Whether you’re a local who needs a place to go when you need to get work done or a visitor who has to take assignments on the road, finding a nice space to settle in is crucial. You need good WiFi, a pleasant atmosphere, and (most important) some yummy food and drinks to keep you motivated.

Here in Franklin, we have plenty of cozy nooks to choose from when looking for a “coffice” (our favorite term for “coffee office”). Check out these five coffee shops and bakeries for your remote-work needs!

Crabtree General Store

Smack dab in the middle of Downtown Franklin is Crabtree general store—inside you’ll find old fashioned glass soda bottles, hand-scooped ice cream, specialty coffee, and monthly drink specials to treat yourself to while you work.

If you need to video conference or make phone calls, there’s even an option to reserve their comfy meeting room. There’s no cost to claim it, either; just call ahead and let them know what hours you’d like to have the room to yourself. It’s a first come, first serve basis, so be sure to call as far ahead of time as you can manage.

Crabtree General Store is open Monday through Saturday. Click here for current operating hours.

Main Street Coffee and Yogurt

Looking for a spot with a great chai latte to bust out some work? Look no further than Main Street Coffee—their specialty drinks and cupcakes are delicious, and you can even treat yourself to some frozen yogurt. My personal favorite is their Dirty Chai, which is a chai latte with a shot of espresso added for a nice jolt of coffee to balance the cinnamon sweetness.

Main Street Coffee and Yogurt is open Monday through Sunday. Click here for current operating hours.

Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub

Just on the other side of the main street buildings is Rathskeller, which is full of cozy couch seating and tables alike. Take a break and challenge someone to a game of foosball, or browse the local art displayed on the walls. Be sure to try their peanut butter cookies, and if you’re looking for an extra kick of caffeine, give their incredible cortados a shot.

Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub is open Tuesday through Saturday. Click here for current operating hours.

Bent Willow Baking

This beautiful coffee shop and bakery lives in a renovated old home nestled at the bottom of Town Hill, and if you have a sweet tooth, their immensely popular cinnamon rolls are sure to satisfy. More of a cookie person? You’ve come to the right place; their apple pie cookies vie with the cinnamon rolls for the number one most popular treat.

Bent Willow is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Click here for current operating hours.

Honeysuckle Bakehouse

Last but not lease, Honeysuckle Bakehouse is the place to go for a super flakey, warm croissant—it’s their most popular item, and if you go during the lunch hours, you have to try their chicken salad croissants. Once you walk in, the savory smell of breads and goodies is sure to have your pulling your wallet out and settling in for a couple hours!

Honeysuckle Bakehouse is open Tuesday through Saturday. Click here for current operating hours.

Ready to get some work done? Coffee shops and bakeries in Franklin, NC are the place to be

Wherever you end up, there’s something for everyone’s needs and sweet-tooth preferences here in Franklin. We’re excited to show you some good, old-fashioned mountain hospitality!

When the world becomes a bit too much to take in, a trip to the mountains is quite often just what you need. We all know about unplugging—ditching Wi-Fi, phone data, and electronics—but that’s really only half the battle. Once you take those things out, what do you replace them with?

Here are six of our favorite ways to reconnect with ourselves and our roots here in the mountains.

Cook a meal from scratch with fresh food from a farmers’ market

Cooking is a beautiful art that gets lost in the busyness of day-to-day life. When was the last time you made food from ingredients gathered that day from just down the road?

Find a recipe that looks as lovely as it tastes and don’t take shortcuts. Pour a glass of your favorite beverage and savor the process, and when you’re done, share it with the ones you love or simply take it outdoors to eat in the fresh air.

Walk the entire Little Tennessee Greenway just listening to the world around you

The Little Tennessee Greenway is a walking trail central to Franklin with multiple outlets, so where you start and end isn’t as important as the access to a natural walk in the middle of town.

Walking in the quiet and keeping your ears open allows for the blend of natural sounds—water running, birds and insects, the wind in the trees—and human ones like the distant rumble of a car going over a bridge or a bike passing on your left. Take a moment to enjoy the cross section of human and natural life.

Read a book about something that fascinates you about the natural world

Few things are as good at making you slow down as a good book, which is why reading is often a challenging pastime to make space for in your schedule. A weekend away is the perfect opportunity to catch up, and with our local libraries being open by appointment and bookstores right in the middle of town, there are plenty options to find something that holds your interest. Ask a librarian or bookstore owner to help you find the perfect read, grab a book, and head to a local coffee shop to settle into an armchair for the afternoon.

Commit to a handmade craft that takes more than one sitting to finish

Knitting, embroidery, whittling, and painting are just some of the crafts that have historical significance in this part of the Appalachian Mountains. Take a few hours and browse some of our local craft stores for ideas and all the supplies you need. Choose something you’ve tried before, or explore something completely different—just make sure that it’s something you won’t finish in a single sitting.

The satisfaction of completion will be sweeter, and the commitment to one thing over the course of multiple days is a great way to return to a familiar routine that you don’t often get to indulge.

Bring home three different leaves from a hike, identify them, and then see if you can find them again on a totally different trail

When out in the woods, sometimes it can be equally as easy to lose the trees for the forest as the other way around. Take a short hike and gather leaves with shapes that fascinate you. Maybe one comes from a tree with blooms that catch your eye—maybe another is from the underbrush with interesting ridges. Once you return to civilization, get to know each by name and learn something of their history.

The next time you venture out, recognizing the plants again will feel like greeting an old friend, which is a treasure to enjoy each time you visit the mountain trails in western North Carolina.

Make a pot of locally-roasted coffee and listen to old Appalachian music

Local coffee is on the rise in North Carolina, and those farmers’ markets will likely have plenty options to choose from. (The Madd Ox brand is even roasted right here in Franklin!) Pick a morning of your trip to make a pot of fresh mountain joe and put on some old Appalachian music. Oral tradition is an art form that’s been passed down for generations here, and the lyrics of many old tunes will draw you in to the legacy of mountain life.

You can borrow CDs from local libraries, or, if you still have internet access, queue up a performance like this one from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Ready to plan your mountain getaway? So are we

However your plans take shape, Franklin is the perfect place to host you—we can’t wait to welcome you to western North Carolina!

Picture this: The moment has finally arrived for you and your love to stand hand in hand, all your friends and family present, to promise your undying love and commitment to one another. All around you, the mountains roll in beautiful hues of blue and green, and the air is fresh and clear—as if the whole world is celebrating with you.

If you’re ready to fall in love a second time, here are four reasons why weddings in the mountains are utterly unforgettable.

A destination that feels like home

Even for those who are visiting the mountains for the first time, there is something about the easy-paced lifestyle and breathtaking natural views that feels like home. For destination weddings, this is the perfect match if you want to feel adventurous but keep that sweet, hometown feel.

It’s sure to charm your family and friends, too, because there’s something for everyone! Split up and chase waterfalls, go shopping, or hike a section of the Appalachian Trail, and then join back together to share stories at the reception after the wedding.

The romance of a blue ridge in all your photos

Truly, this point is a no-brainer. Who could pass up the opportunity to have a backdrop of mountains stretching out into the distance for your ceremony and photographs? Something in the view calls to mind the sweetness of the past and the excitement for the future, and the mountains themselves are to scale with your feelings on the big day.

Every season carries its charm

Think a mountain wedding is only pretty in the fall? Guess again! While leaf-looking season is truly a sight to behold, spring in the blue ridge is a riot of color and life waking up after the winter. Summer is a lush green that invites locals and visitors alike to enjoy the lakes, rivers, and swimming holes—all while striking a balance between warmth and refreshing cool under the shade of the forest canopies.

Even winter holds its charm—the mountains are silver against an icy blue sky, and you may even get a fresh sprinkling of snow to make your special day look like something from a fairytale!

Stay and honeymoon, too!

Once you arrive, you won’t want to leave—and why should you? There’s so much to do, explore, and experience in the mountains that you can save time and money on additional travel by simply staying put. After all, what’s more romantic than catching a sunrise or sunset at an overlook with your love?

Ready to start planning your mountain wedding?

We thought you might be! That’s why we’ve collected everything you need to know about lodging, food, and outdoor activities in one place—be sure to explore our website for more information!

Who doesn’t love a freebie, especially in Western North Carolina, where Appalachian adventures abound? If you’re looking for fun things to do in our lovely valley that go easy on your wallet, check out these five attractions that are absolutely free!

Note: Some of these items are unavailable during COVID-19—however, we’re staying strong and are hopeful to bring it all back as soon as we can!

Pickin’ on the Square

Nothing says mountain life like an outdoor bluegrass open mic on a warm summer night, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with our Pickin’ on the Square nights on Saturdays from late May to mid-October. Held downtown at the gazebo on Main Street, this casual but lively event is sure to get your feet tapping. Bring a chair and takeout from one of our Main Street restaurants for a perfectly Franklin experience!

Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum

Franklin isn’t called the gem capital of the world for no reason, but don’t take our word for it! Head over to the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum for the fascinating story of how rubies and sapphires were first discovered in our valley—plus, learn how gem mining works, head out from there to try your hand at the mines yourself, or purchase a piece of Franklin treasure there at the museum itself.

Macon County Historical Society and Museum (Suggested Donations)

Franklin is the county seat of Macon County, and while you may assume it’s a small area given our cozy, small-town feel, Macon County takes up a sprawling 520 square miles and has an incredible history. For a taste of all the stories our beautiful county has to tell, stop in at the Macon County Historical Society and Museum downtown. Donations are suggested, but you’ll find the museum well worth any donation you make!

The Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center

If you want a true blast from the past, you absolutely must visit the Cowee School. This beautiful piece of Franklin history is now home to Appalachian arts, crafts, and lessons for all sorts of local traditions. Whether you want to learn contra dancing, hear a bagpiper up close, or browse the antique toy museum, you’ll have plenty to explore at the old school building.

Wherever you end up on your mountain adventures, we’re delighted to have you! Check out more information in our Explore section if you’re interested in lodging or more opportunities to see the Franklin side of life!