If you haven’t heard of Hazelwood yet, you’re missing out! Hazelwood has been surprising locals and visitors alike for years as it has become an up and coming retail district with many unique offerings. It wasn’t until 1995 that Hazelwood merged into one community with the Town of Waynesville. It has deep historical roots and continues to celebrate its past while embracing its future as one of Waynesville’s sweetest neighborhood districts.
Consider Historic Hazelwood your place to find the perfect cup of coffee, read a good book, eat a delicious meal and find a memento to take-home to remember your trip by.
Come along with us as we share our top 10 places to hangout in Hazelwood.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN COFFEE ROASTERS
Smoky Mountain Coffee Roasters was established in 1997 and has been a staple of the Hazelwood community ever since they opened. If you’re looking for some friendly hometown baristas, look no further than SMCR! Wake up to fabulous coffee creations, roasted in-house daily and make sure to take a bag home of their delicious organic, fair-trade custom blends. They’ll even grind it up for you!
HAZELWOOD SOAP COMPANY
Hazelwood Soap Company is a family-owned and operated business of over 20 years and has also been a huge part in shaping the future of Hazelwood. Find some of the best smelling washes, bar soaps, creams, lotions, aromatherapy and more at this small craft business right here in the foothills of the beautiful NC Smoky Mountains. All their products are vegan and cruelty-free and they believe the love in each ingredient, combined with the positive intent of the crafting process can result in a better daily routine, and ultimately a happier YOU!
BEACH MOUNTAIN DINER
Try out some coastal-mountain fusion at Beach Mountain Diner. Beach Mountain offers classic comfort food with home-cooked flavor. Serving up breakfast and lunch 7 days a week, you’ll never run out of delicious food to try on the menu! Some of our favorites include Mama Helen’s Fried Chicken & Waffles and The Godfather (A Sandwich You Can’t Refuse).
LIFT YOUR SPIRITS
Lift Your Spirits offers a new type of shopping experience. They love to help customers pick out the perfect gift for any occasion, give back to the community and be a great place to hang out with friends over a glass of wine. Find some of the coolest cards, candles, jewelry and yummiest snacks around. They will also gift wrap and mail your card for free!
VAN GOGH MURALS
Looking for an insta-worthy photo op? Check out the Van Gogh murals located across the parking lot from Smoky Mountain Coffee Roasters. Local renditions of “Starry Night” and “Girl with a Pearl Earring” grace the streets of Historic Hazelwood and give visitors a great opportunity to stop and snap a picture. #haynow
BLUE RIDGE BOOKS
Blue Ridge Books has been a part of the Waynesville community for more than a dozen years. As an independent, locally owned business, the community has always been a major focus of the bookstore. As soon as you walk through their doors, you’ll be greeted by a friendly face. Blue Ridge Books offers a good balance between popular, well-known titles, and those special books that may escape media coverage. They also have a literal vault full of children’s books to entertain your kids while you’re looking for the perfect vacation read. They’re also a dog-friendly bookstore with treats always on hand!
HAYWOOD SMOKEHOUSE
You can’t visit Haywood County and not go out in search of the best BBQ in town. Haywood Smokehouse is the home of old school BBQ and serves up a variety of smoky favorites. From traditional chopped pork and sliced brisket to smoked prime rib and homemade pecan pie, this is the place for great BBQ in Hazelwood. Make sure you get there early because they smoke it fresh daily and when it’s gone, they close their doors. And trust us you don’t want to miss out!
AMICI’S
Waynesville is home to several traditional Italian restaurants with handcrafted pizzas, pastas, and specialty entrées and Amici’s is one of our new favorites! Amici’s is a cozy Italian eatery in the Hazelwood area offering traditional old world Italian cuisine, with their own unique style, in addition to brick oven pizza. Some of our favorite dishes include their Homemade Lasagna, Chicken Amici and of course, the Hazelwood Pizza.
FARM TO CAKE
If you’re searching for some of the best pastries you will ever taste, visit Farm to Cake bakery. Famous for their delicious cakes, fried-pies and cream puffs, you’ll be begging to come back for more. All their desserts are made from farm fresh ingredients and made from scratch, daily. Have a wedding coming up? Farm to Cake makes some pretty incredible wedding cakes as well that are showcased at many venues all over Western North Carolina.
We hope you will hangout in Hazelwood the next time you’re visiting the NC Smokies! Learn more about Waynesville and all its quaint neighborhood districts HERE and don’t forget to tag us in all your Hazelwood pictures using #HayNow or @VisitNCSmokies.
