Cherokee

Not as crowded of a tourist trap like Gatlinburg.

Cherokee was kind of gloomy, but I’m glad we went. I’ve heard the pow wow and the nightly theatrical performance is great. We stopped here during a trip to the Smokey Mountains and Pidgeon Forge, Tn.

The drive out here was very beautiful. The story behind it all is sad. We didn’t really stop anywhere but a gift shop but I want to check out Unto These Hills the next time I go.

I drove from NE Georgia to Cherokee one cold snowy winter day and found most of the shops closed and the ones that were open were souvenier shops. The few authentic Cherokee artifact shops I found were closed or out of my price range. It had to be a day trip because we couldn’t even find a decent restaurant to eat lunch.

Beautiful area, sad story. What these people have been reduced to is painful to watch, but I suppose there is an upside. Their casino has become a HUGE attraction and has expanded enormously, meaning everyone registered as a member of the tribe gets a check every couple of months. This means more native owned businesses are starting to pop up, and the quality of living has improved. But still, it’s so sad that there are teepees set up where a native will dance for you for cash. Avoid the hokey downtown tricket strip and enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway and picnic areas. Go see the “Unto These Hills” outdoor drama…a must see if in the area.

Lots of gambling & partying!!!

that the Cherokee native americans dress in traditional Southwestern Native American garb. They do it to please the dumb pale-faces who don’t realise that that kind of outfit is not what the cherokee peoples wore…but the tourist seem to like it

what a silly place. we ate at the bob’s big boy. I mean, it’s not a bad place, it’s just not particularly exciting… it’s in beautiful country though.

The town itself, at least when I went back in the early ‘90s, was very commercial and not very representative of the Cherokee people. (I remember being disgusted at the large teepee on main street!) Nobody actually lived in town, they all commuted from the reservation.

However, the musuems were very good, and the land is beautiful!

They use to have a chicken that played tic tac toe with you . Though I’m unsure if they still do.
The Casino is an interesting place to visit. As well as “Unto these Hills”

They have some good eats here as well…

But I sugest you only need to visit 3 souvenier shops in the town because they all sell the same cheap junk mostly made in china.

but yeah buy something support your Native Americans! Most of the Native American’s that live there depend people visiting and buying things :D

Thanks!
Born half Cherokee Native American! and family lives there.

:D