Last month I wrote about the first leg of our trip to visit colleges in western North Carolina, so this month I will continue to the second half of our trip.

We left Winston-Salem early on Saturday to head west to Boone, North Carolina, home to Appalachian State University.

When we arrived in Boone, we were surprised to see a flurry of activity in the college town. When we visited N.C. State the previous day, that campus was like a ghost town, as all students were studying remotely. So the commotion at the Appalachian State campus was surprising. But we soon discovered the reason for the increased number of people was due to a football game that day. I wished we could see it during non-COVID times, because I bet it’s a blast with all the tailgaters and students enjoying the excitement of a home game! But it was still nice to see people walking around campus and in the town — all wearing masks, as it is mandatory anywhere on campus, and it seems to continue in the town, home to quirky stores and restaurants with ample outdoor seating.

My daughter got a good sense of the campus and loved the laid-back feel. It’s definitely No. 1 on her list of colleges!

We left the campus around lunchtime to check out our hotel in the nearby town, Blowing Rock. When we arrived at Meadowbrook Inn, our room wasn’t quite ready yet as it was before check-in time, so we went off to explore some hiking trails at Grandfather Mountain State Park.

Boy, what a difference between eastern and western North Carolina! The east side of the state is flat and full of farmland! Not a hill in sight, so you can see for miles and miles. But out west, it reminded me of my hometown near the Pocono Mountains, with steep, curvy mountain roads. I had heard of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but in my mind it was a large freeway that starts in Virginia and goes through North Carolina, ending in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina. In reality it is a small country road that snakes through the Appalachian Mountains and has some scary sections with overhangs that jut out off the side of the mountain, giving the feeling you could just fly right off a cliff! It’s an exhilarating ride.

We found a popular hiking trail that wasn’t supposed to be too difficult (some trails in the area have challenging terrain that requires scrambling along cliffs and climbing ladders). We took some time for photos, but then the trail got a bit steeper and slippery with wet leaves, so the teens continued to the top and my friend and I stayed back and enjoyed a rest on a bench. My daughter let me know when they were all the way at the top of the mountain so I could snap a photo although they look like little ants, and I wasn’t even sure if it was them! They safely returned, and we headed back to the hotel.

The Meadowbrook Hotel, nestled in the hills, was the perfect location in the town of Blowing Rock. It was within walking distance of restaurants and stores. The lobby had a cozy seating area with a fireplace, and there was a walkway to the outdoor patio with a fire table, perfect for a chilly night. I was surprised to learn the hotel has a rooftop apiary, which produces honey they use in meals for banquets and events. You can read my full review of Meadowbrook Inn in the January issue of Global Traveler.

We had a great dinner at The Town Tavern, which had seating outside, but it was a bit chilly, so we ate inside. The teens enjoyed a delicious desert to celebrate a special birthday, and we headed back to the hotel. It was a nice weekend getaway. The teens got to see another campus, and we all got to see a very different part of North Carolina. This state is full of surprises! I can’t wait for my next adventure — I anticipate a trip to some wineries around Asheville in my future.

— Tracey Cullen, art director