What's New in the Mountains in 2019?

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New hostelries and new breweries dominate our collection of new destinations and attractions recently added to the mountain region. 

NORTH CAROLINA

Asheville Foundry Hotel gives new life to the city’s historical African-American business district known as “The Block.” These Eagle Street buildings, in turn, were once home to the foundry that forged the steel for Biltmore Estate and many other iconic Asheville structures (exploreasheville.com).

Also in Asheville: The skyline wins a new icon—and four-star luxury property —with the arrival of Hotel Arras, boasting a completely new Art Deco façade for Asheville’s tallest building. The hotel includes Bargello, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant; and District 42, a casual spot with outdoor seating.

Forestry Camp Brewery also comes to Asheville, using buildings that once housed young forestry workers of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Sideways Farm & Brewery debuted in August 2018 on 11 acres in rural Etowah, joining the beer-rich culture of nearby Asheville while offering a farm-based commitment to growing its own ingredients (sidewaysfarm.com).

White Duck Taco Shop’s new riverfront restaurant opens its Beer Bus in Asheville with draft and canned beers on a beach along the French Broad River.

Located adjacent to the French Broad River in the Horse Shoe community, just outside Hendersonville, the Horse Shoe Farm is an 85-acre upscale retreat established in 2018. Eight homes on the estate accommodate groups up to 50 people, offering extensive equestrian facilities, private chefs, luxury car rentals, daily excursions and grocery delivery (thehorseshoefarm.com).

Blowing Rock has gained a new downtown feature with Mayview Plaza. This gathering space on Main Street features tributes to landmarks like The Blowing Rock, Tweetsie Railroad, and the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show grounds (blowingrock.com).

Well-known Asheville chef Dan Silo honors memories from his family’s Adirondack cabin with Sawhorse, a new restaurant in nearby Leicester, set to serve house-made cheese curds, preserved meat and boiled egg and salt potatoes.

New eats: Mountain Chef Bistro opened in 2018 with a cozy, 45-seat dining room in downtown Burnsville at the former Blind Squirrel Brewery building on Main Street (828-536-0014).

The new French Broad Chocolate Factory in the River Arts Makers Place Studios offers daily tours, a chocolate museum and a view of the sweet bean-to-bar treats being made in Asheville. Also on site is Ginger’s Revenge, a ginger beer brewery.

East Fork, an Asheville pottery studio, has opened a new ceramics manufacturing facility with tours available in Biltmore Village. The Center for Craft, in downtown Asheville, also expands with The National Craft Innovation Hub, offering new galleries, lecture space, classrooms and a co-working space.

More art parts: Asheville Art Museum features a new state-of-the-art building with education facilities and an art library. Also in the city, the Diana Wortham Theatre has been transformed into The Wortham Center, offering two new theaters for more intimate performances and a totally revamped entrance and courtyard. Nearby, a museum illuminating the legend of Black Mountain College (1933-1957) has moved to the heart of downtown Asheville along the greenery and Art Deco architecture of Pack Square Park.

At the Biltmore: You can ride remote trails and roads with an electric recumbent tricycle on the Outrider Tour. Or experience the thrill of a raptor flying to your hand with a new falconry offering.

Grapes to glass: A new trail makes it easier for visitors to navigate their way through the heart of North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley wine country. The Surry County Wine Trail opened in 2018 by highlighting 15 wineries in and around Surry County, along with five breweries and distilleries (yadkinvalleync.com).

Drink in the view: Point Lookout Vineyards opened in July 2018 atop Point Lookout Mountain at Hendersonville. This site has grown popular for its 4,000-square-foot open-air pavilion, framed by cedar logs and offering a sweeping view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from an elevation of nearly 3,000 feet (828-393-5793).

VIRGINIA

Blackburn Inn bridges artful design with a modern, upscale, state-of-the-art experience in Staunton. Set on a picturesque 80-acre campus, the boutique hotel offers stunning views at every turn at a site that dates to 1828 (blackburn-inn.com).

Hotel Bristol opened in 2018 with 65 rooms overlooking Bristol’s unique State Street. Just a few blocks away, Bristol’s Cameo Theater has witnessed a large-scale restoration.

For a stay: The Stone House at Black Dog Salvage in Roanoke now offers lodging for up to six guests and private receptions.

Overnight camping has arrived at Explore Park in Roanoke, with dozens of new sites. Don’s Cab-Inns Campground at Explore Park features four Pod Cab-Inns, four yurts and six RV sites. Other recent additions to Explore include the Mayflower Hills Disc Golf Course.

Bryce Resort opens its Shenandoah Center for 2019 near Mount Jackson-, with 4,500 square feet of seating space, a state of the art kitchen and floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular views of the ski slope and surrounding scenery.

Wytheville’s new Appalachian Regional Expo (APEX) Center is set to offer seating for up to 5,000 (appalachianexpo.org).

What’s on tap: Box Office Brewery opened in October in a newly renovated former theatre in Strasburg; the 7 Dogs Brew Pub comes to Wytheville; and Roanoke’s craft beer scene gains Three Notch’d Brewing Company and A Few Old Goats Brewery.

The new Mattie’s Place offers bike rentals and baked goods at Burke’s Garden while nearby Bland’s new, 256-acre Eupepsia Wellness Center focuses on wellness, body, energy, mind and spirit.

For a more woodsy adventure, journey to the Kairos Resort of the Two Virginias, a collection of cabins, a campground and yurts that is shared along the Mercer County border with Giles County, Virginia (kairosresort.com).

In Dickenson County, a new trail for hiking and biking is slated to connect Haysi to Breaks Interstate Park. In turn, the park has opened routes for climbing enthusiasts on its rugged rocky cliffs overlooking the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River.

TENNESSEE

Chattanooga adds new lodging with Edwin Hotel, a five-story structure with a rooftop bar; the 102-room Moxy Chattanooga Downtown; and the Read House Historic Hotel, which has undergone a $20 million renovation to upgrade 242 guest rooms.

The new Ramsey Hotel & Convention Center in Pigeon Forge features more than 200 rooms. Nearby, the Resort at Governor’s Crossing in Sevierville is opening 67 new units—some of which are large enough to accommodate up to 18 guests. Also, near Kingston, you’ll find a new room called “The Quail” added to the Whitestone Inn.

Knoxville’s Baker Creek Bottoms provides access to the city’s Urban Wilderness, with more than 50 miles of trails and four historic Civil War sites. More biking trails are also being added to Norris Dam State Park at Rocky Top.

The Mountain Goat Trail is a walking and cycling trail connecting communities along the historic path of the Mountain Goat Railroad, which carried coal and passengers between communities on the South Cumberland Plateau from 1856 to 1985. Currently, the trail spans five miles from Sewanee to Monteagle plus a new three-mile section recently opened in Tracy City.

Just for history: Greeneville opened its 1787 Seth Babb Homestead near the Greeneville-Greene County History Museum in October 2018. At Vonore, the interior of the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum has been updated with new displays and high-tech audio-visual presentations.

Just for thrills: The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America brings Gatlinburg a new claim to fame with the SkyBridge, spanning nearly 700 feet between ridges.

Near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the newly-established Blackberry Mountain at Walland infuses wellness and outdoor adventure with trails and tranquil spaces (blackberrymountain.com).

Just for entertainment: Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Gatlinburg features a two-story bar and restaurant, retail area, performance space, dance floor, outdoor terrace and Southern fare like hot chicken and waffles.

New eateries in nearby Sevierville include Five Oaks Farm Kitchen; Barley Station BBQ; Crust & Crumb; and The Wildflour Bakehouse (visitSevierville.com).

Wildwood Grove opens at Dollywood in 2019. The Pigeon Forge theme park’s largest single expansion features six unique rides, eateries and Hidden Hollow, a 4,000-square-foot indoor play space (dollywood.com). The park’s founder, Dolly Parton, is also opening Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, adjacent to The Island in Pigeon Forge.

What else is new in Pigeon Forge:

  • The 200-foot-tall Mountain Monster three-in-one thrill ride anchors the Tower Shops at Mountain Mile, a 180,000-square-foot multi-purpose retail, dining and family entertainment development (mountainmilepigeonforge.com).
  • The National Enquirer Attraction opens in spring 2019 with 90 years of history and 100 interactive exhibits in more than 14,000 square feet.
  • The new Rocky Top Mountain Coaster on Veterans Boulevard sits on more than 20 acres and takes riders on a nine-minute journey that traverses multiple 360-degree turns and four tunnels (mypigeonforge.com).

WEST VIRGINIA

Princeton’s Mercer Street Grassroots District continues to undergo an ongoing renovation that includes adding a pottery shop plus the new Appalachia Coffee Shop and a new brewery called Sophisticated Hound.

More suds on tap: The Old Spruce Brewing taps into the ski-slope and mountain biking culture of Snowshoe Mountain Resort for 2019 in Pocahontas County. Also check out the recently-expanded Big Timber Brewery, now in a new and larger location at Elkins. What’s more, Bavarian Brothers Brewing comes to the Bavarian Inn of Shepherdstown with a brew pub and outdoor patio.

Camp Creek State Park completed its “Pack it in, Pack it out” campground, where campers hike three miles with their tent and backpack in Mercer County to a variety of habitats, finding tent pads, grills, a picnic shelter and restrooms (304-425-9481).

In Bluefield, the newly-opened Baker’s Hill Inn offers a bed-and-breakfast in a home full of history. 

The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame moved to a new storefront in August 2018 in the Charleston Town Center Mall. The increasingly popular museum continues to showcase more exhibits and memorabilia while also presenting a monthly music series (wvmusichalloffame.com). Charleston Civic Center and Coliseum welcomed 2018 with upgrades that include additional space for the ballroom, now able to seat up to 1,400 people.

GEORGIA

The Historic West Cinema has undergone a renovation at Cedartown. What was once a dual-screen theater now boasts four screens plus two VIP balcony rooms (770-748-3090). Renovations are also ongoing at the historic Holly Theatre of Dahlonega.

Where to stay: The 210-acre Pine Acres Retreat opens in 2019 at Cartersville on Lake Allatoona. The retreat was originally part of the property that comprised Georgia’s First State Park for African Americans at George Washington Carver Park (770-387-1357).

Julep Farm opened in Dillard on a 22-acre site with overnight lodging and dining. In Clarkesville, the Southern Seasons Inn has witnessed renovations at a 1901 historic home. Valhalla Resort (valhallaresorthotel.com) now offers a luxurious adult retreat at Helen.

For railroad buffs: You can now find lodging in a recently-restored 1929 C&O Railroad Center Cupola Caboose near Clayton, adjacent to Black Bear Creek Antiques.

Also, look for Toccoa’s new covered train-viewing platform in the downtown district next to the historic train depot.

 A new downtown welcome center has arrived at Ellijay, where you’ll also find the new Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza; Ott Farms & Vineyard; Cartecay Wine & Craft Tasting Room; and Cartecay River Brewing Company.  

More suds on tap: Drowned Valley Brewing Company arrives at Cartersville; Rome City Brewing Company comes to Broad Street in Rome; Braselton Brewing Company opens a new brewpub at downtown Braselton’s old cotton gin; Southern Hart Brewing Company arrives at Hartwell; Tantrum Brewing comes to Cleveland with a new brewery (tantrumbeer.com) overlooking Yonah Mountain; Whistle Top Brew Company taps into a site in downtown Cornelia with flavors like Cherry Street’s Coconut Porter and Red Hare Root Beer. 

Buzzworthy: The Blue Haven Bee Company brings Southern Origin Meadery to Canon while the Etowah Meadery is a recent addition to Dahlonega. A similar operation, BeeCraft Mead Company, has buzzed into Dawsonville.

Witchy wine: Jeremy and Penny Sharp’s ghost-themed tour company in Dahlonega has now added a wine tasting room (770-361-0006).

A recently renovated outdoor veranda at Dawsonville’s Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge can hold up to 130 guests—enough for a small wedding. Renovations of rooms is also underway at Unicoi State Park and Lodge in Helen.

Bread & Bleu makes a move from Blairsville to Blue Ridge in 2019, with a bigger location for chef-driven cuisine. You’ll also find a new outlet on West Main Street in downtown Blue Ridge Mercier Orchards, established in 1943.

Helen welcomes the addition of the new Alpine Mountain Coaster (helenga.org). For a more sedate adventure, try the Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail that spans one mile along the Chattahoochee River from Hardman Farm State Historic Site to Alpine Helen. 

You can also follow the new Hospitality Highway Farm Trail from Buckhead to Dahlonega, going from urban to rural sites with stops at Sandy Springs and Dawsonville. In Gainesville, look for “Over in the Forest Storybook Trail,” featuring the bilingual tale of 10 forest animals on a half-mile trip for kids age 3-8 (exploregeorgia.org).

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Carolina Music Museum of Greenville opened in the former Coca-Cola bottling plant on Heritage Green to showcase the world-famous Carolina Clavier Collection—plus harpsichords and early pianos. Over in Spartanburg, the Children’s Museum of the Upstate opened in 2018 and offers 6,000 square feet of exhibits.

New restaurants on the scene in Spartanburg include The Silo at RJ Rockers; FR8yard; Le Spice and Sidewall Pizza.

What’s newly on tap in the Hub City of Spartanburg? Check out Ciclops Cyderi and Brewery; New Groove Artisan Brewery; and Holliday Brewing.

Eagle Mountain Winery comes to Greenville County, just off S.C. 11, while new beer-makers in the Greenville area include Fireforge Brewery. Greenville has also gained new restaurants with Horseshoe Farm; Husk; Fork & Plough; and Seedlings, dubbed “the nation’s first farm-to-table restaurant for kids.”

What’s also unique in Greenville: GATHER GVL is a food hall collective featuring 13 tenants, including a wine bar and coffee shop plus German, Mexican and Japanese offerings.

KENTUCKY

Tours opened in 2018 at the Appalachian Horse Project of Breathitt County, where the center helps re-purpose Kentucky’s unwanted horses into positive contributors to the Commonwealth through equine education, equine agritourism, and equine therapy (appalachianhorseproject.org).

Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery has popped into Pikeville, offering bourbon and moonshine distilling while using a name tied to the area’s famous Hatfield and McCoy feud (kentuckytourism.com).