Madeline & Marshall
Travel
We are so appreciative of our guests choosing to travel to share our wedding day with us! There are quite a few ways you can choose to make your way to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in West Jefferson, North Carolina.
Directions
The Hemlock Barn is located at 1088 Lower Nettle Knob Rd, West Jefferson, NC. The venue is 10-15 minutes from downtown West Jefferson and 30 minutes from Boone. We recommend staying at the hotel listed below, as transportation to and from the venue and the hotel will be provided for you. Boone friends, you may also want to consider splitting a hotel room, or have a designated sober driver to take you home. We will have an open bar and will not permit anyone to drive intoxicated, and cars cannot be left at the venue.
For those of you who are traveling very far and prefer to fly, we recommend flying into the Charlotte airport. The Charlotte airport is 2 hours from West Jefferson. From Charlotte, you could rent a car, coordinate and ride with Charlotte family and friends, take the Hickory Hop shuttle, or take the Sunway Charters bus. Please let us know if you are concerned about travel and we will be happy to assist you in making that game plan.
Boone and the surrounding areas are highly sought after vacation destinations. We greatly encourage you to take advantage of this weekend to explore this beautiful area that we call home. Below, you will find some of our favorite and most recommended things to do in Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and West Jefferson.
There is very limited cell phone service at the venue, and in some areas of West Jefferson. If you plan to drive yourself to and from the venue, please pre-save directions or use a GPS that does not require cellular data. Boone, West Jefferson, and the surrounding areas have little to no access to Uber or Lyft, so we absolutely do not recommend relying on rideshare services.
Accommodations
The Holiday Inn Express West Jefferson, an IHG Hotel
203 Hampton Pl Ct, West Jefferson, NC 28694
Things To Do
Food & Drink
Boondocks Brewing Tap Room & Restaurant
108 S Jefferson Ave, West Jefferson, NC 28694
A West Jefferson classic, and a place we frequent with Marshall's parents. They offer wings, burgers & hearty mains to pair with 30+ craft beers on tap with a patio.
The Tavern
203 E 1st St, West Jefferson, NC 28694
One of our favorites in West Jefferson! Easygoing American restaurant offering food ranging from burgers to steaks, plus a full bar & patio. Madeline loves their veggie burger.
Bohemia Coffee
5 N Jefferson Ave, West Jefferson, NC 28694
The cutest coffee shop in West Jefferson with a huge drink menu and yummy pastries.
Mint Indian Cuisine
203 Boone Heights Dr, Boone, NC 28607
Our favorite spot for date night! Yummy Indian food, good drinks, great service and almost never a wait.
Basil's
246 Wilson Dr # K, Boone, NC 28607
One of our go-to lunch spots, right near our house! Sandwiches, pasta, salads and more with a selection of fine wine and craft beer.
Shopping
Downtown West Jefferson
106 E Main St, West Jefferson, NC 28694
Downtown West Jefferson has tons of cute shops, from Christmas shops to clothing boutiques to the must-try Ashe County Cheese (the address listed above). There is also free parking!
Downtown Boone
West King St, Boone, NC 28607
Downtown Boone has great shopping. Some of our favorites include Anna Banana's, Appalachian Antiques, Doe Ridge Pottery, and Mast General Store.
Downtown Blowing Rock
Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
Blowing Rock offers so many great shops from boutiques, to household item stores, to toy stores! They also have a great candy shop!
Outdoor & Nature
Price Lake Boat Rentals
3636 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
One of our favorite summer activities in the area is to rent kayaks, paddle boards, or a canoe at Price Lake off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Very affordable but can sometimes be busy on weekends!
Driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway
6570 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Blowing Rock , NC 28605
Some might say it's a right of passage for our area. Driving on the BRP is one of the most accessible ways to see the gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A great overlook to stop at is the Thunder Hill Overlook (you can see Charlotte on a clear day!). Some other must do's are to drive over the Linn Cove Viaduct and visit The Cone Manor (address listed above).
Rough Ridge Hike
3218 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Linville, NC 28646
The most classic Boone hike- Rough Ridge. It is a 1/3 mile uphill hike to gorgeous views and photo opportunities. Parking can get crazy so we recommend going early!
Linville Falls Trail
Easy to Moderate .9 mile out-and-back hike to beautiful falls! A must see in the area. Use GPS for directions (cell service may be limited once you arrive at the hike).
Camping!
Trying to save money on hotels? Or prefer sleeping under the stars? Some great campsites on the BRP are the Julian Price Campground and Linville Falls Campground (not to be confused with the RV park). Both require reservations via recreation.gov.
Mount Jefferson
Close to the venue and West Jefferson, Mount Jefferson offers beautiful views! You can hike or drive to viewpoints, making it very accessible.
Grandfather Mountain State Park
9872 Highway 105 South, Banner Elk, NC 28604
Grandfather Mountain is great for everyone! It offers hiking, the mile high swinging bridge, animal exhibits, and breathtaking views. It was also featured in the movie Forrest Gump during Forrest's run across America! Admission is $24 for adults and $10 for kids. It is recommended to buy tickets online in advance.