North Carolina's Community Just Outside Charlotte Has A Quirky Coffee Stop, Mountain Views, And State Park Proximity
If your idea of a mountainous journey has quiet backroads and quirky hotspots, you might point your travel gaze toward the western foothills of North Carolina in Collettsville. This community is a quiet starting point for incredible adventures into the Blue Ridge Mountains. This part of Caldwell County is accessible from larger cities, including Charlotte, and gives you a calmer alternative for exploring. Being a smaller community, you'll see more of a residential-style of living and roads that lead into the Pisgah National Forest. A main attraction in Collettsville is the art installation called the House of Mugs.
You should know that the House of Mugs is not a cafe to actually buy coffee, but a home that's decorated with a massive collection of mugs. You'll find literally thousands of mugs covering the walls, the porch, and the yard. The idea started around the year 2000 and has grown with donations from people all over the world. You can see the house from the road and even add your own mug if you can find an open spot.
The mountains are another main reason for a trip to Collettsville. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful road that cuts through the mountains. Another peak you'll see is Grandfather Mountain, which has a state park and a separate suspension bridge. The mountain itself is a United Nations International Biosphere Reserve because of its biodiversity. If you visit Grandfather Mountain State Park, one of North Carolina's quiet state parks, you'll find it has a slew of trails. These are fairly difficult and have sections with ladders and cables bolted into the rocks for your climb. Access to these trails is free, but you have to fill out a permit at the trailhead kiosk before you start.
Other places to eat and drink in Collettsville
Since Collettsville is almost entirely residential, your food and drink spots will be in the nearby towns of Lenoir, Blowing Rock, and Boone. When you're ready for your morning coffee, you have a few cafes to choose from. In Lenoir, pop into Blue Moose Coffee Lodge, or you check out Main Street Magic Cafe, which sometimes has live performances. In Blowing Rock, you'll find French-style bakeries and coffee shops such as Café Violette and Tout Suite Bakery. After your coffee, have some of North Carolina's unbeatable barbecue at The Pedalin' Pig or Howard Station in Boone. Coyote Kitchen & Lost Province Taproom is another nearby restaurant that whips up its meals with Southwest and Caribbean flavors.
When you're ready for a stronger drink, the area has plenty of pubs and brews for you to check out. Go to The Town Tavern in Blowing Rock for a classic American-style menu or Six Pence Pub for a British pub vibe. If you're a wine drinker, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery in Banner Elk is on the Watauga River and has great views of the mountain. It has live music and food trucks, so you can make a whole afternoon of it. The Linville Falls Winery is another family-owned spot near the Blue Ridge Parkway with tastings and tours. If you're more of a beer person, go to Booneshine Brewing Co. in Boone, which has a restaurant and a big outdoor beer garden. Another spot is the Happy Valley Filling Station, which is in a rustic building between Lenoir and Blowing Rock and serves craft beer and pizza.
What to do and where to stay in Collettsville
When you're ready to look around the area, your activities will be full of outdoor fun, arts, and events. Check out the Wilson Creek area, a large designated Wild and Scenic River corridor. You can go kayaking, fishing, or hiking on trails up to waterfalls. For a different kind of activity, visit the Wolf Moon Salt Cave & Stress Reduction Center, which has halotherapy sessions inside a salt cave. A fun fact is that Caldwell County is known for its roots in the furniture industry. This area is sometimes called "20 Miles of Furniture" because of all the outlets and showrooms. The county also has Tucker's Outdoor Sculpture Gallery, which boasts a handful of outdoor sculptures.
If you time your visit right, you might catch one of the annual festivals that draw visitors from all over. The North Carolina Blackberry Festival happens in Lenoir each summer, with food and music to celebrate the local fruit. You can also catch the Happy Valley Jamboree, which celebrates fiddlers and traditional string band music. The Sculpture Celebration in Lenoir brings artists from across the U.S., as well.
If you're looking for a North Carolina base camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you won't find anything in Collettsville. You'll likely be staying in one of the nearby towns. For a high-end vacation, get a room at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, complete with a spa and restaurant. Look into the cottages or yurt stays at Brown Mountain Beach Resort in Lenoir, as well. The Embers Hotel is a boutique option that's right near Blowing Rock's main street. More standard chain hotels, such as the Hampton Inn & Suites and the Fairfield Inn & Suites, are in Lenoir and Morganton.