Illustration by Colleen O'Hara
I was born and raised around the foothills and mountains of North Carolina. My dad is a Methodist minister, and we moved a lot because he was constantly sent to a new church. But every summer we would go to Maggie Valley. Now my parents have a little house nearby, so I still have strong ties to the town. It’s a beautiful hidden gem in the Smoky Mountains right off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it’s populated with quaint mom-and-pop stores.
My brother and I would always go to the Bargain Book Shop, which is this low-slung cinder-block building. You just get lost in there because every aisle is stacked with books. It’s like a treasure hunt. And the store is still going strong!
Joey’s Pancake House is a family-run business founded in 1969, and it has the best pancakes you’ve ever had in your life. I say this as a pancake connoisseur. Oh my god, they’re exactly the right thickness and hold syrup like a miracle. Ammons Drive-Inn has great burgers and soft-serve ice cream. Maggie Mountaineer Crafts is so cute and has the best fudge. Can you tell I have a sweet tooth?
You can also hike up in the mountains and see waterfalls, and Lake Junaluska is five minutes away if you want to go swimming and rent canoes and paddle boats. In October, you can see all the leaves change and go to the annual Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.
This is really one of my favorite places because it’s a real warm hometown and not overrun with tourists. The people there just want to raise their families and make their crafts and love nature. I’ve been a New Yorker for about 20 years, and I love going to Maggie Valley if I want a slower pace. You ask for directions, and you better sit down because it’s going to be 10 minutes. They’re going to help you find your way—and ask how your mom is doing and if they can make you a plate.
This article appears in the Spring 2026 issue of Southbound.
