Downtown Black Mountain is a quaint village with 40 or so shops and a dozen restaurants. Some of our favorite stops are the Town Hardware & General Store, Black Mountain Iron Works, Take a Hike Outfitters, Seven Sisters Gallery, and the sprawling Tyson Furniture Company (covers a whole block). For refreshments, stop at the Dripolator Coffeehouse and Chocolate Gems. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is a community arts facility in the beautifully renovated Old City Hall and houses monthly exhibits in the gallery along with programs in music, visual and performing arts.
After a wonderful dinner at one of Black Mountain's fine restaurants, take a walk around Lake Tomahawk. Just a few blocks from town in their quaint city park, Lake Tomahawk offers a well lighted level path for safe strolling in the evening.
Many folks come to know Black Mountain through the numerous conference centers located within a few miles of the town, including Ridgecrest, Blue Ridge Assembly, The Cove, and Christmount. The small township of Montreat, the home of the Reverend Billy Graham, actually abuts the city limits of Black Mountain and is a unique and charming village in itself, with a small liberal arts college and the Montreat Conference Center. If exploring this area, be sure and check out the breathtaking Ben Long fresco in the chapel on the campus grounds.
Sourwood Festival: August 11-13, 2012
Black Mountain's annual Sourwood Festival in August is always a hit with the locals and visitors alike! This weekend street festival features music, dancing, arts & crafts, super food, and more in a no alcohol environment make it the perfect event for the entire family. With about 200 vendors, discover lots of local and unique arts and crafts and there will be something to please every palate with BBQ and vegetarian faire, custom-crafted ice cream and funnel cakes and jellies. Add to that the honey and bee demos as well as the gourmet sourwood honey.
LEAF
The popular Lake Eden Arts Festival, better known as LEAF, is held twice a year. See our LEAF Guide.
Directions from Asheville: I-40 east for about 15 miles. Downtown Black Mountain is just a few blocks from I-40.
If you continue east down the mountain via I-40, you will find the tiny village of Old Fort.
If you love to road bike, check out the Point Lookout Trail Greenway.
Featured Business
Black Mountain Yarn Shop: Specializing in the needs of artisans and enthusiasts; featuring local and international yarns; offering accessories and classes for knitting, crocheting and spinning. They are located in historic downtown Black Mountain. 203-A West State Street. www.blackmountainyarnshop.com.
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