Saw a great folder on this area of North Carolina. What is it really like? Do you go to Ghost Town?

I went through Maggie Valley about 15 years ago and have never forgotten it. It is a small, charming and picture perfect town. I don't remember what we did, but I remember we went through it leaving Lake Junaluska and heading to Knoxville for the World's Fair.

Maggie Valley is a mountain tourist area which is made for laid-back relaxation, nearby mountain scenery, etc. It doesn't have a lot of commercial stuff (shopping centers, etc.) but there are enough restaurants and shops to make for some good moments. The Cataloochee ski slope is a primary winter destination; the Maggie Valley Resort is a spring-summer-fall hangout for golfers and retirees. Ghost Town is an amusement park where people take their kiddies. Not too exciting except for the incline railway or chairlift to the top of the mountain. Can get that kind of view for free while cruising the wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway, national scenic drive. Many people like to ride the Great Smoky Mtn. Railroad train from Dillsboro to Bryson City and a couple other points. I live in nearby Asheville. Good luck.

We go to Maggie every summer and never get tired of it. The people are so friendly there and if you love nature thats the place to go.There is so much to see close by that doesnt cost anything.We are in our 40's and have 6 kids and we had a blast at Ghost Town. It just depends on what you like. You need to also go to nearby Cherokee its interesting.

That part of NC is nice. I like Mt. Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway which is close to Maggie Valley. There is a little of a steep trail to the top, but from the observation platform that gets you up above the trees, the view is panoramic. (I am 66 but made it last summer with minimal difficulty. Breathed a little hard going up, but I was chasing a 7 year old who can go.)

And, if you go to Cherokee, see Unto These Hills. It is a good lesson is just how badly we treated the Indians.
It is a shameful chapter in our history.
The drama is at times hard to take because it is so moving.

I was lucky enough to have had a cottage for two years in Maggie Valley. Do NOT stay in a hotel there but rather see about renting out a nice cabin or cottage. The people are warm and friendly there and there is so much to do.

The Maggie Valley area is great. I second the comments above. I also second that you should rent a cabin rather than stay in a hotel, particularly if you have kids. The State of North Carolina Travel and Tourism website has a good search engine for cabin rentals. Other things to do include a visit to Asheville, where there are great shops and restaurants, rafting at Nantahala Gorge (do a search for Nantahala Outdoor Center), the craft heritage trails (check on the NC state website, there is a book you can get that gives you good driving tours to check out local crafts, etc.) If you don't have kids, consider staying in one of the nicer lodges, like the Swag, the Hemlock Inn, or the Mast Farm Inn, etc. There are lots of good Inns in the area where you can be pampered and fed well and have a great view to boot.

We were there recently for a long weekend and stayed in a great cabin. I will try to get the name for you and repost.

The cabins we rented were the Boyd Mountain Cabins. The have a web site. We rented the 3 bedroom with a lake outside the door. Great place for kids, cause you can sit on the front porch of the house and the kids can safely run loose, fish, climb a mountain, play basketball or badmiton, etc. Our cabin also had a great fire pit, with benches, for a late night campfire, complete with stupid camp songs and smores. Our kids were amused at all the songs the Moms knew!

BETH:
I am unable to log onto a website called Boyd Mountain Cabins. Can you help me out by being more exact? Sounds like a great place & I would love to contact them.

Kay, I tried to send this by email, but got a rejection.......

Kay, hope this is not too late. Just got around to checking back on =
your post. The website for Boyd Mountain is www.boydmountain.com . We =
stayed at Millstone and it seemed to be one of the best cabins. Good =
luck. Beth Y.