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A North Carolina destination is nestled in the mountains — and it’s a gateway to stunning fall foliage, a new report finds.
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So much so, Blowing Rock ranks among the nation’s trendiest places to visit this autumn.
The small town was named one of the top 10 places travelers most want to spend their weekends as the temperature gets cooler. The list comes from the vacation rental website Airbnb, which said people are increasingly building wishlists that focus on fall travel.
“Rather than planning extended vacations, travelers are opting for shorter trips that make the most of the season, whether that means driving winding backroads to catch peak foliage or spending an afternoon in an orchard,” Airbnb wrote in a report published in August.
To determine the hot spots for weekend getaways, Airbnb said it studied activity on its website from the second quarter of this year and compared it to the same time period in 2025. It focused on searches U.S. travelers conducted for trips they were interested in taking from September through November.
Blowing Rock — home to about 1,300 people — is a roughly 90-mile drive west from Winston-Salem. It was the only place in North Carolina to earn a spot on the national list.
“High-elevation views along the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside town deliver some of the region’s most dramatic fall color,” Airbnb wrote in its report.
In the area, leaves usually start to change color “the last week of September to the fourth week of October,” with timing that varies with elevation. In addition to leaf peeping, travelers can experience a slate of fall activities, according to the High Country Visitors’ Guide and Blowing Rock tourism websites.
It’s not the first time Blowing Rock has received wide recognition. The town ranked No. 1 on a list of the best mountain towns for retirees, based on economic and quality-of-life factors that appeal to older adults, The News & Observer previously reported.
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Blowing Rock also has been named the top small town in the state and one of the most-loved in the South. In its reporting, Southern Living magazine praised the fan-favorite destination for its charming downtown and proximity to scenic views.
“Blowing Rock is no one-hit wonder,” the magazine wrote in 2023. “Expect plenty of High Country character from a community of talented craftspeople and chefs inspired by their surroundings.”
The honor from Airbnb adds to the seasonal acclaim for North Carolina destinations. In the past, Asheville and Great Smoky Mountains National Park have ranked among the nation’s best places for fall travel.
If you’re dreaming of a mountain getaway in the coming weeks, you may want to plan ahead. Though many tourist attractions are open, parts of the region are continuing to rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Helene in 2024.
On the latest list from Airbnb, here are the other top fall destinations that increasingly appealed to U.S. travelers year-over-year:
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This story was originally published September 16, 2026 at 10:59 AM with the headline “This NC destination is one of the nation’s trendiest for fall trips, Airbnb says.”
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