Bryson City, NC
When touring the western section of North Carolina, I recommend you stay overnight in Bryson City. This small town offers a great location for day trips to points of interest such as the Tail of the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, and Cherokee, where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends and the site of a casino. If you plan well, you can reserve a room or house for October when the leaves change color and the vistas are especially beautiful. I've also rented a house in Bryson City in September during the "Rally in the Valley" at Maggie Valley, NC, now called Thunder in the Smokies Rally.