My husband and I have stayed at Sticks numerous times with our labradoodle since it first joined the rental market, and it’s one of our favorite vacation rentals in Blowing Rock.
Sticks is always spotless and well-maintained. We love the fenced-in front yard for our dog, extremely comfortable master bed, excellent water pressure in the shower, and privacy off the road. The location is perfect to walk everywhere downtown. If you stay on a Friday between May and October, Sticks is a great location to hear music from the lawn at The Inn at Ragged Gardens. The only rental from Diamond with better seating for the concert is A Stone’s Throw, the red house in front of Sticks.
Sticks is best suited for two adults and one or two children based on the living space. You can hear people moving about upstairs when Stones is rented, but if you expect that, it’s not a big deal. This time, we were solo in the duplex.
A lot of our favorite restaurants have closed (RIP Savannah Oyster House and Sunny Rock Eggs and Things), but definitely check out Social on Main for breakfast, and The Speckled Trout for lunch/dinner. A local suggested The Artisan for dinner in Banner Elk, and we may try them on a future visit.
You can’t go wrong with any property owned by Karen Diamond. Her attention to detail on the decor, furnishings, and home comforts is the absolute best. We can’t wait for our next visit!