Need Vacation Help - Smokey Mountains

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>My sister-in-law just suggested a trip for her Mom&Dad’s 50th anniversary to the Smokey Mountains. There are 14 of us (ages 8 - 68).</p>

<p>She is thinking we can get a large cabin and all stay together. I am thinking that might be a little too much togetherness :-).</p>

<p>Any suggestions for places to stay? Or for things to do? My kids are 16 & 19 and would love some outdoor activities. It’s hot here already, so some cool mountain air is sounding good to me right now!</p>

<p>Thanks in Advance…</p>

2

<p>We went to smokeys few years ago and stayed in some resort bit out of Gatlinburgh (sp ??) and also spent few nights on the other side in Cherokee, NC. Gatlinburgh is much nicer to stay than Piegon Forge (sp ??) - nothing but hotels and motels. The place we stayed was kind of time share rental with units renting from studio to 3 br. We also saw many houses/cabins for rent as well.</p>

3

<p>Try looking through VRBO listings. We spent a week last summer at a private creekside property a few miles out of Pigeon Forge and it was wonderful. It had a cottage that slept 6 and a “game house” that slept 5. A bit small for your group but an example of what’s available.</p>

4

<p>Also check CraigsList…lots of vacation rentals there. Do you want to be in TN or NC?</p>

5

<p>I guess the TN side is closer (some family is driving from Louisiana). So I guess Gatlinburg is the “obvious” place for me to start looking? </p>

<p>Thanks everyone! I will start with the VRBO listings. Anyone do any white-water rafting there? What else is fun?</p>

6

<p>Go on the National Parks Conservation Association website. They give a lot of info on everything you’re looking for.</p>

7

<p>Gatlinburg is fun especially if you include Dollywood and river rafting. </p>

<p>But if you’re looking for more activities, consider Asheville, a little farther east, and regularly recommended by Southern Living for it’s shopping and great restaurants. Everyone should visit Biltmore Mansion at least once in their life! For a day trip, the younger kids would love Tweetsie Railroad. And young and old would enjoy Linville Caverns, Linville Falls, and Grandfather Mountain with it’s mile high swinging bridge.</p>

<p>Learn more about western NC accommodations and activities through these sites:
[Blue</a> Ridge - North Carolina Travel & Tourism](<a href=“http://www.visitnc.com/journeys/highlights/blue-ridge]Blue”>Places to Visit in the North Carolina Mountains | VisitNC.com)
[Attractions</a> and Interesting Places in Western North Carolina.](<a href=“http://www.westernncattractions.com/]Attractions”>http://www.westernncattractions.com/)
[Western</a> North Carolina Vacation Guide To Attractions](<a href=“http://www.greatsmokies.com/area.html]Western”>http://www.greatsmokies.com/area.html)</p>

8

<p>Just my opinion but…my kids and I were in Gatlinburg a few years ago and hated it. Tacky, trashy and traffic he__. I second the Asheville recommendation.</p>

9

<p>We went to the Smokies last summer. We rented a cabin for the 15 of us. We always have room to spread out as most of these big cabins have rec rooms, living rooms etc. The cabin we rented even had a theater room which the kids loved. While there we did rafting, Dollywood, lots of hiking, go-carting and indoor skydiving. It was beautiful but hot,hot, hot.</p>

10

<p>spring162, was your cabin on a lake? If so, which one and how did you find it? I’m sorting through but seems like all the large lake cabins (near Asheville) on VRBO are taken for our desired week (late July). I have emailed several that didn’t have online calendars, but not holding my breath.</p>

<p>We should have started months ago. I love these people, but they are organizationally-impaired :-). </p>

<p>Indoor skydiving?? How does that work?</p>