I was over at the foggy mountain gem mine a couple of days after thanksgiving and was able to pan for a few stones. I found a raw sapphire and had it turned into a beautiful ring! The gentlemen helping us was so nice and patient!! I just received the ring today and it is STUNNING! I am an avid crystal/gem lover and this was a great experience. Fair warning, they do facet/polish your stone so expect a 4-6week wait. Regardless, it was worth it! I am happy :)

Such a wonderful time!! My 3 kids ( 11, 11, 15) LOVED it- and walked away with some amazing finds. They split the middle sized 5lb bucket. The employees were so nice and helpful and were genuinely excited to help us. We got several semiprecious and mineral finds cut and polished, and had 2 precious stones put into a ring for my mom.

We are from Florida and we’re looking for something fun to do that didn’t involve snow. We visited Foggy Mountain Gem Mine ( 2 girls- 6 & 13) and had a wonderful experience. The staff was very helpful and had us sifting for gems in no time. After we had found our gems, a staff member identified the gems. He was very knowledgeable and kid friendly. The owner even came over and takes to us and shared some knowledge about how to tell some of the different gems. He was friendly and it showed because all of his staff members were the same way. If you are looking for something else to do besides snow, I highly recommend Foggy Mountain Gem Mine.

We love going to Foggy Mountain Gem Mine. The staff is always super friendly, knowledgable, and go the extra mile to make your experience the best possible. We have had many gems cut here and a few jewelry pieces made ( with many more planned!) There is nothing better than having a custom piece of jewelry that is not only beautiful and unique, but one that has such fun memories attached.

Very kind, helpful, and informative staff. Great prices for quality and quantity of gems found. Wish I could give more stars.

Really enjoyed our family Memorial Day Weekend trip to Foggy Mountain Gem Mine. Staff was very friendly (particularly to be working a holiday weekend!) and we found a nice mix of gems and stones. Kaleigh was super informative and knowledgeable in telling us about what we had found, indulging our (well, mostly my) many questions. Although we ended up purchasing a couple pieces of jewelry, I didn’t feel any pressure to do so. We have tried out several gem mines in western NC, and I can say I definitely recommend this one!

Foggy Mountain Gem Mine is a wonder family adventure for those who enjoy mining rocks and gems. The staff was very friendly, helpful, and knowledgable. We got a 5 gallon bucket of rocks for a reasonable price and spent over 2 hours working through them. This is a definite visit for anyone interesting in some fun.

My family came from out of state to visit me in Boone and this was the #1 requested activity during their visit. We had a great time and found some wonderful gems. I went back several weeks later and had some gems made into jewelry for gifts for those who mined the gems with me. Would highly recommend this!

We were on vacation and came in with a party of 12, including 6 small children. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and very accommodating. We got the wheel barrel, and all left with a ton of stuff. I wish I could give them 10 stars!

The staff was very nice and helpful, and they have a space to gem mine indoors. However, the smallest bucket for the gem mining is 40$ for small mediocre gems. If you love gem mining do yourself a favor and go to Asheville, this was a complete rip off.

This place was next to our hotel and perfect spot for food and drinks. It was a Tuesday night and locals night with $4.00 pints of beer and ciders. The beers was very good with many to choose from and of excellent quality. There was a fun atmosphere with plenty of locals and very dog friendly. The food truck out the back pumped out the food and although our pizza was a little burnt on the edges it was tasty and delicious. Great service from the bar staff and definitely recommend.

Appalachian Mountain Brewery never ceases to amaze me. Their selection of beer, music, food, and atmosphere are superb. I was a regular when they first opened and for several years after and now come when back in Boone. At no point from then until now can I say I had a bad beer or a bad time at AMB! I would definitly recommend visiting here.

The BEST PIZZA in town!! A rustic, casual setting that serves craft beer brewed on site. Their selection is HUGE! They have indoor and outdoor seating. You order your food at their own food truck called Farm to Flame where the best pizza in town is made! Facts!! Dog Friendly. If you're looking for a local place to eat pizza and grab a beer or two, go here.

Really nice place to relax and enjoy great beer. Staff was really welcoming and answered our questions with patience and a smile. The food truck in the courtyard was a great surprise. I'll definitely be back next time I visit Boone!

Come here every time I’m in town. It’s a nice outdoor, cozy indoor atmosphere. Live music adds to it. Plenty of space outdoors for kids and/or pets. Plus great, thoughtfully made local beer. And military discount. Hard to beat.

Great beer selection for everyones preference. Sours, IPAs, Ales, and Wine. The bonus is the food truck baking some crispy thin pizza. Dog friendly with great vibe.

good atmosphere here. beers are also good! ample shade from umbrellas for outdoor seating. glad to see they expanded their parking area since the last time i was there! line at the bar can get pretty long, but it’s always moved quickly. staff is also friendly and welcoming

Love this place! The staff is friendly, the ambiance is fun, and the pizzas from the (permanent) food truck are simply delicious! We came on a Tuesday night, deemed “locals night”, so you can drink like a local. 😄 I believe the beers and ciders were on special for $4 and $5 each. It’s nearly impossible to find good drink specials these days, especially at breweries, so we were more than excited for this deal! Can’t wait to return when we are in town next. And did I mention the pizza? The sauce…🤤 so good!

Came for the Hazy IPAs but ended up loving other beers even more. So many interesting combinations and a fun-loving atmosphere. Wait staff was friendly and getting beers was a very streamlined experience. Excited to return to see what else they have come up with!

We clearly found the locals favorite brewery! Our first time in Boone and we arrived to the brewery by 12p.m. when they opened within an hour the parking lot was filled! We enjoyed how there was plenty of space between tables we don't like our dog bothering people so we always appreciate that. We tried the sour, a few ciders, and their stouts. Everything was delicious and the food truck outside has the best margarita pizza we have ever had, we had to order 2!

I can’t give this place enough stars! I came specifically for the cider as I’m not a beer drinker. The cider was the best I’ve had!! I had to get a couple cases to take home with me. The atmosphere was great also. We arrived about 12 and not longer after that did it start getting busy. We tried the Farm to Flame pizza and it was terrific!! Overall I will definitely be coming back here my next trip to Boone!!

If your on the parkway and looking for a beautiful and not too long of a hike, you should check out the cascades. It's not too bad of a hike. Yes your going to have the overgrown roots and large steps but it's nature! 😆. With all the overlooks on the parkway, it sure is nice to have something a little different to check out. If your around the area go have a look and get back to me.

Beautiful park, easy walk in good weather. Some fairly challenging steps towards the bottom for anyone not well balanced. Nice water fall and overlooks.

Beautiful trail, stunning waterfall. The lower half is closed, but the upper half is very muddy, tread carefully.

Awesome little waterfall trail. Can't really get a good look from below the fall if you stay on the trail like you're supposed to. Has plenty of steps near the bottom so not handicap or disable friendly. Definitely worth hiking to.

beautiful, easy hike. I believe it was a mile round trip to and from the falls. A loop that can be done either way from the start. Neat waterfall but amazing view right from the parking lot too.

Definitely easy hike... short, but splendid views.... some routed were closed, but that's okay because the waterfall makes up for that! Any age can do this trail, along with if you have lunch, they have picnic tables for your convenience.

Very great park right off the parkway. We did both trails. The one trail on the right side of the parking lot is easy for all age groups. The trail leads to the replica of past homesteads. The trail to the left of the parking lot is slightly more challenging but still doable for .out age groups. The trail leads to the Cascades, an incredible waterfall. Though its difficult to see the entire waterfall because of the trees, it's still completely breathtaking. Definitely a wonderful stop!!!

My 2yr old did this trail fine. The bottom part to see the waterfall is currently (7/4/23) closed but you can see the top part of it. Once getting to the top part it gets muddy. There are bathrooms at the beginning. Normally takes about 20mins to complete, about .8 of a mile length. No sidewalks, not good for wheelchairs. Does get bumpy, some steps. Don't forget your bug spray and if you packed it in, pack it out 🫶

It is right off the blue ridge parkway with plenty of parking. The trail is about a mile round trip and well marked. There are many landings and steps to see the waterfall. It is quite spectacular

So, the course is unique with all the hills. You'll never play a course like this again. However, this course needs some TLC. The last hole was missing the green mat for the last part, tons of busted brick/parts/etc. HOWEVER, for being in a touristy area, the cost is very reasonable. $28 on a Saturday let my family (2 adults, 2 kids) play. Overall, I recommend this place, but just set your expectations appropriately 😁

Very nice staff. Interesting course kept us on our toes. Very glad we went.

Played there last month and our group loved the mini golf course! Was very hilly and tricky at times but it was also a great challenge. Needs some TLC but most greens were in fair condition.

Simple, old school putt putt. Very challenging. A little pricey ($10/ea) for what it is, but with today’s economy I guess it’s necessary to pay the bills. Really sweet lady working the shop when we visited. Lots of fun!

When other attractions wear you down and you need to (just) go "old school" --- head here for some good old-fashioned fun. Some of the holes are quite challenging--- and on occasion --- you might chase it down the hill if things get a little wild! We love putt-putt, so this was a very nice time for us. ⛳️

We had so much fun at this mini golf course! We will do this every time we are in Boone!

Came here with my boyfriend and my son at 10am on a Tuesday, which was when google said they were open, however, they were closed and their sign said they opened at 11am. No worries. We killed some time and came back at 11. They still were not open. Several other families were gathered waiting for them to open as well. One lady even said she called up the day before and was told they would be open. We waited for about half an hour and no one showed up. Update your hours so we don't have to disappoint our children please.

Very unique course since it is on a hillside. Lots of fun.

I remember playing on this course when I was a kid. That was back when it was magic mountain. Visited today for the first time in years, and greatly enjoyed it. The course is almost the same as it used to be (minus the water and a couple of hole placements). Price was reasonable, and we loved the butterfly bushes and all the butterflies fluttering around while we were playing.

We decided to visit on a rainy afternoon. We were the only people there so we really got to spend some time looking around. The setting and buildings are really beautiful. The problem is so much of the gardens have not been kept up and now require alot of maintenance to get them back in shape. Weeding, mulching, clean-up even poison ivy. We left a donation and I know everyone is short staffed in Boone, so we are crossing our fingers they get some help or volunteers.

The park is small but when it's in bloom the flowers and foliage are very beautiful. Typically, there is no one at the entrance of the park but there is a visitor book where you can record your name and where you are from. The is no entrance fee, but they do take donations at the entrance. The landscaping is nice and the grounds are well kept. It has shaded areas, a small pond and a few chairs and tables throughout. Information about the plants can be found on signs around the garden. It is relatively quiet and a great place to spend time reading or picnicking. You can also find some historical cabins in the park and nearby at Horn In the West, related to the journey of Daniel Boone. During the summer months, the Farmer's Market is set up right beside the gardens. You cannot purchase plants at Daniel Boone Gardens, but I highly recommend making a trip to the farmers market then visiting the gardens. There is also a playground adjacent to this park which has been recently renovated, complete with swings, jungle gyms and picnic shelters. There is an arboretum, called Strawberry Hill, across the street from the garden as well.

Not very large, but what a fantastic place. Very informative and promotes seed sharing. Big thank you to all the Volunteers that make this possible. Great place to have a small picnic or just bring a book and relax in nature.

I loved the Daniel Boone Native Garden. The Mountain Mint was teeming with pollinators, the pond was a chorus of amphibians, and the blooms were gorgeous. It was definitely worth the stop.

It has potential but it looked very unkempt. I could have just gone for a walk in the woods. We went for fairy day, which basically was a tiny craft fair. It might be a fun free event if you have very small children.

Such a beautiful place to visit! Plenty of benchs and trees that provide shady areas. Good place for a stroll or plant identification practice! Donations are appreciated but not required for entry. My favorite part was the fern garden. I will definitely be back!

Love the free native plant seed program. Plant native!