Last month, we kicked off our summer road trip series, Hit the Road, with an outdoor adventure to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. If you checked it out, we’d love to hear about it. This month, we’re continuing the series with a trip to Black Mountain for a quick getaway. From globally-inspired eats to art galore, this town offers a little bit of everything — making it the perfect end-of-summer vacay.
Before you start packing your bags, here’s everything you need to know about the area + our insider recommendations.
Drive time: ~21 minutes from downtown
Est. population: 8,177
Avg. high in July: 84°
🎟️ Things to do
Round Mountain Creamery, 2203 Old Fort Rd.
See (and kiss) a bevy of goats before perusing the farm’s nine sweet + savory flavors of freshly made goat cheeses.Our personal favorites: Smackin’ Garlic, From the Garden, and Nutty Blueberry.
Seven Sisters Gallery, 119 Broadway Ave.
Art lovers of all varieties will enjoy this women-owned gallery of fine art, pottery, and jewelry that’s been in business since 1981.
Little Farm- Black Mountain,1149 Montreat Rd.
This adorable blink-or-you’ll-miss-it family homestead, which operates on the honor system, features the loveliest eclectic bouquets in recycled jars.
Bone-A-Fide Pet Boutique, 118 Cherry St.
Find homemade baked treats and unique gifts for your pooch at this tail-wagging spot.
Full Moon Farm Wolfdog Sanctuary, address provided upon request
This federally recognized, volunteer-run organization is WNC’s only sanctuary for wolfdogs who are unable to survive in the wild.
White Horse Black Mountain, 105 Montreat Rd.
This venue, formerly a Chevy dealership, has unbelievable acoustics + aesthetics thanks to a vaulted ceiling and hosts a wide variety of musical acts.
🍔 Grub to eat
Cousin’s Cuban Cafe, 108 Broadway Ave.
Go for the food — which includes sweet + savory pastries, empanadas, Cuban sandwiches — and stay for the exceptional private label coffee (we especially like the Café Cubano).
Bush Farmhouse, 151 S. Ridgeway Ave.
Foodies will delight at the offerings from this South African-inspired eatery, which includes dishes like curried meatloaf and chicken wings with peri-peri.
My Father’s Pizza & Pasta, 110 Cherry St.
The only thing more impressive than the novella-length menu are the pies themselves: generously sized and made daily in-house from family recipes.
Oak and Grist, 1556 Grovestone Rd.
This small batch distillery makes spirits like single malt whiskey and Genever-inspired gin from locally sourced ingredients. We recommend booking a tour appointment so you can see the behind the scenes magic.
🏨 Overnight accommodations
If you get a wild hair and decide to turn this quick day trip into an overnighter, here are some spots to stay.
Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W. State St.
A landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, this restored boutique hotel boasts 45 charming + comfy rooms decorated with antiques. Plus, you won’t want to miss the delectable seed-to-fork style comfort food (meaning they grow + utilize veggies from their on-site garden) from charming Atlanta-based restaurant Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, whose second installment took up residence inside the hotel in 2018.
Black Mountain Inn, 1186 Old US Hwy. 70
Originally designed as a stagecoach stop, this nearly 200-year old property has been fully renovated and offers four decked-out rooms. Better still? It also offers its own spa services. No wonder its guests have included such luminaries as Ernest Hemingway, Norman Rockwell, and Helen Keller.
Arbor House of Black Mountain, 207 Rhododendron Ave.
This arts and crafts-style bed and breakfast offers five spacious suites decorated with handmade furnishings and includes free gourmet breakfast (think stuffed French toast, Belgian waffles, and delicious egg dishes) — plus, lush gardens with over 100 varieties of fauna.
