Our family is taking a trip to Gatlinburg next week, and we are staying in one of those cabins in the mountains. Does anyone have any advice on things to do, places to eat, must-see locations, etc? I would really appreciate any help as I have never been before. My wife and her parents/siblings and my parents/siblings are all going. So, please keep in mind, this is more of a family trip. Thanks in advance.
OT - Anyone been to Gatlinburg area before?
- Thread starter Brad Stevens.sixpack
- Start date
Always go into the smokies, one of the most beautiful places on earth
Cades Cove
Dixie Stampede
Apple Barn
Fannie Farkles Corn dog
Ripleys Aquarium
A few of my family favorites
These^^ are solid family ideas. Also, they will enjoy riding up the ski lift at night where you can overlook the town. They also have a pretty cool ATV trail riding deal where you can rent 4 wheelers and ride a trail in the mountains, I think...but that may have been Colorado I'm thinking about.
Your wife and family will also probably enjoy just parking and walking the shops along the town.
I'm jealous, I love it up there. Have fun.
There's some pancake joint where you can get like 100 different kinds of pancakes. That's assuming you like standing in line for an hour or so waiting to eat. That's always awesome.
http://www.smokymountainziplines.com/ best one I've found...
...not zipping over some parking lot in town. Well worth the money spent.
...not zipping over some parking lot in town. Well worth the money spent.
If you voyage into Pigeon Forge eat at the Old Mill. I feast like HD6 Thanksgiving Dinner at that place
Dolly World was ok. Its a mini sixflags. The kids will enjoy it. I would defiantly spend a day in Pigeon Forge regardless. Numerous putt putt courses, oddities and restaurants, everywhere.
Great place to eat. Its on the main drag downtown. Owner works in the back. Better get there early
if you don't want to stand in line....
if you don't want to stand in line....
Spend as much time in the Smokey Mountain park as you can. We used to go every year and loved it. They have a few hikes that are easy if you're interested in seeing some of the waterfalls. Laurel falls and Grotto falls come to mind. As far as food goes, you can't leave without eating at the Old Mill or Apple Barn as others have said.
Places to eat:
For breakfast and lunch the Applebarn is a must.
For supper you have to go to the Peddler.
Someone mentioned the Old Mill and I ate there one time and was not impressed at all but it may have been a bad night. To me it seemed like nothing more than the Cysco truck dumped its load into the kitchen and into the deep fryer.
I can't remember the name of it but in downtown Pigeon Forge (in the area of the Old Mill) there is a pottery store that the wife loves and across from it there is a restaurant that is pretty good for lunch.
To be honest, when we go up there it is to unwind and destress and we spend most of our time in the cabin and cook meals there and enjoy the peace and quiet. The places listed above are locations we do make a point of going. The Applebarn is an entire complex that includes a candy shop, winery, Christmas store and a smaller restaurant that I have never eaten in.
I am extremely jealous. I love Pigeon Forge. Go back around Christmas sometime. The kids will love all the lights. The main drag is done up in the 12 Days of Christmas.
For breakfast and lunch the Applebarn is a must.
For supper you have to go to the Peddler.
Someone mentioned the Old Mill and I ate there one time and was not impressed at all but it may have been a bad night. To me it seemed like nothing more than the Cysco truck dumped its load into the kitchen and into the deep fryer.
I can't remember the name of it but in downtown Pigeon Forge (in the area of the Old Mill) there is a pottery store that the wife loves and across from it there is a restaurant that is pretty good for lunch.
To be honest, when we go up there it is to unwind and destress and we spend most of our time in the cabin and cook meals there and enjoy the peace and quiet. The places listed above are locations we do make a point of going. The Applebarn is an entire complex that includes a candy shop, winery, Christmas store and a smaller restaurant that I have never eaten in.
I am extremely jealous. I love Pigeon Forge. Go back around Christmas sometime. The kids will love all the lights. The main drag is done up in the 12 Days of Christmas.
Agreed. Went up there a couple of summers ago and the bears were out. Saw several on the Cade's Cove drive and then did the Laurel Falls hike and saw a mother and cub not 50 feet off the trail.
If I remember correctly, bring your own alcohol. I think its dry....If not dry, there are stipulations....I may be misremembering
Try Climbworkscanopy.com. Consistently the #1 rated attraction for that area on Tripadvisor. Pricey but worth every penny. You don't have to do any handbraking, groups are small, and you literally do not touch the ground for over 2 hours.
Kids and adults will enjoy a tram ride up to Ober Gatlinburg. Views in the park are great this time of year before every thing greens up. There is a Hard Rock Cafe downtown. Visit Cades Cove as early in the morning as you can stand when the wildlife is most active and the tourist are not. Make one trip to Cherokee.
Never ending sides
Best corn chowder I've ever eaten
Always the Country Fried Steak AND Chicken Dumplings
Never ending fritters with some of the best butter spread in the Southeast
I will spend 60$ on myself at that place and have them roll me away.
There are 5 or 6 different wine places and a couple of moonshine places that offer free samples. A few of them are in downtown Gatlinburg, and a few of them are out in Pigeon Forge.
All of the Ripley's attractions are pretty interesting. The kids will see a candy store every block or so, so get ready to buy a bunch.
I would make sure you figure out how to navigate to the place you are staying since you are up in mountains. I went a month ago and arrived after dark. My GPS was useless once we started to drive through all the mountain roads. The GPS didn't do well with roads that basically "touched" on the map, but were at different elevations.
All of the Ripley's attractions are pretty interesting. The kids will see a candy store every block or so, so get ready to buy a bunch.
I would make sure you figure out how to navigate to the place you are staying since you are up in mountains. I went a month ago and arrived after dark. My GPS was useless once we started to drive through all the mountain roads. The GPS didn't do well with roads that basically "touched" on the map, but were at different elevations.
Definitley not dry....you can actually go to that moonshine place in Gatlinburg and sample tons of different moonshines
Finally, someone with whom I agree. The N.C. side is preferable to Gatlinburg. Not as much tourist trap crap.
few tips from a local
I live up here, and have a 3 year old and a seven year old. Here's a few ideas.
1. Dollywood is closed until end of March
2. The Peddler, while great, is always busy. A much better choice, IMO, is a place about a block away called the Park Grill Steakhouse. It is the same steak, and it really is a great steak - they are owned by the same people. The Park Grill is less crowded, more kid friendly, and they usually have this old dude playing piano and singing Burt Bacarat songs, it is awesome. I have to say, the old mill isn't my cup of tea.
3. Be very aware of the difference between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Pigeon Forge is pretty much drive only. You can send the ladies down there to the outlet malls, and there are some interesting attractions like the Titanic, the upside down place (don't remember the name) that actually has a lot of interactive science and technology exhibits, the shows like Dixie stampede (expensive, but includes dinner) and that kind of stuff. But it is basically attractions on the side of the road.
4. Gatlinburg is designed for people who want to explore using their feet. There is lots of good things to see - somebody mentioned that there is a moonshine still downtown, that is 100% true, and you can go in there and sample all the flavors until you are drunk as a skunk. The aquarium is great, it includes a massive walk-thru shark tank, a place the kids can pet the stingrays, etc. really well done. You can start walking from the aquarium, which is right on the little pigeon river, and walk around the whole town. Lots of little cheesy places to get your picture taken, or play an arcade game, eat some fondue, candy shops, a KarmelKorn, lots of little attractions and museums, etc. My kids really enjoy walking around exploring the town it when the weather is decent.
gatlinburg has actually slowed down a lot in terms of traffic in the last 10 years - People don't walk as much anymore, and Pigeon Forge has pulled away a lot of business. I could give a **** about pigeon forge - I love dollywood on Sunday evenings when all the tourists go home, but that's about it. On the other hand, I'll bring the girls up to Gatlinburg every few weeks to get a steak at the grill and walk around enjoying the town.
5. Gatlinburg literally butts up against the smoky mountain national park. There are tons of trails, etc. right there, in addition, just outside of town is a really well done park center with trailhead, lots of info on the park, etc. The streams and rivers are clear, cold, and just the thing for kids to wade around in. Bring your fly or spinning rod and grab a one day license - park fishing is single hook, lures only.
4. One of the most beautiful minor league baseball fields is up here - the Tennessee Smokies. They play the Pearl team i'm pretty sure. I doubt their season is in swing yet, but any of you reading this that will be up this way should really take advantage of the park, it is amazing. Also, there is a huge Bass pro shops across the street from the park.
5. The ziplines are insane, and my seven year old did them. One of them is like half a mile long, over gorgeous country.
6. The road to Cherokee that went through the park washed out last month, and won't be fixed for several months. The casino in Cherokee has grown massively in the last several years, and the reservation is pretty cool (great golf course as well). Getting there is a little more of a pain now, but not that bad - about an hour from Gatlinburg.
Hope you have a great trip.
I live up here, and have a 3 year old and a seven year old. Here's a few ideas.
1. Dollywood is closed until end of March
2. The Peddler, while great, is always busy. A much better choice, IMO, is a place about a block away called the Park Grill Steakhouse. It is the same steak, and it really is a great steak - they are owned by the same people. The Park Grill is less crowded, more kid friendly, and they usually have this old dude playing piano and singing Burt Bacarat songs, it is awesome. I have to say, the old mill isn't my cup of tea.
3. Be very aware of the difference between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Pigeon Forge is pretty much drive only. You can send the ladies down there to the outlet malls, and there are some interesting attractions like the Titanic, the upside down place (don't remember the name) that actually has a lot of interactive science and technology exhibits, the shows like Dixie stampede (expensive, but includes dinner) and that kind of stuff. But it is basically attractions on the side of the road.
4. Gatlinburg is designed for people who want to explore using their feet. There is lots of good things to see - somebody mentioned that there is a moonshine still downtown, that is 100% true, and you can go in there and sample all the flavors until you are drunk as a skunk. The aquarium is great, it includes a massive walk-thru shark tank, a place the kids can pet the stingrays, etc. really well done. You can start walking from the aquarium, which is right on the little pigeon river, and walk around the whole town. Lots of little cheesy places to get your picture taken, or play an arcade game, eat some fondue, candy shops, a KarmelKorn, lots of little attractions and museums, etc. My kids really enjoy walking around exploring the town it when the weather is decent.
gatlinburg has actually slowed down a lot in terms of traffic in the last 10 years - People don't walk as much anymore, and Pigeon Forge has pulled away a lot of business. I could give a **** about pigeon forge - I love dollywood on Sunday evenings when all the tourists go home, but that's about it. On the other hand, I'll bring the girls up to Gatlinburg every few weeks to get a steak at the grill and walk around enjoying the town.
5. Gatlinburg literally butts up against the smoky mountain national park. There are tons of trails, etc. right there, in addition, just outside of town is a really well done park center with trailhead, lots of info on the park, etc. The streams and rivers are clear, cold, and just the thing for kids to wade around in. Bring your fly or spinning rod and grab a one day license - park fishing is single hook, lures only.
4. One of the most beautiful minor league baseball fields is up here - the Tennessee Smokies. They play the Pearl team i'm pretty sure. I doubt their season is in swing yet, but any of you reading this that will be up this way should really take advantage of the park, it is amazing. Also, there is a huge Bass pro shops across the street from the park.
5. The ziplines are insane, and my seven year old did them. One of them is like half a mile long, over gorgeous country.
6. The road to Cherokee that went through the park washed out last month, and won't be fixed for several months. The casino in Cherokee has grown massively in the last several years, and the reservation is pretty cool (great golf course as well). Getting there is a little more of a pain now, but not that bad - about an hour from Gatlinburg.
Hope you have a great trip.
Thanks to all for your input. I will do my best to take that information and make some decisions. Keep it coming too if anyone else has thoughts. It's much appreciated.
Go horse back riding at Cade's Cove and time it so you finish near sunset, then drive around the loop and see all the deer and maybe a bear. Spend more time in the park and cabin than Gatlinburg as the town is crowded, and nothing but t-shirt shops and candy stores. The kids will like the candy but boy much else to do in town after that.
Go to clingman's dome before or after going around Cade's Cove if you drive. It's the highest point in the smokeys and makes for a hell of a view. One part of the drive up there is marked as the TN-NC state line and one of the places I believe that Teddy Roosevelt stopped and spoke about the park.