State Parks
Around the Great Smoky Mountain area there are numerous state parks that offer hours of recreational activities and educational opportunities. Whether the state parks are dedicated to a natural wonder in the park itself or attached to a historic event that took place, the state parks on both sides of the Smokies are remarkable. Tennessee […]
Franklin, NC
“Discover Us” Franklin is located in Southwest North Carolina and though it has a thriving commercial side it also has a lot to offer visitors of all ages when they pass through the area. From museums and history to performing arts and beyond, Franklin brings a different palette to the table for visitors to the […]
Cherokee, NC
Cherokee is first and foremost a reservation for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. This community has turned their proximity to the Smokies, the number of people traveling to the area and the fact that they were allowed to open a casino into a thriving tourism industry making Cherokee a destination in the Smokies. […]
Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain near Linville, NC is a North Carolina state park. It’s one of the highest peaks at 5,946 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes by the south side of the mountain. Grandfather Mountain operated as a nature preserve and tourist attraction until 2008. Known for its mile-high swinging bridge, […]
History of Waynesville, NC
Colonel Robert Love, an American Revolutionary War soldier, founded the western North Carolina town of Waynesville in 1810. Love is the one person to thank for donating the land that the courthouse and jail now stand on. It also makes up the town square. Waynesville gets its name from Love’s former commander in the Revolutionary […]
Cooper Creek Trout Farm
From trout tournaments to just recreational fly fishing, the Smoky Mountain trout brings many visitors to the National Park each year. However, trout fishing is not necessarily the easiest way to spend a day in the Smokies. It actually takes time and lots of patience to become good at and requires a lot of gear […]
Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians
As I have been writing about various locations, cities, restaurants and other touristy concepts in the Smoky Mountains area, one thing that I have realized that I have not focused on is the people that inhabited the area before the European settlers moved in. To that end, let’s talk about the Native Americans that dominated both sides of the […]
Mountain Man Statue
“As you get older, remember to be yourself” And it is from this saying that the Mountain Man, Yosef, got his name. And of course, Yosef is the mascot for Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Now, when you find the statue on campus, you might wonder: why does he look so angry and why […]
Highlands Playhouse
Highlands, NC has one of the best repertory theaters in Western North Carolina. The Highlands Playhouse puts on countless shows throughout the year, using both professional and amateur actors. They stage productions that range from one man shows to full stage productions to the delight of both the local and the tourist alike. In 1938 a group […]
Unto These Hills
If you only have time to take in one attraction while you are in Cherokee, NC, that one attraction needs to be Unto These Hills. This show has been part of the attraction scene in Cherokee for more then sixty years and it is the second oldest running outdoor drama in the US. Combining the […]