There are many communities to stay in near the Smoky Mountains. One of the most popular is the small town of Gatlinburg. Nestled at the base of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, it offers some of the best hotels, cabin rentals, restaurants, attractions, and views of the mountains.
Best Hotels in Gatlinburg
Like any other tourist town, there will be some Gatlinburg hotels that are better than others when it comes to quality and cleanliness. To find the best hotels in Gatlinburg, do some research. Read some online reviews of what others have had to say about their experiences in the different hotels. Some of the top rated Gatlinburg hotels on tripadvisor.com include The Lodge at Buckberry Creek, Best Western's Zoder's Inn, Fairfield Inn and Suits Gatlinburg North, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, and the Bent Creek Golf Village.
Cabins in Gatlinburg
There are many cabin rentals available in Gatlinburg and they can range from rustic to luxurious in quality. Many cabins cater to the honeymooners or couples celebrating anniversaries and offer amenities such as indoor and outdoor hot tubs, private pools, and a more secluded location. Some Gatlinburg cabins are geared more towards families and large gatherings. Many of these will have up to six bedrooms and can offer amenities such as big screen televisions, grills, hot tubs, pool tables, full kitchens, and on site laundry.
When looking for Gatlinburg Cabins, try websites like gatlinburgcabinsonline.com, chaletvillage.com, jacksonmountain.com, amazingviewsofthesmokies.com, or gatlinburg.com for cabin rental options.
Restaurants in Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg offers a lot of different dining options from the familiar Applebee's and Hard Rock Cafe located on the Parkway to the Log Cabin Pancake House on the Historic Nature Trail. There are also a variety of fast food restaurants, good old fashion southern food, and steak houses. To find printable coupons for restaurants in Gatlinburg, visit smokymountainscoupons.com or smokysavers.com.
Attractions in Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg offers a variety of attractions such as Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Hollywood Wax Museum, white water rafting, golf, go-karts, horseback riding, fishing, John Dee's Hypnotized Comedy Show, and Ober Gatlinburg which is a ski resort and amusement park. There is also plenty of shopping and trolleys to help get from one end of the town to the other.
Attractions Within Driving Distance of Gatlinburg
Since it is located right at the base of the Great Smoky Mountain's National Park, there is plenty of hiking and scenic driving. Be sure to check out Cade's Cove, located within the park. Cade's Cove was once a small community, but it was taken over by the formation of the park and it's residents forced to leave. Much of the community was preserved and visitors can have the chance to see what life was like in the mountains during the 1800's. Clingman's Dome is the highest point in Tennessee and it is within an easy driving distance of Gatlinburg.
Visitors can also take advantage of the closeness of other communities such as Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Townsend with all they have to offer. Townsend is not as developed as Pigeon Forge and Sevierville are for those who are wanting to truly "get away from it all." Pigeon Forge is the home of the famous Dollywood and Sevierville has some very good outlet malls and the popular Apple Barn with its general store and restaurants.
When to Visit Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg is a fun town to visit year round. Winter offers skiing at Ober Gatlinburg and a wonderful Christmas light's display, spring has the flowers starting to bloom and the park coming to life, summer is always a good time to enjoy the great outdoors, and in the fall the mountains really come to life with spectacular displays of color. Just remember that parts of the Smoky Mountains National Park are closed during the winter due to adverse road conditions and other parts of the park are periodically closed throughout the year due to rock slides. Hotel prices vary throughout the year as well, so be sure to double check the rates for when the vacation is planned.
Resources
www.tripadvisor.com
Honey Denson - I the mother to three wonderful children and five years ago I left my job as a full time English teacher to spend more time with them. Now ...
