Visitor Information/Blog

Spring sprouts wine, music and trout

Even though Winter is not over ( and it has been a SERIOUS Winter
up here )it is on its way out so thoughts of Spring get us excited
and so do some upcoming local events. Before mentioning the events
let us remind you of our Spring Special when all room rates on any
day of the week are $129 nightly per couple ( there are NO 2 night
minimums ). This special starts March 7th and ends April 28th
( except March 19th & 20th, Bristol Race ).

Trout Fishing
Fishermen are eagerly anticipating the upcoming trout season.
Thousands of Brook,Rainbows and Browns are scheduled to be stocked
on the Watauga River very soon. The Baird House bed & breakfast is
the only inn located on the river which is why many flyfishermen
stay here. To read a local fishing blog see
http://www.foscoefishing.com/blog/.

The 5th Annual Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival….
kicks off April 15th in Blowing Rock. This 3 day event celebrates
the enjoyment of wine, explores the art of winemaking, offers
tastings & cooking classes. The “Fire on the Rock” Chef Challenge
will be held as well as late night entertainment & music. For more
information see www.blueridgewinefestival.com.

MerleFest…
is one of the largest, if not THE largest, folk music festivals in
the U.S. This 4 day long celebration begins April 29th in Wilkesboro
NC just 45 minutes from the Baird House. MerleFest mixes Bluegrass,
folk, jazz, Gospel, rock, Cajun and other other styles. Overall, the
music of MerleFest is considered as “traditional-plus”.
Here is a partial list of featured artists:
* Doc Watson
* Steve Martin ( comedian and banjo player )
* Taj Mahal
* Elvis Costello
* Sam Bush Band
* John Cowan
* George Hamilton IV
* Little Feat
and there are dozens more. See www.merlefest.org.

Congratulations to the winners of our email contest. Gina & Kent
of Winston-Salem, Kathy & Eric of Matthews and Lisa & Gary of
Mooresville will receive champagne & truffles upon their next stay
here. Many thanks to all of you who participated in signing up last
month.

If we may be of any service to you then please call or email us.

Deede & Tom
www.bairdhouse.com

2 New Specials to Present

Complimentary Weekend Supper Special

Isn’t it about time that you “got away from it all”, with out driving too far away, for just a night or two? If your answer is a loud “YES!” then consider this not-to-be-missed Winter Getaway Special!

Beginning Friday January 22nd through Saturday March 6th( except Valentine’s weekend ) we’re offering you a complimentary supper of Deede’s seasonal hearty soups, homemade bread & dessert. Tea, coffee and wine are included. Here’s the idea : check in to your cozy room & after you’ve settled in , join us by the fire in the dining room from 6pm until 8pm for an evening of good food and fellowship. No need to leave the inn, drive to a local restaurant, wait on your food, eat your food, pay the bill then drive back to the inn. The whole idea is to relax.
The next morning you will be treated to a scrumptious country breakfast, served family style, in the dining rooms at 9:00am. If staying for a second night you may join us again for the supper ($25 per couple) or we’re glad to help you with reservations to a favorite local restaurant…your choice.

Celebrate Valentines with a Romantic Getaway Package
$399 per couple

Surprise your Sweetie with two days of Romance and Relaxation at the Baird House B & B.
This special includes two nights accomodations with a full country breakfast each morning, a complimentary chilled bottle of champagne and hand dipped chocolate strawberries, a dozen roses and a $50.00 certificate for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants .Add $40.00 if reserving Appleview or Highlander. This package includes the complimentary supper special when reserving on weekends .
This special is available beginning Friday January 22nd through Saturday March 6th.

For reservations call 1-800-297-1342. Visit us at www.bairdhouse.com.

Holiday weekend ahead

Today, while we were talking about & planning our week, we suddenly
realized that next Monday January 18th ( a week away ) is a Federal
holiday. So,if you have Monday off from work, is the coming weekend
a time when you want to get away for a night or 2? If it is then
consider coming to the Baird House. Tonight, as we write this,
room availabilty & selection is at its best. We still have a lot of
snow on the ground which adds to the beauty of the area, our roads
are in excellent condition and we are finally out of the “deep
freeze” frigid air mass we’ve been under for weeks ( weekend
forecast high temps are much milder,in the upper 30’s/low 40’s
range ).The ski slopes and tubing runs are rockin’ and probably are
in the best shape they’ve been in in many years.
We’ll provide you with a
complimentary bottle of wine upon your arrival if you make a
reservation for this weekend. Just let us know if you prefer a red
or a white when reserving. We’re also trying to arrange restaurant
discounts for our guests ( ask us which restaurants will participate
when you reserve ).
Call us at 800.297.1342

Huge snowfall excites skiers

Last weekend 12 inches to 24 inches of snow fell ( depending on one’s elevation )over the High Country, a huge launch to this winter’s ski and snow tubing season. Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain and Appalachian Ski Resort ( near Blowing Rock ) are now in full swing. Sugar & Appalachian are 30 minutes from the Baird House bed and breakfast inn. Hawksnest, located in Seven Devils, has the longest snow tubing park on the East Coast and is 25 minutes from the Baird House. According to a local reputable weather forecaster Valle Crucis and surrounding area will have more snow this year than last year with projections of upwards of 90 inches. The town of Boone is a short 15 minute drive from the inn. A common question people ask is ,” do we need a four wheel drive vehicle ?” and the answer is “not really” . Since tourism is the #1 industry here the county does an excellent job of cleaning the roads.
Make your plans now to visit our beautiful area !

Snowfall at the Baird House B & B

A “new” restaurant we highly recommend

 

Good news for you Bluegrass lovers….

Doc Watson plays in Todd this Saturday August 22nd.  The time? 3 pm. Where? Cook Memorial Park, Todd,NC.  How much are the tickets? $15 adults, Kids free ( age 12 and under ).

For more info go to www.toddnc.org.

Our guests’ 6 favorite places on the property

We moved here in October 1997 & officially opened for business April 1, 1998. We’re blessed to have many returning guests who, upon checking in, go to the first favorite place which is the dining room table. It is here where they find the famous and cherished homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Favorite place #2 would be the dining tables where we serve a large hot breakfast daily. We really do try to serve a breakfast big enough so that guests won’t have to eat lunch somewhere. Not only are Deede’s breakfasts out of this world delicious but people genuinely enjoy meeting & socializing with others at the table(s).

The third favorite place ( during Spring, Summer & Fall ) are the porches which overlook the pasture into the river or directly into the river or overlook the barn and the upper pasture. It is common for people to sit in the rockers or cushioned chairs to read, watch the river go by, look for deer beside/in/crossing the river right in front of the inn. Newly made friends from breakfast also gather for more socializing. It’s not uncommon for guests to enjoy their fav adult beverages there (porch medicine).

Next is the hammock, out front,in the shade,under the cedar trees. That says it all.

The #4 place is anywhere along the river ( which actually is our front yard )especially directly in front of the main house. Gabby, our 1/2 Golden Retreiver and 1/2 Yellow Lab, loves it when people throw rocks into the river … she jumps in and finds a rock then brings it up on the bank then waits,tail wagging, for another rock to be thrown in.

Finally, the firepit. We keep lots of firewood on hand and when guests request a fire we can get one blazing in 10 to 15 minutes. Nights are often cool in the summer and a lot of wood goes up in smoke during  June, July and August. Like moths to a flame are people to the firepit when we light it up. A good spot to close out the day, especially with a glass of wine.

We tell people that we can keep them as busy as they want to be or as relaxed as they want to be. These 6 places  definately fall under the “Relaxed” category.

Here comes the 54th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

There is an ancient connection between the Scottish Isles, The Baird House and these Appalachian mountains.  John Baird left his ancestral home in Scotland in 1650 and sailed the Atlantic to New Jersey. 135 years later John’s grandson, Ezekiel Baird, traveled from New Jersey with his wife settling in what is now Valle Crucis building their home which is now the Baird House Bed and Breakfast inn ( the oldest house in the county ). As time progressed more people of Scottish & Irish ancestry settled in this area bringing with them a culture rich in music and tradition.

Probably the most influential family in this part of the Blue Ridge is that of Hugh MacRae who, in the late 1800’s bought & developed land in and around Grandfather Mountain. Following his death his family was instrumental in starting what is now one of the largest gathering of the Scottish clans in the world. The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is a 4 day celebration of music, food, sporting events and dancing  beginning Thursday July 9th. Visit www.gmhg.org for a complete schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions and their Answers

How close are you to Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain and/or the Blue Ridge Parkway? 25 minutes.

How  close are you to Boone and Appalachian State University? 15 minutes.

How close are you to Asheville & the Biltmore House? 2 hours.

How close are you to major airports? 2 hours to Charlotte & Asheville airports, an hour and 15 minutes to Tri-Cities Airport ( Bristol/ Johnson City/Kingsport ), 2.5 hours to Greensboro and about 3.5 hours to Raleigh.

Is your front yard REALLY along the banks of the Watauga River?  IT SURE IS See the video & photos on this website.

If I wanted to flyfish in the river where could I do that ? In our front yard. Catch and release. You can purchase a fishing license at the Mast General Store just 2 miles from the Baird House. 

Is there land for sale in Valle Crucis? Yes and we have a beautiful 8/10 of an acre lot for sale with a spectacular view of St. John’s Church and the river.

If we wanted to play golf is there a course nearby? Yes, the Boone Golf course is 20 minutes away. We have repeat  guests from Ireland who play it every year at least twice. 

How close to the inn are there waterfalls where we can hike ? 3.3 miles from us is the Valle Crucis Conference Center where you can park and walk to the falls, a 15-20 minute easy to moderate hike. Linville Falls is a 45 minute drive from us.

Where could we have a picnic ? There is a large, somewhat flat, rock on our property by the river’s edge where many people have enjoyed a picnic. 2 other places nearby are the Valle Crucis Park ( 4 minutes from us ) and by the creek at the AppleBarn ( 3 miles away ) below the Valle Crucis Conference Center. Creekside Deli, a great place to eat lunch or to buy a lunch to go, is a 4 minute drive from us.

Do you serve dinner at the Baird House? No however we can recommend some great restaurants, one is only a 4 minute drive from the Baird House.

I see that your check in time is from 3pm until 9pm; can we arrange for an earlier or later check in time? Most of the time our answer is “yes” depending on a number of factors. We’ll do our very best to accomodate your needs.

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