Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center, Scaly Mountain

We came for snow tubing, which was $40 for two hours. The weekend we went was a holiday weekend so it took us 15 minutes in between trips so we were able to make 6 trips within our time. The logistics are, you sign a waiver, you pay for the number of people attending then they attach a tag with your time on your zipper. You then go grab your tube and ride the “magic carpet” up to the top. Once you get to the top, you choose one of 3 lanes to ride down. You can choose to record or take pictures but I’ll caution you, the speed is so fast that you are at risk for losing it. Borrow a Go Pro camera or something similar instead. There is a food cart/truck that sells snacks, hot chocolate, coffee, etc. however they only take cash. There is also a fire pit that they keep burning. Lastly, they have ice skating, as well as two small children area for playing, but since we didn’t have any little ones with us, I didn’t pay too much attention. There is also a really good barbecue restaurant with counter service that offers some nice food options and a large bar of barbecue sauces to use. In summary, prepare to spend 2 hours. Prepare to pay $40 per person and prepare to have fun.

Located in the NC mountains around 4k feet in elevation, Highlands is a nice day-trip escape for the family. The parking was easy, and no charge. The ticket counter folks were friendly. The waiver is filled out on an iPad screen. Their snow machines do a good job of making the slope deep with man-made snow. There is a people mover lift that takes you to the top where assistants at each lane can push you or twist you for the trip down. At the bottom, artificial turf slows you to a stop and a soft barrier is the final obstacle. There is a small mobile coffee shop with reasonable prices. Notably, there is a Dollar General across the street which can be handy for those on a long drive and need things for the trip home. The reason I didn’t give five stars is the high price. I think $50 is a bit steep for the attraction. The gift shop has some nice swag and clothing if need be. The ice skating rink is small, and there is a small slope to the rink, which is odd. There are supports to help those who are new to skating. The skates are ice hockey style.