We stayed at the Folkstone Inn. It was a great choice. The owners, Scott and Toni, were kind, attentive, and fabulous.
Scott was a chef for many years, and our breakfast was an example. The first morning we had lemon souffle pancakes with blueberry compote, sausage, fresh fruit with local honey and yogurt. Our second morning breakfast had scrambled eggs, with a delicious topping of peppers, onions, and tomatoes, and bacon on top of an arepa. The inn was kept incredibly clean, and the outdoor atmosphere was welcoming. I have no issue recommending that you make this a stop if you find yourself close to Bryson City, North Carolina.
Our most frequented place for dinner was the Nantahala Brewing Company. You can find it on our trip page too. Here is a hint of what you have waiting for you …
On our second day, we left the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad station in the late morning. We selected a moonshine experience through the Nantahala National Forest. Head over to https://www.gsmr.com/ to check out all of the train experiences. Our group was the best. We had a very enjoyable time laughing and drinking samples of Carolina moonshines. I think my favorite flavors were the peach and apple pie. The moonshine cocktails were twists of the favorites, like the Moonshine Sunrise and the Moonshine Mimosa.
Trail of Tears 
Appalachian Trail
Later that afternoon, we decided it was time to work off some calories. We headed towards the Deep Creek area of the Smokey Mountains to do a little waterfall hunting and hiking. I will say this – I want to tube down the Deep Creek next visit. That looked like a ton of fun!
Juney Whanck Falls 
Tom Branch Falls 
Indian Creek Falls
On our last day, we headed towards the Nantahala National Forest. We found the Beachertown-Wesser trail and a wonderful scenic drive.
Happy Birthday Jesse!