Get Away With the Girls

Blowing Rock, North Carolina
This pretty town perched on the rim of the Blue Ridge Parkway seems so ideal that you'll never want to leave. "I ended up moving to Blowing Rock because I fell in love with it on a girls' vacation," an employee says to us as we check in to the Meadowbrook Inn. My friends and I found out just what she means.

Course, spending all the time we wanted shopping was a high priority. Blowing Rock offered more than we could get to in a couple of days. We wandered in and out of dress shops, jewelry stores, and Neaco, which features its own line of greeting cards and funky home decor. We then perused The Bob Timberlake Gallery for something for our husbands. We took a trip to France at de Provence et d'ailleurs.

You don't have to work out like a bodybuilder to get outdoors here, so we strolled down to the Bass Lake walking trail for a 2-mile hike. Another day we explored bits of the 26 miles of unpaved carriage paths that traverse forests at the National Park Service's Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.

Our favorite meal was a lunch of salads and fresh-baked breads in the shady garden at The Village Café. After our facials at Westglow Resort & Spa, we filled a booth at local favorite Storie Street Grille, where we shared toasted ravioli and shrimp scampi.

On our last night, we ended up back in our hotel room with snacks from the Blowing Rock Market & Wine Shop, telling stories and laughing till long after our teenagers had gone to bed back home. Do you think we could just stick around and live here too?

For more information: Contact the Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority at www.blowingrock.com or 1-877-750-4636.

Where To Stay in Blowing Rock
You can get a great price on a suite at the Meadowbrook Inn. Rates range $119-$399; www.meadowbrook-inn.com or 1-800-456-5456. If you prefer the individuality of a B&B, opt for The Inn at Ragged Gardens. Rates start at $170; www.ragged-gardens.com or (828) 295-9703.