Cherokee
Cherokee, North Carolina
A Trip Back in Time
By: Lisa Denton
DRIVE TIME: 3 hours from downtown Chattanooga
GREAT FOR: Culture › Outdoors › Families
BEST IF YOU HAVE: 2-3 days
This town of just over 2,100 residents on the western edge of North Carolina bills itself as a cultural adventure “so realistic you may want to bring your own war paint.” It’s the reservation home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — and you’ll notice that signs for streets and some buildings are written in both the Cherokee syllabary and English. Gambling, legalized here in 1997, has become a top draw for tourists, but the town has more than casinos to bank on. It’s a good bet for anyone interested in indigenous culture and history, and its proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a bonus for adventure seekers.
> WHAT TO DO:
Oconaluftee Indian Village
218 Drama Road
828-497-2111
This living, breathing replica of Cherokee life is modeled after a tribal village from the 16th to 18th centuries, giving visitors a deeper understanding of the ancient ways of life and the traditions that remain today. A cultural guide in period clothing takes visitors through live demonstrations of beadwork, finger weaving, pottery, wood carving, basket making and weaponry. New is a fully operational 1800s-era blacksmith shop. The seasonal attraction is open April-November.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
777 Casino Drive
828-497-7777
There are other casinos in Cherokee, but Harrah’s is the original — and the biggest tourist attraction in North Carolina. You can try your hand at poker, place your bets on an array of table games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat and craps, or take a spin on one of the 3,280 slot machines.
Open year-round (except major holidays), the museum — voted one of the Top 10 Best Native American Experiences by USA Today — gives visitors a 13,000-year history lesson on the Cherokees, from the time when mastodons roamed the southern Appalachians to the present day. The story is told through computer-generated animation and special effects, life-size figures, artwork and an extensive collection of artifacts.
Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill
150 U.S. 441 N
828-497-1900
Behind the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is a collection of historic log buildings gathered from throughout the Smoky Mountains and preserved on a single site. Buildings include a house, barn, apple house, spring house, smokehouse and working blacksmith shop. Nearby, the historic grist mill uses a water-powered turbine instead of a water wheel to power all of the machinery in the building. Open seasonally (mid-March through mid-November and Thanksgiving weekend).
“Unto These Hills”
688 Drama Road
866-554-4557
One of the nation’s foremost outdoor dramas, “Unto These Hills” has been performed for more than 6 million visitors since its debut in 1950. The production, newly updated for cultural sensitivity and extra stage drama, tells the tribal story from the first contact with Europeans through the Trail of Tears to the modern era. The seasonal attraction (June-August) unfolds in the newly updated, 2,100-seat Mountainside Theatre.
> DON'T MISS:
> THE GREAT OUTDOORS:
Cherokee is North Carolina’s gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is filled with campgrounds, streams for fishing, and Appalachian hiking trails.
For an easy introduction to the trails, try the stroller-accessible Oconaluftee River Trail, which follows its namesake stream for 1.5 miles to Cherokee. For a more strenuous trek, take the Mingus Creek Trail, which climbs past old farms to the Smokies’ high country. Both start at the Mountain Farm Museum.
Waterfalls
Cherokee is home to two of the most beautiful waterfalls in North Carolina. Mingo Falls, one of the tallest falls in the southern Appalachians at more than 120 feet, can be accessed from Big Cove Road, about 5 miles from the Saunooke Village shopping area in Cherokee. The trail is considered moderately easy — the distance is short (less than half a mile), but the climb is steep (161 steps). Handrails and a bench at the top help.
Soco Falls is a breathtaking double waterfall more off the beaten path. The parking area is a gravel pull-off on the side of U.S. 19 on the drive toward Maggie Valley from Cherokee. You’ll be able to hear the sound of the waterfall from the road. There’s a break in the guardrail where the trail to the falls begins, but beware: The pathway is steep.
> WHERE TO EAT:
COST KEY:
$: Under $10
$$: $11-$30
$$$: $31-$60
$$$$: $61+
Peter’s Pancakes & Waffles
1384 Tsali Boulevard
828-497-5116
Cost: $
With great food and service, this family-owned restaurant overlooking the Oconaluftee River is definitely the place for breakfast in Cherokee, whether you want it early or late. They serve up breakfast platters from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
Granny’s Kitchen
1098 Painttown Road (U.S. 19 N)
828-497-5010
Cost: $$
Southern-style home cooking is served up buffet-style at Granny’s Kitchen, a fixture in Cherokee since 1984. House specialties include hand-carved roast beef, fried chicken and homemade desserts. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner mid-March to mid-December, with breakfast available daily during the busier summer season and otherwise on weekends.
Front Porch Cakery & Deli
908 Tsalagi Road
828-497-1776
Cost: $
The rustic atmosphere is as welcoming as the food, which ranges from hot and cold deli sandwiches and soup to a collection of confections that includes everything from gourmet cupcakes to chocolate-dipped pretzels and strawberries, plus 16 flavors of ice cream. Lunch specialties include a homemade meatloaf sandwich and the Legendary Bigfoot club (for monster appetites). Once your food’s in hand, you can cool off in the dining room, enjoy the shade of the covered porch, or find a picnic spot along the Oconaluftee River.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
777 Casino Drive
828-497-7777
Cost: $ to $$$
The one-stop convenience of the resort means you don’t have to leave to grab a meal. The resort offers 11 dining options, from cafes and buffets to the high-end Ruth’s Chris Steak House. There’s even a food court on the casino floor where you can find everything from deli sandwiches to doughnuts.
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