North Carolina: Boone, Family Vacation Ideas - Snow Tubing, Ice Skating, and Ski Lessons. 
Our family plan was to find a place to go snow tubing together and a keyword search turned up Boone. True we knew nothing about snow tubing but the idea seemed definitively family friendly - the ideal combination for a family winter snow adventure in the mountains.
Boone, located in a sleepy mountain valley, it is truly lovely in the winter, quiet, comfortable and friendly. While it has almost instant name recognition because of well-known American folktales about Daniel Boone, except for the Horn in the Wild summer outdoor play, Daniel Boone had little to do with Boone, NC. Undeterred by this information, we turned our focus to snow tubing which was our real reason for venturing into the mountains.
There are four ski areas Sugar Mountain, Hawksnest, Beech Mountain and Appalachian Ski Mountain within a twenty-minute drive of Boone making snow tubing as well as skiing, boarding, skating or sledding is easy to do. Our original plan was to find a cozy cabin in the woods but we learned that without a four-wheel drive vehicle, our options were limited. Our fall back plan, stay in the Boone area.
Our mountain of choice was Hawksnest Ski Area on Seven Devils Mountain. We knew that they provided exceptional tubing on the mountain and tubing was what we were planning to do. Even though I had concerns for a few minutes, what fun it turned out to be. No training is required. Picture a large inner tube, like the ones often pulled behind a ski boats. Imagine the same soft round tube on lovely white snow; just flop down on it and zoom.
Hawksnest limits the only takes 48 people at a time so that tubers or will get a lot of runs. A rope pull takes each tuber up to the top of the hill. This is a perfect way to introduce a young child to the fun in the snow. Ages three and older are allowed at Hawksnest with parental supervision. Kid’s note: I like tubing at Hawks Nest because it is easy and quick and does not take any practice. I had so much fun I did not want to stop. My Mom kept yelling at me to come in but I never saw her or heard her. She had to come get me. She said I was so busy I wouldn’t have seen an elephant was standing in front of me. What would an elephant be doing on a snow-tubing slope? Need to know: Hawksnest offers a free lesson on each Thursday in January and February so anyone renting skis or snowboards from Hawksnest gets a free beginner lesson.
Tubing out of the way our next snow adventure was ice skating at Beech Mountain. We wanted to check out the ski area anyway for a future visit so this seemed like a good opportunity to do both. The rink is at the base of the ski runs and is surrounded by bleachers on one side and shops on the other. It is the perfect place to play pretend. Pretend to be an Olympic skater or pretend to be a hockey athlete. There was even clapping for one of my graceful ground encounters. Yes, I am the only one in our family with weak ankles. Kid’s note: Ice skating was really exciting because my brother and I were chasing each other around the rink. My dad took many pictures so I could show my friends. Soon my brother started getting bored and he was throwing snowballs at me in the end. It was fun to ice skate with music playing and there is a place to get hot chocolate right away but for me snow tubing is more fun.
Our original intent for trip was to take ski lessons as a family. The plan was to learn together at Appalachian Mountain. Since it is only 20 minutes from Boone we thought it would be easy to do. It was not so easy. A combination of weather and weariness made us all want to sleep late. After our first high-energy day Élan came down with the cold and that was our signal to slow down. We returned to the rink and did a little more tubing but our getaway was off the plan. We still have the plan to experience skiing together it will have to be another time and in another place.
We probably would have found the Dan'l Boone Inn even if we had not been told by a local mom that it was a good place to take children. The inn was built in 1923 and served as a hospital and a rooming house before becoming a restaurant in 1959. All of the servers are dressed in frontier garb. Even though the sign says inn there is no sleeping at this one and reservations are not taken. There is a fixed menu served family style and because it is served family style the food just keeps coming. Desert for us was strawberry shortcake or blueberry cobbler. Kid’s note: I really liked the vegetable soup and I wanted to go back there for every meal because of the blueberry cobbler.
Boone Convention & Visitors Bureau 208 Howard Street Boone, North Carolina 28607. (828) 262.3516 toll-free 1-800-852-9506 or
www.visitboonenc.com
Family Vacation Planning Details
Sugar Mountain Tubing. Located on the Sugar Mountain Golf Course; our 700-ft tubing run has its own lifts, snowmaking, lights for night tubing and is groomed regularly. The tubing area is serviced by a Magic Carpet, which transport riders smoothly to the top of the runs. Weather permitting tubing opens at 10am, last session at 8pm. Need to know: Waivers are required for all children 11 and younger. To speed up your time in the cashier's line, download the waiver, fill it out and bring it with you when you buy your tickets. Sugar Mountain 100 Sugar Ski Drive Banner Elk, NC 28604. (828) 898-4521 or
www.skisugar.com
Hawksnest Tubing Area. The largest snow tubing park in North Carolina, with eight lanes each 1000 feet long providing an unbelievable slide. We have moved our "moving sidewalk" closer to tubing runs to make your trip back to the top easier. Bonus points: On Friday and Saturday Nights, the ultimate ski session in the South is Nighthawk at Hawksnest. Located just off of Highway 105 South between Boone and Banner Elk, North Carolina. 1(828)963-6561 or toll-free 1-800-822-4295 or
www.hawksnest-resort.com
Beech Mountain Ice Skating. Beech mountain features a 7000-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink ideal for family fun. The rink is located in the middle of the Beech Tree Village. NC 105 to NC 184. Follow NC 184 to Ski Beech. Toll-free 1-800-438-2093, 1(828) 387-2011 or
www.skibeech.com
Appalachian Ski Mountain Ice Skating. The outdoor ice skating arena is located in a spectacular scenic setting overlooking the ski slopes on one side, and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the other. The location has an outdoor ice arena with a refrigerated ice floor, and is fully lighted for skating under the stars seven nights a week plus a rink side bonfire. Appalachian Ski Mountain, 940 Ski Mountain Rd. Blowing Rock, NC 28605. 1(828) 295-7828 or
www.appskimtn.com
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