| |
The peaceful farmland and small towns of the Swannanoa Valley include Black Mountain, Montreat, Swannanoa and Ridgecrest. This slice of small town America offers a rich array of resources, natural and made by man, that rewards residents and visitors alike.
The natural landscape is a wonderful backdrop for outdoor activity. Fishing, hiking and golf are popular pastimes. It’s also an inspiration for some of the other things that define our area -- art, music, the contemplative life. Perhaps because they are inspired to paint the beauty they see, artists congregate here; there are many museums, arts and crafts centers and, of course, galleries and shops that offer the artists’ creations to view and to take home to enjoy later.
The valley offers many camps and conference centers that use the nature as a starting point for enriching the soul. Thousands of kids call up fond memories of summers spent at Rockmont, Merri-Mac, Ridgecrest, Crestridge, Timberland or one of the other camps in the area. Similarly, thousands of adults can recall an inspirational moment at Billy Graham’s legendary evangelical retreat The Cove, or the Montreat Conference Center or the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. Two popular colleges in the valley, Warren Wilson College and Montreat College, offer enrichment for the mind, too...and memories in a category all their own, the lazy, hazy days of student life.
The Monte Vista Hotel is an excellent home base for exploring all that Swannanoa Valley has to offer. Just a short stroll down West State Street is the Swannanoa Valley Museum which offers a wonderful way to explore the cultural, social and natural history of the valley through exhibits and events.
|
|
 |
|
|
