Jay’s guidebook
Casino
Awesome casino with several restaurants and shops!
330 locals recommend
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
777 Casino DrAwesome casino with several restaurants and shops!
City/town information
Cute little town about 40 minutes away. Nice little local shops, several nice restaurants, and a brewery on the river with a great outdoor seating area.
63 locals recommend
Dillsboro
Cute little town about 40 minutes away. Nice little local shops, several nice restaurants, and a brewery on the river with a great outdoor seating area.
AMAZING DRIVE!!! A little bit of a scary drive, so take it slowly. Highlands is an AWESOME town not too far away. TONS and TONS of great restaurants, shops, waterfalls along the way, zip lining, gem mining, sledding, and a couple of really nice spas. You'd need to call for availability. Also, check out the Old Edwards Inn Beer Garden. Great place for a cocktail. :-)
227 locals recommend
Highlands
AMAZING DRIVE!!! A little bit of a scary drive, so take it slowly. Highlands is an AWESOME town not too far away. TONS and TONS of great restaurants, shops, waterfalls along the way, zip lining, gem mining, sledding, and a couple of really nice spas. You'd need to call for availability. Also, check out the Old Edwards Inn Beer Garden. Great place for a cocktail. :-)
Soooo many great restaurants, countless breweries, shopping, The Biltmore, Grove Park Inn (so worth the visit), hiking, and a really cool/artsy downtown.
902 locals recommend
Asheville
Soooo many great restaurants, countless breweries, shopping, The Biltmore, Grove Park Inn (so worth the visit), hiking, and a really cool/artsy downtown.
Awesome area within the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Tons of shops, elk, Cherokee Indian history, a cool amusement park and zoo called Santa's Land, a river flowing through the area that you can wade through, and of course, Harrah's Casino!
303 locals recommend
Cherokee
Awesome area within the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Tons of shops, elk, Cherokee Indian history, a cool amusement park and zoo called Santa's Land, a river flowing through the area that you can wade through, and of course, Harrah's Casino!
Cute town just past Dillsboro with a nice downtown, several great restaurants, and a brewery.
124 locals recommend
Sylva
Cute town just past Dillsboro with a nice downtown, several great restaurants, and a brewery.
This is just a little south of us, but a cute downtown with several restaurants and bars AND its home to the closest Chick-Fil-A around. :-)
133 locals recommend
Clayton
This is just a little south of us, but a cute downtown with several restaurants and bars AND its home to the closest Chick-Fil-A around. :-)
Sightseeing
Everyone should experience a drive on The Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway runs from Virginia all the way to Cherokee, North Carolina. Beautiful scenery all the way. Overlooks and amazing vistas the whole way. No big trucks are allowed on the Parkway and the speed limit is 45. This allows you to take in all the amazing sights that creation has to offer. Of course, there are exits all along the way to take in the art, culture, and crafts of the Appalachian and Smoky Mountains.
11 locals recommend
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge ParkwayEveryone should experience a drive on The Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway runs from Virginia all the way to Cherokee, North Carolina. Beautiful scenery all the way. Overlooks and amazing vistas the whole way. No big trucks are allowed on the Parkway and the speed limit is 45. This allows you to take in all the amazing sights that creation has to offer. Of course, there are exits all along the way to take in the art, culture, and crafts of the Appalachian and Smoky Mountains.
Onion Mountain
Great Lookout spot!
Sunset Rock
131 Highlands Gate DrAwesome place to, well, catch a sunset! :-)
Breweries
Great local brewery with good music and vibes. Beer is good and there is a food truck permanently in the parking lot with decent food!
117 locals recommend
Lazy Hiker Brewing Co.
188 W Main StGreat local brewery with good music and vibes. Beer is good and there is a food truck permanently in the parking lot with decent food!
Another awesome local brewery in downtown Franklin. Large area with tons of outdoor seating on the river.
66 locals recommend
Currahee Brewing Company
100 Lakeside DrAnother awesome local brewery in downtown Franklin. Large area with tons of outdoor seating on the river.
Food scene
Probably the most up-scale restaurant in Franklin. Great menu and cocktails. Nice atmosphere too!
39 locals recommend
Root and Barrel Kitchen & Bar
77 East Main StreetProbably the most up-scale restaurant in Franklin. Great menu and cocktails. Nice atmosphere too!
Outdoor Activities
A little bit of a drive, but the zip lines are unreal! Check out their website for details, videos, and pictures!!
279 locals recommend
Navitat Canopy Adventures
242 Poverty Branch RdA little bit of a drive, but the zip lines are unreal! Check out their website for details, videos, and pictures!!
Great, manageable hike with an amazing lookout at Angular Rock. The hike is .75 mile each way, there and back.
10 locals recommend
Picken's Nose
National Forest RoadGreat, manageable hike with an amazing lookout at Angular Rock. The hike is .75 mile each way, there and back.
Cute family activity. Gem mining is sifting various sizes of dirt buckets in a stream of water and you're sure to find gems, including, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds!!
8 locals recommend
Gold City Gem Mine
9410 Sylva RdCute family activity. Gem mining is sifting various sizes of dirt buckets in a stream of water and you're sure to find gems, including, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds!!
A short path to a HUIGE waterfall that you can safely walk underneath for a view from behind the falls!!
229 locals recommend
Dry Falls
U.S. 64A short path to a HUIGE waterfall that you can safely walk underneath for a view from behind the falls!!
Rafting, Tubing, and Kayaking. Class one and two rapids, so nothing too scary, but well worth it!!
36 locals recommend
Dillsboro River Company
18 Macktown RdRafting, Tubing, and Kayaking. Class one and two rapids, so nothing too scary, but well worth it!!
Skiing is just about an hour away!!! Several slopes to choose from with lifts to get you to the top!!
231 locals recommend
Cataloochee Ski Area
1080 Ski Lodge RdSkiing is just about an hour away!!! Several slopes to choose from with lifts to get you to the top!!
Another great zip lining place. Closer than the other one I listed. This one is in Highlands.
99 locals recommend
Highlands Aerial Park
9625 Dillard RdAnother great zip lining place. Closer than the other one I listed. This one is in Highlands.
Pontoon boat rentals on this amazing mountain lake. I'd recommend Anchorage Marine. Their number is 706-782-3013.
37 locals recommend
Lake Rabun
Pontoon boat rentals on this amazing mountain lake. I'd recommend Anchorage Marine. Their number is 706-782-3013.
Awesome tubing. a little bit of a hike and you'll want to bring your own cheap tube. You can find them at Walmart. :-)
6 locals recommend
Deep Creek
Awesome tubing. a little bit of a hike and you'll want to bring your own cheap tube. You can find them at Walmart. :-)
Great place to take the kids in the summer for swimming in Highlands!
6 locals recommend
Recreation Pool
600 N 4th StGreat place to take the kids in the summer for swimming in Highlands!
Awesome view and rafting for pro's. Wild Water Rafting is a great local place with guided tours. Their number is 866-319-8870.
23 locals recommend
Nantahala River
Awesome view and rafting for pro's. Wild Water Rafting is a great local place with guided tours. Their number is 866-319-8870.