Beat the summer crowds at this Western NC town, a top 5 under the radar vacation spot
Another Western North Carolina town was praised by Southern Living magazine on a list of "Under-The-Radar Southern Cities" writers suggest visiting.
Southern Living, established in 1966, aims to "celebrate the food, homes and places that define our region." This is far from the first time WNC has caught its attention - cities like Black Mountain, Brevard, Asheville and many more have received plenty of attention from Southern Living writers in recent months alone.
Writers hoped to help vacationers find unexpected new favorites while beating the usual summer crowds with the recent list. Here's what they said about their WNC pick, plus the full list of under-the-radar Southern towns to check out while the weather is still warm.
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Under-the-radar Southern cities
For a slightly less crowded summer getaway, Southern Living suggested the following eight cities:
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Jacksonville, Florida
Boone, North Carolina
Montgomery, Alabama
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Macon, Georgia
Charleston, West Virginia
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Best things to do in Boone
Perhaps Southern Living writers were a bit biased when awarding Boone third place on the list of eight. After all, contributor Sheri Castle grew up in Boone.
"I love taking in the fall color, playing in the snow, and marveling at the spring blooms, but nothing beats the summer," Castle wrote.
The cooler temperatures in the High Country weren't the only things about Boone that writers praised. The article suggested booking a room at the Horton Hotel to spend a weekend wandering downtown Boone, exploring outdoor areas and enjoying local food and brews the town has to offer.
As for Southern Living's full "local's guide" itinerary for Boone, Castle suggested the following:
Stop by the Jones House community center for information and brochures to help explore the town.
Peruse the Mast General Store.
Catch concerts, movie nights, festival lineups and more at the historic 1938 Appalachian Theatre.
Support local artisans at Doe Ridge Pottery, a ceramics stop on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails.
Take a brew break at Lost Province Brewing Co., a microbrewery and gastropub that is part of the Neck of the Woods Flavor Trail.
Stop by Benchmark Provisions for specialty foods.
Fill up at Proper, a restaurant located in the oldest building in downtown Boone, constructed in 1889. Try the fried chicken and collards.
Closer to Appalachian State, Stick Boy Bread Co. has fresh baked goods, local coffee and more.
Visit Castle's full guide on the Southern Living website.
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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Southern Living under the radar cities: Boone, Winston-Salem, Columbia
