Christmas music is a big part of the Polar Express Train Ride experience with everyone joining in. And while one might assume that the conductor would direct the singing, it’s actually the singing chefs that lead the passengers in singing familiar Christmas carols.

Departing from the Bryson City train depot, the Polar Express train ride continues through Wednesday, December 23. A great holiday tradition with caroling, hot cocoa, a treat and chance to talk to Santa.  More info and schedules.

On just about any nice day throughout the fall and winter, you can play a round of golf at the 18-hole Smoky Mountain Country Club near Bryson City. It’s a true mountain course with elevation changes of 400 feet; and at the top, the views are spectacular. The 6000 yard, par 70 public course is open daily until the Christmas holidays; and through the winter months they’ll be open any day when the temperature is 50 and above.

With temperatures dropping in the Fall, early morning fogs are fairly common in the Smokies. Obviously, when clouds are touching the ground, there’s not much to see. But if you head for the higher elevations, along the Blue Ridge Parkway or Newfound Gap Road in the National Park, you can enjoy a spectacular sunrise above the clouds.

Photo by J.R. vanLienden

Smoky Mountains visitor Susan Weller took this photo of the Little Tennessee River shortly after sunrise in early October last year. The Little Tennessee is one of the the three rivers that feed into Fontana Lake, the others being the Nantahala and the Tuckaseigee.

It’s the question of the month from callers to the Bryson City Chamber of Commerce. And the answer is “You can see fall color just about anytime from early October through early November. You just may have to drive to see it.” That’s because the arrival of peak color varies with the elevation, which ranges from 2000 to more than 6000 feet in Swain County.

Autumn’s annual color show is already making its way down from highest elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where the climate is more like New England’s. And over the next three weeks, the above display will be repeated throughout the the Smoky Mountain landscape with the grand finale coming around the end of the month. The only spoiler could be a heavy thunderstorm, which could bring down the curtain early.

But right now, it’s shaping up to be quite a show.

Photo by J.R.VanLienden