This past week we finished up our summer vacation with an unforgettable trip to the coast and then to the mountains. What made it so unforgettable was not that we traveled from one side of NC to the other, but the fact that at the beach we rode out a hurricane and then in the mountains we experienced an earthquake. I feel like if anyone has a 2020 vacation curse it is us lol. Even with those two big events we still had an amazing time in both locations!

Calabash, NC was a first stop. Located in the south east corner on NC we soaked in sun the sun at local beaches and chowed down at our favorite restaurants. I love this area because it is so layer back and not as crowded as some coastal locations. It reminds me of my favorite book settings. Low country, moss on the trees, marsh land and charming small towns. Really anywhere in Brunswick county is a win in my book.

Local Beaches- Holden Beach, Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach

Recommend Restaurants- Oyster Rock, Bagel Dock, Drift OIB, The Purple Onion, Provisions and Clark’s Chop House

See my post of NC Coastal Towns to pick your favorite area!

After 4 days at the beach we headed home for a night to repack and drop off the kids. The rest of this trip was adults only. Woohooo! If we didn’t have to drop off the kids, a drive straight to mountain location would have been fine. From Calabash to West Jefferson would have taking about 5 hrs.

West Jefferson was a the perfect place to be after a hot and humid week at the beach. The cool weather and little distractions was just what these eight exhausted parents needed. We stayed at the cutest cabin located on the New River in West Jefferson and had plans to eat, drink and tune down the river. Unfortunately the morning of our tubing adventure the company had to cancel because the water was too high. That was okay though because it gave us time to explore downtown.

Local Towns to Explore- West Jefferson and Boone (about 30 minutes away)

Things to do- Explore downtowns, Tube down the New River, Visit breweries, West Jefferson Cheese Factory, Relax at Elk Shoals, Ski (in the winter)

Restaurant Recommendations- New River Brewing, Shatley Springs, Boondocks Brewing Tap Room & Restaurant

If you want to explore closer to Boone, see this post for recommendations!