In the Olympic spirit, it’s only appropriate to finish the story of our trip to Grandfather Mountain from Memorial Day! As we headed out of town on Memorial Day Monday, we stopped through the town of Blowing Rock to grab a quick breakfast. What started out as a quick stop turned into a yummy breakfast followed by a park adventure.
First, we stopped for breakfast at Kojay’s, which features delicious coffees and frittatas. It’s an adorable cafe located on the main street and has lots of outdoor seating. In addition to Kojay’s, the main street is filled with lots of cute little shops, hotels, restaurants/bars, real estate businesses, and local government buildings. Anchored near the northern part of Main St is Blowing Rock’s Memorial Park. It was established to honor those who served in WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam. We decided to stop and check out the park after we saw they were setting up for the town’s Memorial Day service. Knowing I’d miss Raleigh’s service at the Capitol, it was meant to be!
I love small town gatherings…you can feel the passion for the town as the mayor speaks and the veterans play Americana music. Memorial Park is an amazing place to take the kids to play as it has a little bit of everything. From the playgrounds to the courts to the horseshoe pits, this park has great features surrounded by gorgeous landscaping. The playground areas have little shade and are surrounded with black plastic borders, making the height deceptive in some areas. But, the tot playground area is great in that it is pretty low to the ground, making it a fun and safe place for the little ones to play.
Blowing Rock is a must-visit town if you’re in the area. I can’t wait to go back soon and try some of the pubs and restaurants.
Thumbs up: landscaping, sense of community, variety and quality of recreation, tot playground equipment
Thumbs down: little shade around playgrounds, border around playground areas, dogs aren’t allowed except for along benches on Main St
