By Rachel Fishman – 2014
What could have easily been just another Days Inn chain became a valuable source of information, culture, and hospitality for our journey in Murphy. The concierge of the Days Inn along Highway 64 enthusiastically welcomed our group and, despite our 11:00pm arrival time, began to engage us in a lively conversation about our plans for Murphy. She taught us that the Trail of Tears was just down the road and explained the impact of the Cherokee tribes on the culture of Murphy. It would be impossible to stay here without getting suggestions of activities to do and restaurants to try, in addition to a comforting feeling of being welcomed into this lovely small town. These unexpected benefits were amplified by the fact that the hotel was just a 5-10 minute drive away from everywhere you would want to go in Murphy, from the Cherokee History Museum to the Cherokee Cellars Winery.
