Last Updated on May 14, 2024
High mountain peaks surround the vibrant and friendly town of Waynesville and its tree-lined Main Street. Fine shops, galleries, cafés, and restaurants make Waynesville a thoroughly enjoyable place to live and visit. Historic buildings, relaxing benches, public art, and welcoming folks provide the perfect backdrop to find what feels like home.
Here are just a few of the ways that residents enjoy elevated living in vibrant Waynesville, NC.
Waynesville’s Main Street has everything you need
Downtown Waynesville, NC’s stroll-able sidewalks frame a Main Street that is a shopper’s paradise and deserves some exploration. And with plenty of free parking, you don’t have to worry about the time! Enjoy exploring working art studios, fine restaurants, coffee roasters, breweries, a local bookstore, specialty grocery stores, gift shops, and more.
High Country Furniture & Design, Massie Furniture Co., and Simply Main offer local home furnishings we love. Local shopping options also include gift shops and boutiques like Affairs of the Heart, Olde Brick House, and Ava & Arden. If you love consignment treasures, don’t miss Flawsome New & Preloved.
The town is also home to numerous casual and fine dining restaurants. And several breweries will inspire you to create the perfect beer day in town, including Frog Level Brewing and Boojum Brewing Company. BearWaters Brewing Company has a satellite location on Main Street, too. Asheville locals have been known to beat the crowds in downtown Asheville and head to Waynesville for some of the best brews in the area. Both breweries offer a full menu, so make sure to come hungry (and thirsty)!
Waynesville is an epicenter of events, heritage, and handicrafts
Numerous popular events, parades, and festivals occur in Downtown Waynesville throughout the year. Held on the first Friday of each month, Art After Dark is a gallery stroll with meet-the-artist events. With as many attendees as it attracts, it’s almost like a street party! Popular Mountain Street Dances are held during the summer in front of the Haywood County Historic Courthouse. The dances are fun, free events where locals and visitors enjoy live music and take part in traditional mountain dancing.
On the west side of Waynesville is Hazelwood Village. In recent years, the area has merged with the town but has maintained its own identity and evolved into a revitalized retail district. Hazelwood is also home to the Folkmoot Friendship Center, which offers year-round, community-based arts programming designed to celebrate cultures around the world.
Waynesville, NC is also home to the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts, which is located in the historic Shelton House. The museum features 19th century crafts, including pottery, quilts, baskets, and woodworking.
Waynesville is the Gateway to the Smokies
Once billed as the Gateway to the Smokies, Waynesville provides a great entrance to a memorable mountain vacation. It’s close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, mountain biking trails, prime fishing holes, and whitewater rafting rivers.
Haywood County, NC boasts the highest average elevation of any county east of the Rockies. It is home to 18 mountains topping 6,000 feet or higher. These ridges bring snow in the winter and cooler temperatures in the summer, qualities that have attracted tourists and residents for generations. Maggie Valley’s Cataloochee Ski Area has five lifts leading to 18 slopes and trails. If you’re not a regular skier, more than 4,000 sets of snowsports equipment will gear you up for your day on the mountain.
Just outside of Waynesville is Cold Mountain, the peak Charles Frazier used to name his acclaimed novel. Hiking the mountain requires a map and an entire day, but you can view it by following U.S. 276 out of Waynesville until you hit the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Cold Mountain overlook is right at the U.S. 276/Blue Ridge Parkway intersection.
Read more: 20+ best things to do in Waynesville, North Carolina
Find what feels like home in Waynesville, NC!
Waynesville, NC has garnered national attention in recent years for its hometown appeal. Waynesville was voted “Best Mountain Town,” “Best Main Street Town,” “Best Small Town,” “Best Undiscovered Town,” and a “Low-Cost Eden,” in the third edition of America’s 100 Best Places to Retire, published by Where to Retire magazine. A more recent edition named the town a top retirement spot for hikers and walkers.
Waynesville’s proximity to Asheville offers residents the best amenities of a larger city while still holding on to its small-town atmosphere. From outdoor adventures to cozy spots downtown, Waynesville welcomes people from many different backgrounds to visit and stay for life.
Does that sound like the perfect lifestyle for you? Find what feels like home in Waynesville, NC!
