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Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina

By Michelle Myers 11 Comments

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Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina, an exceptional place for families to visit. Enjoy fishing, mountain air, hiking, cycling, horses, and more.

One of our absolute favorite places to vacation as a family is the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, especially in the Maggie Valley area. We’ve been frequenting this spot for over 10 years and our kids are so in love with this region, it is almost impossible to convince them a trip anywhere else could equal the fun! The gorgeous summer weather is a welcome respite from the sweltering heat & humidity of South Florida, the small town atmosphere, and the stunning scenery are a few of my favorite things about Maggie Valley.

Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina

We meet extended family and rent a creekside cabin each year because it has been the best fit for the 7 kiddos between our families. Some years, my parents and brother also joined us so having a house to ourselves is ideal when managing over a dozen people of various ages.

There is no shortage of unique, fun filled family activities throughout the area and here are a few of our favorites:

Cataloochee Ranch

Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina

The Cataloochee Ranch is a breathtaking property offering everything from lodging, dining, horseback riding, seasonal skiing, and so much more. We’ve enjoyed hiking to the waterfalls with our young children and admiring the beautiful mountains, all in Summer temps in the 70 degree range. This year, we tried a new activity, horse painting!

Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina

We spent a couple hours painting our new friend Little Joe and learning a ton of history and farm life facts from our knowledgable hostess, Mary, part of the family that owns & operates the ranch. Getting to spend so much time with calm & friendly Joe, while getting an out of the ordinary art experience, was a highlight for all my kids. Be sure to wear closed toe shoes, play clothes, and bring your questions, you won’t be disappointed! You can contact the Ranch to set up your own painting session or make reservations for any of the amazing activities!

Fishing

Family Travel Maggie Valley North carolina

The creeks and streams throughout the North Carolina Smokies are full of delicious trout and there is nothing like the feeling of catching your own dinner! Whether it’s fly fishing or conventional fishing you enjoy, both are popular throughout the region. The Convention & Visitors Bureau for Haywood County is a fabulous resource and can provide you with further maps, licensing procedures(only $5 for a 3 day!), and even information about where to borrow a rod if you didn’t bring yours along!

Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina

I love that the kiddos(and their dads) spend tons of quality time and learning life lessons while exploring along the water banks all around this gorgeous area. It’s also pretty great that the Mountain Heritage Waters are frequently restocked and there are trout farms that offer fishing, which is perfect for the youngest anglers, who are guaranteed a catch!

Cataloochee Elk

Maggie Valley North Carolina

Image Courtesy Esther Blake

The majestic elk once freely roamed throughout the region but due to overhunting and loss of habitat, the last elk in North Carolina was believed to have been killed in the late 1700s. Between 2001-2002, the National Parks Service imported over 50 elk to begin a reintroduction to the are and throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the population stands close to 150 today. You can view these rare creatures in the Cataloochee Valley, along with an abundance of wildlife like deer, black bears, butterflies, varied bird species, rabbits, and more! This is a wonderful place to pack a picnic, do some family hiking, and appreciate the natural beauty of the area. To read more about the elk and their journey, this article is quite informative.

Maggie Valley North Carolina

New for us this year, the elk are freely wandering throughout Maggie Valley and we were able to spot them quite near our cabin! The kids, and adults, were thrilled to see these amazing creatures in our neighborhood; just one more unique adventure

Maggie Valley North Carolina

After vacationing in Maggie Valley for over a decade, our family has come to deeply love and appreciate this beautiful region. With such a wide variety of activities, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy. When our children were younger, renting a cabin alongside a creek was almost all the entertainment they needed. Countless hours were spent in this water and along the banks, digging, exploring, and building rock structures. Now that the kids have grown, they’re still in that water fishing, tubing, and body surfing for hours each day.

Maggie Valley

We appreciate the location of Maggie Valley as it is ideal for day tripping to Asheville, Gatlinburg, Bryson City and beyond. The weather is a welcome respite from the Florida humidity and heat, and we spend 12 hours a day outside, enjoying nature and one another’s company. The pace is relaxed, the people are friendly, and the experiences are unique. I hope you’ll consider a visit to this exceptional area and create your own treasured memories!

Family Travel Ideas

The best resource for helping you plan your adventures is www.visitncsmokies.com. There are a variety of sample itineraries available that are helpful and dozens of ideas to choose from if you’d like to pick and choose what works best for you family.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Family Travel, United States

About Michelle Myers

Michelle Myers is mom to four kiddos ranging from elementary thru high school, each with strong opinions and a flair for the dramatic. In other words, they're a lot like her. Former educator and lover of learning, she divides her time between carpool and Starbucks by reading voraciously and giving TED talks to herself at red lights. A Floridian for almost 40 years, Michelle loves the beach, making people laugh, and date nights with her hubby of 25 years...and yeas, they clearly married at age 7.
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Comments

  1. Jessica says

    July 9, 2015 at 11:16 pm

    this looks so picturesque! I love it and I never heard of it even though I live in NC.

    Reply
  2. Jane says

    July 9, 2015 at 10:21 pm

    Looks like a beautiful part of the world … love the horse painting! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  3. wheelchairmommy says

    July 9, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    Oh what fun!! Love that water fall and painting on the horse?! Fun!

    Reply
  4. Tee says

    July 9, 2015 at 6:42 pm

    What amazing photos. That waterfall photo is amazing. I’ve never heard of horse painting. My kids would love that! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  5. Kellie Smith says

    July 9, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    What a beautiful area of the country! Looks like you guys had a blast!

    Reply
  6. FabEllis says

    July 9, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    Beautiful pictures! I live in North Carolina, but sadly, I’ve never been to the mountains. I know I should be ashamed. I grew up on the coast so going to the beach was our annual summer trip. These pictures were so beautiful, I know that I need to add this to my must-do list.

    Reply
  7. Nicole Keener says

    July 8, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    Now that I have a car again, the road is wide open for me! Super excited NC is definitely on my list and NC is not that far away from FL 🙂

    Reply
  8. Stacey says

    July 8, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    I’ll be heading to NC in November to ski and I believe Maggie Valley is near where we are staying. This looks like a great trip, I love how you all are juat enjoying your time together and with nature.

    Reply
  9. aimee fauci says

    July 8, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    This is a place of relaxation! I’d love to visit and how wonderful would it be if it was close to home.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Family Travel Canton North Carolina - Sunshine and Hurricanes says:
    August 4, 2015 at 10:04 am

    […] all about the FUN your Family Travel can be in Maggie Valley North Carolina. This darling town borders Canton and is full of unique […]

    Reply
  2. Family Travel Dollywood - Sunshine and Hurricanes says:
    July 28, 2015 at 9:47 am

    […] more ideas for family activities in the Great Smoky Mountains? Be sure to visit our Family Travel Maggie Valley North Carolina post, you’ll discover even more special […]

    Reply

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