Between Chattanooga And Knoxville Is A Charming Visitor's Center With Handmade Crafts On A Popular Skyway

Every scenic road trip serves as an act of discovery, and you never know what you'll find along the way. However, the surprises that emerge around every corner and the engrossing views can sometimes come at the cost of uncertainty. That is, of course, unless you have a charming visitor center that can help fill the info gaps. The Cherohala Skyway has just such a center between Chattanooga and Knoxville. With its soaring vistas and handmade crafts, the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center provides the perfect complement to cruising the road's forest and mountains.

You might ask: What's there to know about a 44-mile road leading through the scenic vistas of the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests? Well, plenty. The 15 scenic overlooks with spotty cell signals and limited restrooms are best navigated with a bit of extra information. "This is a beautiful and clean visitor center, and it is also a must-stop," one guest wrote in a review on Tripadvisor. "The museum is fantastic! You could easily spend two hours in there. There is so much cool stuff to see."

More importantly, the visitor center provides a worthwhile pit stop for road trippers. Guests have lauded its plethora of maps, gift shop, covered picnic tables, a charging station for electric vehicles, and ever-important clean bathrooms.

Less expected at a scenic skyway's visitor center is a selection of handmade local crafts. Visitors can find pottery and carved wood items galore, along with the usual helping of hats, T-shirts, and gift shop tchotchkes. "I walked in and immediately saw local artisan items that made me oh and ahhh, and break open my wallet," one visitor wrote in a Yelp review.

Yet most guests find the center's overall quality surprising. Too often, the term "visitor center" comes with little more than a free map here and there. "I'm shocked at how nice this place is, it looks like a welcome center to a big city with funds," one local wrote in a Google review. "There's a really cool display of some bears in the history of this area."

Every visit should include a stop at the Charles Hall Museum, which rests next to the visitor's center. Its focus on Tellico Plains' history creates a quirky collection that could only have been made by its namesake founder. The former Tellico Plains mayor spent decades collecting the odds and ends that are on display in the museum, namely firearms, phones, photos, and local memorabilia. Its eclectic nature may not appeal to everyone, yet the rave Google reviews and no entrance fee make it a low-risk, high-reward proposition.

If you're within driving distance of the Cherohala Skyway (a Tennessee road recognized as one of America's most scenic), by all means hop behind the wheel and head over there. With a bit of careful planning, travelers can merge it into a larger tour of Tennessee and North Carolina that includes several worthwhile destinations. To get there, book a flight to McGhee Tyson Airport, which is an hour away. The closest major transit hub, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is more than three hours away.

Tellico Plains, one of Tennessee's coolest mountain towns, offers vintage charm and a place to stay. There, you can find worthwhile vacation rentals, as well as a few inns. Use Tellico Plains as a hub to hit nearby destinations, such as North Carolina's Nantahala National Forest, sometimes referred to as the breathtaking "Yosemite of the East" that's two hours away. On your drive back, stop by Lake Santeetlah, nestled in the Smoky Mountains and known for its swimming and fishing.

Timing your visit to the visitor center and, by extension, the Cherohala Skyway, can really shape the experience. Each season brings its own adventure, from spring's wildflowers and red maple blooms to autumn's changing foliage and winter's quiet yet gorgeous landscape.