The side-by-side North Carolina mountain towns of Sylva and Dillsboro are hubs for nature lovers and foodies.
Things that may come to mind when you think of North Carolina: the remote Outer Banks, legendary Pinehurst golfing, and the world-famous Biltmore Estate. Those may be big draws, but any North Carolinian will tell you the soul of the state is best found in its small towns. Moreover, the Blue Ridge Mountain towns of Sylva and Dillsboro capture that special North Carolina magic. The side-by-side destinations (six minutes away by car) are perfect for nature lovers in search of fresh mountain air and a big serving of Appalachian charm. Here’s how to plan the perfect getaway to both towns.
What to Do Outdoors
Once upon a time in the 1800s, visitors arrived via steam engines or wagons rumbling over red-clay roads. Now, road trippers drive to the region to enjoy the great outdoors, Blue Ridge Mountains-style. Whether you seek rigorous adventure or the simple pleasures of country life, this area offers options for both.
The waterfall-laced Pinnacle Park features hiking trails ranging from fraction-of-a-mile nature walks to steep out-and-back treks to the namesake summit, a rocky ridge looming 2500 feet above the valley below.
Meanwhile, the county’s Wolf Creek Lake is a popular spot for kayaking (keep an eye out for otters, deer, and even bears on the banks, and bald eagles overhead) and fly-fishing for bass and bream. Sylva is a significant player on the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail.
During rafting season (spring to early fall), outfitters stand by offering tubing and family-friendly whitewater-rafting trips down the Tuckasegee River (“the Tuck,” to locals) — another fly-fishing hot spot and one of the best trout rivers in the Southeast.
Within a half-hour drive of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the two towns make an excellent home base for those wanting to explore the country’s most-visited national park. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (vintage steam train rides through the countryside and along the river), and numerous waterfall hikes are all less than 30 minutes by car.
What to Do in Town
While the mountains may be the big draw, there’s much fun to be had wandering the historic streets and exploring local mom-and-pop shops as well. Start by getting the lay of the land in Sylva: Walk up the 100 steps to the 1913 Jackson County Courthouse (now a public library) for a bird’s-eye view of Main Street and the encircling mountain scenery.
Back on street level, grab coffee at The Farmhouse Mercantile, a home goods boutique and coffee shop set in an old general store, or something more substantial (good morning, ‘gram-worthy breakfast sammies) at White Moon, a coffee shop by day, Dark Moon cocktail bar by night. From here, antique and craft shoppers and bookstore browsers will find plenty to explore; City Lights Bookstore is one of the few booksellers in town.
Over in Dillsboro, vintage hunters with an eye for treasure can find everything from old-fashioned bottles and blue speckled enamelware to hand-sewn quilts and gramophones at Front Porch General Store. A few doors down is Dogwood Crafters, an ivy-covered cottage selling work from dozens of regional artisans. Qualla Arts and Crafts in neighboring Cherokee is the country’s oldest Native American cooperative and a mecca for baskets, wood carvings, pottery, and Cherokee-made works of art.
Mosey a few miles down U.S. 23 to Rockhound Ridge Gem Mine, where you can sift for moonstones, opals, and geodes — an excellent option for kids.
What to Eat and Drink
After you’ve built up an appetite from antiquing in town and exploring the outdoors, get a burger and an order of fried deviled eggs at Foragers Canteen, or a tray piled high with brisket and all manner of barbecue fixings (collards, mac ‘n’ cheese, campfire potatoes) at Haywood Smokehouse.
Main Street highlights include Ilda, a cozy husband-and-wife-run Italian wine bar; Guadalupe Cafe, an eclectic Caribbean-inspired spot set in a century-old drugstore; and vegan-friendly Lulu’s on Main, a longtime local favorite for sandwiches and pastas.
Craft breweries are thriving in western North Carolina. Innovation Brewing runs taprooms in both towns: Sylva’s is a creekside watering hole right off of Main Street, while Dillsboro’s occupies a former train depot. Live music, Southern bar fare, and craft beer brewed with pure Great Smoky Mountains water can be found at the Sylva branch of Bryson City-based Nantahala Brewing Company. Lighthearted names like Fergus the Rat Chocolate Milk Stout and Eww That Smell (a sour gose) belie the seriously good drafts at Balsam Falls Brewing Co., whose impressive beer list includes hard seltzers and meads.
Where to Stay
What would a trip to the mountains be without a stay in a cabin, campground, or country inn? Check Vrbo or Airbnb for cabin rentals; Highfield Cabins offers bucolic pasture and Smokies views, along with the soothing sounds of a nearby stream. Campers and RVers can find a creekside site at Moonshine Creek, a rustic campground with cabin options. For those wanting to stay right in town, there’s Dillsboro’s Whistle Stop Inn, a character-packed bed-and-breakfast set in a late 1880s farmhouse.
