Boone Today

With its mountain flair, Boone is affectionately known as the
Heart of the High Country.

Home to Appalachian State University, named one of the top 15 public universities in the south since 1986, Boone benefits year-round from the college’s dynamic student population, exciting events, state-of-the-art performances and overall youthful energy. The quaint downtown has an exciting atmosphere with art galleries, restaurants, boutiques and antique shops dotting the scenic streets and modern hotels, chains and shopping areas in its surroundings.

The arts truly abound in Boone. A stroll downtown will reveal several galleries and craft shops featuring local artists inspired by the beauty of the region. Hit 20 downtown galleries and shops on the Downtown Boone Art Crawl, or stop by the renowned Turchin Center for Visual Arts on the ASU campus.

Besides the arts, there are dozens of unique locally-owned shops selling everything from clothing to antiques, western wear to pet products. Find a random selection of just about everything at Mast General Store. The historic shop originated in nearby Valle Crucis, but the Boone location is just as quaint.

Of course, shopping is probably the second most popular activity, right behind anything outdoors. Boone has the highest elevation of any town its size east of the Mississippi, which makes its climate more temperate than other areas in the state. The summers are cooler and provide the perfect environment to explore the beautiful surrounding nature. Perhaps that is why Boone was recognized as the ultimate outdoor adventure destination in the Southeast by Adventure Sports Magazine. With several nearby ski mountains, hundreds of miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, mountain streams ideal for fly-fishing, golf courses and the incredible Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone is the ultimate outdoor getaway.

A day spent in Boone could entail hiking, shopping, taking in a theater performance, browsing art galleries or learning about local history. But no matter how it begins, it can end at one of Boone’s wonderful restaurants in the downtown area and beyond and an enjoyable view of one of the most scenic areas in the country.

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