Sylva, Balsam, Dillsboro, Cullowhee

Surrounded by Nantahala National Forest, these four towns offer beautiful views, charismatic culture and the best outdoor adventures.  Home to Western Carolina University, Cullowhee is growing commercially and socially; Dillsboro houses a bustling art scene, with a river park and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad; and Sylva is a small town doing big things, with plenty of day and nighttime activities to choose from.

visitdillsboro.org | mountainlovers.com | wcu.edu

16 miles from Cherokee

32 miles to Highlands

Here you'll find:

The shop inventory is a constantly changing variety of beautiful and fascinating items limited only by the imagination and skill of the 100 artisans who make Dogwood Crafters what it is - a showcase of mountain crafts. Dogwood Crafters is a non-profit craft cooperative with an interesting mix of artisans. Both traditional and contemporary works can be found within the shops log walls.
90 Webster Street Dillsboro, NC 28725 (828) 586-2248 www.dogwoodcrafters.com Get Directions
Moonshine Creek Campground offers cool,secluded camping on rushing mountain stream at an elevation of 3500 feet. RV sites, tents, and cabins all on creek just 5 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Heated clean bathhouses, Campstore, Wi Fi, and full rentals. Located in the Smoky Mountains, close to Cherokee, Maggie Valley, Waynesville and near Asheville. Motorcycles welcome.
2486 Dark Ridge Road Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-6666 www.moonshinecreek.com Get Directions
The collection includes: Fine "picture art" going back to the late 1800's, modern art, folk art, rare advertising art, cat poster art, art glass cats made by the finest glass makers of the world, vintage and antique toy cats, many of which are automatons from the 1890's, vintage advertising, where cats are used to sell items, advertising clocks and storefront or window display items. There is not another private collection of this magnitude and value in America. Besides cat museums in Europe and Asia, there is only one other in America which is in Ohio. Come visit and enjoy our 30-year collection.
5063 US 441 Highway South Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 476-9376 catman2.org Get Directions
Jackson County's gathering place foreveryone. Steaks, seafood, burgers,salads, kids menu, carryout andcatering. Open breakfast, lunch and dinner.
35 East Main St Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-6532 facebook.com/Bogarts-Restaurant-Sylva Get Directions
Crepes, paninis, soups/salads, pasta, coffee, espresso, beer, wine, organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, free Wi-Fi, outdoor dining.
3 E. Jackson Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 587-2233 www.citylightscafe.com Get Directions
Locally-sourced homecooked breakfast, evening menu of fresh mountain trout, steaks and pasta dishes, bar.
68 Seven Springs Drive Balsam, NC 28707 (828) 456-9498 grandoldladyhotel.com Get Directions
Home of the Warm Waffle Cone! A Family-Favorite Ice Cream Store near the Quin Theater. We are an old fashioned hand-dipped ice cream emporium. Made to order warm waffle cones (vanilla, chocolate or cinnamon). Cones, sundaes, shakes, malts, and banana splits. We also make made to order ice cream cakes. Please call at least 72 hours in advance of the pick-up to order the cakes. Varying sizes, shapes and layers. Eat In, Eat Outdoors or Order To Go!
170 East Sylva Shopping Center Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-9441 jackthedipper.com Get Directions
Enjoy delicious Greek, Italian and Continental Cuisine at Kostas Family Restaurant. Located in historic Dillsboro, North Carolina (which is on the banks of the Tuckaseigee River), you'll also be dazzled by the spectacular Great Smoky Mountains. Stop by and take delight in the relaxing and casual dining atmosphere of our family restaurant. You'll enjoy your dining experience with us here at Kostas where pride, quality and excellent service is our primary goals to give you, our extended family a great dining experience. Your Hosts, Bill & Dean. Operating Hours Monday through Thursday: 11:00 am - 8:30 pm Friday and Saturday: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm Sunday: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
489 Haywood Road Dillsboro, NC 28725 (828) 631-0777 kostasdillsboro.com Get Directions
Lulu's Cafe is a delectable surprise for travelers visiting the Great Smoky Mountains and a home away from home for those who live there. Nestled in the heart of Main Street in Sylva, Lulu's offers a varied and imaginatively prepared menu.Eclectic ethnic dining - fresh seafood, pasta and vegetarian dishes, served lunch and dinner hours Monday thru Saturday. Lulu's maintains a reputation of folks going out of their way to stop and grab a bite to eat on vacation. A travel article featured in Southern Living declared "Lulu's is our favorite restaurant in the region." And a travel article featured in Fodor's covered it all by stating "If you need a break from the Smoky's traditional trout, ham, and gravy food groups, this American gourmet diner is considered by many locals as the region's finest restaurant."
678 W Main St Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-8989 www.lulusonmain.com Get Directions
Our dining theater features fabulous foods, free films, and a fantastic local draft beer selection. We specialize in pizza, tri-tip, wraps, steaks& plenty of vegetarian options. Love and local ingredients are in our food.
617 West Main Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-3555 madbatterfoodfilm.com Get Directions
We Are Passionate When It Comes to Our Chocolate. We have been “Crafting Sweet Memories” for three generations. Now you can bring those sweet memories home to your family and friends. You will appreciate the quality that comes with care and dedication to crafting small batch, handmade chocolates. We also have brittles, signature toffees, caramels, salted caramels, peanut butter meltaways and sugar plums!
546 West Main Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 631-3379 baxleyschocolates.com Get Directions
Welcome to the BEST WESTERN PLUS River Escape Inn and Suites, the ultimate family destination nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Relax and get away from it all while experiencing breathtaking views of the beautiful Tuckasegee River, and watch as rafters make their way down the river from any of our riverside rooms. All guests can enjoy the river from our main riverside deck as well. Here at the River Escape, we are 100% non-smoking. All of our rooms come standard with microwaves, mini-fridges, HBO, in room coffee, hairdryers, iron and ironing board, and complimentary high speed internet access (WI-FI and hard-wired). We also offer several amenities that would appeal to any traveler. These include our indoor heated pool and spa, fitness center, business center with available printer and internet access, and a riverside BBQ grill area. Enjoy a selection of eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, waffles, muffins, cereal, fruits, juices, etc. with our included hot breakfast. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Golf, and many vacation packages available.
248 WBI Drive Dillsboro, NC 28725 (828) 586-6060 www.bwriverescape.com Get Directions
Open year-round, swimming, TV's, telephones, credit cards. 71 rooms, $49-$129.
1235 E. Main Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 477-4950 www.comfortinn.com/hotel-sylva-north_carolina-NC732 Get Directions
• You deserve a location and experience worthy of your special day. Grand Old Lady Hotel will bring your vision to life with timeless elegance. The Grand Old Lady Hotel is perched at 3,500 ft. elevation in the community of Balsam, NC, in a gap dividing the towering Plott Balsam and Richland Balsam mountain ranges. Balsam Gap was once home to the highest passenger rail station in the east, and guests at the inn – then called the Balsam Mountain Springs Hotel – took day trips to nearby peaks, some of which rise to over 6,000 feet. Our guests still enjoy such trips – even more so perhaps – by hiking the nearby North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail, or by driving the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway, which has an entrance a half-mile from the inn and reaches some of its highest, wildest and most beautiful points nearby. With stunning mountain views, old-world charm, 100-foot front porch with rocking chairs to enjoy the view, let us assist you with your wedding experience.
68 Seven Springs Drive Balsam, NC 28707 (828) 456-9498 grandoldladyhotel.com Get Directions
Visit the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Dillsboro - Western Carolina and rediscover the power of nature as you relax in the heated pool or spa and gaze out over the majestic Great Smoky Mountains. Situated in Sylva at Dillsboro exit, this hotel's location is a wonderland of awe-inspiring scenery and only nine miles from Western Carolina University and one mile from historic Dillsboro, NC.

The hotel's location is every outdoor enthusiast's dream. From the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, lodging at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel Dillsboro makes it easy to explore the most stunning natural treasures in the East. If you're more of an indoor person, you can browse the charming shops in historic Dillsboro.

Corporate guests find it easy to keep in touch with the office using free high-speed, wireless Internet access, and meeting deadlines is a breeze with the help of the 24-hour Business Center. The 400-sq-ft meeting room seats up to 25 guests, and it is an ideal venue for work-related events.

You can begin each day with the delicious and complimentary, hot breakfast bar, and after a day spent outside in the crisp mountain air, warm up in the heated, indoor pool and hot tub. If you're planning a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, lodging at this hotel transforms an ordinary visit into an unforgettable vacation, so book now!
26 Rufus Robinson Road Dillsboro, NC 28779 (828) 631-1111 www.hiexpress.com/esdillsboronc Get Directions
The Quality Inn® is an inexpensive hotel in Sylva with 4 star reviews that’s merely minutes away from the Harris Regional Hospital, Mountain Heritage Center and the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Also nearby is Western Carolina University and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Great Smoky Mountain Train. Free hot Breakfast and WiFi. Business center and banquet facilities available.
2807 Highway 74 East Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-3315 choicehotels.com/QualityInn/Sylva Get Directions
Great Family-oriented Whitewater Rafting Trip!!!! Rafting/Kayaking/Tubing/Canoeing
5303 US Hwy 74 East Whittier, NC 28789 (828) 586-5285 www.smokymountainriveradventures.com Get Directions
RE/MAX Awenasa Realty in beautiful Bryson City and Sylva, North Carolina, specializes in Smoky Mountain real estate, including homes, log cabins, land, homesites, and lots. We are experienced in helping first-time home buyers find their dream home and finding just the right mountain getaway home for the vacation home or second home buyer. With so much to see and do, owning a home for you and your family, or supplementing the expense of ownership by placing your home on a vacation rental program, a Broker with RE/MAX Awenasa Realty would be happy to work along side with you to find your home. We can help you buy and sell real estate in the areas of Bryson City, Cherokee, Sylva, Dillsboro, Whittier, Cullowhee, Almond, Ela, Webster, and Robbinsville North Carolina.
625 W. Main Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 631-3121 MyHomeWNC.com Get Directions
Your search for real estate in Sylva, Cullowhee, Bryson City, Franklin, Webster, near Western Carolina University, and throughout the western NC mountains starts here. With 2 offices and 12 agents, we have a collective experience in mountain real estate that surpasses all other agencies. Check out our website to see Four Reasons Why Western Carolina Properties is your key to the mountains!

Visit us at our Cullowhee Office! 721 Speedwell Rd
Cullowhee, NC
info@wcproperties.com
Phone: 828-293-3708
Fax: 828-293-9589
78 Front Street Dillsboro, NC 28725 (828) 586-3442 searchwnc.com Get Directions
We Are Passionate When It Comes to Our Chocolate. We have been “Crafting Sweet Memories” for three generations. Now you can bring those sweet memories home to your family and friends. You will appreciate the quality that comes with care and dedication to crafting small batch, handmade chocolates. We also have brittles, signature toffees, caramels, salted caramels, peanut butter meltaways and sugar plums!
546 West Main Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 631-3379 baxleyschocolates.com Get Directions
Located in the Great Smoky Mountains in picturesque Dillsboro. Our small town country feel carries over to our online presence. Customers can shop or browse our eclectic array of mountain gourmet and specialty items. Sample our dressings, jams, butters, barbeque sauces. Open: Friday & Saturday 10am - 4pm
104 Front Street Dillsboro, NC 28725 (828) 356-6198 www.facebook.com/CheddarBoxDillsboro Get Directions
Located in historic Dillsboro, NC, Nancy Tut’s Christmas Shop has welcomed guests since 1969. We are a travel destination for the many visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our wide array of specialty themed Christmas ornaments keep people coming back year after year. So whether you are looking for anything from an astronaut to a zebra chances are we have it!
488 Haywood Road Dillsboro, NC 28725 (828) 586-5391 nancy-tuts-christmas-shop.business.site Get Directions
Our dining theater features fabulous food, free films, and a fantastic local draft beer selection. We specialize in pizza, tri-tip, wraps, steaks& plenty of vegetarian options. Love and local ingredients are in our food.
617 West Main Street Sylva, NC 28779 (828) 586-3555 madbatterfoodfilm.com Get Directions
Our vacation rental homes and log cabin rentals feature a variety of amenities to make your visit to the Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina very special. We offer over 70 homes in and around Dillsboro, Sylva, Cherokee, Franklin, and Bryson City, managed for private owners who have tastefully decorated and furnished to their individual styles. All kitchens are fully equipped and linens are provided.
5184 Hwy 74 West Whittier, NC 28725 (855) 861-5757 www.smokymtngetaways.net Get Directions