Waynesville's Main Street is one of the more intact small-town downtowns in western North Carolina — a walkable stretch of independent galleries, bookshops, outfitters, and restaurants that hasn't been replaced by chains. The architecture is mostly early 20th century commercial brick, well-maintained and enlivened by the gallery windows and café tables spilling onto the pavement.
Allow a couple of hours to walk the length of it and poke into the shops. The concentration of working studios and galleries makes it particularly interesting for anyone interested in Appalachian craft traditions — pottery, weaving, woodworking — alongside contemporary art.