High Country’s Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
Carriage rides offer an iconic romantic experience, yet do they pose any significant dangers for horses?
Ryder was an undernourished carriage horse which went viral when its video of him collapsing onto a Manhattan sidewalk caused shockwaves among animal rights supporters and fans of animal welfare.
Animal rights activists often condemn the carriage-horse industry as abusive and cruel, while its supporters emphasize its romantic association with history while offering employment to people.
Sleigh Rides
Breckenridge offers many horse-drawn sleigh options to allow riders to dash through the snow at their leisure, whether that means scenic rides with views of town and ski resort lights, dinner sleigh rides with hearty meals at an outdoor camp, or any combination thereof – perfect for families, couples or groups of friends alike!
Breckenridge Stables offers an hour-long scenic sleigh ride complete with hot cocoa and homemade cookies (and for adults a bottle of schnapps!). Their Belgian draft horses, such as Mr. Tom – an enormously large spotted horse who enjoys all of the attention – pull these beautiful sleighs. Golden Horseshoe Tours also provides romantic cherry red carriage sleigh rides that you can share with someone special or share among a group.
Two Below Zero offers dinner sleigh rides as an unforgettable winter excursion. Their quiet 20-minute journey offers panoramic mountain vistas under starry night skies before arriving at their backcountry camp to be met by an antique wood stove to warm their cabin, where a three-course meal and entertainment from either an acoustic guitarist or singer await them.
At this experience, you’ll see fresh elk tracks in the snow and view aspen tree shadows cast against moonlight. While in your sleigh ride, your hosts will share stories, crack cheesy jokes and get you excited for an incredible meal coming your way in your cabin. A perfect way to commemorate an anniversary or proposal!
Few companies also provide wagon rides during the summer that are less strenuous than sleigh rides; the experience can still be fun but lacks its authentic feeling. Cache Creek Outfitters provides summer wagon rides with some of the same ambience of winter sleigh rides, with Victorian and Surrey two-seater carriages as well as Vis-A-Vis carriages to accommodate larger groups; visitors can even have lunch before or after their ride!
Wine Tours
Wine Tours
Vineyards located close together make it possible for wine enthusiasts to easily visit several vineyards during a single day tour. Most wines produced here tend towards dry styles while sweet options can also be found here. High Country’s vineyards have much to offer including wide selection of wines, vineyard tours, events such as vineyard walks or farm-to-table pairing dinners as well as wine clubs – among many others!
Join in a harvest celebration weekend!
Wine enthusiasts will savor this tour that takes them through several North Fork wineries as well as an ancient blueberry farm that produces this region’s signature crop in late July/early August. Along the way you’ll sample different wines while learning their production techniques while taking in breathtaking mountainous scenery.
From Boone, travel NC 105 South along Valle Crucis towards Grandfather Vineyard & Winery located below Grandfather Mountain’s towering dark peaks. Here you’ll discover a charming tasting room and production facility set alongside the Watauga River with gorgeous vineyards as a backdrop.
Wine in North Carolina is produced primarily in three American Viticulture Areas – Yadkin Valley, Swan Creek and Crest of the Blue Ridge American Viticulture Areas – with beautiful mountainous terrain providing scenic backdrops that enhance the taste of wines produced here. Wines produced here tend to be dryer and more robust than their counterparts elsewhere in the state.
This tour features wine, fruit and cheese samples, a picnic lunch and a visit to an apple orchard nearby – with outdoor seating options and scenic scenery that is easily accessible from Asheville.
This tour is especially popular during the summer and fall seasons, although it’s available all year round. While winter presents some unique challenges such as wineries being closed due to snowfall or other inclement weather issues, it still warrants consideration as an excursion option.
Historical Tours
The High Country of North Carolina is an expansive region with a long and distinguished history. Established in the 1980s to give locals and visitors alike an identity to embrace, its mountainous terrain, natural beauty and distinct culture make for an irresistibly inviting destination all year long. Summer offers great winery tours and hiking trails while winter provides ample ski fields.
Beechworth was profoundly changed by European immigration during the Gold Rush Era and you can still feel their influence today in towns like Beechworth. Cattlemen once called these plains home and built their houses from wood and mud to withstand their rugged conditions while grazing their herds across vast open spaces – leaving a legacy of iconic cattleman’s huts such as Cope and Wallace Huts as an intriguing look into rural life on the high plains.
Experience the rich heritage of the High Country at one of its museums or historic sites. Visit Annie Oakley’s historic home in Bennington or stroll through Boone’s Historic District – Margaret Mitchell wrote part of Gone With the Wind while living here during her late 1890s residency!
On a horseback or wagon ride, experience history like never before with JR’s Carriage Service’s variety of tours that include vineyard tours, pub crawls, sunset rides, orchard & fruit stand tours and downtown historical tours. Sleigh rides will bring joy to kids!
Visit the theatre on select Wednesdays starting at 1 pm for a guided tour that’s completely free and run by staff with firsthand insights into its history. Visitors can stroll through historic photo gallery, audience areas and backstage areas before hearing stories of its past life from staff members themselves.
Discover the best of both worlds on a jeep and horseback tour! Start off off-road in a Jeep designed to handle rough terrain before enjoying an alpine horseback ride for one hour – this small group tour is great for families, providing plenty of photo opps along the way! Your guides will ensure this small group tour meets its objectives flawlessly.
Weddings
Weddings are special days, and nothing beats starting the celebration off right with an unforgettable horse-drawn carriage ride to kickstart it all. Your guests will marvel and marvel at this breathtaking way to send off bride and groom. Moke Lake was chosen by this lovely couple as their venue and this stunning photoshoot by Kath from One Fine Day captured every beautiful detail of this lovely momentous occasion!
Mr. Tom, a North American Spotted Draft is very handsome and beloved among his fellow carriage horses in town. He’s smart and enjoys all the praise from passengers while on shift; perhaps even dreaming of food!
Are you searching for an unforgettable mountain adventure weekend or romantic send off with family and friends? Look no further than High Country’s horse-drawn carriage rides for fun-filled weekend adventures and unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime! There’s something here for everyone and the memories will endure for generations. No matter your activity of choice – from sleigh rides and wine tours to historical tours – High Country has something special in store for you! Nestled within North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, our High Country is filled with beauty, adventure and fun year-round! Immerse yourself in this mountain community by attending theatre performances at App State and local venues, attending outdoor concerts and exploring its distinctive shopping and dining offerings. Or explore its natural environment by hiking its miles of trails that feature different lengths, terrain and difficulties – you won’t want to leave!