Personally, at that point I'd rather be in the park. But it's right on Deep creek. That's the one that rents the tubes, correct? Never stayed but driven by it. It's a nice, out of the way area.
My recommendations are as follows.
Eat at River's End beside NOC. My personal preference is one of the Serpa rice dishes. But the pizza and chicken tenders are good too.
Hit the bakery on main street in Bryson City. Cupcakes are AMAZING.
Take a drive on the Road to Nowhere, Riverside Drive, one evening and check out the stars without any lights.
Scoot over to Cherokee one evening to see the elk around the Smokies visitor center.
When you raft, and get towards the end, don't run over the bump (big Momma). One of two places I've been thrown out of a raft as a guide. When you first get in the river stay to the right side of the first rapid, Patton's Run. Rocks are nasty in the middle and on the left. Don't go too far right on Lesser Wesser, the last rapid. Middle or slightly left. Running a raft or a duckie? I spent every Friday for 2 summers guiding on that river. Have fun. And if you don't like cold water, take them up on the wet suit. That water is freaking cold, all the time. One of 2 cases of hypothermia I have seen was on that river in August.