Gatlinburg, Tenn....Things to do

[LoadedCamera]

Byron and I are leaving next Friday, June 18th and staying for 17 nights at Twin Creek RV Resort in Gatlinburg, Tenn.   What I am wondering is....is there any really good places to go eat or something we should do, besides Dollywood.  Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks....Kat

[Jim in Michigan]

The Trout House in downtown Gatlinburg has the best Trout I have ever had and prepared about every way possible.

I liked the small shops of unique items along the main street in Gatlinburg.  We would spend a day or two just wondering through the shops.

Pigeon Forge has about every recreational activity imaginable (go carts, mini golf, bungee jumping, arcades).  Helicopter rides over the Smokies are pretty cool too.

Of course if you like walking the Smoky Mountain National Park has some of the most scenic trails on the East Coast.

I love that place but the crowds and traffic through Pigeon Forge can really wear on you.

[bearbait]

I hear their is a nice little park to visit just south of there  :p

[tricia hicks]

Be sure and have breakfast at the Pancake Pantry on the main drag in Gatlinburg.  The sweet potato pancakes are wonderful!

[Mike&Judy]

There is a 12 mile trail, you can drive, or ride bikes, called Cades Cove.  In here you have the potential to see all kinds of wildlife.  I think it is connected with the National Park.  My only trip there was a a passenger so the details are right there.  Have a good trip.

[LoadedCamera]

The Trout House sounds wonderful and I read about the Pancake Pantry...glad to hear it's good.  
Cades Cove sounds like Byrons kinds of spot so he can take pictures of the animals and scenery.
 
Oh yeah...I think your right bearbait.  I think I have heard of a little park that's there.  

[cyclone]

One of my favorite places to eat is The Apple Barn (between Pigeon Forge and Sevierville).  The craft loop off Cosby HWY is really fun if you are interested in some interesting shops.  Try tubing the river over near Townsend; and be sure to hit Cades Cove either early or late in the day.  I was just there a couple of months ago; and I'm ready to go back!

[brainpause]

One of my favorite places to eat is The Apple Barn (between Pigeon Forge and Sevierville).

That was the first thing I thought of. Without a doubt you have to eat there. The apple butter and fritters they serve you while waiting for your meal is unbelievable. Holly likes the trout cakes, and I think I get the pork chops or something like that. But the fritters and apple butter...yum!

Larry

[brainpause]

Oh yeah, let me add my vote to Cades Cove. It contains some wonderful sights, especially just before/around dusk.

Check out the Camp Coleman Store (discount) in Sevierville, I think. Some pretty good deals on stuff there.

We have been to a few shows there, and by far the best is Country Tonite. You will see it on the main drag. I think tix are around $25 or so; we got ours free for going to a timeshare thingy. Don't go to the Black Bear Jamboree. Decent show, but geared more for families with younger children.

The Aquarium is pretty nice; some people like it better than others. I was in the middle. Holly really liked it. I really enjoyed Ripley's.

Hope this helps.

Larry

[labontefan]

Don't forget the aquarium!! Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is a great experience. I visited last summer and loved it. I'd recommend going in the middle of the week...probably less crowded than on the weekends.

They have a huge shark tank that you walk UNDER!  It's so amazing to look up and see an 8-foot shark about two feet over your head!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/80867943/80871160hIfBBq

http://community.webshots.com/photo/80867943/80871223MVkSQd

Here are all the pics I took when I visited last summer:

http://community.webshots.com/album/80867943rjwadP

http://community.webshots.com/album/80869470hKohao

You can find more info on it here:

http://www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com/

If you really want to experience the beauty of the Smoky Mountains, I definitely recommend Cade's Cove. You can just drive the loop road or stop at various places and do some hiking. Lots of photo ops too!  

One of my favorite things to do in Gatlinburg is just stroll up and down the streets, watch the people, and check out all the little shops. Be sure and visit the indoor mall in downtown Gatlinburg--they have this wonderful home-made fudge shop! Yum!

This is a good site to find out more about what to see and do in the area:

http://www.gatlinburg.com/

My grandmother used to take me to Gatlinburg years and years ago when I was a little kid. One of my favorite things as a kid was the taffy pulling machine. It's located in one of the shops on the main drag. You can watch them mix the taffy and then put it into this wild-looking contraption that pulls the taffy and forms it into little pieces! (And you get a free sample too.) I still look for the machine every time I go!

Have fun!

[SkipP]

You're already in Gatlinburg..... you gotta do the Roaring Fork Motor Trail! Off Airport Road, it's part of the GSMNP and the contrast between the city and the park is astounding. Several waterfalls, old homesteads..... the color green as only the Smoky's can deliver.

17 days? Wow. I'm only a little jealous......

[vjm1639]

Skip...I was going to recommend the same thing. Roaring Fork Motor Trail behind Gatlinburg is absolutely not to be missed. I grew up working all summers in High School and College IN Gatlinburg at various restaurants and shops. It's a fun (yeah, crowded) place to spend a couple of weeks. The crowds in the main part of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are nuts, but when you want to get away from it for awhile there are some of the most gorgeous places to just take a drive, a hike, or a wade in the rushing creeks through the countryside, the Smokey Mtn national park, all sorts of areas! It's a beautiful area to be in.  Greenbriar is another area off the road towards Cosby that is a beautiful little side trip. Beautiful river and a nice hike to Ramsey Cascades, which is one of the more impressive falls in the area.  There's the hike up Mt. LeConte if you're in for a more strenuous hike....
 
 
Hope you have a wonderful trip!!!!  I'd love to go back for a long visit!! It has been about 3 years since we've been back but I have family that lives pretty close now in Jefferson City.