Avoid the Crowds and Ring in 2019 Mountain Style

balsam falls in jackson county

Avoid the Crowds and Ring in 2019 Mountain Style

Why fight the crowds at a huge New Year’s celebration in a jam-packed city when you can escape to the beautiful Western North Carolina mountains for a more low-key, enjoyable experience? In Jackson County, N.C., you’ll find wide open spaces where you can rejuvenate with the fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery everywhere you turn. Plus, you won’t encounter the high seasonal prices that commonly accompany a big-city New Year’s celebration and holiday weekend stay.

Footloose and fancy free: An insider’s guide to summer outdoor music in the mountains

live music at concerts on the creek in jackson county

Footloose and fancy free: An insider’s guide to summer outdoor music in the mountains

The magic of summer nights comes alive with outdoor music in the N.C. mountains of Jackson County. Make memories dancing barefoot on a lawn. Bask in the sweet mountain air of a summer evening. Wish on the first star as strains of music drift into the night. Outdoor concerts are a hallmark of summer here in Jackson County, N.C. Every Friday night, we serve up the double header of Concerts on the Creek in Sylva and Groovin’ on the Green in Cashiers. The two bucolic venues — with timber-framed open-air stages, expansive lawns and a mountain backdrop — bookend Jackson County, so no matter where you land at sundown, you won’t be far from the tunes. The crowd-pleasing line-up crosses many genres: Appalachian bluegrass, folk and roots, Americana, groovin’ jazz, country rock, laid-back funk, and lively pop hits. Bands are hand-curated for their crowd-pleasing sound. The best part? It’s all free. Got kids in tow? Make memories with an impromptu family dance party in the great wide open. Or let them frolic and run free in the cool summer grass — lightning bugs anyone? — while you steal a rare moment of adult convo. Traveling with pets? Four-legged companions are always welcome on leashes. Locals love their summer music here in Jackson County. It’s our chance to unwind from the week, catch up with neighbors and make new friends. There’s plenty of camaraderie to go around, so grab a blanket or lawn chair and nestle in. A picnic supper is […]

Insider’s Guide To Ebbing And The Filming Of Three Billboards

Insider’s Guide To Ebbing And The Filming Of Three Billboards

The mountain town of Sylva, NC was the primary filming location, and from May 2-21, 2016 transformed to become the town of Ebbing, Missouri, where this dark drama unfolds. Sylva captures the perfect picture of small-town Americana and proves to be a natural setting for the silver screen. With mountain vistas framing the background and storefronts lining Main Street, the town encompasses all the authentic characteristics that the setting of this Oscar® nominated film needed.

10 Reasons to Visit Jackson County This Labor Day

sunrise over the mountains in jackson county

10 Reasons to Visit Jackson County This Labor Day

Labor Day is the only US holiday dedicated to celebrating the working people, so take advantage of the holiday weekend and treat yourself to a trip to the North Carolina mountain towns of Jackson County! Not only is it conveniently located in the Great Smoky Mountains just a short drive from the Southeast’s major cities, but Jackson County also provides visitors the chance to try many different activities throughout their stay in the area.

How to Have an Awesome Microbrew Tour in Jackson County

How to Have an Awesome Microbrew Tour in Jackson County

Loaded with more microbreweries than any other southeastern state, North Carolina is rightfully recognized as one of the country’s booming bastions of craft beer. While Asheville’s heavily concentrated collection of microbreweries may have made the town North Carolina’s capital of craft beer, one of the state’s most singular beer trails is just west of the city, in mountain-rippled, stream-laced Jackson County.

Done in a Day: Exploring the Southern Smokies from Sylva

Done in a Day: Exploring the Southern Smokies from Sylva

Just 20 miles from the southern edge of the Smokies, the western North Carolina town of Sylva provides a strategic launch point for exploring one of the country’s most beloved natural wonders—the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The national park, spread between North Carolina and Tennessee, is the most visited in the country, boasting 16 peaks above 6,000-feet and 850 miles of trails. Even better, the park is best accessed from Sylva courtesy of a lofty stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the iconic motorway linking the Smokies with Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park.