Take a drive to Cades Cove, it is absolutely beautiful area and worth the extra time. Go to Pigeon Forge and eat at the Old Mill restaraunt, the are several very good places to eat in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Foge. Try the Log Cabin Pancake House in upper Gatlinburg for breakfast, will be one of if not the best breakfast that you have had (hint: Blackberry pancakes:thumb:). I am not onto all the shopping thing but a drive down Glades road thgrough the Smoky Mtn arts and crafts community is good. This is just a rural route that goes past shops, most of which are -peoples homes that do all different kinds of craft work (canes,Chairs, brooms, woodwork, leatherwork, candles, etc..). Very good quality and much cheaper than in the stores in downtown Gatlinburg.

 

Excellent recomendations Cades cove is the highlight of my trip whenever I go. I would spend a whole day there. Go during the day to hike all the trails and tour the farmhouses, bulidings, mill, etc then loop back through just before or near dusk to see all the wildlife that comes out.

Skip the Hard Rock Cafe !! The food is lousey !!

^ I agree!! I didn't like the food at all. We have gone there 3 times just making sure it wasn't just a one time thing, and every time the food was gross!!!

You have to eat at the Log Cabin Pancake House. It's great, maybe the best breakfast I've ever had. Get the blackberry or blueberry pancakes, both are great.

 

The Old Mill Restaurant is excellent.

 

Huck Finn's Catfish is another great place to eat. It's located in Pigeon Forge.

 

If you get a chance, check out the Dixie Stampede. I'm usually not into that kind of stuff but the meal is great and they put on a good show too. Your kids would enjoy it.

 

Hill Billy Golf is a lot of fun.

You have to eat at the Log Cabin Pancake House. It's great, maybe the best breakfast I've ever had. Get the blackberry or blueberry pancakes, both are great.

 

The Old Mill Restaurant is excellent.

 

Huck Finn's Catfish is another great place to eat. It's located in Pigeon Forge.

 

If you get a chance, check out the Dixie Stampede. I'm usually not into that kind of stuff but the meal is great and they put on a good show too. Your kids would enjoy it.

 

Hill Billy Golf is a lot of fun.

 

 

Is this up the hill past the space needle on the left(not sure of the real name LOL)? If it is, I agree...very good. We stayed at a hotel up from that more up the hill and we would walk there in the mornings.

Is this up the hill past the space needle on the left(not sure of the real name LOL)? If it is, I agree...very good. We stayed at a hotel up from that more up the hill and we would walk there in the mornings.

 

It's been 3 or 4 years since I've been to Gatlinburg. I know the place is on the upper end where the shops and stuff really start to die down. The building it's located in is a log cabin I believe.

Oldrambler, cooperstown and others have excellent suggestions. My guess is after going you will want to go back, I know I love the place.

 

Here are some websites that may help you out.

 

http://www.gatlinburg.com/

 

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/

 

http://www.great.smoky.mountains.national-park.com/

 

http://www.mysmokymountainvacation.com/

Thanks. Great info as well. :thumb:

I usually try and take at least part of one day to visit the mountains. There are several little trails you can take to experience the beauty of the mountains. We were down there the 1st weekend in December and got to see 2 bears . It was also snowing up at Newfound Gap. That was really pretty.

Skip the Hard Rock Cafe !! The food is lousey !!

 

I can believe that, I can't personally speak about the one in Gatlinburg but the one in Myrtle Beach was enough to turn me against any of them. Lousy food and service.

Is this up the hill past the space needle on the left(not sure of the real name LOL)? If it is, I agree...very good. We stayed at a hotel up from that more up the hill and we would walk there in the mornings.

 

Yes, I believe the Log Cabin Pankacke house is at light #8, you would turn left if you are going towards the park/mountains.

You have to eat at the Log Cabin Pancake House. It's great, maybe the best breakfast I've ever had. Get the blackberry or blueberry pancakes, both are great.

 

The Old Mill Restaurant is excellent.

 

Huck Finn's Catfish is another great place to eat. It's located in Pigeon Forge.

 

If you get a chance, check out the Dixie Stampede. I'm usually not into that kind of stuff but the meal is great and they put on a good show too. Your kids would enjoy it.

 

Hill Billy Golf is a lot of fun.

 

A big ol' :thumb::thumb: on all of those.

I can believe that, I can't personally speak about the one in Gatlinburg but the one in Myrtle Beach was enough to turn me against any of them. Lousy food and service.

 

I've only eaten at a Hard Rock once in D.C. I was not impressed at all. Fortunately, it was for work and I was using a per diem to pay for it. Otherwise, I would have been mad for wasting my own money.

One more piece of info that might help you out. If you haven't made plans to stay at a hotel yet, check out some cabin rentals in the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area. The ones I've stayed in were very nice and were comparable in price to a decent hotel. Everyone gets there own bed, a lot of them have a hot tub on the deck with great views.

A big ol' :thumb::thumb: on all of those.

 

They are all great. I've been to Gatlinburg at least 8 times and I always make sure I eat at the ones I mentioned :thumb:

If your kids are young Ober Gatlinburg would be a fun place to take them. It's on top of a mountain and has an ice skating rink and a lot of other fun things for young kids to do.