Haha. I'm not from NC, but I reaaaaaly love the Smokies. I have not been to Asheville, but I definitely recommend Maggie Valley, Cherokee, and Waynesville is a neat little town similar to a small Harrisonburg without the college. Gatlinburg is okay but very crowded and touristy as well as Pigeon Forge and traffic is a nightmare. I would only recommend going that way for all of the great nearby parks and scenic drives. Definitely recommend Clingmans Dome and the Cherohala Skyway beats out Skyline Drive by a mile. You really cannot go wrong exploring the whole area.