Gatlinburg, Tennessee? Places to Stay? Things to Do?

[mdsouth]

I am thinking about making a short stop in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on our way down south.

I was wondering what hotels people might recommend near Gatlinburg, TN.

Has anyone tried the Ober Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster?

What else would you recommend?

 

[kymom99]

There is a recent thread about pigeon forge. I think you will find lots of info there.

I have stayed at baskins creek condos and they were awesome. One block from the main drag. I have also stayed at olde gatlinburg place condos.

In pigeon forge I have stayed at the creek side inn. I have also stayed in cabins in various areas. You can't go wrong with any of those, exceptvwith s cabin you generally aren't close to attractions.

The titanic museum is good. The Apple barn is yummy. I like the Dixie stampede for a dinner show. There is a wooden go cart track in pigeon forge that is the most fun in my opinion. You need to do hill billy golf at least once in your life. The roaring fork nature train is a driving loop into the mountains with nice scenery and pull off places to explore a little. We once rented a fine buggy type thing to ride around up in there. Fun.

 

[herb102211]

We usually stay at the Margaritaville Resort in Pigeon Forge when we visit the Smoky Mountains. The hotel is located on the Island in Pigeon Forge which has lots of shops and restaurants, an arcade, and some kid rides.

Definitely check out Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome in the Smokies. Other fun attractions are the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, Apple Barn and the Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge.

 

[mommajo143]

We went I need summer 2016 & Niv 2016, right before wildfires. I would pick your hotel based on proximity to where you plan to spend your time. We stayed at the best western during the summer & found its location to be perfect - we stayed for a week & spent time at so many different places... We had a trolley stop out front & Dixie stampede next door. This fall we went for a long weekend & stayed at Dolly's Dreammore resort. It was luxurious & since all we did was go to the park for Christmas events & visit the spa it was great. There was a direct shuttle to / fro mm parks which was convenient, but the lines in the morning were VERY long & I was frustrated they didn't predict / manage that better by looking at occupancy & having several trolleys lined up & ready to go at opening time each day. I'm not sure how convenient it would be during peak season if you are going to hit areas like Patriots Park, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, etc...
we did do Ober Gatlinburg - it was fun but seemed a bit pricey. There are other mountain coasters (Goats on the Roof) that are just as good (IMO) & cheaper. My biggest recommendation is DO NOT EAT AT OBER GATLINBURG RESTAURANT. Trust me on this.
really lthe biggest hit for my crew was the Blacksmithing class.

 

[mdsouth]

There is a recent thread about pigeon forge. I think you will find lots of info there.

I have stayed at baskins creek condos and they were awesome. One block from the main drag. I have also stayed at olde gatlinburg place condos.

In pigeon forge I have stayed at the creek side inn. I have also stayed in cabins in various areas. You can't go wrong with any of those, exceptvwith s cabin you generally aren't close to attractions.

The titanic museum is good. The Apple barn is yummy. I like the Dixie stampede for a dinner show. There is a wooden go cart track in pigeon forge that is the most fun in my opinion. You need to do hill billy golf at least once in your life. The roaring fork nature train is a driving loop into the mountains with nice scenery and pull off places to explore a little. We once rented a fine buggy type thing to ride around up in there. Fun.

Wow! Lots of great things to help me get started with my planning. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences with me! I will have to search the thread for the Pigeon Ford one. Thanks for pointing me in that direction. Hillbilly Golf sounds like something my son would really enjoy. I need to check into it as a possibility!

We usually stay at the Margaritaville Resort in Pigeon Forge when we visit the Smoky Mountains. The hotel is located on the Island in Pigeon Forge which has lots of shops and restaurants, an arcade, and some kid rides.

Definitely check out Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome in the Smokies. Other fun attractions are the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, Apple Barn and the Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge.

I checked out Cades Cove after your post and it is something that I think we will add to our plans. I need to still check out Clingmans Dome. I appreciate your input! Thanks so much!

We went I need summer 2016 & Niv 2016, right before wildfires. I would pick your hotel based on proximity to where you plan to spend your time. We stayed at the best western during the summer & found its location to be perfect - we stayed for a week & spent time at so many different places... We had a trolley stop out front & Dixie stampede next door. This fall we went for a long weekend & stayed at Dolly's Dreammore resort. It was luxurious & since all we did was go to the park for Christmas events & visit the spa it was great. There was a direct shuttle to / fro mm parks which was convenient, but the lines in the morning were VERY long & I was frustrated they didn't predict / manage that better by looking at occupancy & having several trolleys lined up & ready to go at opening time each day. I'm not sure how convenient it would be during peak season if you are going to hit areas like Patriots Park, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, etc...
we did do Ober Gatlinburg - it was fun but seemed a bit pricey. There are other mountain coasters (Goats on the Roof) that are just as good (IMO) & cheaper. My biggest recommendation is DO NOT EAT AT OBER GATLINBURG RESTAURANT. Trust me on this.
really lthe biggest hit for my crew was the Blacksmithing class.

Thanks for sharing your lodging experiences. It is nice to get specific feedback on different hotels/resorts options. We plan to stay only a couple of nights and will not be going to Dollywood on this trip, so I am leaning towards something more along the lines of the Best Western. I also appreciate the warning about eating at the Ober restaurant. I will avoid it and spend my money elsewhere. Thanks!

 

[kymom99]

Another thing. If you go to gatlinburg, go to the Village and stop at the Donut Friar. The donuts are amazing! And the village is really cute

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Another thing. If you go to gatlinburg, go to the Village and stop at the Donut Friar. The donuts are amazing! And the village is really cute

I second the Donut Friar. It is always a MUST stop when we're in Gatlinburg.

 

[arissavolk]

Super budget travelers that are kinda picky here: If you're on a budget too, the best bang for your buck are hotels in Pigeon Forge. We recommend Econo Lodge Riverside or Clarion Dollywood. Found them via TripAdvisor and they were both impeccably clean and a great deal ($50-$80/night depending on the season). They did a lot of landscaping work on the backside of Econo Lodge and it's beautiful. You can watch the ducks swimming on the stream; very peaceful. Not far from the Apple Barn and the wineries. Clarion is the closest to downtown Gatlinburg.
Inn at Christmas Place is great too, but in our opinion was very overpriced for the area ($300/night- yikes!). All 3 have breakfast included and indoor pools and hot tubs. Breakfast at Christmas Place was amazing (and justifiably crowded), but honestly, we'd rather save money and go to Pancake Pantry instead.
The drive from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is short and easy. We parked at the garage near the aquarium whenever we wanted to tour Gatlinburg, which wasn't very expensive from what I recall...I think it was $2/hour or $6 for the whole day but don't quote me on it.

 

[arissavolk]

We did the mountain coaster and toured Ober Gatlinburg in the summer- it was a fun diversion, nothing amazing. We took the sky trolley which goes up the mountain to Ober Gatlinburg. Some folks get nervous on things like that, so bear that in mind since there will be 20 people in the trolley. Everything is a la carte cost-wise in summer.

The most fun things we did were driving and hiking in Smoky Mountain National park. I recommend if you're short on time to just do a drive through the park and take photos at the scenic overlooks. If you want to hike but want something short or are worried about getting lost, try the Laurel Falls trail (as long as you're able-bodied and don't have small children in tow)- it's really close to downtown gatlinburg and the trail is paved, so there's no worries about getting lost. It is uphill, so it would not be easy to haul a stroller, and it is not kid-proof. The trail ends in the middle of a waterfall and you can get some great photos and cool off. The trail can be narrow and the pavement a tad slippery, and once you cross the bridge onto the actual waterfall, there are no protective guardrails. You can stand on the edge if you so incline.
If you want to pay for a hiking guide, we used Walk in the Woods for the group hike to/from Baskins Creek Falls/Shangrila Falls (moderate level- 4 hours) and the guide was awesome. Since it was a group, it was folks of varying abilities. We found the pace a little slower than we'd prefer for the uphill stretches so everyone could keep pace, but it was fine- more time to enjoy the scenery.

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Dolly has opened a new dinner theater show in addition to Dixie Stampede and there's Silver Dollar City #2 that's named Dollywood.

 

[herb102211]

[QUOTE="mdsouth, I checked out Cades Cove after your post and it is something that I think we will add to our plans. I need to still check out Clingmans Dome. I appreciate your input! Thanks so much![/QUOTE]

No problem! The path to Clingman's Dome (which is paved), will give you a good workout but it's certainly worth it! Enjoy your trip.

 

[CMByers]

Super budget travelers that are kinda picky here: If you're on a budget too, the best bang for your buck are hotels in Pigeon Forge. We recommend Econo Lodge Riverside or Clarion Dollywood. Found them via TripAdvisor and they were both impeccably clean and a great deal ($50-$80/night depending on the season). They did a lot of landscaping work on the backside of Econo Lodge and it's beautiful. You can watch the ducks swimming on the stream; very peaceful. Not far from the Apple Barn and the wineries. Clarion is the closest to downtown Gatlinburg.
Inn at Christmas Place is great too, but in our opinion was very overpriced for the area ($300/night- yikes!). All 3 have breakfast included and indoor pools and hot tubs. Breakfast at Christmas Place was amazing (and justifiably crowded), but honestly, we'd rather save money and go to Pancake Pantry instead.
The drive from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is short and easy. We parked at the garage near the aquarium whenever we wanted to tour Gatlinburg, which wasn't very expensive from what I recall...I think it was $2/hour or $6 for the whole day but don't quote me on it.

I second the Econolodge Riverside! Just had a quick weekend getaway to Pigeon Forge last weekend and stayed there at my sister's recommendation! Since I am saving for Disney this December, I didn't want to spend as much money as when I stayed at Dollywood's Dreammore Resort a few months ago! Econolodge Riverside is awesome for a budget hotel!!!!

 

[mdsouth]

Super budget travelers that are kinda picky here: If you're on a budget too, the best bang for your buck are hotels in Pigeon Forge. We recommend Econo Lodge Riverside or Clarion Dollywood. Found them via TripAdvisor and they were both impeccably clean and a great deal ($50-$80/night depending on the season). They did a lot of landscaping work on the backside of Econo Lodge and it's beautiful. You can watch the ducks swimming on the stream; very peaceful. Not far from the Apple Barn and the wineries. Clarion is the closest to downtown Gatlinburg.
Inn at Christmas Place is great too, but in our opinion was very overpriced for the area ($300/night- yikes!). All 3 have breakfast included and indoor pools and hot tubs. Breakfast at Christmas Place was amazing (and justifiably crowded), but honestly, we'd rather save money and go to Pancake Pantry instead.
The drive from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is short and easy. We parked at the garage near the aquarium whenever we wanted to tour Gatlinburg, which wasn't very expensive from what I recall...I think it was $2/hour or $6 for the whole day but don't quote me on it.

Thanks for the tips! It sounds like Econo Lodge might be a great fit for our needs on this trip.

We did the mountain coaster and toured Ober Gatlinburg in the summer- it was a fun diversion, nothing amazing. We took the sky trolley which goes up the mountain to Ober Gatlinburg. Some folks get nervous on things like that, so bear that in mind since there will be 20 people in the trolley. Everything is a la carte cost-wise in summer.

The most fun things we did were driving and hiking in Smoky Mountain National park. I recommend if you're short on time to just do a drive through the park and take photos at the scenic overlooks. If you want to hike but want something short or are worried about getting lost, try the Laurel Falls trail (as long as you're able-bodied and don't have small children in tow)- it's really close to downtown gatlinburg and the trail is paved, so there's no worries about getting lost. It is uphill, so it would not be easy to haul a stroller, and it is not kid-proof. The trail ends in the middle of a waterfall and you can get some great photos and cool off. The trail can be narrow and the pavement a tad slippery, and once you cross the bridge onto the actual waterfall, there are no protective guardrails. You can stand on the edge if you so incline.
If you want to pay for a hiking guide, we used Walk in the Woods for the group hike to/from Baskins Creek Falls/Shangrila Falls (moderate level- 4 hours) and the guide was awesome. Since it was a group, it was folks of varying abilities. We found the pace a little slower than we'd prefer for the uphill stretches so everyone could keep pace, but it was fine- more time to enjoy the scenery.

We planned to visit Smokey Mountain National Park. I was researching the website trying to figure out what trail to take. So, your recommendation about Laurel Falls is exactly the type of information I was needing. I think we might try that one since my kids are 14 and 20.

I second the Econolodge Riverside! Just had a quick weekend getaway to Pigeon Forge last weekend and stayed there at my sister's recommendation! Since I am saving for Disney this December, I didn't want to spend as much money as when I stayed at Dollywood's Dreammore Resort a few months ago! Econolodge Riverside is awesome for a budget hotel!!!!

Wonderful to hear a second recommendation for Econolodge Riverside.

 

[kreckl]

I am so happy to see this thread- we just booked a flight to Nashville today and will be renting a car and driving to the Smoky Mountain area- we've never been there and are just starting to plan. Thanks to all who take the time to help out!

 

[kydisneyfans]

More than any other tourist attraction we've done, PF and Gatlinburg can be Disney expensive or one of the cheapest getaways you will ever take.

I concur to look at hotels in PF and on Tripadvisor. As a whole, most are well maintained. We rented a unit at the Summit about 15 minutes directly above Gatlinburg for our last visit, it was $79 a night. Didn't include breakfast but we didn't want to eat there anyway. The view was amazing. There were fireworks the evening we were there, and we looked down to see them.

Apple Barn is a must do for breakfast. I've actually driven 3 hours just to have breakfast there, then drove back home. Love the fritters.

Spend time in the park, another vote for Cades Cove from here. Take time out at the various stops within the cove and look at the historic buildings, cemeteries, etc. It's been awhile but we normally stop at the IGA in Townsend(is it still there?) just before entering the park, they have a good variety of sandwiches and picnic items to have inside the park. Just watch out for the bears and from experience, if you see a cub, usually a ticked off mama is somewhere in sight. Usually you can tell a bear sighting in the park by stopped traffic.

A stroll through Downtown Gatlinburg to just to peak at the shops is a nice relaxing evening. Grab a few snacks, there are different food shops all over.
There are dozens of mini golf places in the area, Hillbilly seems to be the one recommended most.

You can shop at the outlet malls, hit amusement parks, do dinner shows, hit exhibits like Ripleys and the Titanic, or you can just chill on the balcony of the hotel and enjoy the beauty. You can get a condo and get groceries at Kroger/Walmart, or stay in a hotel and eat steak out, your choice.

Traffic can get extremely heavy on the parkway on Fridays inbound and Sunday outbound, be aware that even though you may be 20 miles from Gatlinburg, it might take over an hour to get there.

 

[AmberK24]

Apple Barn, Bennets BBQ & Flapjacks Pancake House are highly recommended meals!
Plan extra time getting in/out of town as traffic is rather heavy(Fridays & Sundays seemed the worst). We find it best to park a block or two out of downtown Gatlinburg, then walk around the downtown area...definitely could take a full day! Lots of shopping and unique stores/atmosphere to the area.
A couple attractions that were very popular on our family reunion trip last summer were the Alpine Coaster, Ober Gatlinburg, Ziplining, Horseback Riding, and the Ripleys Aquarium.
We also had a group of nearly 70 at the Hatfields & McCoy dinner show & all were pleased! (While Dixie Stampede is also available also, it is available in several touristy cities, and H&M is specific to the area.)
I have always stayed in cabins, never hotels, but that's definitely a unique option to check out depending on your party size.

Hope you love it & hope the economy helps with all the fire recovery from last summer. I have been on several trips there and loved every second of it!

 

[arissavolk]

Oh, one more thing that hubby and I agree was worth the money are the outdoor go-karts (more so than alpine coaster). There is one place along the main area on Parkway in Pigeon Forge where you can drive 2 outdoor tracks and one indoor track. The karts go up the 40mph and are sooo fun! I rode with my husband since he's the better driver. No helmets and sometimes people will bump you.

There is a new mountain coaster (more like a roller coaster than the luge-style track at Ober Gatlinburg) across from Baymont Inn Gatlinburg- we didn't get to ride it since we last visited in December, but it looked like fun.

A family could easily waste a lot of money quickly on touristy stuff like this though- I would recommend the park over any of these experiences if I had to choose.

 

[si-am]

Zoders Inn & Suites in Gatlinburg is older , family-owned, but in a good location downtown, and the rooms are right on a creek which is really pretty and relaxing. Our room had a balcony practically right on top of the creek, and we loved it!

If you're looking for something not too upscale but safe and clean, I highly recommend!

 

[ceecee]

I like the Bear Skin Lodge in Gatlinburg, easy walk to downtown. After several bad experiences with hotels check Trip Advisor! Apple Barn is a good stop to eat in PF and Cade's Cove is nice.

 

[Kae]

I have to say we so liked the old mill over the apple barn http://www.old-mill.com/ Way better food and service. Zoders INN is classic Gatlinburg to us. We rented a cabin last time we went.

Kae