About Cherokee, NC
The Qualla Boundary
Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, Cherokee is located on the ancestral homelands of the Cherokee people and present-day home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Qualla Boundary: 57,000 acres of property owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and kept in trust by the federal government.
Easy access to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway make Cherokee an ideal destination to enjoy the area’s natural beauty and outdoor recreation offerings. The Museum is located in the heart of the Cultural District, where visitors can peruse handmade traditional crafts at the country’s oldest Native arts co-op, Qualla Arts & Crafts, cool off in the Oconaluftee River at Oconaluftee Islands Park, get a glimpse of 18th-century Cherokee life at the Oconaluftee Indian Village living history museum, and more.
What to See and Do in the Area
- Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual*
- Fire Mountain Trails*
- Cherokee Historical Association’s Unto These Hills outdoor drama and Oconaluftee Indian Village
- Mingo Falls
- Smokemont Riding Stables
- Soco Falls
- Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill
- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort*
- End of the Trail Riding Stables*
- Sequoyah National Golf Club*
- Appalachian Rivers Aquarium (Bryson City)
- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (Bryson City)
- Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City)
Where to Eat
- BJ’s Diner*
- Brio Italian Restaurant in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Resort*
- Circle H Chophouse*
- Front Porch Cakery & Deli*
- Granny’s Kitchen*
- Nikki’s Frybread (food truck)*
- Osaka Sushi Bar and Asian Cuisine
- Peter’s Pancakes & Waffles
- Qualla Java Café*
- Rancho Viejo Restaurante Mexicano
- The Rice Wagon (food truck)*
- Selu Garden Café in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Resort*
Where to Shop
- Bryson City Outdoors Cherokee
- Bearmeat’s Indian Den*
- Dogwood Shop*
- Indigenous Boutique & Spa*
- Museum of the Cherokee People Store*
- Native Impressions*
- Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual*
- Queen House Gallery
- Saunooke’s Mill*
- Talking Leaves: A Native American Bookstore*
- Traditional Hands Native American Jewelry & Art*
*Native-owned
