Help: Gatlinburg TN, quick wknd trip

[Kim in TN]

Hi friends,
we are planning a quick weekend trip to Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge
we want your lists of where to eat and what to see etc
we are taking our 12 yr old DN, DH and I have been a few times
but its been several years ago.
Please help us out- I've got many brochures and searched the net but now I want your advice.

 

[shep]

Places to go...Cades Cove, Abrams Falls is nice(It's in Cades Cove), Clingman's Dome, Laurel Falls, Mingo Falls(if you're up for the drive--it's in Cherokee), & Chimney Tops are neat too..

Places to eat--We had Dixie Stampede(you need to make ressies..kinda expensive, but neat--Pigeon Forge), Bennet's is nice too(Gatlinburg)

Ober gatlinburg is neat(Tram ride to the mall on top of the mountain)

Be patient though...Weekend's can be very busy...

 

[accomp]

Christmas Place at Bell Tower Square in Pigeon Forge.

 

[faith]

I agree with Shep about the scenic drive to Cherokee. It's beautiful. Hope you go before the leaves are gone.
The Comedy Barn has a family show, kids are free. It's corny, but cute.
DollyWood may be something your 12 year old would like. The best part is that it's a small park. The website should tell you if Holiday decorations are up, or any special events going on.
As far as food, you name it they have it in Pigeon Forge. We are"cheap", so nothing fancy for us. Gatlinburg is a lovely town with lots of shops. Ripley's aquarium is there also.
DH and I met relatives there early Oct. for our anniversary. It's a beautiful area, but not somewhere I would pick if the weather is cold.

 

[mhopset]

Yeah what SHEP said,

There is a place to eat it is in Gatlinburg between O'Charleys and some really nice hotel (can't remember the name right now). I also can't remember the name of the restaurant, but it is really good.

Also another nice restaurant is called Peddler Steak House. It is really good.

Like SHEP said if you have never been to Dixie Stampede you have to go it is a lot of fun!!!!

 

[mrsdon]

Black Bear Jamboree is an awesome show.
Its a dinner show and the talent is outstanding.
Yhe nice part is that kids 11 and under are free.
I rate it much higher than Dixie Stampede.

 

[Jeafl]

I can recommend where NOT to eat--it's an Italian place called The Pasta Grill or something like that. All the slverware was dirty, the food was cold and the service non-existant. We really liked Dixie Stampede and Dollywood though.

 

[shep]

Originally posted by mhopset
Yeah what SHEP said,

There is a place to eat it is in Gatlinburg between O'Charleys and some really nice hotel (can't remember the name right now). I also can't remember the name of the restaurant, but it is really good.

Also another nice restaurant is called Peddler Steak House. It is really good.

Like SHEP said if you have never been to Dixie Stampede you have to go it is a lot of fun!!!!

Peddler is nice..O'Charley's is gone.. It was the Open Hearth the previous time we were there and it had a big fireplace, such a neat atmosphere)..

If you really feel up for a challenge, there is a place called Ramsey's Cascade's...but parking is very limited...

There is Roaring Fork Motor Trail also...think you go up Airport Road to get to it...It has a some neat things(Rainbow Falls, Grotto Falls, Place of a thousand drips--roadside falls--neat)

Can you tell I like waterfalls??
There is a roadside pull-off on the way to Cades Cove where you can see a waterfall on the other side of the creek(Meigs Falls) ...

I am also tell you about some neat secluded waterfalls...
We got a Waterfall/Cascade book..

Don't know if Dollywood is still open this time of year..

 

[shep]

Try the Apple Barn in Pigeon Forge......both for shopping and restaurant.

 

[Keli]

Dollywood is still open this time of year. They run through the Christmas season before they close for the year. It's really beautiful when they decorate for christmas albiet sometimes really cold.
I like Dixie Stampede a lot too. Shep is right about Bennett's too, great bar-b-q.

You don't have to ride the tram up to Ober Gatlinburg if you don't want (it's like $10 bucks a ticket and doesn't ever seem worth it to us) We drive up there and park and then in winter ice skate, ski or in summer ice skate (open year round), water rides, etc. It doesn't have a ton of stuff to do up there but just enough that our dd won't ever let up skip it.

 

[bfeller]

On the crafters loop just outside of Gatlinburg is a little tea room that our family loves. I believe it is on Glades Road. It is called the Wild Plum Tea Room. Good home cooking and run by a mom and daughter. Was there two years ago and we hope it is still there when we go this Thanksgiving.

 

[Kim in TN]

Thanks for all the great responses!

Is there still a Disney outlet store in Pigeon Forge?

 

[abaldacci]

We loved the Black Bear Jamboree it is really a neat show. Don't do the haunted house it is really scary.

 

[DopeyRN]

Open Hearth is GONE???!

Take the tram to Ober and do the Alpine slide up there. It is a LOT of fun. There is Hillbilly Golf near stoplight 1...you take a little incline up and play down the moutain. Very different, and fun. Dollywood is very nice. Dixie Stampede is an excellent dinner show.

Apple Barn is actually in Sevierville (sp?) and it is very nice. Try the apple fritters.

 

[markshaw]

Ya'll have hit on about everything we like but there is Christus Gardens. It's very nice. There's so much to do up there you can't go wrong. They have a little bit of everything for everyone. There's a place in Pigeon Forge called the Old Mill. It has a rest. and shop. It's a neat place to look at. I like taking pictures so I've done a lot of that one in color and black and white. Roaring Fork Motor Trail (as mentioned) is real neat and tucked away. You wouldn't expect it to be where it is.

Have Fun!!!