have access to a vast array of quality diamonds suppliers.