This small town in North Carolina ranks among the best in the South. Here’s why
A town nestled in the North Carolina mountains isn’t big — but it makes a sizable impression.
So much so, it now ranks among the best small towns in the South. Blowing Rock ranks No. 5 on the list of places that are home to few residents but brimming with personality, according to results that Southern Living shared Tuesday, March 7.
“In a year when more people than ever are traveling and moving to the South, we wanted to put a spotlight on small towns in this year’s South’s Best Awards,” Sid Evans, the magazine’s editor in chief, wrote in a news release. “These are the hidden gems our readers picked for their character, charm, and unmistakable Southernness.”
To create the list, Southern Living said its editors concentrated on a 14-state region and nominated small towns they love. Then, more than 15,000 readers responded to an online survey that allowed them to choose their favorites.
Blowing Rock was the only town in North Carolina to rank in the top 10, though Beaufort and Hendersonville weren’t too far behind at Nos. 11 and 12.
In its report, Southern Living gave the town of about 1,300 residents a nod for being close to mountain scenery.
“But Blowing Rock is no one-hit wonder,” the report said. “Expect plenty of High Country character from a community of talented craftspeople and chefs inspired by their surroundings.”
Blowing Rock, located roughly 90 miles west of Winston-Salem, also was named among the South’s “best tiny towns” — a distinction given to places where fewer than 10,000 people live.
“While we asked our readers all about their favorite small towns, we began noticing a trend,” Southern Living wrote. “Some of the towns they mentioned were really — and we mean really — tiny. We’re talking fewer than 2,000 people tiny.”
In that report, Southern Living also recognized the town’s art and food as well as its proximity to “panoramic views of dense forests, snowy peaks, and a vast gorge.”
Blowing Rock’s dining scene isn’t a stranger to receiving wide praise. The town is home to The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge, which ranked among the nation’s top destinations for date nights and fine dining, McClatchy News reported in September.
This time around, the top-ranking small town was St. Augustine, Florida. Rounding out the top five were:
- Beaufort, South Carolina at No. 2
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee at No. 3
- Dahlonega, Georgia at No. 4
This story was originally published March 8, 2023 at 11:34 AM with the headline "This small town in North Carolina ranks among the best in the South. Here’s why."
