My review is based on the two places I visited at Santa's Land. A stop at Santa's Land on the way…read moreto Cherokee, NC of a family day trip. I've seen the signs for this place, but had never visited. We didn't go to in the park itself, but we did check out the gift shop, and Mrs. Claus's Kitchen. The gift shop was decorated with Christmas trees, and had every kind of ornament that you could imagine. The lady working check out was so friendly, and she told us about the different animals that she sees in her yard. Mrs. Claus's Kitchen was a stop for more fudge. It was a fun visit, Christmas in July.

This is a roadside zoo. My heart broke as soon as we walked in…read more My parents wanted to take my 2 year old daughter here while we are visiting them from Washington state. Apparently they brought me here as a toddler 30 years ago and thought it would be fun to recreate the memory. I had no idea what it was or I would have never agreed to come here. The animals are kept in small, dirty cages of packed dirt and gravel. No attempt made to recreate their natural habitat or provide any enrichment whatsoever. The two baby bear cubs were the most tragic, following tourists as they walked around their very small circular enclosure, begging for food (that can be purchase from a gum-ball machine and inserted into a chute that goes into the cage.) I asked an employee where the cubs come from. "A man in Missouri leases them to us." I then asked what happens to them when they aren't babies anymore and he takes them back. The employee didn't know. Then I said, "so this guy in Missouri is just breeding bears and then shipping the babies across the country to be rented to places like this?" And she said, verbatim, "yeah, I try not to think about that part." I am glad my two year old will have no memory of this place. If she was older we would be having a long, somber conversation about animal abuse and exploitation for profit. And how any zoo with captive animals should be committed to research, conservation, and betterment of the species. It is crazy to think that in 2023, places like this still exist. Even after multiple citations from the USDA for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. We know better now. We have to do better. To alleviate some of my guilt for unknowingly supporting an establishment like this, I will be making a donation to the Western North Carolina Nature Center. Please take your kids there, not here. **inhumane animal conditions aside, the park is old and rundown. My daughter did enjoy the train ride and some of the old fair-style mechanical rides (carousel, circular cars and boats) and most of the staff were friendly.**

Had a birthday party for my 11 year old son here along with 10 of his friends, and couldn't have…read morebeen happier with the experience. Everything was incredibly well coordinated, and John did a fantastic job keeping the rowdy kids engaged, safe and fair with a flexible timeline to accommodate maximum playtime. Can't recommend Black Mountain Adventure Zone highly enough, absolutely excellent value compared to so many similar party options, would happily repeat- and I think the boys who attended would gladly echo this sentiment.

Our family had a great time playing GellyBall! It stings, but it was so much fun and more than…read moreenough time to enjoy. John was flexible, caring, kind, and professional!

Maggie Valley is a chill and nice place. In the middle of that chill and nice place: Fantasy Golf…read more The old sign might not draw you in, but the waterfalls will. This is a fun and easy course. If you suck at miniature golf, this course will boost your confidence. You will then carry that confidence around until you eat a sandwich or go tubing. Then you will pretty much forget you played miniature golf. However, if you're the type of person that likes to live in the moment, then miniature golf is recommended--Fantasy Golf in particular when in Maggie Valley.

Best mini golf I've ever played! Clean, bright, cheerful and fun! Staff was really helpful and…read morefriendly. Deco was clever, interesting and made the experience even more enjoyable. Quite a few stairs but plenty of railings and lots of places to rest along the way.

What a cool place to stumble upon! It was an open mic night hosted by the very charismatic Bridget…read moreGossett. Apparently it's normally busier, it was a Monday, but there were five different performers and they were all very very good. There's a whole side with video games and skee ball and pool. It would probably be a good place for parents to come with their kids. They could send them over with some money to play games while they relax at a table and have a beer and a snack.

I played at Lake Junaluska Golf Course while visiting from out of state and had one of the most…read moreunnecessarily uncomfortable golf experiences I've had. We booked a last-minute tee time and only brought one golf bag for two players because we did not understand the course policy requiring separate bags. As soon as staff raised the issue, we immediately offered to rent clubs or delay our tee time if needed. Instead, the course employees themselves decided to let us play the front 9 and then decide whether to retrieve another bag before continuing. That should have ended the issue completely. Instead, we were approached again during the round and effectively hassled over a situation that staff had already approved. The marshal then explained that the reason was because there was a board member playing behind us who was complaining. That is incredibly unprofessional. If management or board members disagree with a decision, that should be handled internally between staff -- not by repeatedly confronting paying customers after an arrangement was already approved by the course itself. Don't put players in the middle of your internal politics and communication failures. The most frustrating part is we were cooperative from the beginning and willing to fix the situation however they wanted. If the course had simply delayed the tee time for a few minutes so we could handle it "correctly," that would have been far more professional than interrupting us multiple times during the round over a decision their own employees made. Beautiful scenery, but the customer service and professionalism were disappointing enough that I would not return.

The course is advertised as easy and open. While the course isn't as long as some others, it more…read morethan makes up for it with blind tee shots, narrow fairways, dramatic elevation changes, and some very challenging, uneven greens. Beautiful scenery but if you are beginner, it can be challenging.

What a great visit! Our tour guide Curtis was so great! He knew a lot and made us feel really…read morewelcome. The animals are friendly and so sweet! We had a great time at the farm!

We had the best time at Winchester Creek. Perfect stop for our whole party (grandparents, parents,…read moretoddler). Very clean and happy animals. Our toddler enjoyed feeding treats to quite a few different animals. They give you the option to purchase treats when buying tickets online - totally worth it. Our guide for the tour was so informative and you could tell she genuinely loved the farm & animals. Gift shop was adorable. They had different farm cheeses and eggs and we wished we would've had a cooler with us to travel with some cheese. Overall great stop!

This lovely park is at one end of Maggie Valley and was a welcome stop after too much driving…read morethrough the mountains. I found the public restroom in the pavilion to be a more than welcome break. A number of features here including a covered picnic pavilion, the above mentioned restrooms, water fountain, power outlet, picnic tables by the stream and even charcoal grills. The traffic whizzing past was distracting but it was still a very great place to get out of the car for a bit. [Review 1165 of 2024 - 3655 in North Carolina - 22188 overall]

This is by far one of my favorite areas to mountain bike! I live about an hour away and make the…read moretrek a couple of weekends a month. There are two sets of trails (Mouse Branch/Thompson Loop or Right Loop/Left Loop) and they vary by day which set is for bikes and which for horses, which is detailed on their site (but I have also copied that info at the end of my review. All the trails are one-way, dedicated trails so you can get some good speed too! Mouse Branch/Thompson Loop: I LOVE the flow of this trail. There are no drastic up hills or downhills. Pretty much anyone can traverse these trails. I am a solid intermediate but suck on ascending, but I do not have to get off my bike anywhere on this trail. It opens up to some GORGEOUS views of Fontana Lake. Be warned that you will need to wear your sunscreen on this side because it lacks a good tree canopy, unlike the other set of trails. Right Loop/Left Loop: These are the more challenging and longer trails. I did have to get off my bike and push a couple of times. There is more tree canopy on this side (thus more shade, which I love). It also has great views of the lake in spots. If I had my choice, I would choose a day when Mouse Branch/Thompson Loop is open for mountain biking for a more fun, easier, flowy trail. For more of a challenge, choose a Right Loop/Left Loop day. **Bring a few bucks cash. There is a daily use fee on an honor system (but it supports the trails so don't be cheap!!). You go to the little board at the end and fill out an envelope, which you put in a box. You can also kayak and camp nearby! :) *************************************************** Info from their site: The Tsali (pronounced "SAH-lee") Recreation Area's four-loop trail system has become a popular destination for mountain bikers and horseback riders. It is best known as a challenging mountain bike course. The Right Loop, rated moderately difficult, offers 13.9 miles of single track, with shorter 4- and 8-mile loops possible. The Left Loop, rated moderately difficult, is 11.9 miles of single track with views toward the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Fontana Lake. The Mouse Branch Trail, rated moderately difficult, is 8.7 miles of single track and includes old logging roads. The Thompson Loop, rated moderately difficult, is 7.3 miles of single track. Hikers may travel the trails on any day, but mountain bikers and equestrians-the primary users-are kept separated by alternating days on the trails. Be sure to follow the trail schedule: Jan./Feb./March/April/June/Sept./Nov./Dec. Right Loop and Left Loop: Horses - Tuesday , Thursday, & Saturday Mountain Bikes -Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday Mouse Branch and Thompson Loop: Horses - Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday Mountain Bikes - Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday May/July/August/October Right Loop and Left Loop: Horses - Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday Mountain Bikes - Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday Mouse Branch and Thompson Loop: Horses - Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday Mountain Bikes - Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday There is a per-person day use fee for trail use. Fees can be paid at either the Tsali Bike or Horse Trailheads.

Great mountain biking and camping area. The location was awesome and made it easy to bike, raft and…read morevisit the city. John was a great host at the campground and kept the noise to a minimum at night.