Can any one share advise for our Anniversary Gatlinburg Getaway?

[PartyofSix]

My husband and are are getting outta dodge for a whole 6 Days! Since our Triplets were born 3 years ago we have not left them more than 2 nights with the exception of hospital stays with our baby of the trio who has had many surgery's requiring my husband and I to be away from girls. We also have a 10yo girl that we are never away from and we NEED this trip badly. We picked Gatlinburg because it's not as expensive as some places and we've never been to the moutains there. Does anyone have any advise to share with me on the area? The shops the resturants. We don't mind going off the beaten path if you know of a great place or activity. Also we are coming back to Buckhead in Atlanta for our last night and are gonna stay at the J.W. Marriott i scored that on priceline for 70 bucks and figured we do some spa treatments and shopping it's half way back home for us. The whole trip one way is a 7 hr drive. I would love to hear your thoughts. WE have a chalet reserved for us so i'm excited about that. Well be traveling from se. georgia so if you know any great stops along the way that would be fun i'd love for you to share with me. THis is our anniversary trip so i'm really looking forward to it.

 

[nkjzmom]

Tammy....DH and I just spent our anniversary there last year. Let me look through all of my info and I'll get back to you!

Amy in AL

 

[shep]

When are you going?
We're going down there also..Just me & DW, we plan to do the Ramseys Cascade(8 mile roundtrip trail) and ride our bikes through Cades Cove...
I can give you all kinds of trails and places to go if you want to pm me...
Not real good with info on shops & restaurants though..

 

[PartyofSix]

Thanks guys i'd appreciate your help. Bike riding sounds like fun do they rent bikes there anywhere? WE are leaving on April 27th and will hit atlanta again saturday the 3rd of may. Is that a train trip your taking shep? I looked into those at tn valley rr but did'nt see anything we'd like. I'd love to do a dinner train or a 3 hr trip that'd be fun.

 

[LarryE]

I've been going ton gatlinburg/pigeon forge every year of my existence.

Don't miss the Ripley's Aquarium it's like the 2nd most visited aquarium in the world next to the one in Japan.

Maggie Valley is beautiful this time of year, and they just released ELK in the smokies and maggie valley is one of the best viewing area's in the entire park.

Try to find time to go to cherokee village when over in maggie valley.. It brings ya back to full indian culture, plus they have the harrah's casino there now to.

Gatlinburg is a place where you can stay and not do a thing, it's all about the view, walk the street's and just have fun thats the best thing about gatlinburg, the smell, the people, the view.

 

[PartyofSix]

Hey Larry. Thanks for all the advise can you tell me what kind of drive that is to maggie valley from gatlinburg? I visited there as a child with my parents and remember the cherokee villiage and going somewhere they were making homemade fudge and getting sick.LOL I hated the smell, funny the things we remember huh>LOL

On a side note I love your truck. We are car and truck nuts and belong to svtoa. I bought my husband an 03 cobra for christmas and are loving every minute of it.

 

[Buckalew]

I second Cades Cove by bike or car (I'd pick car --lazy me! LOL)
Heck, I live 30 mins away and Shep is there more than I am!
I remember eating a wonderful breakfast at the Open Hearth restaurant in Gatlinburg and also it is tradition to eat pancakes at the Pancake Pantry. There are outlets in PF and many types of shows and things to do there and also nearby Townsend, the peaceful side of the Smokies.

Congratulations on your anniversary and I hope you all have a safe, relaxing time.

 

[shep]

The open hearth was closed last time we were there..

I would LOVE some info on Maggie Valley if someone has a link..

 

[Buckalew]

See??!! I told you Shep knows more about the place than I do!

 

[cati]

xx

 

[bfeller]

On the Crafters Loop just outside of Gatlinburg is a great little tearoom. The food is wonderful and the tea and muffins are to die for. It is called The Wild Plum Tea Room. I believe it is Baskins Creek Road. Just find the Battles grocery store and turn on that street and it is the loop.

 

[believe]

The Apple Barn is a wonderful place to eat. They also have a candy store, bakery, store and winery. I love the apple fritters.

If you want to hike any, I suggest you get the buy the book Smoky Mountains Waterfalls and Cascades. We bought ours at the Sugarland visitor center, just past Gatlinburg as you are going to the Smokies. This book will tell you every waterfall and cascade in the smoky mountains as well a rate the terraine, hill difficulty and length.

If your want to take books back to your kids...then make sure you go to the book warehouse. There is one in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. You can really get some good deals there.

Do not do the Trolley ride in Pigeon Forge...it will take you forever to get where you want to go and to get back to where you began.

They have the Tram to OberGatlinburg, this is nice to do once. There are shops there, but not a lot. The view on the way up is wonderful. I believe if you go on Friday then you can go anytime that weekend for free, this may have changed.

Hillbilly golf in Gatlinburg is in the trees on a hillside. DH loves this one.

If you do go back Cades Cove and it is a nice day, take a picnic lunch. There is a large field on the right as you go in or a picnic area on the right as you end your Cades Cove tour. These are wonderful areas to stop, eat and enjoy the scenery. I prefer the picnic area. It has a creek running through it and is a wonderful spot for pictures. There is usually a deer or two that come close in that area. If you bike it, then bike early before the traffic starts.

I have never been to Dollywood, even though Shep and I go there yearly and sometimes up to 4 times in a year. I would like to go, but we really have several hikes we want to fit in to this trip since DDs won't be with us.

If you let me know what you are interested in, then I can pick up some information when we are there and send it to you when we return. We are going the first weekend in April.

bfeller...I would love to go to the place you mentioned, but I don't think it is a Shep kind of place.

 

[DNSDisney]

Gatlinburg is lovely. My husband and I got married there.
If you are looking for a place to stay check out Timber top cabins, they have a site on the web , they have great pics of all there cabins, and you can check prices and availbility. Some are really romantic and almost all have their own hot tub at each cabin.
Also I would suggest going up interstate 85 and not 75.
I live just south of Atlanta and have gone both ways. Going up 85 is more scenic and you also go through Chereokee that way. It also cuts about 1/2 to and 1 hr off the trip.
While there, if you get hunry after 9 pm there is only one place open. Denneys in Pegion Forge about a 5 min drive from Gatlinburg. Warning do not eat at Duffs in PF , it was the worst meal I ever ate. Ripley's believe it or not, is a waste of money! I figured this before hand but my DH just had to go LOL.
hope you have fun , it can be a really romantic place.
If you have any trouble finding timber top cabins site email me and i will be glad to email it to you.
Sharon

 

[nkjzmom]

Party...looks as if you've gotten some great advice! I have deleted the folder of internet sites and information that I had set up last year, so I'll just have to tell you what we did.

We enjoyed window shopping, having an old-time picture taken (gangster w/ southern belle), trying out new restaurants, basically just walking through town enjoying each other's company. We were only there 3 days, so it was a quick trip...and in Sept so it was chilly at night. We made the trip up to Ober Gatlinburg and really liked the tram ride. Then we made the ski lift ride up to the top of the mountain. The view was gorgeous and there was a little band playing that we sat and listened to. We then rode down the mountain on the Alpine slide...haven't done that since college.

On our last day we headed over to the national park for some hiking and sightseeing. I forget the name of the trail we took but we ended up at a really neat waterfall where people were climbing all over. The water was freezing!!! We also just pulled over at one point and got out and played in the water and relaxed.

Someone else mentioned the aquarium. There were alot of Ripley's places...museums etc. We skipped those, but they did look like alot of fun. I think Gatlinburg offered SOMETHING to do for just about anyone. We just wanted a low key, relaxing trip....we didn't even buy much.....I know, what a sin!!!!

 

[Buckalew]

Dollywood opens April 5th. Not sure of your dates though.

 

[PartyofSix]

WOW guys you are the best! Okay from what you all collectively told me hear are some direct questions if any of you know. How is the best way to get to a point where you can just walk in the towns? Do we drive and park somewhere since there was advise not to take a trolley. This is what i know about where we are staying. We are renting a chalet "CHALET DE' AMOUR" from Timber tops (we think alike DNSDISNEY) and the location is 3 miles up on "SKI MOUNTAIN". So you guys might know my location from that better than i do. Cati~ thanks so much on the knife store info my dh would really be interested in that. Bfeller~ we'll do some checking on the tea room for sure. Believe~ I have browsed the interetnet and ran across the Apple Barn it looked really, really nice and like a lot of fun. Is it kinda like the Crackel Barrell ole country stores in a way? And the Hillbilly Golf is definetly for us!>LOL NKIZmom~ sounds like you had a blast and thanks for sharing all the fun things that you done with me great ideas are brewing in my head from all of you.

I'm getting so excited sounds like there's tons to do. I was told the Dixie Stampede was the not to be missed dinner show any thoughts on that? I only want to do one. And were in a toss up about Dollywood this trip. Sounds like there's so much to explore beside a theme park and we are there for the view and just enjoying each other and just not sure if we'll do the park. I know if we would get ap's if we ever do because after two visits you could have gotten passes for the year. We may go back in october with the kids and if we like the area. There just still to small for us to be comfy taken them up steep moutains and things. Thanks again you guys always come through for your fellow dis memebers.

 

[Buckalew]

We have done the Dixie Stampede quite a few times. Usuallt twice a year. One regular show and one of the Christmas shows which are awesome. My family enjoys it. There is a meal that includes soup, cornish hen, pork loin, potatoes, roll, corn on the cob and dessert. You eat in the 'stadium' and watch the show while you eat. You see all ages there. If you go, keep in mind it is a bit expensive (probably 30-40 dollars a person) (we get a huge Dollywood discount) but that is probably a lot like going to WDW and going to the luau or something. There is also not a bad seat in the place.

Dollywood opens April the 5th and has the Festival of Nations then. We really enjoyed this also.

Have fun planning!

 

[LarryE]

http://www.gosmokies.com

Elk Story on Maggie Valley
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/gs_news/article/0,1406,KNS_392_1787576,00.html

http://www.maggievalley.org/

http://www.maggievalley.com/

http://www.smokeymountains.net/


We've always enjoyed Duff's in PF but we only eat there for dinner... lately we've picking Golden Corral over it because there is more selection.

I can't wait till this years festival of nations at Dollywood, last year was amazing.


Hillbilly Golf in gatlinburg is one not to miss, or the indoor pirate golf.


Ripleys Haunted Adventure not for the faint of heart.. show car museum is pretty neat to... I've never passed up a trip without stopping at ripleys or the space needle.

 

[PartyofSix]

Thanks for all the great advise and for the links i'm gonna check'em out. We will be there for the Mustang Car Meet atleast a day of it although were not taken ours it'll be fun. Hey do you guys know where the funnel cake/bakery is?LOL

 

[Buckalew]

I know Dollywood has a good bakery and also has funnel cakes. A funnel cake is my fav Dollywood treat. I can't go w/o getting one of those! Yummy!