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Welcome to the Great Smokies Blog

Stories From The Smokies highlights interesting, out-of-the-ordinary aspects of life in the North Carolina mountains. We offer insider tips on things to do, places to go, and ways to make your Bryson City visit all the more memorable. Look for new posts in this space every few weeks. Or subscribe to receive updates by email.

A Festival to End All Festivals

A Festival to End All Festivals

Throughout the year, Darnell Farms celebrates each growing season with a festival. They celebrate strawberries, peaches, sweet corn, tomatoes and more. Sixteen in all. And in mid-November Darnell’s festival calendar ends with the grandest of all – a joyous, month-long...

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The Everett Hotel’s Storied Heritage

The Everett Hotel’s Storied Heritage

The Many Lives Of 16 Everett Street The year 1908 saw the completion of Bryson City’s two most significant structures — a columned courthouse with domed cupola, and a permanent home for the town’s first financial institution, the Bank of Bryson City. Anchoring the...

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How To View The Smokies Differently

How To View The Smokies Differently

Cruising the Smokies by automobile is a great experience and arguably the most popular way to see the sights. Of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 13 million recreational visitors in 2022, most toured by vehicle. Yet there are other ways to view the Smokies –...

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The National Park’s Junior Ranger Program

The National Park’s Junior Ranger Program

Like most national parks, Great Smoky Mountains NP has a kids 'Junior Ranger' program with activities and experiences unique to the Smokes. Dating back to the 1930s, Junior Rangers is a nationwide program where kids can learn about a park through self guided...

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The Fryemont Inn Turns 100

The Fryemont Inn Turns 100

The Quintessential Mountain Lodge In 1923, timber baron Amos Frye built a hotel on a hill above Bryson City — a rambling, rustic, 2-story mountain lodge with massive stone fireplaces in both the lobby and dining hall. It offered 62 guest rooms, built to accommodate...

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Books on Every Block

Books on Every Block

Enjoy books? Stroll through downtown Bryson City and you find books for sale on almost every block. These are not Barnes & Noble big box stores, but local retail stores with sections for readers young and old. Most offer selections reflecting the theme of the...

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Spooky Smoky Mountain Happenings

Spooky Smoky Mountain Happenings

Frightful storytelling by the bonfire. Shadowy figures rustling through a haunted cornfield. A bloodthirsty Count transforming into a bat. These are the terrifying experiences awaiting you at Bryson City / Cherokee’s Haunted October. The Cherokee Bonfire Hear amazing...

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