Sylva, NC  Attractions

Harrah's Cherokee Casino
777 Casino Dr.
Cherokee, NC 28719
Phone: (828) 497-7777
Don't miss the action and excitement at Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel. From brand-new games and slots to dazzling favorites like Digital Blackjack and Baccarito, we've got it! No matter what you're looking for, you'll find it at the Cherokee!

Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama 
Cherokee, NC
1-866-554-4557 

Museum of The Cherokee Indian
Intersection of Tsali Blvd. and Drama Rd.
828.497.3481
The Museum of the Cherokee Indian takes visitors all the way back to the beginnings of human existence here in these glorious, storied mountains of western North Carolina. The museum provides an educational and interactive experience where concise, chronological stories retrace the 11,000 year documented history of the Cherokees.  

Tsali Recreation Area
www.mtbikewnc.com/trailheads/tsali.html
The popular Tsali Recreation Area has long been a top destination for mountain biking in Western North Carolina, and even the entire eastern US. Containing nearly 40 miles of trails in a system with four excellent loops, it has been rated as one of the top 10 places to ride in the USA. The area is located on a hilly peninsula reaching into beautiful Fontana Lake, at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. The four long main trails at Tsali wind along the lake shore and onto the wooded, steep interior ridges. There are several connector trails, gravel roads and extension trails that give a few more options for rides besides the main loops. Three designated overlooks along the trails provide sweeping views of Fontana Lake with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the other side. The trails are fast, hardpacked singletrack, and they're extremely well designed and well used. Trails alternate use between mountain bikers and horseback riders on different days; two will always be open to mountain biking. There is a $2.00 trail use fee for one day. 

Pisgah National Forest
The most visited park in North Carolina offers over 400 miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, wildlife observation, fishing, horseback riding and more!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
www.nps.gov/grsm
The Park, set aside by the federal government in the 1930s is the largest protected land area east of the Rocky Mountains, encompassing 500,000 acres with over 270 miles of roads. It lies on either side of the boundary between North Carolina and Tennessee with about half of its area in each state. There are numerous pullovers, hiking trails, waterfalls, camping areas, picnic areas, biking trails, etc in the park. During the Ice Age, the Smokies were a refuge for hundreds of plant and animal species retreating before the glaciers. Today the park has more tree species than northern Europe and also contains one of the largest blocks of virgin forests in North America. Many forms of wildlife can be found in the park and this is one of the few places in the eastern United States where black bears can live in the wild, natural surroundings. At least 60 native mammals live in the Smokies along with over 200 species of birds and 58 species of fish. The “top of old Smoky” is known as Clingmans Dome and is the highest point in the park at 6,643.

Blue Ridge Parkway
www.blueridgeparkway.org  
The Parkway connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (in North Carolina and Tennessee) to the Shenandoah National Park (in Virginia.) This 469 mile parkway, often called “America’s most scenic drive,” is like a historical corridor lined with breathtaking vistas and recreational opportunities. Originally, the parkway was to run through Tennessee, but a mountaintop-to-mountaintop route through North Carolina was finally chosen because of the breathtaking vistas.