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Exclusive Deals & Savings
In addition to the great savings on great attractions and activities, your Explorer Pass gets you exclusive offers on dining – to keep your energy level high for intensive exploration or to help you kick back and relax after an exciting day.
We also have great deals on shopping for those who wish to explore the stores
and save on souvenirs from your trip.
Attractions and Services
Blue Ridge Day Hiker
25% savings on any day hike
Blue Ridge Day Hiker is a full service hiking guide company offering custom day hikes in the mountains surrounding Asheville, North Carolina. To see these mountains while driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway is breathtaking; but to truly experience these mountains is to walk up, over, and through them.
Blue Ridge Day Hiker will pack your lunch, pick you up, and lead you on your personalized hike. They offer everything from an easy stroll for a lazy day by a waterfall to a rigorous 12 mile hike over several 5000’-6000’ bald
mountains to the newly famous Cold Mountain.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Upgrade on seating to Crown Coach
All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. You’ll enjoy railroad history, a ghostly tunnel, a 780 foot long trestle standing 100 feet above water, a Fugitive, and an Iron Horse.
The GSMR 2007 excursion schedule features the Nantahala Gorge, Tuckasegee River, and Fontana Trestle excursions. The Nantahala Gorge is 4.5 hours, 44 mile round trip that departs historic Bryson City and travels along the Tuckasegee River, cross Fontana Lake and into the Nantahala Gorge for a one hour layover. The Tuckasegee River is 4 hours, 32 miles round trip that departs the quaint village of Dillsboro travelling past The Fugitive movie location, through the Cowee Tunnel and along the Tuckasegee River to Bryson City for a 1 hour and 25 minute layover. The Fontana Trestle is 2 hours round trip with no layover that travels to the Fontana Lake Trestle to view the magnificent sunset on the lake.
Dining
Spear’s BBQ and Grill at Linville Falls
Lodge
Complimentary house appetizer with entrée purchase
Spear’s BBQ & Grill is only a walk away from Linville Gorge Wilderness and the falls, where you can hike 10,000 enchanted acres, overlook the deepest gorge in Eastern America and discover the beauty captured in the film “Last of the Mohicans.”
After a day of viewing this pristine wilderness of Linville Falls, head on over to Spear’s BBQ & Grill, which is noted for it’s “genuine pit-cooked hickory-smoked” pork. While the “smoked” items are their specialty, they also offer an extensive menu of Rainbow trout, chops, hand-cut steaks, country ham, chicken, seafood, pasta and a variety of vegetables. In addition, they serve a variety of imported and domestic ice cold beer, a variety of fine wine and mixed beverages.
*one complimentary item per table.
Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery
15% savings on any purchase
Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery is the place to go for some of the
best barbecue and ice cream anywhere in western North Carolina. Based on an
award winning family recipe for Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork Barbecue, Brushy
Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery has been featured on the Food Network’s “BBQ
with Bobby Flay”. The Smokehouse is a family restaurant where
children under 4 years of age eat free and children 4 to 10 eat for half price,
every day! Complete the meal by tasting one of the 18 flavors of handcrafted, “super
premium” Ice Cream made fresh on site daily.
Shopping
Grove Arcade ARTS & Heritage Gallery
Complimentary copy of the self-guided “Architectural and Historical Tour
of the Grove Arcade” and childs toy with each $30 purchase
The ARTS & Heritage Gallery is more than a gallery, it’s an experience. Situated in the beautifully restored, historic Grove Arcade, the Gallery features the crafts, stories and music of the Blue Ridge through the high-tech Mountain Stories Laser Map, rotating exhibitions, artist demonstrations and more.
The state-of-the-art Mountain Stories Laser Map takes visitors on a virtual tour of the unique culture of the Blue Ridge. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a stunning 3-D, solid terrain model of Western North Carolina that allows visitors to access information about regional attractions and historical sites using a touch screen that animates the model with lasers, videos, music and storytelling.
The gallery features outstanding regional crafts, a wide selection of Cherokee crafts, Appalachian musical instruments, interpretive programs and much more. The Gallery is a wonderful place to begin your visit to Western North Carolina. Bring the family!
Balsam Mountain Inn and Restaurant
$15 savings on dinner for two
The Balsam Mountain Inn consists of 50 rooms/suites and a restaurant which
is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. National Geographic
Traveler selected this historic inn as an Appalachia treasure, being representative
of the Southern Appalachian Mountain heritage from the early 1900’s.
At 3500 feet, the Inn has served for a century as a retreat from the summer
heat. The Inn is today as it was then, except each room has heat and a private
bath. The Inn features a gallery of works by local artisans. Owned & operated
by U.S. Military Retiree.
©2008 Smart Destinations
Explorer Pass™
800-887-9103, email Explorer Pass
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