West NC InSight

City Drive In Spruce Pine Nc has lots of live music and is a local favorite... 🔥

The City Drive-In in the little Western North Carolina mountain town of Spruce Pine is one of those classic local spots you’re glad you didn’t skip. Here you can enjoy a warm, rustic setting with wood interiors, open doors, and friendly staff. The menu hits all the drive-in favorites, from burgers, hot dogs, wings, and fish and chips to the Chuckwagon and Mushroom Swiss Burger. You can sit indoors, outside by the fire, or in the bar area with local brews on tap. Live music nights draw a fun crowd, and the shakes...especially the peanut butter one...make this little roadside diner in the mountains of WNC well worth the stop!

PGA Tour event coming to Western North Carolina in 2026 For the first time in more than 80 years, the PGA Tour is making its return to Western North Carolina.

North Carolina’s Emerald Village and its historic mines make for one of the most interesting places to explore in the Western NC mountains! You’ll step inside the historic Bon Ami Mine, once used to produce feldspar for Bon Ami cleaning powder, and see what real mining was like underground. Explore the North Carolina Mining Museum, see the Bon Ami Waterfall, and try your hand at gem mining or gold panning. Tour the multi-level Discovery Mill packed with exhibits, or browse the gift shops. From black-light mine tours to digging for emeralds, this Blue Ridge treasure promises a “gem of a day!”