I've been to all of these places and out of all of those Boone is the best option IMO. It is a college town too, Appalachian State. Asheville has some very woke crazies in it and you better check out the crime rate there. Homeless are rampant now downtown. Campground choices may be limited too.
Crossville is a great town with lots of golf courses if you golf and other activities to do. The Cumberland County Playhouse is worth checking out. Lots of great campgrounds to pick from too.
Helen GA is a touristy town but isn't overwhelmingly so. Very rural and not an objectional distance to get to shopping.
Other suggestions for you might be Maggie Valley NC, Waynesville area or Bryson city area or the Cherokee NC area.
