Hello
I'm going to Franklin NC next week.
Can anyone recommend some fun restaurants in the area?
I'm also interested in the outdoors...Might go to the NOC and perhaps Biltmore.
Gem hunting might be fun..I like to be busy doing stuff while on vacation while everyone else sits around..
any ideas welcome..any nice hikes as well?
Finally anyone know where I can rent a decent road bicycle for the few days that I am there?
thanks so much!
Dan

One of the best restaurants in NC is in Franklin...at the end of a gas station.
No kidding.
Fabulous French food. Cash only. Folks drive for hours to eat at Café Rel -
https://www.zomato.com/franklin-nc/c...9-rel-franklin

The best ice cream in the area is in the little community of Otto, NC a few miles south -
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sprin...43686148996422
Homemade ice cream along with butter, milk, cheese and eggs.

Two pretty waterfalls are along the drive from Franklin to Highlands NC -
http://www.romanticasheville.com/dry_falls.htm

Highlands is a very small town with upscale shopping and inns. Elevation is over 4000', hence high lands.

The drive from Highlands to Dillard GA is lovely. You can also take a side trip to pretty Sky Valley.

If you want very good, all you can eat Southern cooking, eat at the Dillard House -
http://www.dillardhouse.com/
They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Dillard has lots of antique stores. If you are driving to/from home, you may want to stop and look at the fun yard art at Cindy's Dragonfly -
http://www.dillardgeorgia.com/cindy%...99s-dragonfly/

If you like good wines, ranging from dry to sweet, 12 Spies is a few miles from Dillard -
http://www.12spiesvineyards.com/

If you are staying in a cabin, stop at Osage Farms (on the right as you head north on 441) back toward NC -
Fresh veggies grown nearby along with SC peaches, fresh baked apple, peach, etc. breads. There's a live bee hive between glass that's fun to watch. Lots of jams and jellies to buy to take home. Artisan cheeses in the cooler along with blueberries. If you're cooking at all, be sure to stop there for great food to cook.
http://www.dillardgeorgia.com/osage-farms/

The last few stops are just over the state line in GA.
One last one. If you like Greek food, the owners of Mountain Man pizza have Greek night the first Monday of the month.

Back in Franklin - if it's raining or you just are in the mood for a movie, Ruby Cinemas is a 4plex with first run movies and concessions at old time prices -
http://www.rubycinemas.com/

Tons of hiking in the area. Easy drive up to Asheville and the Biltmore. On the way north, out of Franklin there's a great chocolatier that small and easy to miss -
http://www.stayandplayinthesmokies.c...s-franklin-nc/

There's horseback riding (back in Dillard), ziplining and varied adventures.
http://highlandscanopytour.com/

My, how Franklin has changed since the days of my youth!

We just used to go up there to hunt for gemstones. Eat? Maybe an RC Cola and a Moon Pie or a Nehi grape soda and a package of Tom's peanut butter crackers!

I may have to go there again!

I'm thinkin' the same thing. Road trip!! LOL

Ackslander, we called those crackers "nabs."

If y'all do, let's have a GTG!

Great ideas so far!
keep them coming!
thanks so much!
Dan

We called Nabisco peanut butter crackers "Nabs" and "Tom's" by their own name, but like "Coke" I guess it is a generic term now!