TRAVEL

Make Banner Elk, North Carolina your next vacation destination!
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Banner Elk is the perfect base from which to explore the entire High Country of North Carolina. All four seasons of the year have reasons to visit. Many of the activities listed below are available year-round.

Don't miss the virtual tour of downtown Banner Elk provided by the Greater Banner Elk Heritage Foundation. Scroll down to get started.

Looking for lodging, dining, shopping and other visitor resources? ​Start your vacation planning with our Member Directory.

Cool off from the summer heat.

​There is no shortage of summer fun in Banner Elk! Whether it's hiking, biking, tubing, canoeing, rafting, climbing,  or camping, we enjoy cool summer days perfect for being outside. Once back in town, enjoy outdoor music and fine dining at many of our restaurants offering live music and the Chamber's Summer Concerts in the Park series in Banner Elk's Tate Evans Park. Don't forget to plan to attend the festivals that happen during the summer all around the High Country. 

Top things to do during summer in Banner Elk and neighboring High Country towns:

• Celebrate the USA's birthday at the Chamber's Fourth of July parade and festival.
• Boogie into the sunset at the Chamber's free summer Concerts in the Park series on Thursdays between June and August.
• Tour the Banner House Museum and learn about the settlers of the town.
• Kids and teens love the summer camps at Holston Camp and Retreat Center, Beech Mountain's Buckeye Recreation Center, Ensemble Stage Theatre Camp, Lees-McRae College's Creative and Performing Arts Camp, Williams YMCA Summer Camp, just to name a few.
• River raft the many nearby rivers with local outfitters.
• Fly fish for fresh mountain trout in stream and creeks. Guides are available through local fishing companies.
• Canoe at Julian Price Park on the Parkway near Blowing Rock and tube at the New River State Park in Ashe County.
• Take the family to Tweetsie Railroad's Wild West theme park between Boone and Blowing Rock.
• Sift for gemstones at the many local gem mining attractions.
• Shop local purveyors of fine goods both new and used including BJ's Resort Wear, the Consignment Cottage, My Best Friend's Barkery, and Banner Elk Olive Oils and Balsamics.
• Dine at the many fine locally-owned restaurants in and around downtown Banner Elk.
• Attend presentations on local interests and exchange books for free at the Banner Elk Book Exchange located in the Historic Banner Elk School's Cultural Arts Center.
• Shop for local art of the Banner Elk Artists Gallery, Art Cellar Gallery, Studio 140 in the Village of Banner Elk, Southern Highland Craft Guild at Moses Cone Manor and many other local art galleries
• Stroll the booths at numerous art festivals that take place throughout the summer including Banner Elk's Art on the Greene series and Avery Fine Art & Master Crafts Festival at Sugar Mountain.
• Take a yoga class at 5506 feet on top of Beech Mountain. 
• Sun, swim, kayak, SUP, canoe and more at Wildcat Lake and Price Lake. For more boating and water fun opportunities, take a scenic drive to Watauga Lake just over the state border in Tennessee.
• Join hundreds of road cyclists at the annual Blood, Sweat, and Gears race.
• Watch sunsets from on top of Sugar, Beech, Grandfather Mountains and other excellent vantage points around the High Country.
• Hike Grandfather Mountain and Blue Ridge Parkway trails including the famous Profile Trail in Grandfather Mountain State Park and Moses Cone Manor Trails near Blowing Rock
• Visit Grandfather Mountain's Mile High Swinging Bridge, museum, and zoological park.
• Walk the dog, cool off in the creek and play at the playground at Tate-Evans Town Park in downtown Banner Elk and numerous other excellent parks around the High Country.  
• Attend a theater performance at Ensemble Stage and Lees-McRae College's Summer Theatre.
• Attend some of the many internationally-recognized cultural performances as part of ASU's Appalachian Summer Festival.
• Take a tour of Apple Hill Farm and make some new friends with alpacas, llamas, goats, pigs, chickens and horses while taking in the astounding mountaintop views.
• Visit the Banner Elk Winery or Kettel Beerworks to try some of their creations. Explore viniculture further following the High Country Wine Trail.

Member Directory

Be in awe of the brilliant fall colors.

You can't get better foliage colors than the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall. Enjoy a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy crisp mountain air.
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​Top things to do during fall in Banner Elk and neighboring High Country towns:

• Watch the leaves change while walking around downtown Banner Elk on the greenway trails (see map below) followed by spectacular area drives and hikes.
• Go fly a kite at Beech Mountain's Mile High Kite Festival in September.
• Sample German food, drink, music and fun at Sugar Mountain's annual Oktoberfest.
• Race woolly bear caterpillars at the famous Woolly Worm Festival and enjoy fresh apple butter and cider and local art galore at the Valle Crucis Fall Fair.
• Enjoy the family fun at Halloween events including Trunk or Treat in Banner Elk.
• Attend Lees-McRae College's Homecoming.
• Get lost at corn maze tours and pumpkin patch picking in Valle Crucis and Boone.
• Shop in our local downtowns: Banner Elk, Boone downtown, Blowing Rock (downtown and Tanger Outlet), and West Jefferson, and include a visit to the original Mast General Store and Annex in the heart of Valle Crucis.
• Attend a football game at Appalachian State University and basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball games with the Lees-McRae College Bobcats.

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Fresh blankets of fluffy white snow and crystal blue Carolina skies await.

Winter sports make Banner Elk a fun place to be throughout winter. It's also a great time of year to rent a cabin and curl up with a book around a toasty warm fire.

Top things to do during winter in Banner Elk and neighboring High Country towns:

• Ski, snowboard, tube, and ice skate at Ski Sugar (5 minutes from Banner Elk), Beech Mountain Resort (15 minutes from Banner Elk), Appalachian Ski Mountain (45 minutes from Banner Elk), and Hawksnest Tubing in Seven Devils (30 minutes from Banner Elk)
• Take a winter hike to see frozen waterfalls at Linville Gorge.
• Join in the holiday fun at Banner Elk's Small Town Christmas weekend in December and Blowing Rock's Winterfest in January
• Check in with the alpacas, llamas, goats and other residents at Apple Hill Farm all decorated for the season.
• Attend Ensemble Stage's Annual Christmas Spectacular Variety Show.
• Sit by a warm, cozy fireplace and soak in a hot tub at one of the many vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts and other lodging options in and around Banner Elk. 

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Stroll amongst the fresh spring blossoms.

​Spring time in Banner Elk bursts with life!  It's a perfect time to walk in the woods, play in the park, and explore downtown. Enjoy a quiet weekend or visit us for the annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Top things to do during spring in Banner Elk and neighboring High Country towns:

• Hike locally including at Grandfather Mountain, Linville Gorge, and Elk Park Falls, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, at Roan Mountain, and Appalachian Trail (Elk Park Trailhead).
• Golf at local courses including Sugar Mountain, voted #2 Short Course in the USA by Golf Advisor in 2020.
• Visit garden nurseries such as Mountaineer Garden Center and  as they open and watching the spring flowers bloom. See the humongous baskets of flowers go up near our elk statue in downtown Banner Elk. 
• Watch the weavers in the Weaving Room at Crossnore, attend Penland Art School's Community Open House Day, and check out all the local art galleries
• Attend MerleFest's music festival in Wilkesboro. 
• Enjoy local Easter events in Banner Elk, Boone, and Blowing Rock including the Chamber's own Easter Eggstravaganza.
• Attend the farmers markets in Banner Elk on Thursday evenings and Boone on Saturdays (starting in May).
• Walk the greenway trails (see map below) throughout town including in Tate-Evans Town Park and around the Historic Mill Pond. Observe the baby ducks and geese at the pond. Please don't feed the birds in order to keep them healthy. Check out the virtual tour below to find the pond and trails. 
• Visit Lees McRae's May Wildlife Center behind the mill pond and spend some time with their permanent furry and feathered residents. Learn about their work on a Saturday tour.

Member Directory

Virtual Walking Tour of Downtown Banner Elk

Don't miss the PocketSights virtual tour of downtown Banner Elk provided by the Greater Banner Elk Heritage Foundation. Select the link below to visit the tour page and get started with your orientation to our lovely little town!

PocketSights Virtual Tour

 Downtown Banner Elk Greenway Trail System

Partner Sites

BannerElk.com

BannerElk.com is the website for the Banner Elk Tourism Development Agency. It's chock full of excellent visitor information, including detailed information regarding lodging, dining, shopping, outdoor activities, arts and cultural events, and special events. 

Town of Banner Elk

The Town of Banner Elk (incorporated in 1911) is a thriving municipality located at 3,701 feet elevation in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Avery County, North Carolina. The Town Hall phone number is 828-898-5398.
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