Smoky Mountain Host of North Carolina

Why, yes, I am reviewing a rest stop. Clean bathrooms with at least one de-​iced pathway most of the winter (well, it can be icy on the Sunday after a blizzard, but it’s still manageable).
But it’s not *just* a rest stop… There’s good information about the Smoky Mountain region. If you’re here during sane hours and a tourist season, you might catch some live music in the store. Or perhaps just raid the barbecue sauce samples. Try the cheap but good locally roasted coffee from Tribal Grounds, a Cherokee business. I’d recommend against the «fudge» from a local chocolatier; it’s expensive and really just ganache.
And if it’s not busy, you can sit quietly at a table and listen to the Appalachian birds. That’s a nice rest during a long drive.