Living In Elkin

The Best Kept Secret in North Carolina


Long-time residents, newcomers, and those who have left in their early years only to return, can best describe Elkin as the best kept secret in North Carolina. You'll find living in a rural community has its challenges, but in Elkin, our community has a little bit of everything fun to keep you busy and active!  

Schools
Elkin City Schools are consistently ranking high in North Carolina, and our current graduation rate is 92%.  In 2019, Elkin schools were ranked 5th in the state. Elkin is the first school system in the country to integrate the STEAM curriculum in all grades K-12. Here is one site's review of our public schools: https://www.niche.com/k12/d/elkin-city-schools-nc/.  There are also  2 other options for schools in Elkin, if interested.  

Healthcare
Besides independent businesses that offer yoga, meditation, chiropractic, massage therapy and other wellness options, Elkin's Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital provides top quality services and medical professionals to manage your health.  This includes an imaging center, cancer services, rehabilitation, wellness center, emergency room, women's center, and a wide variety of physicians for every need. Visit their website to learn more:   http://www.hughchatham.org/

Housing 
Elkin's low cost of living provides a great place to relocate to, whether you are a new family starting out or a retiree searching for a comfortable place to move that is affordable. Neighborhoods close to downtown are filled with old historic homes, and some are on the National Register of Historic Places. There are numerous neighborhoods tucked away that offer newer construction, and towns next door to Elkin, like State Road or Thurmond (to name a few), include parcels with more acreage for those looking for land. 

Retirement
Elkin is a great place to enjoy your retirement as it offers an excellent quality of life environment, lots of outdoor activities, an excellent golf course, beautiful trails for miles of walking, mountain bike trails, fishing, bird watching, and so much more. We also offer plenty to do with events scheduled throughout the year, so you don't have to travel out of town to find something to do.  Our town is safe and friendly, and you are sure to make friends easily. Hugh Chatham Hospital provides senior retirement living when you feel it's time to downsize and are looking for independent living facilities. There is also a senior center in nearby Jonesville, NC, which is on the other side of the Yadkin River. There are also plenty of churches to meet new friends, and many enjoy Wednesday night dinners served at area churches for fellowship. 

Music and The Arts
Downtown Elkin's Reeves Theater offers weekly live music events in a 280-seat newly restored historic theater with an artsy twist, and there are a few locations in town that also offer live music events (local pub, vineyards, restaurants) throughout the year.  The Foothills Arts Council provides community theater, music lessons, art lessons, gallery shows, garden events, poetry, drumming circles, and so much more! 

Historic Downtown
Whether you love classic cars, early 20th Century architecture, or Civil and Revolutionary War history, our charming downtown offers much to explore and is pedestrian (and dog) friendly.  Filled with murals, restaurants, walking trails, a microbrewery, live music venue, shops and more, you'll love discovering something interesting along each downtown street. Events include monthly cruise-ins, live music, and food truck events, block parties, the annual Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival, Saturday farmers market, and holiday events the entire community can enjoy. 

Car Lovers
Elkin offers a monthly cruise-in on the 4th Saturday of each month, May through October.  Elkin was once famous as the cruise-in capital of the east coast! All good things must come to an end, and for a few years cruising was prohibited, but since 2011 they have regained popularity along Main Street during regularly scheduled events. However, if you enjoy car racing, Elkin also offers a dirt track speedway for car enthusiasts who enjoy watching or driving fast cars.  Events are weekly most of the year. 

The Outdoors
The one thing most mention about Elkin when asked is that it's a friendly, welcoming community. Living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the Yadkin River, is optimal for those looking for outdoor recreation and it is easy to find others who enjoy the same things:  hiking, road and mountain biking, paddling and canoeing, 5Ks, cycling, trout fishing, bird watching, and other outdoor activities. 

Elkin is minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and is a member of the Blue Ridge Parkway Association. Click on the logo to learn more.

 Blue Ridge Parkway Membership logo

Elkin boasts a wonderful trails system throughout the town, with plans to connect us with two area state parks with hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. For more information on our local trails association, click here

Downtown Elkin is also part of the Overmountain Victory Trail and the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail.  We are also situated between 2 state parks, Stone Mountain and Pilot Mountain, which offers plenty of nearby adventure! If you enjoy beautiful, scenic road trips, the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance is 20 minutes up the road!

Surry County also offers a Scenic Bikeway throughout the county for road cycling. Click here for a short video about it. There is also a drivable route in and around Elkin called the NC Scenic ByWays. The link for the entire route through NC is provided here, with Elkin's route shown on pages 64 & 65 with a map. 

Recreation
Elkin has various parks, but our Municipal Park offers a community pool, tennis courts, recreation center, hiking trails, and is the location of numerous sports and community events and festivals throughout the year, including the Yadkin Valley Wine Festival and the Big Elkin Brewfest.

Cedarbrook Golf Course, an 18-hole Ellis Maples designed course, is located in State Road (a neighboring community), 8 minutes from downtown Elkin. 

Viticulture and Craft Breweries
Did you know North Carolina was the hub of winemaking long before Napa Valley, dating back to the days of early settlers until the start of prohibition?  Now, the Yadkin Valley is quickly becoming a well-known destination once again, for east-coast and mid-westerners who love to travel nearby and enjoy good wine. Elkin is located centrally in the Yadkin Valley Wine Region (AVA) and boasts 5 wineries within or bordering our town limits. We also have a downtown tasting room whose owner is a Sommelier (a rare find!). There are 35+ other locations you can visit within a 20-mile radius!

The Surry County Wine Trail boasts 20 participating wineries and the Elkin Vine Line (based at the Heritage Trails Center in downtown) provides weekend hoppers to area vineyards, so you can enjoy your day without worries.  

For beer lovers, Elkin currently has two craft breweries where you can enjoy local brews and great food. 
 
Heritage, Arts & Trails Center Information
Stop by the new Heritage Trails Center in downtown, located downtown at 257 W Standard Street.  The Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce will be open at this location Monday - Friday, but the center will also be open Saturdays (as the Elkin Vine Line is based here Fri-Sun). Regional information, information on the Overmountain Victory Trail (part of the National Park Service), Viticulture info, and an EV charging station are available at the center. 

Travelers, please note:  Elkin offers free electric car chargers downtown at the Heritage Trails Visitor Center, the Elkin Town Hall parking lot, and at our municipal park (which has two chargers set up at the recreation center)!

Mailing Address

Post Office Box 857 Elkin, North Carolina 28621

Street Address

226 North Bridge Street Elkin, North Carolina 28621

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