Boone, North Carolina found its way onto Gear Patrol’s Reader’s Choice: Best Places to Travel in 2016. Nestled in between exotic Okinawa, Japan and scenic Reunion Island, Indian Ocean, and amongst other far off places we have only dreamt about, Boone makes an appearance on this worldly list. And it feels good to be recognized.
We’re proud to live high in the Appalachian Mountains surrounded with rocks to climb, slopes to ski, trails to hike, and good food to eat. We’re proud to have “transformed from a small college town to a city packed with modern restaurants, breweries and culture.” And most of all, we’re proud of the community of unique individuals that we’ve created.
Boone attracts a special kind of person. We may not look the same, act the same, or even talk the same, but we’re all happy people—we’re happy people who love to call Boone home.
Home means something different for everyone. Home means a good brewery for some, a long trail for others, and a unique boutique for everyone. We have all of this and more.
The Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s mission statement is simple, “sustainability, community and philanthropy.” They brew high quality beer, support local non-profits and help its community prosper. AMB recently presented with the SEIA® Solar Champion Award, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and featured on Yahoo Travel’s 50 Best Breweries in America.
The Blue Ridge Parkway was named “America’s Favorite Drive” by the National Park Service. 469 miles of open road revealing long-range vistas and close-up views of rugged mountains provides opportunities of hiking, climbing, swimming, rafting, and nearly every other activity under the sun. The Blue Ridge Parkway brings people together, as the main focus of our outdoor community.
Mast Outdoor Store only houses a few locations, Boone being one. It’s doors opening to King Street, making this store is so central to the heart of our community. The history of Mast embodies the American Dream, with a story of how a hard working family served its surrounding community even way back then. Today, Mast is still serving our community, with it’s doors open seven days a week.
Melanie’s Breakfast among other local restaurants boasts a menu of local ingredients, incorporating a community aspect in all of their dishes. Always busy and always welcoming, Melanie’s offers a homey environment to all who enter. Home-made dishes leave locals with full bellies and a promise to come back next weekend too.
Appalachian State University is nestled in the heart of Boone. With it’s campus backing right up to king street, it’s hard to distinguish classrooms from the rest of the community. And that’s perfectly fine with us. Some professors choose to embrace this unique location and teach outside on warm sunny days. There’s nothing an App student loves more than kicking off their Birkenstock’s and burying their toes in grass while still being in class.
For these reasons and more, we love to call Boone home. And yes, we agree Boone earned it's place on Gear Patrol’s Reader’s Choice: Best Places to Travel in 2016.
