A Perfect Day in Downtown Boone, NC

Boone has energy.

You notice it almost immediately.

Appalachian State students are walking between campus and downtown. King Street storefronts stay busy. Alumni wander through town pointing out what's changed since college. On fall weekends, black and gold seems to appear everywhere.

And somehow, just beyond all of that activity, the Blue Ridge Mountains are still surrounding you.

That's what makes spending a day in downtown Boone so much fun.

Boone feels like a college town, mountain town and small downtown all at once.

If you're staying at The Inn at Crestwood, you can head into Boone for all of that energy, spend the day on King Street and around Appalachian State, then come back to a completely different mountain experience when you're finished.

Here's how we'd do it.

8:30 AM: Start With Breakfast in Downtown Boone

Begin the day at Melanie's on Howard.

Melanie's is a longstanding Boone breakfast and brunch favorite serving everything from Benedicts and pancakes to coffee and brunch cocktails.

It's right downtown, which makes it an easy starting point before you begin walking.

A warning for weekends: Boone takes brunch seriously.

Popular downtown breakfast spots can get busy, so an earlier start is usually your friend.

Have breakfast.

Get some coffee.

Then leave the car where it is if you can.

Most of what comes next is best experienced on foot.

10:00 AM: Explore App State's Turchin Center

Make your way toward King Street and Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

The Turchin Center is part of Appalachian State University but sits directly on King Street, which makes it a perfect example of how closely the university and downtown Boone overlap.

Inside are six galleries with changing exhibitions featuring local, regional, national and international artists. Admission is always free.

The Turchin also maintains outdoor sculpture installations across App State's campus, so you can continue the art experience outside as you walk.

This is one of those Boone stops that a surprising number of visitors overlook.

Don't.

11:00 AM: Walk King Street

Now it's time for the main event.

Not necessarily a single attraction.

Just King Street.

Walk east through downtown and let Boone happen around you.

You'll pass restaurants, shops, galleries, students, historic buildings and some of the businesses that have defined downtown for generations.

One stop worth making is Mast General Store Boone at 630 West King Street.

The downtown store combines old-fashioned general-store character with clothing, outdoor gear, gifts, home goods and the part everyone remembers:

barrels of candy.

Mast's Boone store has become a downtown landmark in its own right and is one of those places where browsing is as much the attraction as actually buying something.

Noon: Look for Doc Watson

As you continue down King Street, keep an eye out for the bronze statue of Doc Watson.

The legendary North Carolina musician is an important piece of the region's musical history, and his statue has become a familiar downtown Boone landmark.

It's a small stop.

But it's also the kind of thing that helps explain Boone.

This town's identity isn't just Appalachian State.

It's Appalachian culture, music, art, students, longtime residents and generations of people coming together in one small downtown.

Explore Boone's historic downtown walking route specifically connects Mast General Store, the Doc Watson statue and other historic King Street landmarks.

12:30 PM: Grab Lunch Downtown

By lunchtime, don't overthink it.

Boone has plenty of options within walking distance of King Street, from sandwiches and casual fare to breweries and sit-down restaurants.

Choose based on what looks good and how much time you want to spend.

That's part of what makes downtown Boone work well as a day trip.

You don't have to structure the day around constantly getting back into your car.

2:00 PM: Browse Local Art, Gifts and Antiques

After lunch, spend some time wandering.

For something more curated, stop at Common Good Espresso + Nosh Bar on West King Street.

The multi-level shop combines local and regional art, gifts and home goods with an espresso bar and upstairs gallery.

Or spend an hour treasure hunting at Appalachian Antique Mall across from Mast General Store. The multi-floor antique mall is much larger than it appears from King Street and has more than enough inventory to make “we'll just stop in for five minutes” unrealistic.

That's downtown Boone.

You rarely need a rigid shopping plan.

Just keep walking.

3:30 PM: Walk Toward Appalachian State

One of the things that makes Boone unusual is that downtown and Appalachian State don't feel like two separate destinations.

They practically run into each other.

Walk toward campus and suddenly you're among university buildings, students and views toward the surrounding mountains.

Even if you aren't touring App State, it's worth spending some time walking the campus and seeing how important the university is to Boone's identity.

On a fall afternoon, that relationship is especially obvious.

Football banners appear.

Students fill downtown.

The mountains begin changing color.

And Boone feels very much like Boone.

4:30 PM: See What's Playing at the Appalachian Theatre

Before leaving downtown, look at the schedule at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country.

The restored Art Deco theatre originally opened in 1938 and today hosts movies, live music, performances, comedy and community events.

Even if you're not attending a show, its restored marquee has once again become part of the visual identity of King Street.

And if something good is playing?

Stay in town a little longer.

Your itinerary isn't going anywhere.

Boone's monthly First Friday Art Crawl also brings art, live music and other programming into downtown from February through December, so checking the local event calendar before your trip can pay off.

5:30 PM: And Then Leave the Busy Part Behind

This is where staying at Crestwood changes the experience.

You got Boone.

The students.

The shopping.

The campus.

The restaurants.

The bustle of King Street.

Now you get to leave it there.

Drive back toward Crestwood and the atmosphere shifts.

Fewer storefronts.

More trees.

Mountain roads.

Long-range views.

And eventually, a property that feels much farther away from downtown than it actually is.

That's why we think the location works so well.

Boone can be the place you spend the day without needing to be the place you spend every minute of your trip.

6:30 PM: Dinner With a Mountain View

Thursday through Sunday, you don't have to leave Crestwood again once you get back.

The Table at Crestwood serves Southern-inspired dishes in several different settings, from the bar and library to the main dining room and terrace.

Have a cocktail.

Get dinner.

Talk about everything you did that day.

Then walk upstairs instead of looking for another parking spot.

That transition—from busy King Street to an unhurried mountain dinner—is really what staying at Crestwood is all about.

Why Stay Near Boone Instead of Downtown Boone?

Downtown Boone is fun precisely because there's so much happening.

App State brings thousands of students into town. Football weekends bring even more people. King Street is popular with visitors throughout the year.

That energy is part of what makes Boone special.

But you don't necessarily need it outside your bedroom window.

Crestwood gives travelers another option:

visit Boone instead of being surrounded by Boone for the entire trip.

Spend the day downtown.

Go to an App State game.

Attend a university event.

Have lunch on King Street.

Then retreat to a quieter part of the High Country with mountain views, a spa, restaurant, bar and only 14 renovated rooms and suites.

For a lot of travelers, that's a better balance.

And Tomorrow? Go to Blowing Rock.

Here's where Crestwood's location becomes even more useful.

Today was Boone.

Tomorrow can be Blowing Rock.

The two towns are only around 10 miles apart, but their personalities are noticeably different.

Boone is larger, busier and driven in part by Appalachian State.

Blowing Rock is smaller, polished and centered around its walkable Main Street.

Crestwood sits between them and is just 3.9 miles from downtown Blowing Rock, so you aren't really forced to choose which one your trip is about.

Spend Saturday in Boone.

Spend Sunday in Blowing Rock.

And every evening, come back to somewhere that feels like its own destination.

The Best of Boone Without Living in the Crowd

A good Boone day has a little bit of everything.

Breakfast downtown.

Art at the Turchin.

A walk through Appalachian State.

Shopping on King Street.

Maybe an old-fashioned candy haul you definitely didn't need.

And plenty of time simply watching a mountain college town do what it does.

Then, when you've had enough activity, come back to Crestwood.

Because sometimes the best place to stay near everything...

isn't directly in the middle of everything.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Downtown Boone

What should I do with one day in Boone, NC?

Spend the morning around King Street, visit the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, explore downtown shops such as Mast General Store, walk through Appalachian State's campus and check the schedule at the Appalachian Theatre.

Is downtown Boone walkable?

Yes. King Street shopping and dining, the Turchin Center and Appalachian State University are concentrated close together and are best explored on foot once you've parked.

Is the Turchin Center free?

Yes. Admission to the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is always free.

Is Appalachian State University close to downtown Boone?

Yes. Appalachian State's campus directly adjoins downtown Boone, which is one of the reasons King Street has such a distinctive college-town atmosphere.

What is King Street in Boone known for?

King Street is downtown Boone's primary shopping and dining district, with restaurants, bars, boutiques, galleries, historic landmarks and longtime businesses such as Mast General Store.

Is Boone busy on App State football weekends?

Yes. Appalachian State football weekends bring significant numbers of fans, alumni and visitors into downtown Boone and the university area. Travelers should plan ahead for lodging, parking and restaurants.

Can I visit Boone and Blowing Rock on the same trip?

Absolutely. Boone and Blowing Rock are roughly 10 miles apart, making it easy to experience both during the same High Country getaway.

Where should I stay if I want to visit both Boone and Blowing Rock?

Crestwood sits between the two towns and is 3.9 miles from downtown Blowing Rock, making it a convenient home base for exploring both while staying outside their busiest downtown areas.

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