Excerpt taken from exploreblackmountain.com
With a population over 8000, it has been ranked “One of the 50 Safest Towns in North Carolina” as well as the “Best Small Town in Western North Carolina.” Boasting spectacular mountain views, it was recently voted by Trip Advisor as one of the “Prettiest Small Towns in America to Vacation.”
Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley is rich in arts, crafts, and music. It is currently home to over 200 businesses, including restaurants, bed and breakfasts, specialty shops, breweries, and a recently announced large manufacturing operation. Because of its hospitality to visitors and businesses alike, it has been designated as an “Entrepreneurial Friendly Community.”
The surrounding mountains offer walking, hiking, biking trails, greenways, camping, trout fishing, lakes, and nearby waterfalls. The valley is home to six major conference centers, two colleges, and summer camps.
Visitors and residents love to stroll through Black Mountain’s attractive Town Square, with beautiful landscaping and oversized rocking chairs, as well as numerous gift shops, galleries, antique stores, ice cream parlors, and craft stores. There is also an authentic old fashioned general store, art galleries, museum, and restored train depot selling arts & crafts.
After a delicious meal at one of 35 fine restaurants, enjoy a leisurely walk around Lake Tomahawk. It offers a well-lighted level path for safe strolling for day or evening. Black Mountain is a “Pet-Friendly” community.
The best thing to do in Black Mountain is to lean back in one of the many rockers that line the streets of “the Little Town that Rocks,” take in the scenery, and breathe in magical, rejuvenating mountain air.