Want to make Valentine’s Day 2020 is a memorable one for you and your love? Fill it with cozy cabins, romantic dinners, plenty of wine, and days full of winter adventures! You’re only a scenic road trip away from the beautiful Smoky Mountains of North Carolina for a weekend you won’t soon forget. Below is our guide to helping you plan the best V-Day weekend ever—until next year, at least.
Raise A Glass, Raise Your Spirits
Make a toast to the good life with one of our finest locally-crafted spirits. Whatever your tastes, you can find something you’ll enjoy to the last drop in our breweries or distilleries:
Elevated Mountain Distillery
This distillery sources water from local streams to make the freshest and smoothest liquors in the area. We’re big fans of the Hurricane Creek vodka, but the best way to find your favorite is to schedule a tour and sample them yourself.
Frog Level Brewing Company
This brewery, located in the Frog Level neighborhood of Waynesville, allows you to pair its brews and new cantina creations with a cozy atmosphere. Make sure you try their “Nutty Brunette” this winter!
Boojum Brewing
Located in downtown Waynesville, Boojum is well-placed for a beer and a shareable snack after some shopping along Main Street. Spice things up a little bit with their Jalapeno IPA—it’s definitely a unique creation.
Bearwaters Brewing
With a beautiful, spacious back deck overlooking Pigeon River and the town of Canton, Bearwaters is the perfect place to watch a day pass you by. Check out their regionally-inspired Papertown Pilsner while you’re there.
Dinner and a Show
Simplify your Valentine’s Day with a classic date night go-to: enjoy a romantic dinner and see an entertaining show afterward at one of these spots:
Blue Rooster Southern Grill
A Clyde favorite, visitors love the high-quality service and the delicious fried chicken. Try it for yourself!
Cataloochee Ranch
Not only a great place to rent a cabin for your long weekend, you can also make reservations for a quaint and romantic dinner here.
Chef’s Table
This award-winning Waynesville restaurant designs its cuisine with wine pairings in mind. It’s close to all the other draws on Main Street, too!
The Classic Wineseller
The epitome of dinner and a show, the Wineseller offers live music performances every Friday and Saturday night, along with a number of shareable menu items.
The Strand
This old-school-style movie theater brings plenty of new-school to one of the oldest date night traditions: see a blockbuster film with your favorite locally-brewed beer in hand! See their upcoming showtimes here.
HART
For performing arts fanatics, HART Theatre offers some of the highest quality producers and performers in the region to deliver memorable performances night after night. Check out what they’ve got coming up here.
Winter Adventures
No winter trip is complete without immersing yourself in the outdoors, even if it’s just for a few hours. If you’re here for the first time, taking in the views is a must! Here’s how you can enjoy the outdoors here:
Skiing and Snowboarding
Cataloochee Ski Area is one of the southernmost ski slopes in the country, yet it still manages to keep its slopes running later into the season than some northern slopes. They’ve also got slopes for all skill levels and really affordable equipment rentals. The view from the top of Upper Omigosh will stay with you both forever!
Snow Tubing
Slopes not your thing? Are you more of a “slide down a gentle hill” type of person? We’ve got a lane open for you at Tube World. Right across the street from the old Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park, you can spend an entire day racing down the hill and taking the magic carpet ride back to the top. It’s within sliding distance to several locally-famous Maggie Valley restaurants, too!
Winter Hikes
The weather in Haywood County always stays mild enough for hiking—even in the winter. This is another way to take in the views of the Smoky Mountains surrounding our county and will provide plenty of opportunities to grab that perfect landscape pic together (make sure to tag #HAYNOW on that!).
Find the perfect place to stay
All of these amazing things to do might not mean as much to you as hunkering down for an evening to spend some quality time together. So, check out these spectacular stays in the area:
Bed and Breakfasts in Waynesville
Waynesville’s array of historical homes that have been converted to overly-accommodating bed and breakfasts makes this a great place for a getaway. And, their proximity to downtown makes it the perfect spot to spend your long weekend.
Hotels in Maggie
Maggie Valley’s got a lot going on—staying in a locally-owned hotel or motel located along Jonathon Creek is a great place to be if you want to experience everything Haywood has to offer.
A Caboose in Clyde (Yes, really)
We like to think we’re a pretty quirky place here in Haywood County, but we can’t make this one up. The awesome people at Buffalo Creek Vacations in Clyde, NC restored a pair of freight liners and turned them into surprisingly comfortable rental homes. They have several cabins available for rental, too.
Rentals in Lake J
Catch a glimpse of the early morning fog rolling off Lake Junaluska while the sunrise peeks over our peaks when you stay at a rental in Lake J. Enjoy a lovely stroll around the perimeter of the lake to top off your morning and/or evening—and take in His wonderful creation.
Lake Logan in Canton
Speaking of lakes, there’s another one with a stunning backdrop in the NC Smokies: Lake Logan. Check this one out if you’re looking for a more secluded getaway that can include fishing, kayaking, games, trails, massages, and art classes.
We know your time spent together is invaluable, and we’d love to take care of you here. For more trip-planning help, check out our new Visitor’s Guide or even call our Visitor Center for advice and tips!
