GD1656,,, that area is a bit west of me,, but a good place to "relax." Cherokee has been changing over the years,, with the casino,, but there are some really good things there too. I HIGHLY recommend an evening spent seeing "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee. A visit to the native village is also fun.
Fishing in the streams is always popular, but be SURE to get all the correct licenses. (A state fishing license, a special trout stamp, and if in Cherokee, get their license.)
I'm assuming you meant "Ghost Town in the Sky" in Maggie Valley, not Gunsmoke. At the moment, they are closed due to repairs to a water line,,, but may be back open by the time you get here.
While not much for the kids,,, but excellent for the ladies is a trip to the Biltmore House in Asheville.
Gun shops,,,, there are a few up & around Franklin,,, but I'm not up there enough to know which ones are the best. But,,, if you get into Asheville, & not on a Sunday, Leicester Pawn & Gun is worth a visit. Not hard to find & a pretty good stock of odds & ends!
Now,,, as Number9 has politely stated,,, a lot of "visitors" from Florida, (as well as Ohio, New York, Michigan, New Jersey, etc) seem to have a hard time in our curvy mountains. They creep along while on the two lane roads, pointing, braking, gawking etc,, all while NOT understanding that the natives only have that ONE road to use to get to work or whatever. Yet, the same folks who creep along on the 2-lanes,,, will floor it on any straight stretch, or especially the interstate. So, as you visit,,, be mindful of the folks behind you & if you can, occasionally pull aside & allow the locals a chance to get to work on time.
As for those of us who are from the mountains & driving on the flat roads,,, well, I got more tickets in Florida than I have here. Why? I have FUN being able to drive faster there than here! But,,, now that I've aged a bit & slowed down in general,, I haven't had a ticket in years. But,,, you won't find a line of traffic behind me anywhere,,, unless I'm behind a slow-poke,,,, no matter what state I'm in!
Lastly,,, if you are going to be in the Asheville area,,, and know it ahead of time,,, maybe we could meet over at Leicester Pawn & gun? I work the Asheville area a lot!
