The overlook here at the adjacent tourist center is pretty good. There is a great popcorn truck at the bottom of the hill. Also, don't miss Swannanoa. It's just around the corner and incredible.
hundreds of thousands of people visit the Mabry Mill just to take photos of the beautiful mill itself. It is right on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you barely even need to pull over.
However, the adjacent restaurant is also FAMOUS for it's buckwheat pancakes. That being said...it's an acquired taste. I like unusual food but these are a bit heavy, somewhat sour, and dark color-wise. I had about half a pancake, but also got a sweat potato pancake and devoured that one. If I'd been up for it, I would've tried the cornmeal pancake as well! They serve breakfast all day, which is awesome. They also have a cute little shop.
Where to start--probably the Friday Night Jamboree. This regular event TRANFORMS Floyd. If you're in the area, you can't afford to miss it!! They fit 400 people into the modestly-sized country store, and the dancing spills out to the streets.
It's also a great spot to visit any day, however. You can get ice cream, coffee (free refills), bluegrass CDs (ask where the shelf on all the locals is), carhart jackets, childrens books, cutting boards, t-shirts, candy (BARRELS worth of it)...the list goes on.
Some say it's been there since 1913, or at least existed in some fashion.
I could have hung out here all afternoon! This coffee is stellar. Red Rooster Coffee Roaster (the associated coffee roaster) actually consults new east coast coffee shops about how to do it right! Black Water Loft have vegan pastry options and super creative "coffees"--I had one called the "Big Buffalo" with espresso, dark chocolate, peanut butter, coconut, milk--all sorts of delicious things. Surprisingly, it wasn't too heavy. I got the 12oz ($3.50) and that was probably plenty.
Wifi, too! And they have a guest computer if you need to use it. This is a great place to go to find out about local events--they regularly update a big chalk board with everything that's going on.
If you want to buy some of the coffee or a keepsake mug, go into the store downstairs (same owners). The bookstore/art store below is also in the family.
Oddfellas takes eating local very seriously. The menu changes seasonally, and they have great vegan options. Like everywhere it seems in Floyd, you can also catch some live music here (Friday evening, also like all of Floyd)! For tapas, head around back!
This is closed now, unfortunately!! You can still visit the rest of it, though.
Hotel Floyd is comfortable, a touch quirky, and very convenient!
All of the rooms are differently themed--I stayed in the Writers Suite in the old wing. It seems like a pretty normal hotel when you first walk in, but then you notice thoughtful, quirky details--the writer's desk, the old school type writer up above the closet, the quill, the collaged poetry-themed art on the wall. It's simple but also a very pleasant surprise. You also can't beat the location--they are right at the heart of Floyd's lovely main street, right across from the general store. Wander to the stores, dinner, a bar, and back to bed. They have TV, etc, but it does cost $5 for a DVD player, although you then get to watch all the movies they have at no additional cost. There is a continental breakfast and a guest printer...coffee in the rooms...an outdoor sitting space...it's a good set up!
They just added a second, very large front wing this past spring (2014)!
SO COOL! Wander and be dazzled, or move from section to section of this thoughtfully organized space and observe how they've grouped things historically. You can take an hour-long tour, too, to get even more deets. Once you move through the museum portion (low ceiling) you'll enter the "main street" that Todd and the Sign Museum re-created in huge scale with massive original signs in the middle of the museum. It's insane. All of these storefronts have been painstakingly created around a theme, and all of the windows serve as display cases for smaller items organized around a single method, era, or topic. Super cool. Slow down and enjoy it!! Then peer through the only "real" storefront on the main street to see the working neon factory in action.
This hotel is almost 100 yrs old!
Love the Sandbar for my San Antonio sea food fix. In fact, I don't really get seafood anywhere else. I love the oysters in particular--I'll get a six or 12 and just polish those off for dinner. In terms of other things, here are some things I love: the Asian Coleslaw, the whole fried fish (depends what it is but it's regularly great), the arctic char, and the sashimi.
The space is light-filled and open, and in the pearl brewery with parking usually right in front. The parking lot there has chargers for electric cars too...oh hai