The Cottages at Charlie Cove · The Area
From America's most-visited national park to one of the most famous drives on earth — here is some of what sits within an easy drive of Charlie Cove.
The most-visited national park in America wraps right around Graham County. Its quiet southern edge meets Fontana Lake just minutes away, while the main North Carolina gateway — the Oconaluftee entrance — sits about 45 minutes east at Cherokee. More than 800 miles of trails, waterfalls, elk, and blue, layered ridgelines await.
Three hundred and eighteen curves in eleven miles have made this stretch of US-129 a pilgrimage for motorcyclists and sports-car drivers the world over. Robbinsville is the closest town to its southern end — you're practically at the trailhead of the most famous road in the Southeast.
A 43-mile National Scenic Byway that climbs above 5,000 feet as it winds between Robbinsville and Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Built over thirty-four years, it's one of the most breathtaking drives in the country — and it begins right in town.
One of the last great stands of old-growth forest in the East, with tulip poplars over 400 years old, 100 feet tall, and 20 feet around. A gentle two-mile loop winds beneath them — and it's all right here in Graham County.
Cherokee for "land of the noonday sun" — the gorge is so deep and narrow the light reaches the river only at midday. Today it's one of the Southeast's whitewater capitals, home to the Nantahala Outdoor Center and miles of Class II–III rapids.
A classic mountain town and home of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, whose vintage trains run scenic excursions along the Nantahala and Tuckasegee rivers. Shops, breweries, and a National Park entrance round out an easy day trip.
A pristine mountain reservoir with 76 miles of shoreline, most of it wrapped in the Nantahala National Forest. Quiet coves, clear water, and some of the best paddling and fishing in the region — just minutes from Charlie Cove.
Fontana's deep blue water winds right through the area, held back by the tallest dam in the eastern United States and tracing the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. Boating, fishing, and remote coves you can only reach by water make it a favorite — and it's practically in your backyard.
When you're in the mood to wander a little farther, these are the day trips worth planning around.
A vibrant mountain city of galleries, restaurants, and breweries — and home to the Biltmore Estate, America's largest house.
An old mining town often called the Gem Capital of the World, where you can still pan for your own rubies and sapphires.
Two Harrah's casino resorts — one at Cherokee, another in nearby Murphy — for dining, live shows, and gaming.