Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games bed & breakfast

There is an ancient connection between the Scottish Isles, The Baird House bed and breakfast 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 ) near Boone, NC. 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, beginning July 7th, of music, food, sporting events and dancing. Make your plans to attend the games and make your reservations to stay at the Baird House, a Grandfather Mountain bed and breakfast, a 20 minute drive from the games.

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games bed and breakfast

There is an ancient connection between the Scottish Isles, The Baird House bed and breakfast 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 ) near Boone, NC. 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 in July of each year. Make your plans to attend the games and make your reservations to stay at the Baird House, a Grandfather Mountain bed and breakfast, a 20 minute drive from the games.

Grandfather Mountain

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.