Statesville, North Carolina: Where balloons, bourbon and much more come together

The cities of Charlotte and Winston-Salem along with Pilot Mountain are all things you can see on a clear day from a hot air balloon over Statesville, North Carolina.

*My November 2021 visit to Statesville, NC was hosted by the Statesville Convention and Visitors Bureau. All opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Early on a frosty November morning a group of brightly colored hot air balloons rise hundreds of feet into the air above North Carolina’s Piedmont region.  Off in the distance Pilot Mountain and the Blue Ridge Mountains line up along the horizon.  Other than the sound of the hot air going into the balloon, the peace of the morning almost overwhelms you, a feeling many experiences when in Statesville, North Carolina, the hot air balloon capital of the Eastern United States.

Statesville, a city of 27-thousand sits at the junction of Interstates 77 and 40.  These busy interstates bring a lot of people through Statesville and there are plenty of reasons to stop and “sit a spell” or stay a few days.  Whether you’re looking for unique culinary creations, shopping, history or beverages to lift your spirits, you’ll find this town leaves you in a special STATEsville mindset.

Downtown Revival

The Streetscape project in Statesville’s Downtown happened several years ago. Everywhere you go along the main streets you will find wide sidewalks, outdoor seating and well marked crosswalks.

Whether it’s the smell of fresh roasted coffee, the sounds of sizzling fajitas or the taste of a Colombian baked treat, you’ll find it Downtown.  Spacious sidewalks, wide streets, stately buildings, public art and plenty of outdoor seating make this small North Carolina town stand out from others. 

Step into Lake Mountain Coffee along Broad Street for a wide variety of coffees from around the world, all locally roasted.  The beautifully restored building is more than 125 years old.  The center opens up to the ceiling.  Along the top floor, there are areas to sit  and enjoy your coffee and baked treats. You’ll find plenty of seating along the first floor including seats next to a Bay Window looking out onto Broad Street.

This mural in Downtown Statesville, NC dates back to the 1930’s. In 2019, Coca-Cola Consolidated restored the “ghost” mural at Meeting and Broad Streets.

The ”state” of shopping downtown includes a variety of boutiques, bicycle shops and boutiques.  Roots Outdoor, on the corner of Broad and Meeting Streets, carries clothing and gear for both your everyday needs and your extended outdoor adventures. The store also offers equipment rentals for people who just want to “dip their toes in the water or their boots in the snow.”

Finding a place for breakfast, lunch or dinner comes easily in Downtown Statesville.  The dining scene here offers up fine dining at places like The Bristol Café, Twisted Oaks (a craft brew restaurant) and 220 Cafe.   Just around the corner Smokin’ Southern Cantina brings a savory Tex-Mex flavor to this Tarheel town.  The cuisine of Colombia widens your options at the Colombian Bakery Restaurant where I tried a cheesy baked bread shaped into a small ball (very tasty). And if you’re looking for a fantastic burger (or chicken sandwich) be sure and try Broad Street Burger.

While Broad Street Burger in Downtown Statesville is known for its delicious burgers, you can find items like The Southern Twang Chicken Sandwich on the menu, too.

Looking for craft brewed beer? Red Buffalo Brewing on Center Street lists its daily offerings on a chalk board behind the bar. Neon lights and unique décor make this feel like an old school neighborhood bar where the bartenders are eager to help you find what flavor you need to settle your taste buds, something especially important to someone like me who really doesn’t like beer.  

Built on Bourbon and enjoying time with wine

While Kentucky and Tennessee get a lot of the attention when it comes to Bourbon and Whiskey, Statesville was at one time the “liquor capital of the world.”  The town’s location along rail lines that crisscrossed the state made transportation easy.  Today, Interstates 77 and 40 come together in town, and there is a renewed “spirit” to bring quality liquor to the people.  Southern Distilling is fueling that drive, offering up award winning selections of Bourbon Whiskey and a Coffee Bourbon Liqueur perfect for sipping. The owners work with local farmers as much as possible to get the ingredients needed for distilling. They also help other craft distillers produce their product and prepare it for the market.

According to the Southern Distilling website the company was founded in 2013 becoming the first licensed distillery in Statesville since 1903, a fitting tribute to the “liquor capital of the world”.

The state-of-the-art facilities at Southern are within view of Interstate 77 on the north side of Statesville.  You can take a tour, sample the spirits, buy bottles of the product or purchase a souvenir.  If you plan on taking a tour, you can book them and pay for them online.

Pepsi was born in North Carolina in the town of New Bern. This mural in Troutman is one of many on buildings nearby showcasing American soft drinks.

Statesville is just minutes away from Lake Norman, North Carolina’s largest man-made lake.  On the way out to the lake you’ll likely pass through the community of Troutman.  Brightly colored murals of soft-drink logos and colorful characters help the small downtown area stand out.

The area is also home to Daveste Vinyards, a picturesque place to enjoy a glass of wine, craft beer and live music.  Daveste offers guided tours and tastings, but you need to book them in advance.  If you make your way out be sure and take a stroll around the property where you’ll find plenty of great backdrops for a few pictures.

Up, up and Away in a beautiful balloon

The feeling you get when you take a hot air balloon flight is almost indescribable, but I can certainly try to find some words about my November 2021 flight over Statesville.  We had to be at the site before the sun came up and the air was as still as the frost clinging to the grassy field where half a dozen balloons prepared to launch.

Statesville, the hot air ballooning capital of the East hosts the Carolina Balloon Fest each year on the third weekend of October.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect as the balloon lifted off the ground but it didn’t take long for the exhilaration of floating high above the frosty landscape to sink in. With the exception of the blower filling the balloon with hot air, the peace and serenity I felt was almost overwhelming.  In the distance watching the other balloons in flight helped enhance the color palate stretched out below. And to top it all off, our flights happened 238 years to the day after the first manned hot air balloon flight. 

While in the air, I got a shot of Anna from stuckonthego.com as we both enjoyed hot air balloon flights in late Fall 2021.

Today Statesville is home to more than a dozen hot air balloon pilots who fly year round earning Statesville the title of being the hot air ballooning capital of the Eastern United States.  Check out the Visit Statesville website to learn more about ways you can rise high above this part of the North Carolina Piedmont region.

History from the Colonial Frontier

While many communities across the Carolinas have deep roots in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the replica of a fort outside of town tells the story of the defense of the colonial frontier. Fort Dobbs was built in the 1750’s and was the only permanent frontier provincial fort in the North Carolina colony.

Visitors to Fort Dobbs Historic Site can get guided tours of the replicated fort for a small fee. The grounds and Visitor Center are free.

Visitors to the Fort Dobbs historic site learn about what it was like being stationed here in the mid-18th Century. Guides in period costume give tours of the wooden fort rising high above the rural landscape.  Soldiers stationed there had long periods of time away from their families and the fort never saw much action with one big exception.  On the night of February 27, 1760, a Cherokee party attacked the fort.  In the end two men at the fort were injured and one colonial boy was killed.

Statesville is less than an hour from Charlotte and  Winston-Salem, both great cities to explore when you are in this part of North Carolina. Another thing to see in the area is just 20 minutes west of Statesville, just off I-40. The Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is one of only two remaining historic covered bridges in North Carolina.