How to Visit Gatlinburg, TN

Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a little-known treasure that is hidden away with a backdrop of the Smoky Mountains. It is a bustling town filled with tourist activities, resorts, parks, hotels and cabins to please nearly every taste and budget. Gatlinburg can be explored as a family, for business travel or even alone.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Book accommodations well in advance, especially in the busy season from April to October. Accommodations range from hotels to cabins and campgrounds and everything in between. For the best rate, stay just outside Gatlinburg.

2. Consider taking the shuttle or trolley to your destination. Parking in Gatlinburg is difficult to find and is expensive. The trolley is a small investment and will take you wherever you need to go with several stops in Gatlinburg and neighboring Pigeon Forge. Trains leave every half hour and stop at many tourist attractions, shops and busier streets.

3. Check the events that you would like to see, concerts or or special attractions (visit the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce website for a listing of current events, in Resources below). For example, there are bluegrass and country music performances including the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival in the fall. These vary with the time of year you go. If you visit Ober Gatlinburg, for example, in summer it is an amusement park and sky lift with a narrator, that converts to a ski hill during the winter months.

4. Dine at one of the better known restaurants, such as Pancake Pantry, Hard Rock Cafe or Smoky Mountain Brewery. There are also many fast food restaurants and food stands located throughout Gatlinburg.

5. Drive to Great Smoky Mountain National park and visit Cades Cove. This is an 11 mile, one-way drive through the park, with stops in popular historical locations. The stops are completely optional and you can get out and see what interests you. You may even see wildlife or take a carriage or hay ride while visiting the park. There are several streams, waterfalls and rivers that flow through this park. This is a short distance from Gatlinburg.

6. Try Ripley's attractions such as Haunted Adventure, Aquarium, Moving Theater or Believe it or Not Museum. These are just a few of the family entertainment options available to you. You are best getting discount tickets ahead of time to save money on Ripley's and other paid attractions. Most of these attractions are found on Parkway Drive in Gatlinburg.

7. Try your skill at white water rafting down the rivers that flow through Gatlinburg. This is an activity your entire family will enjoy. If you are going in the winter, try downhill or cross country skiing.

Tips & Warnings

• Stop by the visitor information center for pamphlets and coupons. This is also where some trolleys depart from.

Resources

• Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce

[Susang6]

on 1/25/2009 I stayed in Chalet Village when I visited Gatlinburg, TN, and found the town to be very quint. your article brought back fond memories. Thank your for sharing your thoughts and travel experience. 5*

[Walkaboutangel]

on 10/29/2008 Great advice Thanks for sharing

Angel