Sylva, NC to Knoxville, TN

We got up early this morning and had breakfast at the hotel.  It was a little too early to head to Bryson City as we are on a 1pm train ride. So we made a quick 17 mile detour into Cherokee.  We had never been here before and had a quick drive through town.  Nothing was open here either.  Except for the mini golf at Golf n Gifts, so we stopped and had a quick round.

It was a winding 10 miles from there down to Bryson City, where we are here to ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.  We have enough time to scoot around town, grab a snack and look through the railway museum before getting on the 1pm Tuckasegee River Excursion.  We are in the open-air cart for the hour and a half ride to Dillsboro.  The ride is relaxing, as we follow the picturesque Tuckasegee River south east.  The highlight was seeing the props used for the movie The Fugitive (I'll have to get the boys to watch it now).  We arrived in Dillsboro and head up to Haywood Smokehouse for lunch.  This is so good, and so much.  The boys and I can barely walk out of the restaurant.  But we do and take a quick look around town before getting back on the train for the food-coma ride back to Bryson City.

BD&L, Great Smoky Mountain Railway, Bryson City, NC

Over the Tuckasegee River, NC

We head off straight away as we still have 2 hour drive to Knoxville.  We arrive late in the afternoon and the boys are happy to get into the pool again once we've checked in to the Hampton Inn.  A migraine is brewing, so dinner is in the hotel and movies in bed are the order of the night.  Tomorrow we check out some of Knoxville.