News & Events

When American poet T.S. Eliot wrote “home is where one starts from,” he may as well have been writing about The Coves Mountain River Club, one of Western North Carolina’s most talked about NC mountain communities. When you live at The Coves in your cozy mountain retreat nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you are surrounded by so much living.

Some folks turn to the Internet to find out which restaurant to try. But here in Blue Ridge country, the friendly folks who run the local inns and Bed & Breakfasts are happy to share that and more.

When you book your trip to visit The Coves Mountain River Club and the surrounding towns of Hickory, Morganton, and Lenoir, be sure to take advantage of the good old-fashioned Southern hospitality from the innkeepers in the surrounding towns. They can help make your Blue Ridge experience that much more memorable. Here are a few of our favorite places to stay in the foothills:

SOUTHERN COLONIAL PLANTATIONS / B & B’s

Irish Rose B&B (1344 Harper Avenue NW, Lenoir, NC Phone 828-758-2323)

The Irish Rose is located in a brick Colonial Revival home, built in 1925. Enjoy a full breakfast each morning cooked to order in the beautiful dining room. Coffee, tea, sodas, and homemade cookies are always available to guests.

Gideon Ridge Inn (202 Gidgeon Ridge Road, Blowing Rock, NC Phone 855-712-6676)

The Gideon Ridge Inn is ten luxury guest rooms located 2 miles from Downtown Blowing Rock. 

Wake up to a hot breakfast and take in the long range mountain views, meander through our old growth gardens, open a book on the patio, relax by the fire, dine in their award winning restaurant.

The New Public House & Hotel (239 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock, NC Phone 828-293-4199)

The New Hotel has seven beautiful, light and airy guest rooms with an informal weathered interior bathed in natural sunlight. The fully renovated baths have large walk-in showers, modern sinks, luxury towels and amenities. 

POPULAR HOTEL CHAINS

Comfort Inn Lenoir (970 Blowing Rock Blvd. NE, Lenoir NC Phone 828-754-2090)

Features a hot breakfast, smoke-free rooms, outdoor pool, fitness center and meeting space. The Comfort Inn® hotel in Lenoir is five minutes from the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center and downtown Main Street.

Hampton Inn Morganton (115 Bush Drive, Morganton, NC Phone 828-432-2000)

Centrally located in the Piedmont Region, this hotel provides easy interstate access. The hotel is within 15 miles of fishing, hiking, jet skiing and biking, and snow skiing is 40 minutes away. Each guest room has a microwave and refrigerator as well as free high-speed internet access, coffeemaker and free hot breakfast. There is a business center as well as a pool and gym.

Courtyard by Marriott Hickory (1946 13th Ave Drive SE Hickory, NC Phone 828-267-2100)

The Hickory Courtyard is located off I-40, just a short distance from all of Hickory’s great restaurants, All guest rooms feature a microwave, refrigerator, a comfortable sitting area, large work desk, two-line phone, complimentary Wi-Fi/High-speed internet, and in-room coffee. Indoor pool and hot tub.

All of these inns and hotels offer a cozy place to stay in the foothills and will give you a taste for what it will be like to “live the dream” of North Carolina mountain living. We recommend you stay for a day or make it three, to visit the charming mountain towns all around The Coves Mountain River Club. We’re confident as you get to know the foothills better, our mountain community is a the place you’ll want to call home.

You won’t have to drive far from our peaceful neighborhood at The Coves before you reach your favorite furniture shop in Hickory, a quaint café in Morganton, or one of many downtown art walks in Lenoir. These are three of the most visited cities by residents of The Coves who love exploring the unlimited treasures of these small mountain towns.

Everyone knows Hickory is the spot for homegrown quality wood furniture. And if your furniture shopping moods tend to change with the seasons, no problem! There are plenty of options here. Whether you want to explore the grand show rooms of Hickory’s expansive factory outlet malls or browse a small mom and pop furniture shop for a one-of-a-kind handcrafted armoire, Hickory has it all.

Furniture shopping is just one of many fun things to do in Hickory North Carolina. This is a city that’s been praised multiple times as an “All-American City” and great place to explore. There are some wonderful restaurants, microbreweries, performing arts centers, and nature parks. Hickory is also home to the Hickory Motor Speedway, a favorite attraction not only for NASCAR stars, but for fun-loving folks like you and me. On Saturdays from March through October, this track is open to the public for ride-alongs with experienced speedway drivers.

When you finish thrill-riding on the Hickory Motor Speedway, get back on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, ease up on the accelerator, and take a nice slow drive to the city of Lenoir. You’ll want to drink in more scenery, more culture, and a nice, cold glass of craft beer. (Local breweries are staples in all these NC small towns. With so many fresh ingredients from this bountiful region, it only makes sense to blend them into the brews to create some truly NC-inspired handcrafted beers.)

Downtown Lenoir has a sculpture walking tour that combines scavenger hunting with art appreciation. Local Lenoir painters display their work as part of the “Brush and Palette Art Club” public gallery at the Caldwell County governmental building. Other downtown art walks feature pottery, ceramics, watercolors, and fabric paintings on exhibit in Downtown Lenoir. As if the town itself isn’t picturesque enough, these art displays add a whole new level of beauty. And Lenoir’s parks, restaurants, museums, and boutiques offer so many options, you’ll want to keep coming back for more.

Morganton is another nearby town with plenty of things to see and do. Live music festivals, free concerts, and gallery crawls are a great place to start. You’ll want to mark your calendars in advance to make sure you don’t miss your favorite bluegrass artist when they come to town. And while you’re here for the art and music, be sure to stay for the food and beverage. From trendy coffee houses to organic cafés and fine dining options, Morganton NC restaurants are among the best in the area.

A home at The Coves is your peaceful hideaway where a morning of fishing might be followed by a walk along the river’s edge to the community garden where fresh vegetables are ready to be harvested for tonight’s soup. And while the soup simmers, don’t be surprised if one of your friendly neighbors stops in to share a glass of wine from the community’s vineyard.

“Home is where one starts from.” And when your home is at The Coves, it’s a place you will want to keep coming back to.

If you’re exploring the area for the first time, ask for our 70 page complimentary Western North Carolina Visitor’s Guide which will provide more information about living in the foothills.