Best small town in the state is in Western North Carolina, according to Southern Living

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·1 min read

ASHEVILLE -A Western North Carolina town has climbed the ranks in another fan favorites survey.

On March 6, Southern Living, a media company based in Birmingham, Alabama, announced the honorees of its annual South’s Best Awards with a quaint mountain town named as a winner.

Blowing Rock represented North Carolina on its Best Small Town in Every State list.

Oct. 27: Historic Cone Manor rests above Bass Lake in nearby Blowing Rock, as fall color beams from the shoreline and hillsides.
Oct. 27: Historic Cone Manor rests above Bass Lake in nearby Blowing Rock, as fall color beams from the shoreline and hillsides.

Blowing Rock, dubbed a mountain escape, was voted as the best in the state for its panoramic views that may be seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway and its local dining options like Kilwin’s ice cream and “laid-back dinner spots.”

In January, The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn in Blowing Rock was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant for the James Beard Foundation Awards.

This winter, HGTV named Blowing Rock on its list of 50 Favorite Small Towns to Visit for Christmas for its holiday traditions, local scenery and seasonal events.

HGTV named Blowing Rock as one of the best Christmas towns.
HGTV named Blowing Rock as one of the best Christmas towns.

The South's Best Awards was curated based on the ratings of more than 20,000 Southern Living consumers who were asked about their favorite places across the South. The survey was conducted by third-party agency Proof Insights from July 12 to August 23, 2023.

Southern Living’s April edition will feature the South’s Best Award winners in categories including South’s Best Cities on the Rise, Best Cities, Best New Restaurants and Best BBQ in Every State, and will feature Matthew and Camila McConaughey on the cover, on sale March 22, and online.

Asheville was ranked No. 5 on the Best Cities in the South list.

View the full Best Small Town in Every State list and other South’s Best winners at southernliving.com.

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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Southern Living names Blowing Rock as best in the state