Sample Itinerary for Romantic Weekend SUMMER AND FALL
Friday With prior notice, we can arrange flowers, champagne, or a snack in your room for your arrival. Settle into your cozy room or cabin, followed by an afternoon hike to the barn or meadow to meet the horses. Time at the heated pool. Social Hour at the Main Ranch House (wine and beer, hors d oeuvres), followed by dinner. Night time activity: Bonfire (with wine and beer, if desired) and talk by outdoor biologist Rob Gudger, featuring his real timber wolves. Late night in town: Head to Main Street in Waynesville for a craft brew at Boojum Brewing or sit outdoors by a rushing creek at Frog Level Brewing.
Saturday Breakfast and morning horseback ride at the Ranch, with spectacular views of the Smoky Mountains. Available for all ability levels, even if you ve never ridden a horse! - or - Take a Killer Bees Honey tour at a Pisgah National Forest apiary with Leap Frog Tours. You ll wear a protective suit and veil as you experience an active beehive and learn about the bees fascinating culture. Then enjoy a honey-tasting afterwards and learn how to pair honey with cheeses. For a late lunch after the bee tour, stop at The Square Root in Brevard to enjoy a beautiful afternoon and eclectic Southern fare. And, what better way to top off a yummy lunch than with a beer tour?! Leap Frog offers a Brevard beer tour that features Oskar Blues Brewery, Ecusta Brewing Co., and Brevard Brewing Co. Or, you can visit the famed East Coast location of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. as well as Blue Ghost Brewing Co. and Mills River Brewery on the Sierra Nevada/Mills River beer tour. (Advance reservations required.)
Saturday (continued) Then lunch at the Ranch, followed by your choice of afternoon activities: - Take an eco-tour of Cataloochee Valley, one of the most beautiful and remote spots in the Smoky Mountains. Cataloochee Valley Tours or Leap Frog Tours will show you the elk and wildflowers. (Advance reservations required.) - Indulge in in-cabin massage for two. - Take a self-guided wildflower walk on the Ranch grounds. If you like, we can prepare a picnic lunch for you to take along. Or you can enjoy your picnic next to our trout pond. - Explore a trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park adjoining the Ranch.
Saturday (continued) - See Soco Falls, a gorgeous double waterfall on the edge of the Cherokee Indian Reservation, located between Maggie Valley and Cherokee. It s an easy hike to the viewing platform. - Find out how your favorite spirits are made with a tour (and taste) at Elevated Mountain Distilling Co. in Maggie Valley. Elevated Mountain makes great Smoky Mountain Whiskey and other premium spirits. - Drive and hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We can recommend where to go based on your interests. Waterrock Knob offers a steep hike to stunning views. The Big Creek trail with waterfalls is also beautiful. Or go to Graveyard Fields and hike to a spectacular waterfall you can splash around in. (Parkway is 30 minutes from the Ranch.) Dinner: Social Hour at the Ranch at 6 p.m, cookout at 7 p.m, and musical entertainment after dinner, with a bonfire and s mores. Or spend the evening in town. Enjoy five-star farm-to-fork dining at Frogs Leap Public House. Take in a show at Haywood Arts Regional Theater or a movie at The Strand on Main Street in Waynesville.
Sunday Time to explore! - Visit the town of Cherokee to tube in the river (Smoky Mountain Tubing or Cherokee Rapids Tube and Kayaking Rentals), visit Oconaluftee Indian Village (a wonderful living history village), or try your luck at Harrah s Casino. The Mountain Farm Museum in Cherokee offers a self-guided walk through a working 1800 s homestead with authentic log houses, outbuildings for crops, barn, and split-rail fences. The Museum of the Cherokee Indian is also excellent. (30 minutes from the Ranch) - Take a road trip to Asheville. The Biltmore Estate is spectacular. At Lexington Glassworks in downtown Asheville, you can watch artists create amazing pieces of hand-blown glass. Asheville also has many great restaurants and shopping. Ask us for recommendations. (45 minutes from the Ranch)
Sunday (continued) - Experience whitewater rafting on the Nantahala River with Nantahala Outdoor Center or closer by on the warm and easy Tuckaseegee River with Tuckaseegee Outfitters (35 minutes from the Ranch) - Rent kayaks or a pontoon boat for a day on Nantahala Lake (90 minutes from the Ranch) or on Lake Junaluska (20 minutes from the Ranch.) - Spend the afternoon enjoying the shopping and galleries in Waynesville. Check out the Haywood Smokehouse for the best BBQ in town. Another option: Visit the very popular Wheels Through Time Museum. It s home to the world s premier collection of rare American motorcycles, memorabilia, and unique one-off American automobiles.