Summer Vacation to Tennessee

A June 2003 trip to Gatlinburg by BWMARNIN

This was an area of the country we had not yet vacationed, so we were wanting to explore a new area. We found it very interesting. Because of the limit of time, we were not able to spend time hiking the many trails in the Smokies. We did hike to Laurel Falls and saw many scenic vistas. We were also a little too early for the Ranger tours that are also an important part of a National Park. The Laurel Falls hike was well marked with a brochure to follow to understand the trees and flowers not familiar to us.

  • 3 reviews
We hiked in the Smokies and journeyed over to North Carolina to the Biltmore Estate. We also took in one of the shows in Pigeon Forge and shopped the outlet malls. There was certainly a number of things to do and with variety.

Quick Tips:

Get good directions to the resort where you are going as we found ours difficult to find.

Best Way To Get Around:

We had a tall van so couldn't park in the ramps, but did find off-street parking lots and walked to activities.
Best Things Nearby:
The Smokies, Biltmore Estate, comedy shows, and outlet malls made for a variety of things to do. My husband enjoyed the Muscle Car Museum in Sevierville. We also did the eight-mile loop of the Arts and Crafts Village at Gatlinburg.

Best Things About the Resort:
This place is off the beaten path and secluded. It was nice to get away from the traffic when we came back to relax.

Resort Experience:
It had a great location and all the amenities we needed. The kids enjoyed the outdoor pool and I did too. We used the kitchen and it was set up great. Although it was called a half kitchen, it had a full-sized refrigerator and stove plus all the dished and cooking utensils we needed. The master bedroom upstairs had its own bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and the bedroom downstairs bedroom had two single beds. There was also a pull out couch in the living room. All the many windows gave much light and airiness to the condo and we could close the blinds in the evening for privacy. There was a small deck that we didn't have time to use.

A grocery store nearby provided an excellent way to do shopping without bringing everything with us.

  • Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
  • Activities: Good
  • Amenities: Excellent
  • Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
  • Family Friendliness: Very Good
  • Service: Good
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by BWMARNIN on June 13, 2003

Mountain Loft Resort
110 Mountain Loft Dr. Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738
(865) 436-4367

Bennett's BBQBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

The barbecue was delicious. Other members of our party had other selections and they were also good. The waiter was also very accomodating. We also used a coupon we found to make food even more reasonable.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by BWMARNIN on June 13, 2003

Bennett's BBQ
714 River Road Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738
(865) 428-6328

About the Writer

BWMARNIN
BWMARNIN
Bridgewater, Iowa

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