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My aunt and uncle go down there 2 or 3 times a year. They never go to the tourist spots. They rent a cabin out in the Smokey Mountains and do things like that when they are there. They absolutley love that area. I can call them and get some ideas of what they do if you like. Just send me a pm and I'll let you know.

The Smokeys are cool. Climbing Clingman's Dome was a pleasurable and eye-opening experience. (It was the first time I had ever seen a bear in the wild*, and it was just 50-60 yards off the path!)

The ride up to ober-Gatlinburg is nice, but there's nothing exceptional once you get there.

I never did go to Dollywood. Please give us your review if you go.

Have fun.





*"That's when I first saw the b'ar."

I live just like 30 minutes away from Gatlinburg. We used to go all the time. I know pretty much everything about it. What exactly are you interested in doing? What kind of things do you all like? Do you like the "touristy" and "gaudy" stuff, or are you into the outdoors? Do you like nice places to eat, or do you prefer the less expensive ones? Are you looking for a place to stay or do you already have one? Do you all enjoy baseball?

We go to Gatlinburg maybe once a year (we own a timeshare there-Westgate). The Dixie Stampede is a definite thumbs up-alcohol free-but they have a preshow where everyone gets a "drink" in a boot mug. I had to slowly weed out my plastic boot mugs so my kids wouldn't know!

As for transportation, they have a little trolly that goes back and forth from Gatlinburg to Pigeon Forge and has several stops at each place. I am not sure the cost because we have never used it.

There are many "outlet" type malls-if you like to shop. Those are mainly located in Pigeon Forge. The Gatlinburg shops are mostly "specialty" items and/or junk. There are some nice homemade candy stores there if you like fudge, taffy, and stuff like that.

As far as good places to eat:
1. The Old Mill - have to get there early or the wait will be long.
2. The Apple Barn - they have the restaurant which is very good "down home cookin'" and they also have shops and their own winery and will give free samples in their wine store. My friend loves their wine!
3. Calhoun's is a pretty good BBQ spot. Although they are not exclusive to Gatlinburg. (We ate Thanksgiving dinner there the first holiday we spent in Gatlinburg! Tey had a special Turkey dinner that day but my daughter didn't want that-so she had a BBq for Thanksgiving meal!!

There are several places in the area that have go-carts, bungee jumping, mini-carnival rides, water park,etc. (The normal tourist trap stuff).

I love to go into the mountains myself. Clingman's Dome, as mentioned above, has a great view! If you are going to do it, you will need half a day, at least, to do that. Be warned, also, once you reach the parking lot to Clingman's Dome, there is a long walk UPHILL to the observatory(where the really good view is). I was not in very good shape when we went and was bound and determined to finish the hike up! I made it, but shed a few layers on the way!
Cades Cove is another Smoky Mountain hotspot and one that I recommend above the others. It is an 11 mile loop (once you get there) of an old settlement. There are old preserved homesteads, churches, barns on the loop. Lots of wildlife to be seen (one year a deer nearly jumped in our van because we were driving with the doors open!)Of course, everyone wants to see a black bear in the mountains and they say that many reside in the Cades Cove area and are most often seen in the early morning hours. So, if you are an early riser...only problem is, again, you will need a good half day to do it. There are also some medium length hiking trails in the cove if you are interested in that. If you do go, take it from a seasoned pro, take a snack or picnic lunch with you. There is no place to buy food up there and you will want it by the time you get down!


Well, anyway, I love the Gatlinburg area. I am from Southern Illinois but I always feel like I am home when I am in East Tennessee..don't know what it is about the place. I always say when I retire, I'd lilke to spilt my time between home, the caribbean, and East Tennessee. I could go on and on about this. If you want to know more, just PM me and I will be glad to give you more info!!

If you're into baseball, there is a decent minor league team by I-40 and they have a very nice stadium. If you're into aquariums, Gatlinburg has a very nice one. Of course there is also Dollywood and the water park.

But most importantly, buy your alcohol BEFORE you get there. I forget if it is Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, but one of them is in a dry county.

land_shark3 wrote:But most importantly, buy your alcohol BEFORE you get there. I forget if it is Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, but one of them is in a dry county.

Pigeon Forge is alky-free
Gatlinburg DOES have the "red" dot stores

I've heard that Gatlinburg is the new Branson?

Isn't Gatlinburg where a boy named Sue met up with that dirty, mangy dog that named him Sue? Only it was mid-July not May.

First...stop at the Visitor's Center, get booklets and maps.

Cades' Cove...drive through area, old homesteads, etc. and it is so beautiful

There are several waterfalls to walk to, but I'm telling you, on some of them, the walk will kill you!

Pidgeon Forge is for shopping and eating, you MUST eat at the Old Mill Restaurant. Go before 5, when lines start forming heavily.
And the Apple Barn Restaurant and gifts shops (great stuff, no junk) in Sevierville. These towns are not very far from each other, in fact, they kinda blend into each other. Major outlet malls.

In Gatlinburg, go on the Obergatlinburg ski lift, and/or the swing chair ride up the mountain. There are at last count three Thomas Kinkaide galleries in Gatlinburg, this gives you an idea as to the amount of shops on the main drag in downtown Gatlinburg. If you drive up the mountains, make sure your brakes are good, and watch out, because they will get hot and smoke on the way down. Eat a good breakfast at the Log Cabin Restaurant on Airport Rd., which starts at the main drag. And for a truly Parrothead place to eat, good bar (Gatlinburg is wet and Pidgeon Forge is dry): the Mexican Restaurant across the street from the Aquarium (again on the main drag). I can't think of the name of it...Jack's or Joe's something or other.

These are just the highlights...OH! For a great day-trip, go 100 miles to Asheville, NC and visit the largest mansion in America, the Biltmore Estate. I've been there several times, I love it. Definitely eat lunch at the Deer Park Restaurant on the estate, and visit the winery. The restaurant is where I had cold Rasberry soup and spagetti squash for the first time....great food, possibly the best I've ever had with the exception of the Chateau Briande (sp?) at Kunz's in Louisville, KY.

wow, I'll shut up now.

On a weeklong Gatlinburg stay one of the funnest things that I ever did was go whitewater rafting. It's been a few years though and I can't remember exactly where it was but it was not too far away from Gatlinburg. I think it was near Cherokee, NC.

I have been to Dollywood more times than I can count. I had a season pass last year, but didn't go much. They keep getting bigger and bigger, and really have some big thrill rides now. I don't know what you're in to, but they've got something for everybody. They have rollercoasters, water rides, concerts, candle shops, glass-making shops, and tons of other stuff. The food is great too, try the homemade kettle corn and funnel cakes. They also opened Dollywood Splash Country a couple of years ago, which is alot like the water parks at Disney in Orlando. I've not been yet, but I've heard great things about it.

Here is the low-down on restaurants in Gatlingburg (I've been eating up there for the last 24 years, and my father sells most of them all their meat and eggs). The Applewood Farmhouse is Gatlinburg is just as good as the one in Pigeon Forge, but the location is much better. The backyard backs up to the park limits, and tons of wildlife including deer come down to eat at the corn feeders outside of the windows by your table. The food is also very authentic southern good food! The sweet tea is to die for, because its southern style with about as much sugar as tea. You get a 4-course meal with apple fritters and apple butter, soup, your meal, and a dessert. Its all very good. Some of the best entrees are Country ham, Chicken n' Dumplings, and Country Fried Steak. The best breakfast in East TN is at the Pancake Pantry. They are only open for breakfast and lunch, as are most of the breakfast places. It doesn't matter what you get to eat there, it is all very good! The Log Cabin Pancake house on Airport road is also very good (it is just behind the space needle). For great Italian food, try the Best Italian Cafe & Pizzeria. The have some pretty great pizza! There is a grouping of 3 restaurants all owned by the Connor family that are all very good. They are Calhoun's, The Cherokee Grill, and Smoky Mountain Brewery. They are all locally owned here in Knoxville, and the food is top quality. If you're looking for a very nice dinner, try the Park Grill.

There are many things to do in Gatlinburg. Alot of them are just tourist traps out to get in your pocket. There are a few things I enjoy seeing when I'm up there, though. Definately see the Ripley's Aquarium, you won't regret it! Take a trip up the mountain in the chair lift, its a very nice view. A trip to the top of the space needle is also kind of a novelty thing. Also try out the Hillbilly Golf. Its a putt-putt course on the side of a mountain, very cool! Trust me, don't waste your time on the little haunted houses, museums, etc. They are all very stupid and expensive. They also make some of those "Old Time Photos" in several shops if you're into that kind of thing. They can be a little pricey, but make a nice thing to take home and put up somewhere.

Since you're making the trip all the way to the mountains, be sure and see them! Alot of the little tourist shops, you can see anywhere else. But you can't see the Smokies just any day. Be sure and don't miss the loop at Cades Cove, bring your camera! If you have a day without a cloud in the sky, make sure you drive up to Clingman's Dome. You have to walk up to it, but its all a paved sidewalk, so its not that bad. It is the highest point in the Smokies, and you can see for miles and miles on a clear day.

I've gotta run for now, but I'll add more later.

If you're into picnics in the mountains, pick up some food and take it up to the Chimneys Picnic Area. It is pretty high up, and a great place to see bears up close (be careful) and pretty views.

Be sure and go shopping one day in Pigeon Forge at the Five Oaks Outlet Malls. You can find everything at good prices. They have everything from Old Navy, Levi's, Bose, Ralph Lauren Polo, PacSun, Tommy Hillfigger, Bass, and many many more! There is also a great restaurant there in the middle called Connor's, which is owned by the same people as the three I named together in Gatlinburg.

At the Sevierville exit on I-40, which is how you get to it all, there is a minor leauge ballpark for the Smokies baseball team. It is a really nice park and a relaxing thing to do.

Not long now!

I want to thank everyone for the info so far. It sounds like we'll be visiting the
aquarium (although that sounds kind of weird for someone visiting from Florida ),
go up Ober Gatlinburg for the view, Cades Cove, Clingman's Dome... maybe head
to Knoxville to hear Tall Paul... and do Dollywood too, I guess.

Pamesoo! We're staying at Westgate! So tell me, is there anything
there to be thrilled about, or is it just "lodging" for doing other stuff? We have one
of the small "studio" units that are usually just motel rooms with a microwave.
Do you know if that's what we can expect there?

Finally, we're expecting to meet up with our PHClub Prez & his wife Sunday night
in Asheville. They're going to be in the area for a family reunion!
So who can give me directions to the CIP in Asheville?

Desdamona wrote: in Asheville. They're going to be in the area for a family reunion!
So who can give me directions to the CIP in Asheville?

yeah, this is a map to Hooters, the CIP map isn't that good. BUT CIP is on the hill behind there. Where I 240 and SR 70(Tunnel Road) meet. Nice beach sitting with a mountain view

When are you gonna be in Ashville?

Sidew13 wrote:When are you gonna be in Ashville?

Desdamona wrote:
Finally, we're expecting to meet up with our PHClub Prez
& his wife Sunday night in Asheville.

May 15th Matt Hall 8:30pm-12am

Desdamona wrote:

Sidew13 wrote:When are you gonna be in Ashville?

Desdamona wrote:
Finally, we're expecting to meet up with our PHClub Prez
& his wife Sunday night in Asheville.

May 15th Matt Hall 8:30pm-12am

dang it, I was thinking of a sneek attack/suprise. But we'll be in Commerce, GA on the 15th

Hey...I'm from the area as well. Just went to Dollywood yesterday...as a matter of fact. May I suggest Calhoun's in Gatlinburg as a dining destination....FABULOUS ribs and "steak Calhoun" is a personal favorite!
Feel free to PM me if you want specific info....I'll be happy to oblige!

I usually end up in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area at LEAST once a month....