Vacationing in Smoky Mountains (1 Viewer)

[PatrickG]

My future wife and I are planning a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains(never been there), sometime next spring. We are planning on staying for a week. I need some help with the planning of the trip, like where to stay, we're thinking about either cabins or a B&B.
If anyone has been there or can give us some info. in any way, please reply or email me at [email protected]. Thanks so much!!

 

[Justin Lane]

I actually vacationed there about 10 years ago with my family. It is a very nice trip all in all. I cannot remember the exact place we stayed, but it was in cabins, at a nice place in the woods with a lake.

Some highlights you make want to look for:

White Water Rafting. We went in the Nantahala River and had a great time. There are also numerous falls and rock formations that are fun to visit as well.

Horseback riding is also pretty fun to do down there.

There are alot of tourist trap type things such as ruby mining that are fun to do, but not really authentic.

A Train ride also can be fun just to see the scenery and spend time together.

If you have any questions or want specific info shoot me an e-mail or reply here. I think you are going to have a fun time. Another neat trip you may want to look into is WIlliamsburg, VA. My girlfriend and I went there last year and had a blast between the theme parks and historial sites.

J

 

[Rachael B]

Patrick, I live in Knoxville which is very close to Gatlinburg on the Tennessee side. I suggest that if you stay in Gatlinburg you might want to be leery of staying in chalets up on ski Mountain (actually Mt. Harrison). It's beautiful up there and the chalets are great, but don't stay up there if you are at all worried about the brakes on your car. I've seen them smoke coming down that steep mountain! If that's no problem consider staying up there for the views, hot tubs, and other ammenties which can include pools and tennis courts.
You might want to ride the train and other rides at Dollywood in nearby Pidgeon Forge. Don't count on seeing Dolly! I'd take a trip accross the mountains on U.S. 441 to Cherokee, North Carolina to visit the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
Fontana Village near Fontana Lake, in North Carolina, which borders the east side of the park, might be nice if you want to fish. This big lake, the mighty Little Tennessee River actually, has more varities of fish in a single lake than you'd believe, Rainbow and Brown Trout, Smallmouth & Largemouth, Walleyes, White bass, Crappie, and more.... The 480 foot concrete dam is a spectacle unto itself. There's Trout fishing, fly fishing only, in the Smokey Park's streams but the fish tend to be small.
There's beaucoups of music shows in Pidgeon Forge, mostly kuntry.... Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C. is worth seeing. You might have already seen it in BEING THERE and HANNIBAL? I hope this gets you on the right track. Best wishes!

 

[Owen S]

We've gone to Chalet Village on Ski Mountain every fall going on five years now. We love it. Don't worry about your brakes up there just drop down a gear with your automatic or manual transmission and you won't have a bit of trouble.If that worries you then why do all those automatics have a 1 or 2 position on the gear selector. Exactly for situations like these. ANY car will make it no problem. We always take the tram from downtown Gatlinburg up to Ober Gatlinburg for several hours of fun (try the Alpine Slide it's sick, you go as fast as nerves will let you). We is 12 to 14 adults and 4 or 5 kids.You can get chalets from 2 to 18 occupancy.On Halloween everybody, adults included, get in costume and stroll up and down the main and only strip and have a ball. We like the wildness at Hardrock Cafe and the PITCHERS of Margauritas at Jose's. Just do it. Owen P.S. The "Slide Track" is the best go cart track in Pigeon Forge (don't let it's tiny size fool you the carts are FAST)also the outlet malls drive the women crazy.

 

[Rachael B]

Owen, I should of put a smiley face in there with the brake comment, but I have seen them smoke there! Best wishes!

 

[Philip Hamm]

Gatlinburg at night is one of the most bizzarre places I've ever been. Take Mytle Beach and stick it in the middle of the mountains.
Definitely check out Fontana Dam it is really cool to visit. The Dam is very impressive. If you like scenic driving there's lots of it, I recommend the short but sweet Foothills Parkway, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Cherohola Skyway (which is the best of them all). If you're in a sportscar or on a motorcyele (as I've been every time I've ever been to the area), take the drive over Deal's Gap on US 129 between Tennesee and North Carolina. But be careful.

 

[Owen S]

Rachael, I have seen and smelled smoking brakes coming down off rhat mountain EVERYTIME I have been there,I'm just pointing out that it is completely avoidable in ANY vehicle with proper driving technique. Phillip, speaking of driving technique, US 129 is the best curvy road I have EVER seen or driven. I have made many pilgrimages to this area and stay at "Crossroads in Time Inn" it's a dive but it's headquarters for all the squirrels and they have gas, very important since we're talking the boonies here. I attended a Miata Car Club weekend gathering there once and we had a ball on that road.Motorcycles rule on Sundays and I would advise staying away on that day unless you are suitably equipped ie on a bike. Over 200 curves in 12 miles with no intersecting roads! Oh Yeah !!! :star: :star: :star: :star: :star: Owen

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Blue Ridge Parkway is beautiful, but be aware that the road can get socked in with heavy cloud cover / fog (whatever you want to call it). The last time we were in the Smokey's, we decided to return home this way. The cloud cover was so bad the visibility was down to about 20 feet. There are long stretches with no exits, so I ended up driving about 60 miles at a very slow speed before I could get off.

Gatlinburg at night is one of the most bizzarre places I've ever been. Take Mytle Beach and stick it in the middle of the mountains.

That's one of the best comparisons I've heard. Of course, Gatlinburg is lacking all the golf courses.

 

[Tony G]

If you're into hiking, the trip up Mt. LeConte (2nd highest peak) is worthwhile. There is a lodge near the summit. You need a reservation to stay there, and dinner and breakfast are included. There are four or five trails up, none too strenuous. Supplies are taken to the lodge once a week by llama (no kidding). No electricity, but the cabins are heated by propane heaters. The views are gorgeous from the top. The times that I have been there, I've met folks from all over the country.

I'll give you the phone # for reservations if you're interested.

Tony

P.S. I think the whole Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area is cheesy, but to each his own! My kids like Dollywood.

 

[Matt Stryker]

Fontana, Nantahala have been mentioned; US441 between Gatlinburg and Rabun County (where Deliverance was filmed); and my favorite is Sliding Rock west of Asheville off the Blue Ridge Pkwy; don't worry about the water temperature, its around 55 year round.

Have a great time!

 

[Rachael B]

Phillip, they call the 12 mile section of U.S. 129 from Chilhowee Lake, Tn, to Deal's Gap, N.C. THE DRAGON. They built that road without brdges to straighten it out in a hurry during WW2 so they could get trucks up to the Fontana worksite. I think Fontana was finished sometime in 1942 or 43? I'm all over that area to camp and fish. Best wishes!