February is often the snowiest month in the Blue Ridge mountains, making it a perfect time to visit the ski resort town of Banner Elk.
Banner Elk has the distinction of being the only North Carolina town within five miles of two ski resorts. It is nestled between NC’s two largest ski resorts – Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain. Together, those ski areas offer Banner Elk visitors a total of 38 slopes, 17 lifts, 16 tubing lanes, two terrain parks, two ski schools and two ice skating rinks.
Beech Mountain (5,506 feet) is the highest ski resort in Eastern America and has the state’s only mountain top ski bar, while Sugar Mountain (5,300 feet) has the most skiable acres (125) in North Carolina and the state’s only double black diamond slope.
When it’s time for aprés ski, Banner Elk grabs the spotlight with upscale lodging, dining, shopping and nightlife. The town has an impressive collection of restaurants covering most every taste. In fact, Banner Elk is referred to as the “Culinary Hot Spot of the High Country.”
Flat Top Mountain Brewery is a warm and inviting craft brewery on Main Street that carries anywhere from eight to 12 styles of beer on tap year-round.
Just a few miles down the road from Flat Top Mountain Brewery is Banner Elk Winery, an award-winning winery & vineyard that was the first winery to establish itself in the NC High Country and is now part of the High Country Wine Trail.
Meanwhile, Banner Elk’s walkabout downtown is full of shops and boutiques for those who seek a little retail therapy away from the slopes.
Part of the fun of a North Carolina ski vacation is selecting the right place to stay. Banner Elk stands out with cozy cabins, upscale vacation homes, bed-and-breakfast inns and a national chain hotel, and most places have fireplaces and/or hot tubs.
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