Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery is a family-run farm, campground, and tasting room perched near the village of Little Switzerland in Mitchell County, at around 3,455 feet of elevation just minutes off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is not a polished vineyard estate — it is chickens, horses, hiking trails, and a small-batch orchard operation making wine, cider, mead, and beer — and that unpolished, come-hang-out feel is exactly why it has built a loyal following. Nearly every recent review mentions the same thing: the drive up a steep gravel road is a little rough, and it is completely worth it once you arrive.
A Mom-and-Pop Farm That Grew Into a Destination
The property describes itself as a mom-and-pop orchard, cidery, winery, brewery, and campground, built on a mountaintop in the village of Little Switzerland. A newer organic orchard and residence opened in fall 2023, expanding what visitors now call a “mountain-top oasis.” It is run by an owner reviewers know simply as Tony (Anthony), along with his wife, and the small scale shows in the best way — this is a place built and maintained by the people who also pour your drink and feed the chickens.
What to Taste
The lineup spans small-batch wines, ciders, meads, and beers, all made on-site. Ciders are the clear specialty: flavors like “Just Peachy” (apple cider fermented with peaches, available sweet or dry), a “Chai in the Sky” spiced cider, and playful varieties along the lines of pickle cider and a riff on the classic Johnny Appleseed profile show up repeatedly in reviews and drink-tracking apps. The orchard also makes cider margaritas, and there are house wines and mead alongside the cider list for anyone who wants to build a full flight. Expect the menu to rotate with the season and the harvest, since this is a genuinely small production operation rather than a large commercial winery.
The Setting
The roughly seven-acre property has room to walk, sit by a fire, and explore — there are hiking trails on-site, a clubhouse, and farm animals including horses and chickens that visitors are welcome to admire (feeding them is generally left to staff). It also operates as a working campground with RV sites, hot showers, and a clubhouse with Wi-Fi, so day visitors share the space with overnight guests. Live outdoor music, ghost-story campfires, and other seasonal events show up on the calendar from time to time. Dogs are welcome with proof of vaccination. Because the last stretch of road is gravel and includes a steep section, larger vehicles and trailers sometimes need four-wheel drive, and the drive itself is part of the adventure rather than an inconvenience to be avoided.
Nearby and Worth Combining
Little Switzerland sits on the Mitchell County side of the Avery County wine cluster, close enough to Linville Falls Winery to combine the two in one loop, with Archaic Alcohols in Banner Elk and Eagles Nest Winery near Elk Park both reachable as a longer add-on if your group wants a fuller day of tastings across two counties.
Planning the Trip
Plan on roughly 45 minutes to an hour from Boone or Banner Elk, most of it on the Blue Ridge Parkway or connecting mountain roads, plus the gravel driveway itself at the end. Days and hours have varied across different listings and seasons — some show a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule, others a five- or six-day week — so check current hours directly with the orchard before you drive up, especially if you’re coming a distance for a specific day. Because the approach road takes some care and the setting encourages a slow, multi-hour visit with food, drinks, and animals to see, this is an easy stop to enjoy fully when someone else is handling the driving, both up the gravel and back down the mountain afterward.
Wine Tour Transportation to Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery
Ashe County Livery offers private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery from Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery trip-planning page covers drive times, tasting-room hours, group sizes and pricing.
Travel in a luxury SUV, sedan, or Sprinter van with a professional chauffeur — everyone in your group gets to taste, nobody has to drive. Plan your Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Other High Country wineries we serve: Eagles Nest Winery · Archaic Alcohols · Linville Falls Winery — or browse every High Country winery, cidery and meadery we provide transportation to.
Explore More from Ashe County Livery
- High Country Wine Tours — Mountain winery shuttle service
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- Airport Shuttle Service — CLT, AVL, GSO & TRI transfers
- Airport shuttles by town: Boone · Blowing Rock · Banner Elk · West Jefferson · Linville · Beech Mountain
- Ashe County Livery — Premium transportation in NC’s High Country
- Request a free quote — or call (336) 484-1350
🍷 Planning a Wine Tour in the NC High Country?
Ashe County Livery offers private, luxury wine tour transportation throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. Skip the driving and let our professional chauffeurs take you from winery to winery in comfort and style.
Serving Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Boone, and all NC High Country destinations • (336) 484-1350
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