Gatlinburg

[Benton]

Soooo... In the morning I'm loading up the family and heading to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a week. Any recommendations on stuff to do? We're already planning the aquarium, Dixie Stampede and a few other things.

[Donnyho]

(05-27-2015, 11:16 PM)Benton Wrote: Soooo... In the morning I'm loading up the family and heading to Gatlinburg, Tennessee  for a week. Any recommendations on stuff to do? We're already planning the aquarium, Dixie Stampede and a few other things.

Moonshine tastings. Last time I was there this had become a big thing. There were two distileries at that time (a year ago? two?) with another one being built. My dad and I sampled all the shine at Ol Smokey Moonshine.  Felt pretty good afterwards....

[Goalpost]

Was there last year and did some moonshine myself. On the main strip there are a couple of stores that will give you free samples.

I had never zip lined, and took the opportunity to try it. There are probably half a dozen zip line places there.

You should spend an afternoon to go into the Smokies. There is a park road everyone uses. Maybe go to the welcome center and get a map of the mountains and road.

Pigeon Forge is highly commercialized. We just hit the amusement park rides. Go karts were fun.

There is Dollywood...didn't go to... and golf courses....played at Gatlinburg course.

Decent restaurants...we ate one night at Mellow Mushroom. We also brought a lot of our own food/drink, and also food shopped some burgers, dogs, etc for grilling.

Played Hillbilly golf..putt putt

Did not see any black bears, although they are around.

You should have a good time...enjoy.

[Tiger Teeth]

Take the drive to Cades Cove out in the park. One of the best places to glimpse a black bear. If you're lucky.

[Benton]

thanks guys, haven't heard of some of that. Didn't know about the moonshine. We have a couple distilleries here (well, one blew up a couple weeks ago), didn't know it was a thing elsewhere.

and thanks for the cades cove tip. My daughter is mainly interested in seeing a bear and potentially riding it through town (her bravery is unfortunately as big as her imagination).

[*jason*]

(05-28-2015, 09:10 AM)Benton Wrote: thanks guys, haven't heard of some of that. Didn't know about the moonshine. We have a couple distilleries here (well, one blew up a couple weeks ago), didn't know it was a thing elsewhere.

and thanks for the cades cove tip. My daughter is mainly interested in seeing a bear and potentially riding it through town (her bravery is unfortunately as big as her imagination).

They say that they are afraid of us...  I went to put it to the test and chase one in Yosemite.  I didn't look like it was gonna run so I stopped rather quickly.

Black Bears areall over Cades  Cove though.

[xxlt]

(05-28-2015, 08:20 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: Take the drive to Cades Cove out in the park.  One of the best places to glimpse a black bear.  If you're lucky.

It is a great drive in that area and often not as crowded. Probably better for you and the bears if you don't see each other, honestly though. I would spend max time in the park and min time in the city if your kids are wired that way at all. I mean, the "family fun" crap you can do there you can do in Cincy or wherever for less money and less crowds... but that National Park there is just something else.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

"Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry,
I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew......."


.....oh, sorry.....

Gotta do the sky tram at Ober Gatlinburg.

The Extreme go karts are fun, even for the adults if you ride the fastest ones....you can also roll a two seater so you can enjoy them with your children.

Cades Cove is nice, echo those sentiments, as well as the Ole Smokey distillery, the drive through Smokey Mountains park is good as well. LOTS to do....

[GMDino]

(05-28-2015, 11:52 AM)Wyche Wrote: "Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry,
I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew......."


.....oh, sorry.....

Gotta do the sky tram at Ober Gatlinburg.

The Extreme go karts are fun, even for the adults if you ride the fastest ones....you can also roll a two seater so you can enjoy them with your children.

Cades Cove is nice, echo those sentiments, as well as the Ole Smokey distillery, the drive through Smokey Mountains park is good as well.  LOTS to do....

We went to Dollywood.  Nice enough.  Also the aquarium was fun for the kids.  They were 10 and 6 at the time when we went.

We spent the week in a log house with 25-30 of my wife's relatives for a family reunion.  Lots of good memories there!

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(05-28-2015, 11:56 AM)GMDino Wrote: We went to Dollywood.  Nice enough.  Also the aquarium was fun for the kids.  They were 10 and 6 at the time when we went.

We spent the week in a log house with 25-30 of my wife's relatives for a family reunion.  Lots of good memories there!

Yes, the last time we went (last fall) was a family affair in a cabin.  Very nice digs, billiards, air hockey, ping pong, fire pit, and hot tub.....we didn't do Dollywood, because our children are still a bit young for amusement parks (they were 2 and 4 last year).

[BengalHawk62]

We are going there for our honeymoon in August.  Renting a cabin for three nights.  We are also looking into doing stuff then.  I've heard about the train ride and that sounded fun.  and the aquarium.  Isn't there a couple other Ripley's places to visit? 

I'll have to remember the Cades Cove.  I don't think we've talked about that place.  I'll see if she's heard of it before. 

[Benton]

(05-28-2015, 12:53 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: We are going there for our honeymoon in August.  Renting a cabin for three nights.  We are also looking into doing stuff then.  I've heard about the train ride and that sounded fun.  and the aquarium.  Isn't there a couple other Ripley's places to visit? 

I'll have to remember the Cades Cove.  I don't think we've talked about that place.  I'll see if she's heard of it before. 

there are a few Ripley things. They're kind of expensive for what they are, outside of the aquarium.

thanks for the suggestions so far. Anyone been to the Cherokee park outside town?

[Shake n Blake]

I've vacationed there twice, but the last time was back in 2000 when I was 19. The things I did there might not interest you, but here's some stuff I did:

Went bunjee jumping
Rode go-karts
Checked out some really unique music stores (places that sold instruments and albums/memorabilia)
Ate breakfast at a really cool restaurant that looked like a wood cabin
Walked up and down some streams, explored the woods
Rented a chalet with a hot tub and pool table
Played laser tag and putter golf
Rode the sky lift a few times

Oddly enough, I never went to Dollywood either time.

[GMDino]

(05-28-2015, 04:13 PM)Benton Wrote: there are a few Ripley things. They're kind of expensive for what they are, outside of the aquarium.

thanks for the suggestions so far. Anyone been to the Cherokee park outside town?

Ripley's believe it or not wasn't for small children really.

But I seem to remember an odd museum on the right side heading up the main drag that was interesting.  Can't remember exactly what it was though.  

[Tiger Teeth]

(05-28-2015, 04:13 PM)Benton Wrote:  Anyone been to the Cherokee park outside town?

If you're referring to the one over the mountains in North Carolina, that place has gone downhill.  We were just down there last October, and we went through the park only to be really disappointed.

[fredtoast]

If your kids like caves there are the Forbidden Caverns near Sevierville and the Tuckaleeche Caverns in Townsend.

The Lost Sea is a couple of hours away, but it is by far the coolest cave/cavern in the area.

[fredtoast]

If you ever go in the middle of the summer tubing down the Pigeon River is fun. Might still be a little cool for that right now.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

Mt. Leconte or Chimney Tops in GSMNP. They're both amazing hikes. Loconte is a bit of a longer hike, but super worth it, and Chimney Tops has a nice rock climb to the summit for some stellar views.

As for the cities around the park: Pigeon Forge is ok. It's got some cool go karts, but other than that, it's kinda boring. Gatlinburg is quite a bit better than PF, in my opinion. Eat at Bubba Gumps....and stay away from all of the Ripley's "museums"....biggest waste of time and money in Tennessee.

[BengalHawk62]

(05-28-2015, 05:00 PM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: Mt. Leconte or Chimney Tops in GSMNP.  They're both amazing hikes.  Loconte is a bit of a longer hike, but super worth it, and Chimney Tops has a nice rock climb to the summit for some stellar views.

As for the cities around the park: Pigeon Forge is ok. It's got some cool go karts, but other than that, it's kinda boring. Gatlinburg is quite a bit better than PF, in my opinion.  Eat at Bubba Gumps....and stay away from all of the Ripley's "museums"....biggest waste of time and money in Tennessee.

Why do you say stay away from the Ripley's?  I'm just wondering because that was one of the 'bigger' things we were going to do. 

[Millhouse]

(05-28-2015, 05:42 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Why do you say stay away from the Ripley's?  I'm just wondering because that was one of the 'bigger' things we were going to do. 

If you have kids with you, I'd take them to one to check it out. I think it should be one of those that "at least once" sort of things to check out with the kids when vacationing over the years. Granted I  agree with Cupcakes overall, but fun for kids at least once.