At the top of a mountain in North Carolina, there’s a place where travelers can journey over the rainbow and follow the yellow the brick road into the magical world of Oz to meet Dorothy, the Munchkins and Toto, too.
The Land of Oz in Beech Mountain, N.C., was once a theme park based on L. Frank Baum’s famous novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The theme park originally opened in 1970, but closed just 10 years later. Today, the Land of Oz property is privately owned and opens to the public for seasonal events throughout the year, where guests can be transported to the merry old land of Oz.
During select times of the year, Land of Oz hosts two events: Journey with Dorothy and Autumn at Oz. The Journey with Dorothy is an hour-long tour through Oz with Dorothy as your guide. Members of your group will be chosen to play one of Dorothy’s trusted companions such as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion. The interactive tour runs throughout June and gives you an immersive experience somewhere over the rainbow.
Each fall, guests can journey back up Beech Mountain to the Land of Oz for the special Autumn at Oz event. This three-day event is hosted each September with performers along the yellow brick road and photo-ops all around the park. Oz is fully decorated and food and souvenir vendors are on-hand for the special event.
If you can’t make it to one of the seasonal events, Land of Oz does offer private tours by appointment only. The two-hour tours can accommodate up to 20 guests on a trip down the yellow brick road with Dorothy as your guide.
While there’s no place like home, travelers and locals alike can enjoy an escape to the Emerald City in Beech Mountain. The North Carolina town is a popular vacation spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is the highest town in Eastern U.S. The destination is known as a go-to spot for viewing fall foliage and a winter sports mecca offering skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing and more.
For information on events and tickets:
Website: http://www.landofoznc.com
Address: Yellow Brick Rd., Beech Mountain, NC 28604
Phone for tickets: (800) 514-3849
Phone for private tours: (828) 434-8056
2019 Autumn at Oz Dates: Sept. 6-8, 13-15
