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The Great Smoky Mountains

A travel journal to Gatlinburg by andiman

Great things to do and see in the Smoky Mountains

  • 6 reviews
  • 1 story/tip

The Great Smoky MountainsBest of IgoUgo

Overview

There are a ton of things to do in the Smokies. Hiking, camping, and shopping are my personal favorites. Most of my time has been spent on the Tennessee side of the Smokies. Pigeon Forge is a great shopping area. It has tons of outlet malls! My favorite though is the Old Mill. Gatlinburg also has great things to do. Nothing beats the natural wonders in the Smokies though. My entries talk about these in more detail.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Unfortunately, the traffic is horrendous and driving around is about it! However, one of the nicest ways to get around in Gatlinburg is to take the trolley in Gatlinburg. You can view the sites and not worry about the traffic. Another traffic beater I've found, is to focus on one area. Park at the trailhead, and hike in aways on any trail. Each trail is very well maintained and almost all of them have side trails, historic homes, churches and graveyards, beautiful waterfalls, and great views. There is so much to see and do one trail that you will feel like you've seen more of the Smokies than if you had driven through the whole park.

Bearskin Lodge On The RiverBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "The Bear Skin Lodge"

The Bear Skin Lodge is a brand new motel run by the Marriot chain. The room was large with a nice gas fireplace and whirlpool tub. A small balcony overlooked a creek where we saw a bear foraging late at night.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by andiman on January 4, 2001

Bearskin Lodge On The River
840 River Road Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738
(865) 430-4330

Smoky Mountain BreweryBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Great Smoky Mountain Brew Pub"

This is a great microbrewery run by the people who own Calhoun's, the famous BBQ place. You can order Calhoun's famous ribs here without the wait at Calhouns! Plus the beers are great!
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by andiman on January 4, 2001

Smoky Mountain Brewery
1004 Parkway, Suite 501 Gatlinburg, Tennessee
(865) 436-4200

Clingmans DomeBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Clingman's Dome"

The trail up to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smokies, is paved but very steep. I rested several times on the way up. The view is spectacular from the viewing station at the top. On the way up you can see all the damage that acid rain has done to the trees--very sad and eerie. It makes you want to run out and join the Sierra Club. You can also access and hike the Appalachian trail which is nice if you don't have time to do the whole trail.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by andiman on January 4, 2001

Clingmans Dome
Great Smoky Mountains National Park 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738
(865) 436-1200

Cades CoveBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Cade's Cove"

Cade's Cove is a beautiful area that has lots of original and reconstructed historic buildings. There is a working grain mill (you can buy the corn meal in the gift shop), pioneer houses, a ouple of churches and graveyards, and cantilevered barns. This is a great place to take the kids as there are tons of things for them to do and large open areas to run around and a creek to explore.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by andiman on January 4, 2001

Cades Cove
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

Old MillBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "The Old Mill"

The Old Mill is what I call Old Pigeon Forge. It has been in operation for years. My grandmother used to mail order (yes they have an extensive mail order list!) her cornmeal from here to make cornbread and her cornbread was the best! I got to visit the mill on my last visit. It is a great place to take the kids as the mill itself is still in operation and sits over a beautiful creek. They have also added a restaurant in recent years and have spruced up the store. Yes, the cornmeal is still the best! Throw out that store bought meal and get the real thing here!

The Mill can be a tad hard to find. Keep a sharp eye peeled for their sign as it is small compared to the rest of the signs in Pigeon Forge. Just keep following the signs though and you'll be fine.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by andiman on January 7, 2001

Old Mill
164 Old Mill Ave Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37863
(865) 429-3463

Best Place to buy Taffy and CandyBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

The best place to buy taffy in Gatlinburg is the Smoky Mountain Candy Kitchen. Located right on the main strip in Gatlinburg, this is THE place to buy taffy. This is an original i.e. before the tourists invaded, candy factory and you can still view the taffy being stretched, cut and wrapped from the sidewalk. A great place to take the kids and the taffy and other candies they sell are great!

About the Writer

andiman
andiman
Swansea, Illinois

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