Have you visited North Carolina’s Beech Mountain? If you’re planning a North Carolina mountain getaway, you’ll want to check it out! We were lucky enough to be invited to the annual Land Of Oz attraction, and while visiting, we discovered Beech Mountain is a mountaintop town with a magic of its own.
Looking for more adventures in North Carolina? Kidding Around has tons of recommendations for fun in North Carolina!
This article includes:
Beech Mountain Vacation: Places to Stay
Restaurants in Beech Mountain
Things to Do in Beech Mountain
This article contains STAY22 affiliate links.
Having spent the majority of my life at sea level, the mountains are something I love exploring. Living in the Carolinas, we’re lucky to have some of the most beautiful mountains right here in our backyard. This was my first time visiting the town of Beech Mountain. It’s gorgeous and not at sea level like I’m accustomed to. It’s the highest town in the eastern United States, with an elevation of 5,506 feet.
The most popular time to visit Beech Mountain is during the winter months when people flock to the Ski Resort, one of the only ones operating in the Southeast. The ski resort offers tubing, ice skating, and, of course, skiing.
However, there are so many reasons to visit during the off-peak seasons. The resort is open year-round, with activities for everyone to enjoy. There’s so much more to this area than the resort, and my kids and I were excited to explore the town and are already planning our trip back.
Where To Stay in Beech Mountain
Beech Mountain Vacation Rentals at Pinnacle Inn
We stayed at the Pinnacle Inn and can’t recommend it highly enough. This property is a combination of condos and rentals located right in the middle of town. Our rental unit was recently remodeled, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I wanted to have my mail forwarded there. One of the best measures of a place is if you’re going to unpack and never leave.
We had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a wood-burning fireplace, a balcony overlooking the mountain, a full-size dining table, a full-size washer, and dryer…. basically all the comforts of home and then some! So even if there was nothing to do in Beech Mountain, you could settle in at Pinnacle Inn and have a great getaway.
The property has a tennis court, a mini-golf course, a playground, and a deck with BBQ grills. When the weather is too cold for outdoor fun, an “all-weather center” houses an indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, and workout room.
It was lovely to come back to the rental after a long day of exploring and pour ourselves into the comfy beds. Of course, we dined out for all of our meals, but the fully equipped kitchen came in handy for reheating the leftovers as a snack and enjoying some bubbly in front of the fireplace. Every unit is individually owned, so let them know when you call if you have your heart set on the spot we stayed in.
BOOK IT!
Beech Mountain Vacation Rentals at Pinnacle Inn | 301 Pinnacle Inn Road, Beech Mountain NC 28604
More Places to Stay in Beech Mountain
Where To Eat in Beech Mountain
Fred’s Backside Deli
If you want to eat like a local, then the place to enjoy the most important meal of the day is Fred’s Backside Deli. Located on the ground floor of the local general store, this is the most popular place to enjoy breakfast for residents and visitors alike. Fred’s serves up Boar’s Head brand deli meats on their sandwiches, and everything is made to order.
We enjoyed grits, Belgian waffles, biscuits and gravy, and more on our first morning. Our second morning, we utilized the call ahead option to get our “Fred Muffin” sandwiches to go. These are the deli’s English muffin breakfast sandwiches, and they are a great option when you want to get started on your adventure early. I wasn’t joking when I said this is a favorite of the locals. Something that, in my opinion, is the mark of a perfect place.
If you happen to be visiting Beech Mountain on a Sunday morning, stop into Fred’s and say hi to the current Mayor, Renee Castiglione. She’ll be there at 9 am, with no more than one of her fellow city council members.
It was explained to me that they need to be careful not to run into another council member because then it becomes an official meeting and requires all the paperwork that goes along with that. This very well-planned out breakfast appearance is for the benefit of the locals. They always know where to find someone from their local government who will listen to their concerns. This probably sums up the charm of this town, better than anything else I could tell you in an article.
Fred’s Backside Deli | 501 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain NC 28604
Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria
If you want to eat and have some fun before or after, head to Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria. This restaurant has something on the menu to make everyone happy! The menu includes pizza, wings, salads, sandwiches, pasta, the largest beer selection on the mountain, a full bar, a bakery, and an ice cream counter!
We enjoyed a pizza, wings and Greek salad. Having worked at a pretty awesome pizza place in my teens, I’m particular when it comes to pizza. From the first bite I took, I could tell that the brothers that own the restaurant take pride in the food they serve. The pizza sauce is fresh, not some thick tomato paste consistency sauce from a can.
The wings were enormous and perfectly cooked, and the Greek salad was generous in size and didn’t skimp on the toppings. Make sure you leave room for dessert; the cake slices they sell are a prominent enough portion to share, plus you can get it alamode.
Once you’re done eating or while you wait for your food, you can head back to the arcade. My favorite game was the old-school Pac-man arcade game kids of the 80s will remember. During the summer months, you can catch a movie on the side of the restaurant along with a bonfire to roast marshmallows. During the Autumn in Oz event, they showed The Wizard of Oz for guests. It made the first time my children saw the movie more memorable.
If a moonlit film isn’t your thing, you can grab a putter inside and head to the free 18-hole mini-golf course out front. I encourage you to stop by and let the Accardi brothers feed you; you won’t regret it.
The Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria | 402 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain NC 28604
Mi Jalisco Mexican Grill
Anyone who is a fan of Kidding Around knows I’m a massive fan of Mexican food. This doesn’t change when we are out of town! Mi Jalisco Mexican Grill is a family-owned restaurant in town with generous portions and great prices. They have kid’s menu offerings and a full bar with margarita specials. The kids enjoyed chicken quesadillas while I splurged on the steak fajitas.
The food is served quickly, and you’ll leave with a full belly and leftovers. For fans of chips and dips, they have one of the largest varieties of cheese dip and guacamole offerings I can recall seeing on a menu anywhere!. They also offer a vegetarian menu for people on a plant-based diet.
Mi Jalisco Mexican Grill | 608 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain NC 28604
Things to Do in Beech Mountain, NC
Regardless of the season, you decide to visit Beech Mountain; there’s plenty to do in the area. While the colder months are the most popular because of the ski resort, they have things to do during the warmer months. So you could have two different vacations in the same location, depending on the time of year.
Beech Mountain Resort
Beech Mountain Resort has activities to keep families busy year-round. The resort offers activities including mountain biking, yoga, hiking, and disc golf in the summer months. A recent addition to the resort is Summer tubing. Riders sit on a tube and slide down a 150-foot long dry track. Another new addition to the activities at the resort is roller skating. Enjoy skating a mile high in the sky, at the highest skating rink east of the Colorado Rockies.
During the winter months, snow skiing and tubing are the most popular things on the mountain. You can also go ice skating, hang out at the on-site brewery or go snowshoeing on the hiking trails.
The resort also hosts several special events a year, including the Land of Oz events that we attended. Learn more about this unique annual fundraising event for the town before you Grab Those Ruby Slippers and Travel The Yellow Brick Road To The Land of Oz
Beech Mountain Resort | 1007 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain NC 28604
Emerald Outback
Emerald Outback at Beech Mountain is a unique trail system that winds through parts of the mountain once piece of the original Land Of Oz park. With difficulty ratings ranging from easy to complicated, this should be on your bucket list if your family is a fan of hiking. With almost seven miles of trail, some include scenic overlooks that offer an incredible view.
Easy Rated Trails
- Oz Forest Run – 1 mile
- Wizards Way -.28 mile
- Northview – .5 miles
- Grassy Loop (Easy to moderate due to a small section of trail) – .85 mile
- Bailout Gravel Road – 1 mile
More Advanced Trail
- Jackalope’s Trail (moderate to advanced) – 1.3 miles
For more information and a free trail map, you can stop by the Beech Mountain Visitors Center.
Emerald Outback Trail System
Beech Mountain Visitor’s Center | 403A Beech Mountain Parkway, NC 28604
Buckeye Recreation Center
The Buckeye Recreation Center offers a great selection of activities for families. A state-of-the-art playground, tennis courts, and fitness center are just the beginning of what you can find here. Twice a month, the center offers free guided hikes from trails around town, including some on we’ve previously mentioned. If you are a fan of bird watching, the Buckeye Recreation area is also home to almost 130 species of migratory birds. In addition, the space features an official North Carolina Birding Trail.
Buckeye Recreation Center | 1330 Pine Ridge Road, Beech Mountain, NC 28604
Fishing in Beech Mountain
If fishing is something your family enjoys, Beech Mountain has a great deal to obtain a fishing license during your stay. You can fish from two different lakes included in the High County Mountain Heritage Trout Water Trail.
Anyone can purchase a 3-day pass to fish along with the included bodies of water.
There are so many other things to do that we didn’t get a chance to do. But I can assure you, we fully intend on a return trip soon! We left feeling like we had friends in Beech Mountain, North Carolina. I’m guessing you will too.