What better reason to plan a trip to the Smokies than in celebration of a loved one’s birthday? You’ll find attractions for every gender and age group—whether you’re celebrating your daughter, your grandson, or your spouse of 50-some years! Below, we’ve listed just a FEW ideas of what you’ll find in the area. And don’t forget that staying in one of our Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge cabins can be exciting enough. We have cabins with all kinds of special amenities—outdoor hot tubs, indoor Jacuzzi tubs, game tables, private theaters, and more! So make this year’s birthday celebration one to remember

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Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show the one you love how much they mean to you. Whether you’re newlyweds wanting to stay in that honeymoon phase or old loves looking to reconnect, slipping away to the Smokies for a weekend retreat is a great way to have some romance. Our 1-2 bedroom cabins offer lots of romantic amenities: comfortable king and queen beds, DVD players for romantic comedies, fireplaces, soothing hot tubs, quiet decks where you can relax, and dining tables for candlelit dinners in the cabin! There are some wonderful restaurants downtown if you want to get

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When you go away for vacation, wherever it is, it’s easy to get caught in tourist traps. You know, those busy places filled with camera-carrying, too-big-of-a-bag-toting, nose-in-a-map-walking tourists that sometimes make it hard to enjoy your time at whatever attraction you’re visiting. Maybe you’ve been one of those yourself and would rather explore the area in a new way. We’ve found that the best way to see what the Smokies has to offer is like a local. Locals know the places to eat, the times to get out and about without hitting all the traffic, and have their own favorite

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The mountains are calling, and I must go. -John Muir Probably one of the most popular and well-recognized quotes about the mountains, John Muir’s quote above is simple yet powerful. It elicits that adventurous spirit in us all, tugging at our heartstrings and stirring up thoughts of being somewhere beautiful, new, and exciting. There are truly dozens of reasons to go to the Great Smoky Mountains, from the variety of restaurants, many shops and boutiques, and local art to the popular attractions, incredible scenery, and fun seasonal events. As you read on, gather inspiration from what others have said about

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The Smoky Mountains are the perfect place to plan your fall wedding. Want to know why? Here are at least 3 reasons you won’t be disappointed with your choice to celebrate your big day in the Smokies! 1. Gorgeous Scenery The first reason you should plan your fall wedding in the Smokies is the gorgeous array of fall colors, providing a stunning backdrop for your wedding pictures and even your ceremony. If you choose an outdoor venue, you’ll have the beautiful fall foliage of the Smoky Mountains as your constant scenery. The golds, reds, and purples will wow your guests

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It’s never too early to start planning your fall getaway to the Smokies. That’s because fall is one of the most popular seasons to visit these mountains with their gorgeous fall foliage in every hue from scarlet to amber. Below, we’ve listed at least 12 things to do in the Smokies this fall, and they’re arranged by location, so you can easily pick out what you want to do based on the locale of your cabin. No matter where you stay, you’ll get to experience the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival—an area-wide event that features local food, music, art, storytelling, and

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Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are popular fall destinations because of their cool, comfortable weather, beautiful scenery of changing leaves, stirring wildlife, and many fun festivals and fairs. It’s a great time to hit the 800+ miles of trails, stroll along the Parkway, spend some time relaxing at a cozy cabin, or just explore the area’s attractions and shops. But all this fall fun means you won’t have these charming mountain towns all to yourself. Fall is one of the busiest times of the year here, and with all the good comes some possible frustration as well. Traffic can get pretty

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A vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains is one of those classic fall experiences. With the backdrop of the Smokies, the changing of the leaves, the cool days and crisp nights, the baskets full of apples, hot cider and cocoa, and the smell of pumpkin spice everywhere you go, everything about Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge screams FALL. It’s one of the most popular times of the year to visit the Smokies, and if you’ve ever been here, you know why. So if you’ve been planning your Smoky Mountain escape and need some ideas for fall fun, read on. There are

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There are a lot of unique holidays throughout the year, celebrating everything from foods to friends. Computer Learning Month. Eat Country Ham Month. Sarcastic Month. Even National Accordion Awareness Month. This year, celebrate National Popcorn Poppin’ Month – October – with some easy in-cabin recipes (perfect for movie nights), kids’ crafts made with popcorn, and some delicious flavored popcorn found right here in the Smokies! POPCORN IN THE SMOKIES CarmelCorn 647 Parkway | Gatlinburg, TN Serving up buckets of popcorn since 1961, CarmelCorn in Gatlinburg offers classics like carmelcorn with peanuts, as well as popcorn loaded with pecans, cheese, toffee,

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With 800+ miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it’s no wonder that hiking is such a popular activity. Seasoned hikers will find challenges on the more difficult trails, with Rocky Top/Thunderhead Mountain, Mt. LeConte (by way of Alum Caves), Rich Mountain Loop, Mount Cammerer, and Chimney Tops rounding out some of the most strenuous. First-timers, casual hikers, and kiddos will do best on the easy and moderate hikes, but there are plenty of those to pick from. When we say hiking, there are generally 2 distinct reactions. Pure excitement from the adventure-seeking set and dread from

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