Trading the beach for Beech (Mountain).

This post was sponsored by Beech Mountain. All opinions are our own- we hope you visit and fall in love with Beech just like we did.

Everyone we know is looking to get out of town. They are packing up their cars and hitting the road for what I’m calling ‘The Summer of Great Road Trips’. Sure, road trips have always been a summer staple, but this year, friends and family are taking longer road trips than ever before, maybe even combining several destinations into one big trip, and looking for incredible outdoor adventures that make them feel transported to another time and another place.

Insert Beech Mountain, North Carolina, the highest point in the Eastern United States, a true mountain escape 5 hours from Nashville and only 7 hours from Jacksonville, Florida. In fact, most of the license plates we saw up in Beech were Florida, with others from Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia. When we left the beach for Beech, we waved goodbye to 98 degree temps and were greeted by a cool 72 degree breeze.

We hiked the lush emerald green mountains, swam in crisp waterfalls, saw more deer than we could count, dined al fresco on the most delicious foods, and felt more relaxed than we have in months. Oh, and we skipped the yellow brick road in the Land of Oz. The weekend was magical (and not just because of our munchkin sightings).

How to plan the perfect Beech Mountain Getaway:

Stay:

We stayed in a condo at Pinnacle Inn Resort. It was awesome to have a full kitchen and living room, plus the outdoor patio. We started each morning with a cup of coffee watching the sunrise over the mountains and ended each day watching the sky turn from blue to gold to pink and purple. The resort also had an indoor pool that was nice to play in before dinner each afternoon.

Dine:

We took advantage of all the amazing outdoor patios in Beech Mountain. Here are our favorites:

• Breakfast at Fred’s Backside Deli. One of the only breakfast spots in town, Fred’s offers pancakes, biscuit sandwiches, traditional breakfasts and pastries. We loved all the sweets- from the pancakes to the waffles- and the more savory dishes, like the omelets and sausage and cheese biscuit sandwiches. We loved starting our mornings here. Plus, if you need anything like medicine or groceries, you can pop into Fred’s Mercantile to grab it before you head out for the day.

• Coffee at Poppy’s Coffee Shop. Augustine loves pumpkin bread and we love coffee all the time, so it was fun to stumble upon Poppy’s and for them to have both of our favs.

• Lunch at Jalisco Mexican Grille. Tacos and fajitas at 5,000 feet? Don’t mind if I do. We ordered the chicken and steak fajitas and queso dip and were totally satisfied and stuffed as we left. No reservations needed but should be a must of your trip.

• Lunch and Brews at Beech Mountain Taproom and Grill. Located at the bottom of the ski lift, the Taproom and Grill is a local and visitor favorite. We loved the white truffle veggie burger. I say this as a meat lover through and through – this was one of the best burgers of my life. Made from shredded beets, zucchini, caramelized onions, carrots and white truffle oil, you will devour this burger and then lick your fingertips. It’s so good.

• BBQ Lunch or Dinner with views at White Wolf Lodge. Grab a seat outback for the most beautiful views of the nearby mountains. We piled our plates with 8 different BBQ sauces, taste testing each one with our pulled pork sandwiches and cole slaw. We loved the sweet heat and hope they start bottling those up soon.

• Fancy Dinner at Alpen Inn. Make sure to grab a reservation before making your way to the mountain. The local deer that graze the large lawn out back enhances the outdoor experience. With sweeping views, you’ll want to order a glass or two of wine to take it all in.

• Casual Dinner & putt-putt golf at Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria. What more could a kid want than pizza and putt-putt golf? Seriously, I don’t think anything. We were so surprised by the pizza too. I say that as a compliment, we are hard to please pizza eaters and everything from the dough and crust to the fresh toppings was so yummy. Wish I hadn’t filled up on salad so we could have finished the whole pie.

• Drink in the clouds at 5506’. The panoramic bar at the summit of Beech Mountain Ski resort offers cocktails, brews and snacks. Bring your own blanket for a picnic in the clouds.

Play:

• Start your trip with a visit to the Visitor Center. There you can pick up hiking trail maps, learn about any new additions or events and ask any questions.

• Spend the afternoon or longer at Buckeye Recreation Center. You can rent kayaks and canoes, hike to the nearby waterfall, fish in the lake and even mountain bike on over 28 miles of designated trails. The rec center also has yoga on the patio and a beautiful playground. If you have a kiddo in tow, stop by the front desk for a free wilderness pack rental. It makes the hiking trails so much more fun and educational.

• Explore Beech Mountain Resort. From mountain biking to hiking, disc golf to yoga, there is something for everyone at Beech’s ski resort. The views from the top of the chair lift are some of the best in the area so bring a camera.

• Walk the Yellow Brick Road at Land of Oz. Open for private tours only, call in advance to get a behind the scenes tour of the fantastical world of Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. Bring costumes for once in a lifetime photo opportunities.

No matter how you plan out your itinerary, if you follow these stay, dine, play notes, you’re bound to have an amazing experience in Beech Mountain. We can’t wait to plan our trip back in the Fall.