 The holiday season is officially underway at Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. While the first snowflakes usually fall, we have plenty of mild days for walks across the Mile High Swinging Bridge or for a winter hike. Our wildlife habitat residents are active, especially on warmer days. On cold and wet days, find plenty of things to explore inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. Additionally, our gift shops at the Wilson Center and Top Shop offer many local and handmade goods that can make for great presents that give back! Read more about our holiday offerings. Those looking for unique gifts for loved ones that will also help support the foundation have plenty of options to choose from this year. Get your shopping done and feel good knowing your gifts are giving in more ways than one. HOLIDAY SHOPPING IDEAS Adopt an Animal Looking for a gift that’s warm and fuzzy? While Grandfather Mountain’s resident animals are not for sale, the Adopt-an-Animal Program is the next best thing. The program allows participants to symbolically adopt any of Grandfather Mountain’s furry or feathered residents, including black bears, river otters, cougars, bald eagles, elk and Sally the Corn Snake. By adopting an animal, individually or on behalf of a loved one, the recipient will receive a special gift package. Gifts vary, depending on the donation level, and can include photographs, plush toys, paintings created by your adopted animal, day passes and more. Visit www.grandfather.com/adopt to learn more. Behind-the-Scenes Tours Treat your favorite animal lover to an up-close and personal experience with Grandfather’s resident animals. Hosted by Grandfather’s knowledgeable and experienced keepers, Behind-the-Scenes Tours show guests where the park’s resident animals sleep overnight while sharing the ins and outs of what it takes to care for the animals year-round. Behind-the-Scenes Tours are offered April through October and can be booked in advance. To give a Behind-the-Scenes Tour as a gift, please call the Wilson Center Gift Shop at 828-733-1059 and purchase over the phone. The gift recipient will be responsible for contacting the habitat staff and scheduling their tour. Please note, a gift of a tour or experience does not include park admission. That will need to be purchased separately or covered by a Bridge Club membership. Visit www.grandfather.com/experiences/animal-habitats-vip-tours for additional information. Paint With a Bear This one-of-a-kind activity will lead to lifelong memories. Watch one of the resident bears playfully create a painting by walking through nontoxic paint, in an assortment of colors chosen by the group, and onto sheets of paper for each participant to take home. Paint With a Bear is available Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m., April through October. Those wanting to give this experience as a gift should call the Wilson Center Gift Shop at 828-733-1059 to purchase over the phone. The gift recipient will be responsible for contacting the habitat staff and scheduling their tour. Please note, a gift of a tour or experience does not include park admission. That will need to be purchased separately or covered by a Bridge Club membership. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com/paint-with-bear. Meet-the-Bears Tours With Grandfather’s Meet-the-Bears Tours, go behind the scenes to meet some of the mountain’s resident black bears and learn all about them, including their names, daily routines, care, histories and more. This offering is available weekends, at 11 a.m., April through October. To give a Meet-the-Bears Tour as a gift, please call the Wilson Center Gift Shop at 828-733-1059 and purchase over the phone. The gift recipient will be responsible for contacting the habitat staff and scheduling their tour. Please note, a gift of a tour or experience does not include park admission. That will need to be purchased separately or covered by a Bridge Club membership. More information is available at www.grandfather.com/experiences/meet-the-bears. Animal Wish List Make the season merry and bright for the creatures that call Grandfather home by treating them to gift items and enrichment treats. To see what the animals want this holiday season, visit www.grandfather.com/animal-enrichment-wishlist. Fudge Think the views are sweet? Try Grandfather Mountain’s fudge. The park offers homemade fudge, available in year-round favorites chocolate, peanut butter and tiger butter. Best of all, it’s only a phone call away. To place an order for pickup or shipment, call 828-733-1058. Season Passes For a gift that keeps on giving, shoppers can purchase an annual membership to Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club. Bridge Club membership offers free admission to Grandfather Mountain for a year, exclusive discounts on and off the mountain, a Bridge Club car decal and more. Group passes are also available. To learn more, visit www.grandfather.com/bridge-club. Donate Grandfather Mountain is owned and operated by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. The park’s funding is entirely derived from admission, souvenir sales, food and beverage sales and donations, 100% of which go right back into the mountain, ensuring its pristine beauty is preserved for generations to come. Charitable giving also benefits the park’s many educational programs and initiatives. Those hoping to contribute in their or someone else’s name may do so by visiting www.grandfather.com/donate, which allows them to sponsor a particular project or donate to a cause of their choosing. PURCHASING A GIFT WHILE ON THE MOUNTAIN? Gift Shops Located in the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and the Top Shop, Grandfather Mountain’s gift shops carry a variety of artisan crafts and goods, as well as signature Grandfather Mountain souvenirs, from apparel to drinkware and all things in between. One of the most popular items is truly unique to the mountain – animal paintings, as in artwork painted by Grandfather Mountain’s habitat animals. If you’re looking to support small businesses, our gift shops offer many goods created by local vendors:
Choose and Cut and Save Grandfather Mountain’s official tree will be on display Nov. 21, and guests are welcome to bring their own to enjoy a festive discount on park admission during the holiday season. Yes – you read that right, bring your own tree! As a gesture of support to local Christmas tree farmers, anyone who arrives at the mountain with a tree atop their vehicle or a receipt from a local tree farm will receive $2 off each adult admission and $1 off each child admission. This offer is valid when booking a visit online at www.grandfather.com (choose the discount pricing) or when buying tickets in person, if available. Winter Hours Grandfather Mountain is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day in winter, weather permitting, with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Ticket sales end at 3:30 p.m., and trails close at 4 p.m. Please note, the park will close early Dec. 16 for a staff event and on Christmas Eve. On those two days, the park will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last entry at 2:30 p.m. and trails closing at 3 p.m. Guests are encouraged to book their visit online at www.grandfather.com. With the exception of this year’s choose-and-cut Christmas tree promotion, discounts and coupons are valid only when booking online. During times of inclement weather, the park may close early or delay opening until all roads and paths can be cleared of snow and ice. As such, those planning a trip are encouraged to call the Entrance Gate at 828-733-4337 or check the website before visiting to learn about the day’s conditions and opening status. Learn more about the holiday season at Grandfather Mountain at www.grandfather.com/holiday-season. The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.  The holidays are full of fun, food, family...and sometimes stress! If you're worried about planning your Thanksgiving meal this year, let our Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce members make it easy! Whether you want to serve a pre-cooked meal at your home, are searching for a location to host your family that includes catering, or want to eat at a restaurant, our members have you covered! Williams Deli | Catered Meal Deadline to order 11/22/25 From your main course to sides and desserts, you can order as much or as little as you need to make your holiday meal perfect! Williams Deli will also be offering a Christmas Menu! View the Menus Here.
The Barn at Cornerstone & Stonewalls Catering Let Stonewalls and the Barn at Cornerstone take all the Hassle out of your Holidays! They are partnering together to offer everything you need for a festive gathering, from beautiful decor to tasty meals. 828-898-5550 [email protected]  Sorrento's | Thanksgiving Day Meal Spend Thanksgiving at Sorrento's. A beautifully curated holiday menu will be served from 3pm to 10 pm.  Bayou Banner Elk | Thanksgiving Meal If your kind of Thanksgiving is good food, good people, and a laid back atmosphere… Bayou’s the spot! Think slow smoked brisket, char grilled oysters, mac-n-cheese, sweet tater tots, and pecan pie to finish. Holiday hours: Breakfast 8–12, Lunch/Dinner 12–8. Come hungry!  My Best Friend's Barkery | Thanksgiving Meals for your Pup   This hit event returns! Join Banner Elk Presbyterian Church for this fun 90-minute concert, featuring love songs from our favorite musicals. This performance features singers from the Lees-McRae Summer Theater and the Banner Elk Presbyterian Choir. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. 100% of the donations benefit the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church Preschool.  School may be starting back up soon, but fun is still in session at Grandfather Mountain!  These concerts take place on the stage in the plaza between Sorrento's and Bayou!  LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will host its annual Junior Naturalist Day on Saturday, Aug. 9. Activities, included with admission, will be provided specifically for children ages 5 to 12 — though all ages are welcome — to explore their environment and experience all that Grandfather has to offer.
Programming takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature birding with a naturalist, nature journaling, looking for lichen and more. In honor of the mountain’s upcoming “Hawk Watch” event during the month of September, there will be a Junior Hawk Watch program near the Mile High Swinging Bridge in the afternoon. Grandfather is one of more than 300 Hawk Watch sites officially designated by the Hawk Migration Association of North America. Grandfather Mountain’s Junior Naturalist Program offers an experience that caters to curious young explorers at the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Conservation Campus — which will be expanded in fall 2025 through the opening of Yonni’s Clubhouse, a space designed to combine learning and fun via indoor and outdoor, hands-on, education opportunities. Save the Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025 Join the Avery Humane Society for an enchanting evening and their 2025 FurRaiser - There's No Place like a Furever Home! Location: The Venue at Boulder Creek 1001 Beech Mountain Parkway Beech Mountain, North Carolina 28604 United States Date & Time: Thursday, 08/28/2025 5:30pm EDT - 9:00pm EDT Price: $150 - $5,000   Slope and road repairs completed at milepost 306.8 near Beacon Heights, NC following Hurricane Helene damage.
NPS Photo BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, NC/VA – On Monday, July 21, 2025, Blue Ridge Parkway officials opened a section of the 469-mile historic route in North Carolina from milepost 305.2, near Beacon Heights and U.S. 221, to milepost 317.5, just south Linville Falls also at U.S. 221. The opening of this road section, closed since Hurricane Helene due to a landslide and large amounts of debris, is the first of multiple openings expected in the coming weeks and months as the Parkway’s first round of recovery repair projects nears completion. Due to remaining damage in the area of today’s opening, Linville Falls spur road, campground, picnic area, and visitor center remain closed. As a result of Hurricane Helene, the Parkway identified at least 57 landslides of varying complexity across nearly 200 miles in North Carolina. Work to restore road access, repair road damage, and stabilize slide areas began in the fall of 2024, and is planned in three phases, as outlined:
This phased system provides both public access to newly opened areas as soon as possible, and access to previously unreachable areas by contractors. Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations. For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to be patient and respect remaining closures. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment at work make areas unsafe. Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are also still underway, and caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges. Visitors should plan carefully for any trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, about the park’s recovery process at go.nps.gov/Helene. Slope and road repairs completed at milepost 306.8 near Beacon Heights, NC following Hurricane Helene damage. NPS Photo  Visit EnsmbleStage.com to purchase tickets or learn more about the 2025 season! An unemployed bartender spends $3 at a thrift store on a “hideous” painting to give as a gag gift. However, she’s been convinced it’s a lost Jackson Pollock masterpiece worth millions. Inspired by true events, this hilarious dramatic comedy asks questions about what makes art and people truly authentic. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE 2025 Box Office: Single Tickets (Summer Main Stage): Adult $30 Senior/Military: $28 Child (16 and under): $12  |
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