When Nicole Owen and her now-husband, Chip, left Asheville a decade ago to open a brewery, they found everything they needed just an hour southwest in Sylva. “Sylva felt perfect for us. We immediately fell in love with it and moved over,” says Owen, co-owner of Innovation Brewing. “It’s just got a really strong sense of community here, more so than anywhere I’ve ever lived.”
Sylva is small—fewer than three thousand people reside here—but well worth a road trip. Crowds are thinner than in other well-trodden Western North Carolina towns, and Sylva itself has a charming Hallmark movie vibe, with murals gracing the historic buildings and the former Jackson County courthouse perched on a hill above Main Street (it now houses the public library).
Sandwiched between mountains, the downtown area flourishes with independent bookshops, antique stores, coffee shops, public art, and elevated restaurants, all in proximity to hikes and overlooks. “The downtown has just turned into this bustling little place, day or night, weekday or weekend, with just really great food,” Owen says.
It’s still evolving too. This summer, Hotel Sylva opened in the former Blue Ridge Inn space, bringing a boutique option right to Main Street. It doesn’t have a restaurant, but the hotel is conveniently situated near downtown’s best eateries. Of course, you can always rent a vacation house with a beautiful view if you prefer seclusion with proximity to downtown. Here are five ways to explore Sylva.
1. Sip coffee in a cozy setting.
Blue Ridge Bootleg Coffee recently opened on Main Street, blending house-roasted beans with live country music. For a drink with an extra kick, try their espresso and tonic, featuring house-made vanilla syrup and lime. Nearby, White Moon serves classic espresso beverages alongside baked goods and sandwiches in an intimate, plant-filled cafe.
2. Hit the trails.
You don’t have to leave Sylva to find spectacular views. Pinnacle Park offers 1,500 acres to explore within the city limits, including a 3.4-mile trail that takes hikers on a strenuous journey to a craggy mountaintop, plus a relaxing half-mile forest-therapy trail that runs alongside a creek. To make the most of the latter, consider booking a walk with Mark Ellison, who specializes in shinrin-yoku (Japanese forest bathing).
3. Try a locally brewed beer.
While there are only a few craft breweries in Sylva, it’s a matter of quality over quantity. Innovation Brewing operates a taproom downtown and another in nearby Dillsboro; fall is the perfect time to try their chocolate stout and hard ciders. Also on Main Street, Balsam Falls Brewing Co. sells beer by the flight, glass, and growler alongside pub grub.
4. Eat seasonally driven food.
In recent years, Ilda and its sister restaurants, Meatballs Pizzeria and Santé (a wine bar), have become Main Street stars. The brainchildren of married couple Crystal Pace, a sommelier who grew up in Sylva, and Santiago Guzzetti, an Italian-American chef who worked in fine-dining kitchens in New York, each eatery offers Italian classics made with local ingredients. Ilda is particularly suited for a date night, while Meatballs hits the spot after a hike. You’ll also find Dalaya a few blocks off the main drag, in a petite creekside outpost. There, chef Gun Supachana, a James Beard Award semifinalist, whips up tongue-tingling northern Thai dishes; if you can’t decide, opt for the khao soi with egg noodles and chicken in a thick coconut curry. For breakfast, start the day right at Lucy in the Rye with biscuits, waffles, and locally roasted coffee.
5. Go shopping.
This region is known for its crafters community, and that applies to Sylva. “One cool thing about local businesses is you can find local art for sale on basically everybody’s walls, ours included,” Owen says. Additionally, there are plenty of local shops to peruse on Main Street—like City Lights for new and used books (don’t miss the impressive room dedicated to Appalachian stories), End Of Main for antiques, and Snake Song Shop for floral arrangements, bath products, and gifts.
