When I first visited Maggie Valley thirteen years ago, it was winter. My father had just let his…read moregirlfriend pick out the business that we would own, and, thus, our fate. Thanks a lot, poor visoneer. I remember having bad pizza and trying to be hopeful that there had to be more action than a Burger King and Walmart. Maggie itself was wholesome and hibernating. I still say that Maggie, the town sweetheart, had a colorful nightlife on the side in that there valley. (The present Maggie mascot walks the streets, waving sweetly.) I moved outside of Maggie the following summer. Life plodded on. I worked at the family business. Defying rumors, the petting zoo never reopened. "Ghost Town in the Sky" would open for a month or two, only to be beleaguered by a poltergeist who always caused the main attraction- the roller coaster- to cease producing fun. "Carolina Nights", dinner theatre for seniors, eventually closed and caused a Carolina Blight. No, really, cause Maggie was not the same after that happened. The Eaglenest, a concert hall, was built but failed to soar. The lack of alcohol and Walton-level of fun killed it. The pizza place stopped tossing and closed. Bakeries would pop up from time to time, only to burn out. At least two motels burned out and down to the relief of the owners who then drove away from Maggie in new RVs. I was glad when Joey's got a new owner. The old one had an inflated ego with prices to match. When my grandmother with Alzheimer's walked down the street naked, an outraged citizen called the cops. Nope, brain diseases are not allowed in Maggie. My grandmother was shipped off, never to be free again. So, now the fun part. As I have stated before, when my father died, his wife, T., and her alcoholic brothers who lived (!) at our business threatened my husband, F., at our business within a week of my dad's death. We never returned to our business, and it quickly succumbed under their influence. Neighboring businesses started to complain about drug use and trash. I contacted the health department, but they did not care that the things living at my business had by choice stopped using running water. That is a public health hazard. One neighboring business joined forces with my ex-stepmother by buying stolen business property off of her after F. had asked them to stay away from her. When F. confronted the man that he had spoken to, the cops were called. F. said that the cop put his gloves on. F. was told not to go to our business again. He checked it daily. He was doing more for Maggie than the police were. And without gloves. The police stated that they could do nothing about the property theft. What the...huh? Isn't that your job?! We had also asked for a police escort to the inside of the business so that we could access the safe that was in my ex-stepmother's living quarters. We told them that my brother and I owned more shares of the business than T. They would not provide us with an escort. F. decided to go to the town manager, Mr. Clark. We went to the town center building. We got separated. I went up to the office window to ask for help. The phone rang. The woman that worked the desk looked at me, ignored me, and picked up the phone instead. How rude. I walked away and looked at photos of Maggie, who in her older days was no Ava Gardner. I found F. by wandering the weird halls. (The building has several ill-placed additions.) Our meeting with Mr. Clark seemed promising. F. asked Mr. Clark if he could evict T. and co. from our business premises. He said that he would contact people, and that it had been done once before, when addicts had resided in front of "Wheels Thru Time", the central cog of Maggie. We told him about the accumulating trash, and how we were not sure if we had enough business funds for to be picked up promptly. Oddly enough, Mr. Clark said that Maggie Valley would remove the dumpster, and F. had to tell him that that could be viewed as theft. Mr. Clark's rude secretary appeared and announced that Mr. Clark had a meeting. We left. My kid and I went to a playground that was built for listless toddlers. It is behind the town center building. I suddenly saw Mr. Clark on his cell phone outside, done with his "meeting" within seven minutes of us leaving. Yep, that's what you get when you try to be positive. Self-important announcers and fake meetings because real ones require too much effort. In the end, no one helped. We reached out to numerous entities to no avail. A naked woman walking down the street caused more concern than drug addicts living at a local business. Maggie is still there, despite one cop stating that it was dying. A dollar store was added. Gift shops are the main breed. Frankie's is doing great. Mini trucks are still truckin' at a yearly event, along with leather and cycles. Spirits- the drinking kind- have ben added to add new spirit. There are new sidewalks, but I will never walk down them and into the sunset.

What a great little town in western NC just outside of Cherokee. It is quiet and laid back with…read moregreat views of the Great Smoky Mountains. They have some nice shops and restaurants around and of course Ghost Town in the Sky. It is very close to Soco falls and like I said it is not far from Cherokee. It is a great place to spend a couple days with lot of places to explore.

This marker is along the highway and adjacent to a boat ramp area, so there is a spot to pull over…read moreand park while you appreciate the beauty of the Lake Junaluska in the mountains and read the marker. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Cataloochee Trail. An old Indian path across mountains used by early settlers and in 1810 by Bishop Asbury. Trail passed nearby." The online essay has more information. "Cataloochee Trail, located in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, served as a pathway for both Native Americans and European settlers over the Appalachian Mountains. The earliest extant mention of the trail appears in 1799, and refers to the Cataloochee as a "turnpike." By that point, the Cherokee had abandoned the region, and Col. Robert Love, a Revolutionary War veteran and land speculator, had purchased the land." This is marker number P-50 and it was erected by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. [Review 1163 of 2024 - 3653 in North Carolina - 22186 overall]

This area is still recovering from the hurricane last year…read more This is Sunburst Falls. There is a drought going on so I think this one may be more majestic at different times of the year. Parking is very limited, but the falls can be seen from the road.

Amazing waterfall just off the roadside. There are only a couple of parking spots just down from…read morethe falls that are located on a curve of the road.

Hello, I hope that this will be taken seriously, in hopes that this never happens to anyone else…read more Since Helene destroyed our local Canton park we wanted to give the Waynesville Recreation pool. I called the day prior to get all the information I could gather, checked the website since we have not been in over a decade. The receptionist gave me all the information, dates, times, pricing, and and temperature of the pool. I asked if there was still a kiddy pool working with buckets, slides, splash area etc. and I was told yes. The next day we were very excited and happily payed our fee to enter.As we walked passed the 1st life guard posted at the shallow end of the deep pool we smiled and found a spot near the slide as we knew that was what our son was going to be the most excited about. We got our son in his swim vest for safety and goggles and off he went down the slide. All of a sudden I see a young blonde lifeguard running around the Side of the slide saying "NO NO NO!". My husband and I smiled and said "Its ok we are right here and he's safe (Thinking she was worried he was alone since we didn't even see her from where she was sitting)". My son was already coming down the slide when she was yelling at him, (He's autistic and doesn't always understand things or respond to others well). He made it down no problem and was swimming to get out when she said "we do not allow swim vest or life jackets on the slide!" I asked "why?" And she responded with "because of the bolts on the slide they can get hung up and get hurt." I Replied " so there are bolts sticking out on a toddlers waterslide? I think you should be more concerned with that cutting and hurting someone if thats the case, not be concerned with a protective swimming vest." She replied "Well he's to small to ride" I was confused since I called asked and check the website and the slide is on the kiddie pool. I said "ok" as my husband is trying to regulate our son and explain things to him but he just wants to slide. By this point there are only 2 life guards for both pools and my son won't stop trying to slide. I carry him over to her hoping if he hears it from someone else that he's not allowed it will help. It did not! I then am very upset that was the whole reason for coming and anyone with autistic children or any kids understand if you tell them something fun your going to do but then have to tell them they can not its never fun. I ask the girl if I can sign a waiver or anything to allow him to slide, she says"no" I ask can he take of his vest and slide and ill be at the bottom to help catch him if he needs it ( He's a very good swimmer for his age) to which she responded "parents are not allowed to stand at the bottom and help there child". I was blown away buy this since we have been going to canton pool, and Dollywood splash country where kids can wear the life jackets, swim vest, or floats on any slide and parents were always at the bottom to help catch them as well since its all about safety when around water! Well, expect here at Waynesville rec. center. I was upset by this point and asked her what and where are these rules since I was not informed.?" She says "its on the back of the slide". Again I was upset and said " well that a horrible place for rules against a back wall on a slide that not every sees until your back here, also I was not told this and just so you know for the future maybe you all could post your rules on the website and tell them when they call so this doesn't happen to other special needs family and regular families to! I could tell she was uncomfortable so I simply asked what would happen if he did go down the slide (as he can be a runner)? She said " I would ask you to leave" I said "ok" and walked away. So for reference and refresh you can call and check the website where these rules are NOT posted or come in pay inside change enter at the opposite side of the pool area walk always to the back wall behind the side, and on the back said you see this weird outdated slide rules. By this time I was wondering why no one was on the slide and its because you have to be 48 inch tall but not over a certain weight, no parents are allowed on the slide, parents cannot catch kids at the bottom, and no life jackets or vest are allowed. These rules do the opposite of keeping kids in the kiddie pool safe. And again you can go to canton pool, Dollywood splash country or many other water parks or pools and they encourage you to put vests on your child and stay close to your child in water. By this point there are a good amount of ;little kids in the kiddie pool I would say about 10 to 15 and more kids in the bigger pool about 10 as well and only 2 life guards. I'm sorry but I'm not going to rely on a lifeguard to see everything in a pool. But none the less we kept trying to explain it to our son and play in the kiddie pool and enjoy the best we can. Our son was having a melt down and other parents in the pool understood what was happe

We just moved to the area and took a tour of the recreation center here. We will be joining the gym…read moreafter Covid issues get better. They have the main staples of indoor pool, workout equipment, racket ball courts. It clean and people are very friendly. We use the outdoor grounds a lot. Our main use is the dog park. There is a small dog park and a large dog park. We are in the small dog area. The disc golf court runs past the dog areas which is cool. There is a great skateboard park that lots of young people use, even on bikes. Lots of paved pathways. I love that the pathways attract older and young people. And, the path runs alongside The bold creek. It is more like a small river. It is filled with trout should you want to fish. Definitely a major asset to our town!

This historical marker is located at the intersection of US Highway 19 at the Blue Ridge Parkway…read morenear Soco Gap. The sign is next to a concrete marker that clearly marks the spot of this "Boundary." The marker reads, "Qualla Boundary. Soco Gap, initial point of U.S. survey, 1876, of Cherokee Reservation, created through earlier efforts of W. H. Thomas, white Cherokee chief." The online essay has a lot more information. "The Qualla Boundary, the official name for the Cherokee Indian Reservation in western North Carolina, was officially surveyed and its present boundaries were established in 1876. The tract owed its creation to the alliance and efforts of the Cherokee people and to William Holland Thomas, the white Cherokee chief. Thomas pruchased lands for the Cherokee people under his name in the 1840s and 1850s, and in 1866 the United States recognized the right of the Cherokee to own and control the lands. Ten years later, the land was surveyed and demarcated as Cherokee land, outside of federal and state government jurisdiction. "Between October 1838 and March 1839 the federal government forcibly removed the Cherokee people from their lands in western North Carolina. About 11,000 Cherokee Indians were relocated in what became known as the Trail of Tears. Some Cherokee remained in North Carolina, however, including many who hid in the Great Smoky Mountains. In addition to those who eluded internment and forced migration, some Cherokee were free to stay because of earlier treaties, including the Oconaluftee Cherokee under Yonaguska. These individuals recruited Thomas to purchase land on their behalf, which he began doing in 1840. "William Holland Thomas owned three stores in Qualla Town and the surrounding areas by the late 1820s. Having worked and lived amongst the Cherokee people from earlier in his life, Thomas had a significant knowledge of the their language, and was a close friend of Yonaguska. He was well respected and trusted by the Cherokee people, eventually serving as their only white chief. After the Trail of Tears, Thomas acted on behalf of the Cherokee and acquired lands focused around the Oconaluftee River and Soco Creek. A large tract of land, consisting of around 50,000 acres, was eventually collected around Oconaluftee Creek, and this constitutes the majority of the Qualla Boundary today. "Thomas also struggled gain official permission for the Oconaluftee Cherokee to remain in North Carolina. In 1866, the Eastern Band of Cherokee were formally granted freedom to live in North Carolina, and were recognized as a separate entity from the Cherokee living in Oklahoma in 1868. In 1874, a board of arbitrators appointed by the federal courts found that Thomas's land purchases had been on behalf of the Cherokee people, and the lands were placed in a trust for the Cherokee tribe. "Because the boundaries of the land were still vague, in 1876 a survey was completed by M. S. Temple, deputy U. S. Surveyor, and the boundaries of the Qualla Boundary were established. The surveying began in Soco Gap, an area that was the most important passageway through the Balsam Mountains for the Cherokee before the arrival of the white man." The intersection is here. There is space to pull over to read the sign and see the marker. It was an interesting experience and of course, it's a reminder of how poorly the American government treated the Native Americans who were here. [Review 1166 of 2024 - 3656 in North Carolina - 22189 overall]

Soco Falls is absolutely worth the stop if you're driving through the area. The waterfall is…read morebeautiful, and the photos honestly don't do it justice. That said... don't let the short hike fool you! The walk down isn't bad--it's the climb back up that will definitely remind you whether you've been keeping up with your cardio. Thankfully, there are handrails and benches along the trail because I absolutely took advantage of them on the way back. I thought I was in decent shape... the mountain quickly humbled me! My advice: wear good hiking shoes, bring water, and if you have a walking stick, use it. A neck fan isn't a bad idea either during the warmer months. Just because you see people tackling the trail in Crocs or flip-flops doesn't mean it's a good idea. If you're adventurous, there is a way to get down to the base of the falls, where people were swimming, but we admired it from the overlook instead. The surrounding mountain views are beautiful as well, making it an easy stop even if you're just passing through. If you're in the Bryson City/Cherokee area, don't skip Soco Falls. Just come prepared, take your time, and enjoy one of the prettiest waterfalls in Western North Carolina.

I was seeking a waterfall and didn't quite have time to make it to Cherokee and the Great Smoky…read moreMountains, and so located this turn-off a couple of miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parking area is by the road, and the hike down to the falls is short, but of considerable grade. At the end, a platform allows viewing. You can't get anywhere near the falls or take a swim, and it seems like it would be a tough area even if there weren't a thousand signs telling you not to wander off the trail, which is shared with a driveway to some private property. It certainly isn't among the best Western NC waterfalls, but it's a nice site and it's free and open to the public, so not a bad place to stop depending on one's itinerary.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is located in Downtown Black Mountain. It is in the former…read moreCity Hall Building. Stairs are the only option to get to the second-floor gallery as the elevator got damaged by Hurricane Helene. Parking is on the street and in public lots. I found out about the Art in Bloom exhibit that was happening and made sure to fit it into my plans. The artwork and flower displays were upstairs. I was there the last day and they still looked amazing. I was thrilled I got to see the creativity. The staff was very friendly and welcoming here, and even provided me with a tour of the facility. The Center has performing arts so I joined the mailing list so I could find out about upcoming theatre performances and concerts. Classes and workshops are offered too. This is a great asset to the community.

Very nice people. Was invited into a painting studio along with a pottery studio. Would recommend.read more

Disgustingly incompetent people who always answer the phone with a goddamn attitude like you're not…read moresupposed to be calling them for help. They mess up a lot and when you call them out for it, they get mad at you instead of themselves. They're so bad at their job that it makes you angry. 0/10 help. 10/10 rage bait. Overall, they have no customer service and are very inconsiderate. You'll hang up the phone feeling angry and questioning if they even graduated from high school.

Waynesville- the town that does not epitomize "separation of church and state". I am grateful for…read moreour local police and firemen. They look so great in uniform. Ahem. So, this is the entity you want to contact when you start a new business in Waynesville. They also do building inspections, code enforcement, and zoning and building stuff. Want to become a notary, a position that allows you to support the alteration of wills of senior citizens with dementia per their avaricious progeny, in order to secure future support for their even more avaricious wives? Yes, you can; with the Register of Deeds department! If you enjoy being questioned by a county clerk employee because you are making her work, then get going to that department. Public and human resources round out these town services. Note: See my review on our town park for a slice of life. You ask: "Why only two stars?". Well, when I call up "The Town of Waynesville" with questions, I want answers, dammit. The first time I had to contact the townies, it was to inquire if a tree was on our property line or not. They ignored our calls. The second time, it was to inquire about the misplacing of Halloween. Or, rather, the bumping of this holiday up twenty-four hours to Saturday night, as opposed to Sunday night. It blew my mind. My kids' psyches were damaged. Local teens emboldened by cruising on their Sabbath aimed a rehashed barb at us. I decided to call up someone to find out if this is a religious phenomenon, or sanctioned by the town proper. No one called me back. The local paper never printed up my opinion on this matter. Recently, with a simple inquiry, they wanted to send out an inspector for a small renovation project. We told them the deal. I think that they expect disaster. We still have had none as of yet. I feel very powerful knowing that I have Waynesville in my clutches this very moment. I, as a word goddess, bestow limited compassion to it and wisdom to its inhabitants. From henceforth, know that returning phone calls is sacred in my world.