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No rapids, no experience required — just a relaxing float near Boone and Blowing Rock
Tubing down the New River is an easy way to cool off in the summer. (Photos: Tony Mecia/The Mountain Ledger)
You don't need rapids to have a good time on a river. Out on the New River, about 20 minutes north of Boone, the water barely moves. You head out with some friends or family, rent some tubes, pack some drinks and let the current do the rest for a couple of hours.
It's about as low-effort as a day out gets, and it’s especially welcome to be on the cold water on hot summer days. Plus, you get to say you’ve been active and outdoorsy, but while lounging for two hours on an inner tube. That’s the appeal.
The basics
Two main outfitters run trips on this stretch of the New River, both a short drive from Boone and Blowing Rock: Wahoo's Adventures and High Mountain Expeditions. Both rent tubes, cooler tubes and paddles, and both send you down a slow, shallow stretch of water. There's no whitewater here, no rapids — just a flat, easy current, good for kids and grandparents alike.
What to do
Reserve online ahead of time. When you arrive, you park, check in, and can leave your keys behind the counter so you're not carrying them into the water. Wear a swimsuit or quick-dry shorts, and bring old sneakers or water shoes for the stretches where the water's shallow enough that you'll be walking your tube through.
At Wahoo's, a shuttle bus takes you upriver first, and you float back down to the outpost. At High Mountain Expeditions, you park, tube, then bus back.
The trip typically runs two to three hours depending on water levels. The cost is the same at both: $26 per person. Cooler tubes are $15.
Paddles are also available to rent, which helps on the stretches where you drift toward the bank and need to steer back into the current.
Good to know
The water is calm and shallow, not fast-moving. It's a trip for any age.
Depending on water levels, expect at least one stretch where you'll need to get out and walk your tube.
Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a towel and a change of clothes — you will get wet.
Dogs are welcome. Some dogs do fine, while others might want to stay home.
The move
Rent the cooler tube. Pack your own drinks and snacks. If you have a waterproof Bluetooth speaker and phone case, you can play music, too. Or you can rent those.
Then just float. Fellow tubers make prime people-watching, and it’s a tranquil experience. It’s one of the more enjoyable ways to spend a hot afternoon outdoors without much planning.
And if you’re headed to Boone, Blowing Rock or Banner Elk afterward, you might consider stopping by the brewery Booneshine on your way back to cap off your day. You (kinda) earned it.
Other water adventures: If you want actual whitewater rafting, the closest action is on the Watauga River. Several outfitters organize half-day excursions on Class I-III rapids that leave out of Banner Elk and go just across the border into Tennessee ($90-$100 per person). For calmer water, you might consider Price Lake off the Blue Ridge Parkway, which has canoeing and paddleboarding.
THINGS TO DO
Rick Springfield in concert, horse show, Chetola ‘Toast & Taste’ festival, Jon Pardi plays App State
THURSDAY
"Rick Springfield," 7:30 p.m., at Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, 733 Rivers St., Boone. Over four decades, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has sold 25 million albums and racked up 17 U.S. Top 40 hits, including "Jessie's Girl" and "Don't Talk to Strangers." Part of An Appalachian Summer Festival's 2026 lineup. $25 (App State students) to $75, depending on tier.
THURSDAY-SUNDAY
“Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show," 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at Broyhill Equestrian Preserve, off Laurel Lane, Blowing Rock. The oldest continually running outdoor horse show in the country rolls on with Hunter/Jumper competition — good people-watching, good horse-watching, and a nice excuse to sit outside for a while. $10 per day, ages 12 and under free, cash only at the gate.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
"Chetola Resort Toast & Taste Festival," 185 Chetola Lake Drive, Blowing Rock. This food and wine festival features wineries, distilleries and Michelin-recognized chefs set up across several "tasting neighborhoods." Plus live music, outdoor experiences and a farmers market. Day passes are $75 a day, with several add-ons including a Tequila Sunrise Brunch (Sunday, $85) and a “Bubbles & Q” champagne-and-BBQ event ($75).
SATURDAY
"Art in the Park," 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Park Avenue, Blowing Rock (132 Park Ave.). This 63-year-old juried show fills Park Avenue with tents from roughly 90 regional artists working in everything from pottery to woodwork to jewelry — worth a slow walk even if you're not buying. Free. Park at Shoppes on the Parkway and take the free shuttle if downtown spots are full.
"Jon Pardi Live in the High Country," 7 p.m. show, Kidd Brewer Stadium, 270 Stadium Drive, Boone. The multi-platinum country hitmaker behind "Head Over Boots," "Dirt on My Boots" and four other No. 1 singles brings his show to the App State Mountaineers' home field, his first time playing Boone. Tickets starting at $57 on Ticketmaster.
PLANNING AHEAD
Daingerfield’s/Peppervine dinner: Westglow Resort & Spa will host a collaborative dinner Aug. 7 featuring Chef Micheal Armes of Westglow and Chef Matt Deering of Charlotte's Peppervine restaurant, who will prepare a three-course, locally sourced menu with wine pairings. The event launches a chef exchange series that will continue with a follow-up dinner at Peppervine in Charlotte. Tickets are $125. More info.
🎵 Live music this weekend
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY
Town Tavern, 1182 Main St, Blowing Rock. The Neighbors Thu at 5 p.m. on the patio, Mystic Vibrations Fri at 9 p.m. inside, Matt Estes Sat at 4 p.m. on the patio. Free.
FRIDAY
"Music on the Lawn," 5:30-8:30 p.m., The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 203 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock. This week: If Birds Could Fly. Free outdoor concert on the inn's lawn. Cash bar and lawn menu available. Bring a lawn chair and arrive early. No pets, coolers, or outside food and drinks. Free.
"Summer Concerts at the Jones House," 5:30 p.m., Jones House, 604 West King Street, Boone. This week: Paddyak and Lauren Hayworth & Friends. Free outdoor concert on the lawn. Bring a blanket or chair. Rain or shine. Free parking downtown after 5 p.m. Free.
SATURDAY
"Live Music at the Barnyard," 6-8 p.m., Mast Farm Inn, 2543 Broadstone Road, Valle Crucis. This week: Will Easter. Live music alongside farm animals, draft beer, wine, snacks, and yard games. Dogs and kids are welcome. Free.
REAL ESTATE WATCH
An affordable Sugar Grove mountain home offers views, river access and ‘rustic charm’
A cozy mountain cottage in Sugar Grove just got a price cut, and it has nearby river access and long-range views. Worth a look if you’re browsing the market and looking for an affordable mountain cabin.
(Photos by High Country MLS)
It’s about 20 minutes west of Boone, toward the Tennessee border. Details:
Price: $350,000 (down $10,000 from the original ask)
Size: 2 bed, 2 bath, 1,459 sq. ft. on 2.2 acres, built in 1985
Features: Updated plumbing, refreshed deck, two outdoor decks and easy public access to the Watauga River
From the listing: "This charming wood-sided mountain home offers the perfect blend of rustic charm and modern comfort. … The open-concept living space boasts large windows that frame breathtaking panoramic views of the mountains, flooding the home with natural light."
The details: 304 McGuire Road, Sugar Grove. Listing agent: James Kemper, Mountainscape Realty.
Quotable: Blowing Rock resident warns of health risks of deer overpopulation
Blowing Rock resident David Sweet, speaking to the Blowing Rock Town Council last week:
I'm here to talk to you about deer overpopulation and the results thereof. It is a problem for Blowing Rock. Not just because deer ruin the landscaping. It costs money and effort.
Not just because they run out in front of your car, risking injury and damage to your car and the cost that causes, but also because the overpopulation of deer is becoming a health issue in Blowing Rock.
Deer carry ticks. Ticks carry disease. Ticks don't stay on the deer. They get off and they get on you. This is creating a public health issue. …
[Last August] I passed out on our kitchen floor. Bam. Broke the glass I was holding. There was blood involved. We spent the rest of the day in the emergency room. They were trying to figure out why I passed out. …
The blood test results came back. What did it say? Rocky Mountain spotted fever. …
Deer are not just cute. They're not just a nuisance. With the deer overpopulation, tick-borne diseases have become a public health issue. We manage our storm water. We manage our water and our sewage, our trash and recycling, our traffic and our crime. Why can't we manage our deer population?
We know it can be done. It's been done other places. What it takes first is public approval. We need to mobilize public opinion so that we can convince you that this is something the town needs to do. Let's manage our deer overpopulation before one of you has to catch a tick-borne disease.
Who, me?
🦌 What do you think? Take our poll:
LOCAL NEWS OF NOTE
Blowing Rock trail overhaul, Taco Bell demolished, Grandfather Mountain philanthropist remembered
Renovations ahead: Blowing Rock plans a $1.1 million overhaul of the Annie Cannon Garden and Glen Burney Trail entrance, adding a pavilion, restrooms, gathering spaces and trail safety improvements, with construction expected from spring 2027 through October 2028. (Watauga Democrat)
In case you were craving Taco Bell: The Taco Bell on Blowing Rock Road in Boone has been demolished as part of a $950,000 redevelopment plan to replace it with a slightly smaller, taller restaurant featuring a redesigned drive-thru and fewer impervious surfaces. (Watauga Democrat)
Grandfather Mountain pioneer: Julia Taylor Morton, the longtime civic leader and philanthropist who helped transform Grandfather Mountain into a nonprofit conservation and education foundation after her husband Hugh Morton's death, died Monday at age 100. (Business North Carolina)
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