Entire home

Full Steam Ahead

Photo gallery for Full Steam Ahead

A hot tub under a wooden pergola with a picnic table and grill nearby. - Full Steam Ahead (Whittier)
A living room with a sofa set, a lamp, a rug, a staircase, and a kitchen in the background. - Full Steam Ahead (Whittier)
A spacious living area with a fireplace, a sofa, and a kitchen in the background. - Full Steam Ahead (Whittier)
A kitchen with a built-in stove, a stone fireplace, and a dining area with a sofa and table. - Full Steam Ahead (Whittier)
A two-story house with a balcony, surrounded by a grassy yard and trees. - Full Steam Ahead (Whittier)
You can look forward to a water park, a firepit and a garden at Full Steam Ahead. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Stay connected with in-room WiFi.

Reviews

8.4 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Spa pool
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Air-conditioning

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About this property

Full Steam Ahead

  • Summary:

    Riverfront gem with wraparound deck, horseshoes, firepit, hot tub, WiFi - 2 dogs OK



    The Space:

    Get away from it all and find sweet serenity here at Full Stream Ahead, a riverfront retreat that will spoil the whole family! Boasting unobstructed views of the Tuckasegee River, a hot tub, a furnished wraparound deck, a hammock, picnic table, corn hole, horseshoes, and a firepit, you can easily spend each day at home with unlimited fun right at your fingertips. Start each morning in the fully equipped kitchen and brew a cup of coffee to enjoy out on the deck as you wave to the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Train which passes right behind the house! When days come to a close, the warmth of the gas fireplace will welcome you with open arms as everyone kicks back on the plush sofa while watching a favorite movie on the mounted TV.



    Bring your fishing gear and enjoy fishing in the hatchery-supported, trout-stocked waters of The Tuck (fishing is closed in March). During the summer months bring your floats and tube down the river in the sunshine. Feel lucky? Just eight miles away is the Harrah's Cherokee Casino open 24/7. Experience the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway, both just 12 miles away if you have a few outdoorsy guests. Want to stay close but venture outside? Check out Uncle Bill's Flea Market on Highway 74E just a few miles from the cottage (between Dillsboro and Cherokee).



    Things to Know Check-in time: 4:00 p.m. Check-out time: 10:00 a.m. All guests shall abide by our good neighbor policy and shall not engage in illegal activity. Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. No smoking is permitted anywhere on the premises. The driveway is 1.1 miles long and gravel. 4WD/traction may be required in winter. Highway 74 has traffic in the summer. You may hear road noise.

    This property is managed by VueStay Vacations.

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About the area

Located in Whittier, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and Jackson County Historic Courthouse are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Jackson County Green Energy Park and Country Side Bowling Lanes are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with nearby fishing, or enjoy the great outdoors with horse riding. Visit our Whittier travel guide
View more Holiday homes in Whittier
Map
Whittier, NC

What's nearby

  • A river flowing through a forested valley with large rocks in the water.
    Tuckasegee River
    1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • A large hotel building with a sign that reads "Cherrypal Casino Hotel."
    Harrahs Cherokee Casino
    14 min drive - 16.2 km
  • A steam locomotive numbered 1702 with smoke billowing from its chimney, surrounded by autumnal trees.
    Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
    15 min drive - 23.7 km
  • A rustic log cabin in a forest.
    Oconaluftee Indian Village
    17 min drive - 18.5 km
  • A historical marker with a photo of the New Gap, New Road.
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    18 min drive - 28.5 km

Getting around

  • Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)
    73 min drive

Restaurants

  • Arby's
    14 min drive
  • Granny's Kitchen
    16 min drive
  • Taco Bell
    14 min drive
  • Wendy's
    16 min drive
  • Noodle Bar
    16 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Full Steam Ahead pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Full Steam Ahead?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Full Steam Ahead?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Full Steam Ahead?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Full Steam Ahead located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is steps away from Nantahala National Forest and Tuckasegee River. Sequoyah National Golf Club and Jackson County Green Energy Park are also within 6 miles (10 km).

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Reviews

Full Steam Ahead Reviews

8.4

Very good

9.4

Cleanliness

8.2

Location

10

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 31 out of 60 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 17 out of 60 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 60 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 60 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 60 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great house and location. Had a few issues with stink bugs and warm water but other than that it was great!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was great! I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting a mountain trip
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Spring Break in the Smokies

The stay was exactly what we were looking for, quiet, quant, and secluded. We enjoyed the stay and the host! Would stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Everything about our stay was perfect! Very well kept and clean! In such a perfect location for relaxing or visiting and riding the polar express!!You are perfectly sandwiched between a beautiful creek and a quiet railroad track! My kids (and us adults) were OVERJOYED when we saw the polar express, we just rode, come tugging down the track!We took walks and found a swinging bridge that went over the creek! What a fun adventure! The hot tub was perfect, we used the fire pit every night, there was plenty of wood supplied! And though some have said the highway next to the cabin was noisy we didn’t find any issue.We will definitely return to this beautiful cabin with all its fun amenities!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

wedding venue preview

came in town to view daughters wedding venue, place was clean and close to venue!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Simply Amazing!

This was perfect for me and my family. We used all the amenities. Will be booking again in Spring.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Family vacation

The view was great the hammock I used everyday,hot tub was good .make sure you bring what you need it’s a little drive to the store.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Great Weekend Getaway

House was really clean. Had everything you need for a weekend of fun! Does take 5 minutes from main road down bumpy road which is common in the mountains. Will definitely be a returning guest!
From a partner site

8/10 Good

Diamond in the Rough

Lovely spacious home, rough road to access. Once at the house it was roomy, the river was very calming and plenty of games provided inside & out. Very nice, quiet get away.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

A must!

This house had everything you need for the perfect vacation. View, games, walks, hot tub, if you cook- a well Supplied kitchen, TV DVD player, movies, books, fire pit and even paint for rocks! A perfectly restful week! Close to attractions such as Harrah’s and seeing the Elk at dusk! I highly recommend!
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Great Vacation Rental

This house checked all the boxes when looking for a rental. What a great place and excellent memories were made during our stay. The Tuck being at your back door was so fun especially traveling with kids. We fished hard. The Great Smokey Mountain Rail running right behind the house was an added bonus. Great furnishings, bedding, beds ect. We will be back.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relax in the river

Right on the river with a fire pit and small deck as well, to hang out at rivers edge. The house was very comfortable and had everything we needed to make our stay complete . This house is a short 10 minute drive to Dillsboro , Cherokee is about a 20 minute drive. Under the house is a great place to hang with horseshoes, Hot Tub and grill .
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Great vacay

We loved the house. The view, fire pit by the river, everything about it. Has everything you would want. It does have the busy noise from the highway but didn’t bother us at all. The ride in is long but it’s the mountains so that’s expected! So close to Cherokee and we went out and explored each day. We had a great time.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
From a partner site

8/10 Good

Overall Great Stay

I had the pleasure of staying at the Full Stream Ahead for my graduation weekend! The house had a lovely view and plenty of space for my family and guests to be comfortable. Hot tub was in good working condition contrary to what other reviews had mentioned, however, the overall cleanliness of the home could have been better upon arrival. Driveway was not terrible after rain and plenty of parking space. We were also able to walk ten minutes to the walking bridge for some amazing photos over the river.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing once you get there!

We absolutely loved our time at Full Stream Ahead! Getting there in a Prius was….fun, but once there, it was hard to leave everyday! As everyone has said, it’s tricky to get to the property. But if we could do it, you can! Unless you have no clearance under your car. Seriously, you will probably hit bottom a couple times and maybe take a wrong turn. But it gets easier. More signs would be good. The house, though, wow! Drinking coffee in the mornings and having dinner on the porch was the best. The highway noise was never bad, and the stream was so nice! Honestly have nothing bad to say. Everything was well-appointed and very clean as well! Do yourself a favor and stay for a week. You won’t want to leave!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Nice, spacious home with 2 full baths

We loved the lay out of this house! It was perfect for a family of 5. The fire pit by the river was perfect. The highway does add a lot of noise but you eventually get used to it! Walking the tracks was fun and we caught some fish in the river. Our only complaints are that when we arrived there was no power to the downstairs. It took some time to figure out which breaker because it wasn’t fully tripped and the numbers listed for the different breakers didn’t match the breakers. Updating that would help in case the breakers are tripped for other guests. There was also a lot of bugs, not bugs from being dirty, just leaf footed bugs that maybe a quarterly spray would help with. There were also quite a few wasps in the upstairs bathroom window. We killed about 4, and then more came in later. I would suggest looking into that as it seemed they were coming in from the top of the window and there may be a nest in the siding or something. All in all this was a great rental and we look forward to returning again in the future.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

30th Anniversary Trip

My husband and I wanted to do something we’ve never done before for our 30 year anniversary. We decided Harrah’s Casino would be fun. Our children, age 21 and 16, came with us for a few days then left so we could have a couple of days to ourselves. Full Stream Ahead is a beautiful home. It was clean and well stocked for any cooking that we wanted to do. Hot tub was a lovely, relaxing feature. Due to the late August weather being warm, we did not get a chance to utilize the fire pit but can imagine how nice it would be to sit around and socialize. I read many reviews before booking. Here is what I would say, the road noise is loud. If you’re used to it, it won’t bother you and inside it is quiet. Unfortunately, it did drown out the beautiful river. We enjoyed the view and had a wonderful time but did miss the quiet and being able to enjoy the rushing of the river. The train… we only saw one time, and it was fun waving at the passengers. The drive in and out to the main road is tricky. My daughter did just fine in her Chevy Trax, and a smaller vehicle could make it but it wouldn’t be fun. A truck, Jeep, etc is better. It is not wide and you must pull over if you meet another vehicle, only happened to us two or three time and luckily, where we could pull over with ease, or the other person could for us to pass. We did lose power but after calling vacasa, the manager got it taken care of quickly. Overall, nice space, good views, but a little loud outside. Great trip!!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great little cabin. Our family of 6 fit perfectly. The manger was great and very responsive to any and all questions we had during our stay. We enjoyed the fire pit by the river. It was a beautiful trip.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Winter storm Fern cut our trip short but it was a nice spot.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The hot tub was clean but not heated when we checked in. Took it about 20 hours to go from 74 degrees to 100 degrees. Very long gravel road which is one lane and traffic flows in both directions was the only real negative about this location. Sometimes we would have to back up 150 foot or so to a driveway to allow someone to pass. Beautiful place.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

Great place would definitely stay again
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Perfect little get away

The sitting area by the water was so relaxing. We will be back.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Excellent stay

Great location to Cherokee!
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Great stay

Great house for guests. Great for fishing, bon fires and relaxing. I adjusted to the drive pretty quickly on the one way street. I hope to go back again soon. Loved it.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Great Get Away!

Great house, spacious, comfortable beds. Enjoyed the river!