The Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans the states of Tennessee and North Carolina, and it is by far one of the best places to see fall foliage in the US.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to enter and it is a great place to enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

If you are looking for cabin rental close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the town of Cherokee is your best bet.

However, if you intend on renting a cabin be advised that spring and summer are the high season so book well in advance.

Here it is a list of popular things to do at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park include:

* Hike the Ramsay Waterfalls. These falls are found at the end of the eight mile Ramsay Cascades hiking trail. The beginning of this trail is found at Ramsay Prong Road in the parking area.

* Hike The Grotto Falls. These falls are found at the end of one of the most popular hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains. The trail itself is a challenging hike on a dirt path so be advised before you take up this trail.

* Hike Laurel Falls. These falls are another great hike which is less challenging than the Grotto Falls trail and it is a paved trail. At the end of the hiking trail, you get magnificent views of the falls as well as the refreshing water spray from the falls.

* Visit Dollywood center. Dollywood is found on the foothills of the Smokey Mountains and features a beautiful flower garden.

* Drive Cades Cave. This scenic drive is located in the Great Mountain National Park and takes you past old churches, cemeteries and old trails, as well as animal wildlife such as bears, deers, etc.

* Visit Clingman's Dome. Clingman's Dome is located about a seven mile drive from the entrance to the parking lot area and a half a mile steep hike from there to get to the observation tower.

* Visit Sugarlands Visitors Center. If you're now to the park, the visit center is a good place for picking up trail maps and talk to the staff about the trails and other stuff to do in the park


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Places to visit in Greensboro NC
Things to do in Northeast TN
Best National Parks to Visit in the US
Weekend Getaways near Chattanooga
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The city of Charlotte, known for being home to the headquarters of Bank of America, is a rapidly growing city that has a wealth of history and has a lot to offer is terms of activities and attractions.

Things to do on vacation in South Carolina

There are many many fun things to do in Charlotte ranging from strolling the city parks to attending popular festivals and events. While in Charlotte, a weekend getaway in Raleigh NC and visiting Winston Salem North Carolina are two popular destinations.

Fun Things to do in Charlotte: Outdoors Activities

If you are looking to enjoy fun outdoor activities in Charlotte, there are many beautiful parks, North Carolina state parks and the Great Smoky Mountains to choose from.

Two city center parks worth mentioning include Freedom Park and Latta Park where you can enjoy a nice morning stroll, jogging and picnicking.

If you are visiting Charlotte in September, Freedom Park is also home to the popular Festival in the Park event where you can see art and crafts displays, enjoy music performances and sample some lovely foods.

If you are looking to enjoy some activities in a more natural scenery, one of the closest state parks to Charlotte is Crowders Mountain State Park.

Crowders Mountain State Park is home to a couple of hiking trails which lead to the top of the mountain where you can enjoy lovely panoramic views of the rolling hills of southern Piedmont.

Crowders Mountain State Park also offers mountain climbing and camping facilities, as well as boat rentals to paddle around the lake.

Fun Things to do in Charlotte: Cultural Attractions

Places of Interest

One of the most popular attraction in Charlotte for a fun afternoon is the Discovery Place museum.

* The Discovery is home to permanent kid-friendly exhibits such as Little Einstein science, and the Shop Machine, as well as ‘The Bodies’ exhibition which is a educational exhibit where you can see and learn the inside of human bodies.

* Another entertaining fun thing to do in Charlotte with the family is visiting the Levine Museum of the New South. The museum is home to a variety of exhibits that tell about the history of North Carolina such as the ‘Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers’ exhibit.

Festivals & Events

Attending heritage festivals are some other popular fun things to do in Charlotte. Three of the most popular events include:

* St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival, held in mid-March, is a popular event where you can soak in Irish culture and heritage and features Irish parades and live entertainment.

* The Charlotte OktoberFest Beer Festival, held in early October, features a wide variety of beers and finest breweries from across the Southeast region, as well as live music.

* The Yiasou Greek Festival, held around Labor time, is a fun festival where you can soak in Greek culture, sample Greek food and enjoy live entertainment.


Fun Things to do in Charlotte: Shopping

If you are looking to enjoy some boutique shopping, the city of Charlotte is popular for its upscale shopping.

South Park and Concorde Mills shopping malls are two well known places where you can enjoy high-end shopping.

Fun Things to do in Charlotte: Nightlife & Entertainment

One of the most popular places in Charlotte for a cozy evening out is the Common Market, located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood. The Common Market offers a wide range of beers and wines as well as weekend live music.

Downtown Charlotte also offers a variety of bars and restaurants where you can hang out.

A popular choice in downtown is Dixie’s Tavern. The bar is a popular spot amongst the locals and features a popular karaoke night and live shows outside the bar.

Fun Things to do in Charlotte: Fun Attractions

Another of the popular fun things to do in Charlotte during the summer months is to visit an amusement park.

One of the most popular amusement parks is Carowinds. The park is home to great rides such as wooden and inverted coasters and water rides.

If you happen to visit Carowinds during Halloween time, the theme park hosts 'Howl-O-Fest' and 'Scarowinds' to celebrate Halloween.

If you are traveling with kids, 'Howl-O-Fest' is geared towards families and it is most suited for the little ones. 'Scarowinds', in the other hand, is made to scare people and features haunted houses and scary-looking characters.

See. Places to visit in Greensboro NC
Places to Visit in the Carolinas
Things to do in the Outer Banks NC
Interesting places to visit in North Carolina
Places to visit in Asheville NC
Places to visit in Wilmington NC