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After four days in Pigeon Forge, James and I moved on to the mountains of North Carolina. Our first stop was a little town called Hot Springs.

Hot Springs was named for the natural springs that are sourced directly from the surrounding mountains. A resort now called Hot Springs Resort and Spa is the oldest attraction of Hot Springs, but it is now home to several artisan shops and nice bars.

The town was originally called Warm Springs, but its name was later changed, and the resort name was changed accordingly.

During our stay, we enjoyed a jacuzzi tub and two room accommodations, along with the spa.

According to a spa attendant, the water coming from the mountain comes out of the ground at about 100 degrees fahrenheit, and is cycled through the baths continuously. Those enjoying the spa can stay in the baths for up to an hour and a half. There are different accommodations, but James and I booked the deluxe spa because we wanted to treat and congratulate ourselves on getting married.

We spent a glorious hour and a half in a steam filled open spa that overlooked the mountains and the French Broad River. We definitely recommend booking the deluxe spa if you’re traveling with your significant other. It was a nice time to relax and have after all the driving and chaos of cross country travel.

We also got to walk around the downtown area, which was right down the road from the resort.

We shopped at Artisun Gallery and Cafe. The coffee shop carries art from local artists and art supplies. The gallery holds all types of art–wood art, pottery, embroidery, jewelry, glass, sculpted stones and more.

I fell in love with a small glass blown ornament that I just had to have on my tree for Christmas, and we bought some stickers as souvenirs.

We stopped for beers at Big Pillow Brewery, North Carolina’s first craft brewery. We sat at a bar that had an open window overlooking the river and the mountains. James grabbed some street tacos from a look food truck and we munched for a while before heading back to the resort.

On our last night before we moved on to Asheville, we had a nice dinner at the Iron Horse Station, which is not only a restaurant, but also a hotel. We had a delicious dinner, but the highlight was the peanut butter cream pie. Every mouthful was heavenly, and it was so rich we had to pack it up in a box to finish later.

Hot Springs is a gorgeous little area right across the Tennessee-North Carolina border that is the perfect getaway. We highly recommend a stay at the Hot Springs Resort and Spa, along with spending sometime in the town.