Just a 1.5-hour drive from Asheville, Banner Elk, NC, is the perfect cozy mountain getaway for delicious eats at budget-friendly prices, local shopping, and…alpacas! Plan your visit with our quick Banner Elk day trip/overnight itinerary, great for first-time visitors and those who want to eat, drink, and be merry in High Country.
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Before You Go: Fall and winter are the best months to visit Banner Elk for the Woolly Worm Festival, fall foliage, and winter sports. Think skiing, skating, snow tubing, snowboarding, sledding, and more at Sugar Mountain Resort and Beech Mountain.
However, there are plenty of things to do year-round. Tom and I are highlighting what we enjoy to get you started, but we also have so much more to explore. 📸 All photos and experiences are our own. 💙 Christine
Banner Elk Overnight Itinerary
Use this quick snapshot to plan your Banner Elk getaway. Then, keep scrolling for more details, including in-depth recommendations. You might also enjoy these Asheville day trips and nearby mountain cities/towns.
Arriving In Banner Elk
- Morning tour at Apple Hill Farm (book in advance)
- Coffee and lunch at Banner Elk Café
- Nearby shopping
- Ice cream stop at Be Scooped
- Drinks at the Blind Elk Tap Room
- Dinner at Uncle Lee’s Asian Bistro
Waking Up In Banner Elk
- Stop into the Banner Elk Book Exchange
- Walk The Tate-Evans Greenway Trail
- Lunch at Williams Deli & Bakery (stop into Country Bumpkin Candles & Boutique next door)
- Banner Elk Winery, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, or Kettell Beerworks
More Nearby
- Linville Falls Winery
- More Towns To Visit: Boone and Blowing Rock
- Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Hiking: Linville Falls, Grandfather Mountain, and numerous waterfalls
Things To Do In Banner Elk
⛄️ Along with the winter sports mentioned above (we won’t mansplain here) 🎿, these are just a few great Banner Elk attractions worth experiencing.
P.S. If you are traveling with kids, you might be interested in the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster, Sugar Creek Gem Mine, and Replay Arcade.
Visit The Alpacas At Apple Hill Farm
🎟️ Touring Apple Hill Farm is great for all ages, including families with children and adults. 🦙
They require reservations to meet their alpacas, llamas, pigs, horses, dogs, goats, and donkeys on an hour-long educational tour. This is a working farm with a sweet souvenir shop selling honey, plushies, clothing, and more. They also have a shop in Downtown Banner Elk.
Peruse The Shelves At Banner Elk Book Exchange
📚 You know Tom and I are active bookish travelers. Located in the Historic Banner Elk School, donate and ‘shop’ for all-ages, used books at Banner Elk Book Exchange. 📰
Run by friendly volunteers, either exchange your books for new ones or leave a monetary donation for any books you’d like to take with you. You won’t leave empty-handed.
Stroll Tate-Evans Park & Greenway Trail
🌲 With multiple playground areas, picnic tables, and nearby parking that is central to Historic Banner Elk, stroll the 1.1-mile paved walkways at Tate-Evans Park. You can even pick up the trail from the edge of the Book Exchange. 🐶
The greenway is a safe, accessible, and easy way to get outside and enjoy the scenery. You’ll see locals walking their dogs, and in the summer, watch a concert in the park.
Shop For Candles, Outdoor Apparel, Alpaca Socks, Old-Fashioned Candy, & More
🛍️ Find anything from art galleries and a snowboard shop to a pet store and Apple Hill Farm Outpost. Mountain Emporium sells beautiful furniture. Banner Elk boasts the original Mast General Store, filled with outdoor clothing/equipment and old-school candy. 🍭
Tom and I love stocking up on candles from Country Bumpkin Candle Co. On the drive into Banner Elk from Asheville, Newland has the coolest seasonal holiday shop, Snowy Mountain Christmas Shop & Sweets (May through Dec.).
Where To Eat
Banner Elk is filled with great restaurants. A few that our readers recommend include Bayou, Stonewalls Restaurant, Sorrento’s Italian Bistro, and LP on Main. Tom and I have a few favorites too:
Williams Deli & Bakery
🥪 Build your own sandwich? Yes, please! Williams Deli & Bakery is a sandwich shop I literally crave from Asheville. 🥣
Along with salads, soups, and bursting-with-meat sandwiches, they have fantastic seasonal coffee beverages, breakfast items, and baked goods. Sit inside or out, and make sure to go in very hungry.
Uncle Lee’s Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar
🍣 If you’ve been with us for a while, you know that Tom and I believe sushi should be its own food group. Uncle Lee’s Asian Bistro is a must, featuring both Thai and sushi dishes for lunch and dinner. 🥢
You cannot go wrong with chicken pad thai paired with specialty sushi rolls that are little pieces of art. If it’s a nice evening, sit outside to catch a beautiful sunset.
Banner Elk Café
🍔 Banner Elk Café promises something for everyone for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is a cafe, lodge, and coffee menu – basically three restaurants in one. 🍕
For a no-frills, budget-friendly, and casual tavern, find anything from traditional burgers and pizza to salads, entrees like steak and ribs, and appetizers including wings and nachos.
BE Scooped
🍨 Of course, there is always room for dessert. Head to BE Scooped for ice cream, milkshakes, coffee, and other sweet treats. 🍦
Just keep in mind that it’s a small shop with no restrooms. Be Scooped is near the arcade.
Where To Drink
There are plenty of watering holes in and around Banner Elk. Just a few we love:
Blind Elk Tap Room
🍻 I am a sucker for Prosecco on tap. The Blind Elk Tap Room is our top recommendation if you want to try local craft beers from neighboring cities and towns like Boone, Blowing Rock, Asheville, Hickory, and Charlotte. 🥂
For our non-beer drinkers, enjoy cider, wine, and hard seltzers. They are pet-friendly with indoor and outdoor seating.
Kettell Beerworks
🍺 Banner Elk even has its own craft brewery, Kettell Beerworks. Family and pet-friendly, they serve pizza and wings along with delicious brews (many of which are gluten-reduced). 🍕
I most enjoy their Kolsch, seasonal Oktoberfest, and Stouts. They do a great job with many German beers.
Banner Elk Winery
🍷 Sangria and wine flights? Mulled wine in the winter? Banner Elk Winery is incredibly cozy and sits just outside of the historic downtown (about a 5-minute drive). 🍾
They have a gorgeous taproom with a fireplace that I never want to leave during the colder months. If it’s nice, sit outside. Order snacks and play a round of tic-tac-toe.
Grandfather Vineyard & Winery
🍷 Talk about a winery you want to skip up to (and Tom did!): Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is one of the prettiest we’ve been to in the NC Mountains. It boasts stellar views of Grandfather Mountain. Grab a flight, listen to live music, and possibly catch a food truck. It’s incredibly serene, and I most like their Big Boulder Red. 🏔️
Just know that during peak times, they grow extremely busy. Grandfather Vineyard is pet and kid-friendly.
Linville Falls Winery
🎄 A Christmas tree farm and vineyard, Linville Falls Winery makes for a great stop if you are headed back to Asheville, hiking nearby, or going to Banner Elk after lunch. We always pass it when we take the scenic route. 🍷
Another always jumping winery, we love coming here for live music, relaxing vineyard views, and of course, wine. Tom and I enjoy their snack selection, and they are dog and kid-friendly.
Where We Stay In Banner Elk
We are looking forward to making Banner Elk one of our annual fall traditions and overnighting at different properties. Two that come highly recommended include the Little Main Street Inn and Bluegreen Vacations Blue Ridge Village. We’ve stayed at:
The Lodge at Banner Elk
🏨 For a budget-friendly hotel near the heart of it all (with parking), we recommend The Lodge at Banner Elk. This is a converted Best Western across the street from Williams Deli & Bakery. ☕️
I most appreciate that their rooms have a mini-fridge, coffee maker, and microwave. You will still have to drive and park in the Historic Banner Elk area, but it is cozy, comfortable, and convenient with friendly staff.
Plan Your Banner Elk Visit With Our Short Video Itinerary
🌿 Still undecided about Banner Elk? Watch our short video filled with sweet farm animals, beautiful fall vistas, delicious food, and blazing fireplaces. 🐐
Have you visited Banner Elk? Did you stay overnight? Let us know your favorite things to do and places to eat in the immediate area.