With some terrific road trip options available in the surrounding area, renting a car makes good sense. Without one, it wouldn’t be half as easy to explore all that Franklin, 16 miles away, has to offer. Among your first stops here ought to be Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin Golf Course and Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum. The locals will also probably point you in the direction of Hayesville, 19 miles away. If you can only find time for one attraction here, make sure it’s Chatuge Lake. (But we’d also highly recommend Fire Creek Falls and Jackrabbit Campground.)