Tennessee tips!

[live4christp1]

This is the vacation we are also planning for this summer. We've done it several times before, but we just love the Smokey Mountains.

Some potential things on my list in Nashville are the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home), Ryman Auditorium, Belle Meade and Franklin.

Pigeon Forge area: The Mine...this is a must do for us everytime we go. I think it may now be called the Gem Mine, but it is where you buy a bag of dirt and work it through with water to uncover gems. We love it! But be prepared it can be an expensive stop. Also probably going to do Dixie Stampede since the kids have never been. Other than that headed to the mountains if the kids don't see all the go-carts, mini golf, etc because it is crowded and touristy.

Smokey Mountain National park, Cades Cove. The NC side has the Cherokee Indian Reservation, Ashevillle NC (Biltmore Estate), white water rafting.

And then we are heading down to Chattanooga. Tons to do there - Lookout Mountain, Incline Railroad, Rock City, Ruby Falls, Aquarium, cute town. We always love to eat Sticky Fingers when in the area. And about an hour from Chattanooga is the unclaimed baggage center store (which is actually why we are tacking Chattanooga on to this trip). We are leaving kids and dads in Chattanooga and moms are going shopping.

Don't forget this is the 150th anniversary of the start of the civil war. Lots of locations in Tennessee if you want to experience that.

Hope this helps.

I work in downtown Chattanooga and we keep memberships at the aquarium and zoo. If you need something else to entertain the kids while the parents sit for a bit......walk down to the river front. If you are facing the aquarium and go to the right of the ocean journey building there is an area called the passage.....steps with water running and a wading pool (about a foot & a half deep) at the bottom. You can also walk around the end of the wading pool to the river, follow the walk way and there will be steps that look out over the river. Then off the side of that area is a big grassy bank. There are always pieces of cardboard there and the kids can spend an hour easy sliding down that bank on cardboard - free entertainment!!!!!

 

[live4christp1]

For those of you who have mentioned Chattanooga and also the Civil War, Point Park (known for The Battle Above the Clouds) is just a short walk from the Incline if you ride it up the mountain. There is also a little visitor center along the walk that has a little movie presentation. Sometimes there will be reinactments in the park.

You are also very close to The Chickamauga Battlefield, they have a very nice visitors center an small museum as well as a collection of military rifles. This is a big park with lots of monuments and driving trails, very pretty. Great to take a picnic. They also hold reinactments here from time to time.

 

[lakelandgal70]

I love eastern Tennessee!!! We have been to Gatlinburg and prefer the artist part over what my Aunt calls T-shirt Alley haha. Pigeon Forge is nice as well. Haven't been to Dollywood yet but my Aunt says it is a must do. Another nice place to hang around is Asheville, NC. The downtown area is full of great shops and out of this world eating. I highly recommend Tupelo Honey Cafe! And of course there is Biltmore. Been there during Christmas and in March. Right now they have all their tulips in bloom.

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

I live in Upper East Tennesse, about an hour from there. We go often, sometimes too often, lol.

www.aboutthesmokies.com has really nice cabins and resonable rates. If you can, get a cabin in black bear falls, it is a really nice cabin community that has a great swimming pool. It is on Hwy 321, which is a great quieter location, that is still really close to town, and the arts and crafts community.

Also, a a good place to eat is The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge.

If you have time, the ride from Gatlinburg over to Cherokee, NC, through the Parkway is beautiful and has many waterfalls and pull overs to see the views, also offers hicking if you have time. Cherokee is a Indian reservation and a neat place to visit, if you have kids, they have a little theme park there called Santa Land, if not, they have Harrahs Cherokee Casino, we go there alot.

Oh, and Nashville is more like 4 to 5 hours, not 2.

If you are into the disliterys, they have recently made it legal to sell moonshine in tennessee, and the distilery is in Gatlinburg http://www.olesmokymoonshine.com/verify/

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

http://www.mypigeonforge.com/

 

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

We will be vacationing in Gatlinburg this July. We are thinking of staying here http://www.thebearskinlodge.com/. Does any one have any other recomendations of anywhere else to stay that is close to Pigeon Forge? I was looking at cabins but am so afraid I will get a dirty cabin at a reasonable price. This has happened to us before .

Thank You so much for recomending Cades Cove as a must do.

We are going in June and we are staying here.
http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-p...&nchild3=&nadult4=&nchild4=&nadult5=&nchild5=

Its about the same price but I have read the reviews online and it's a great place to stay. Here are some of the features:

# Free wireless high-speed Internet access
# Free hot breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, russet potatoes and Krispy Kreme doughnuts
# Free weekday newspaper and exercise room
# Indoor heated pool/ water park with outdoor lazy river and hot tub
# Free use of massage chairs

 

[pal-mickey]

We will be vacationing in Gatlinburg this July. We are thinking of staying here http://www.thebearskinlodge.com/. Does any one have any other recomendations of anywhere else to stay that is close to Pigeon Forge? I was looking at cabins but am so afraid I will get a dirty cabin at a reasonable price. This has happened to us before .

Thank You so much for recomending Cades Cove as a must do.

We stayed at a Ramada inn last summer. There are 2 in pigeon forge. We stayed at the one near the Titanic museum. I would recommend the Titanic museum. I thought it was very interesting. There's a replica of the ships bridge were you can touch an ice wall and put your hand in water that was the temp of the water when the ship sunk. We also went to Dollywood, but not the water park. They have a deal were if you go in after 3pm, you get the next day free. There are 3 roller coasters and the rest of the rides seemed geared to younger kids(my dd's are 13 & 17). There is one ride that I thought was fantastic. It's called river battle. I think disney needs to put in a ride like this. There are lots of shows, but my family wasn't interested in seeing any.
Clingman's dome in the state park, was worth the drive and long climb.
We had a great time and would go back again

 

[2goofycampers]

This place has nice cabins. http://www.stayriveredge.com/

Pigeon Forge also has a Disney Outlet store.

 

[julezdisney]

Thanks everyone!

and *BUMP* lol

 

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

Dixie Stampede Tip:

I found out that if book your tickets online for Dixie Stampede you are paying too much! They add a 3.50 fee to each ticket and then a 2.10 fee for the transaction. And if for some reason you can't make it you are stuck with those tickets. If you call and place your order, you don't have to pay then, just pick up by 12 noon, the day of the show, and you are not charged the service fees per person or transaction. So that saved us 24.00 (since there is 8 of us going)

 

[Cierese]

I see everyone has lots to say about Gatlinburg/Smokies... NASHVILLE is great, too!!!! There is tons to do here, just depends on what you want to do and like to do. Other items not listed is the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's Home), Tennessee State Museum (which is always FREE) TPAC is in the same location, Centennial Park, Bicentennial Mall which is a great park across from the State Capital and has a Farmer's Market, Opryland Hotel is newly renovated, but the mall (Oprymills) is still closed from last years's flood. Not sure if the Frist art museum was mentioned or not, but if you have kids there is a great hand's on area for them!! If you need more ideas for children, let me know, you could also check out NashvilleParent .com ... I try to keep up with what's going on for kids around Nashville. Also, check out Groupon for Nashville. and a website called tnvacation. for other ideas in the area.

Have fun !!!!

 

[tinkgirl1984]

I don't have much to add honestly...I'm from Maryville too, but I think everyone else has pretty much covered everything here I did want to say though, that if you're going to be in Nashville on a Sunday, brunch at the Opryland Hotel really shouldn't be missed

 

[raraloveseeyore]

My husband and I take our grandkids on a long weekend vacation every year. This year my grandson wants to see indians so we are going to Cherokee, NC. We booked a room in Gatlinburg because we were told it is about a 20 minute drive to Cherokee. Is there things for a 5 and 8 year old to see and do regarding the indians? Any info is appreciated.

 

[tnmt]

It is 34 miles from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC, which would take about an hour to get there if traffic isn't too bad. No way in 20 minutes could you make it there.

 

[HoosierMomOf5]

I've only skimmed this thread but, I haven't seen Roaring Fork mentioned. Forgive me if it has. I actually love it as much as Cades Cove. It's never been (in our experience) as crowded. It's just as beautiful but in a different way. Love it.

We're headed back to the Smokies on July 10th and we cannot wait. It ranks as high as Disney in this house.

neat site to check out:
http://www.discoverthesmokies.com/

 

[maleficentmom]

We will be vacationing in Gatlinburg this July. We are thinking of staying here http://www.thebearskinlodge.com/. Does any one have any other recomendations of anywhere else to stay that is close to Pigeon Forge? I was looking at cabins but am so afraid I will get a dirty cabin at a reasonable price. This has happened to us before .

Thank You so much for recomending Cades Cove as a must do.

We live in East Tn.Our 2 favorite places to stay are Red Roof Pigeon Forge,in the Kids Suite (2 rooms,1 for kids w/sofa,kitchenette,tv,bunks and one with a jacuzzi and king bed for parents)and the Inn at Christmas Place(more luxury than most PF hotels and a delicious breakfast and fun pool slide).We love to eat Bennets BBQ and No Way Joses(meals from$5.99)..we love "The Miracle"show..anxious to see new dinner shows"The Hatfields and McCoys" and "The Lumberjack Dinner Show"...If you like animals "Rainforest Adventure is great,albeit a bit stinky. AAA discounts abound in PF for most attractions when you show your card,also coupon books are available at most hotel lobbies and many restaurants.

 

[maleficentmom]

Dixie Stampede Tip:

I found out that if book your tickets online for Dixie Stampede you are paying too much! They add a 3.50 fee to each ticket and then a 2.10 fee for the transaction. And if for some reason you can't make it you are stuck with those tickets. If you call and place your order, you don't have to pay then, just pick up by 12 noon, the day of the show, and you are not charged the service fees per person or transaction. So that saved us 24.00 (since there is 8 of us going)

Good info. to know! Thanks! Also, if anyone lives in an area where there is a Food City grocery store, you can sign up for their Value Card and reg. for their Kids Club....they will send you a free Kids Admission coupon for Dixie Stampede. Also, Food City sells Ripleys Aquarium and Dollywood Season Passes at a discount...think AAA does as well.We haven't had passes in years ,but Dollywood still usually sends us a brochure with great pass offers each spring,so after you get a pass look for a mailing from them the next year

 

[tnmt]

We love the Roaring Fork Nature Trail in Gatlinburg too.

 

[mercydisney]

We are going in June and we are staying here.
http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-p...&nchild3=&nadult4=&nchild4=&nadult5=&nchild5=

Its about the same price but I have read the reviews online and it's a great place to stay. Here are some of the features:

# Free wireless high-speed Internet access
# Free hot breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, russet potatoes and Krispy Kreme doughnuts
# Free weekday newspaper and exercise room
# Indoor heated pool/ water park with outdoor lazy river and hot tub
# Free use of massage chairs

Thank You so much for the recomendation!! I booked it!! In case you didn't know it was rated #1 in tripadvisor for Pigean Forge area.

 

[LilyWDW]

It is 34 miles from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC, which would take about an hour to get there if traffic isn't too bad. No way in 20 minutes could you make it there.

Maybe 20 minutes if you could go directly straight between the two... but no way on the mountain roads. I always say they decided where the roads would go by following where the cows used to walk. Up, down, and around! Then you add in the traffic that you can run into between Gatlinburg and through the park... yea, I would agree with about an hour unless one gets REALLY lucky.