Gatlinburg TN, cabins, motels?

18 years ago

Another single mom and I are going to Gatlinburg for a girl's only vacation away from our kids-lol. We're probably going in early June, for three days. Has anyone stayed in a motel or cabin there? We want cheap as we can get but would like a decent, clean place. We're just going to relax and site see, shop (me window shop mostly). I'm thinking a cabin with a kitchen would be better than motel so we can eat most of the meals there instead of out.

What's to see there? I know there's an aquarium. She doesn't like country music so that's out. Anything else to see for a short trip like this?

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Comments (9)

msprettyky
18 years ago
There are cabin and chalet rentals all over the Gatlingburg/Pigeon Forge area. Depending on location, you can find reasonable rates. I was researching a few months ago on the net and saw cabins going for $89 a night and up. Outlet malls and pleanty of window shopping to be done. Not much nite life and if I remember correctly, it's a dry county, so bring your own wine! LOL
okwriter
18 years ago
MUST DO: The Old Mill (restaurant). :-)
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It seems you are looking for a place where you can cook some meals if you like, but be close to places of interest during the day. I highly recommend the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. How many adults/children will be with you? There are some places that have several cabins close together. Most of them have grills and hot tubs on the porches. It's my favorite vacation destination. It's so relaxing. I've been there with DH and his brother's family and also a couple of my sisters and used to "run away" for a week together. So much fun. One thing to remember is that almost every realtor in that area specializes in cabin rentals and that's the route we've always taken--after the first time when we got stuck in the most remote, windiest road cabin in the state of NC :-) You are in for such a treat if you've not been there before. Pigeon Forge has Dollywood, several really nice outlet malls, water parks, etc. Gatlinburg has the scary ski lift cars that take you across the valley to another mountain. (I wouldn't have done it, but the guys feed me a couple of beers at the ice rink just before.) In the pictures I look pretty darned happy :-) Lots more shopping in Gatlinburg, too. Every time we've been to Cades Cove we've seen deer and bears. There is a sweet really old church and cemetary on the 11 mile ride around it. And other points of interest where you can park and look around inside. The old cemetary was really interesting to me. Oh, and if you see a lot of cars pulled over onto the side of the road, that usually means they're watching bears. So cool!! Gosh, now you have me aching to go NC!!
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lydia1959
18 years ago
We stayed in a condo with friends when we were there. That was nice because we had our own seperate bedrooms and bathrooms.

The aquarium is very nice, we also went to 'Ripley's Believe it or Not' which was okay. There was a very nice craft show in one of the large buildings downtown going on when we went..it may be there all the time? We also went into the park...a 5 mile drive took us about 3 hours (it's a one way road, hilly & crowded with cars)..we did stop and hike up one of the shorter trails.

We had kids with us, so we didn't do a lot that wouldn't have interested them. The thing about Gatlinburg that I remember most is the amount of people that were there. I've been to Vegas, Branson and a lot of other places...but was just amazed at the amount of people downtown when we arrived on the first night.

Make sure your brakes are good...the hills will do a number on them! :-)
terilyn
18 years ago
Get ready for traffic like you have never seen before! I'll take Houston traffic any day. My nephew is the manager of The Old Mill complex, he is the one that's really sick right now, don't know if he'll be working in June or not, send me an e mail and I'll give you his info so you can say hi of you want. Gatlinbutg is great, Cades Cove is a must see in the park. If you see bears don't get too close!
glenda_al
18 years ago
Just a little ways from Gatlinburg is Fontana Village. Fantastic place to go with family.

Spent many a summer there when I was growing up. Took my son. Great place!

DS and his new family are on their way home from a weekend at Gatlinburg.
paula_pa
18 years ago
Yes, it will be extemely crowded in June. The summer before Nick was born, DH and I rented a cabin from Diamond Mountain Rentals. We rented one right off the strip so we didn't have to drive and park whenever we went to the strip but it was UP from the strip LOL. It was a steep incline and I was pregnant and it was June but it was still better than having to drive to the strip and park whenever we wanted to explore. Going to the strip wasn't a problem - coming back was a workout. It was also right outside the national park entrance so we didn't have to fight the traffic on the main strip everyday.

I don't remember the name of our cabin but it was nice. It looked a little bit like this one but I don't think this is the same exact one. There were several cabins in that area though so maybe this was one of them.
patti43
18 years ago
Oh how fun for you!! If you haven't been there before you are going to love it. Terilyn mentioned Cades Cove--be sure to do that. We've always seen bears and other animals but the old church and cemetery are worth stopping at. Shopping is good at Pigeon Forge--lots of discount malls.

We've rented cabins 5 or 6 times. It is nice to have a leisurely breakfast or dinner at "home". Be careful, though. The first time I went with two of my sisters, our cabin was waaayyy up on a mountain with a narrow, twisty road. Learned from that to make sure the realtor knew we wanted something on a little flatter land--haha! The cabins are really nice--you've probably googled them and seen them already.

You won't be bored in only three days there, I guarantee. Enjoy! Now I want to go back.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
18 years ago
I've only been through Gatlinburg, when the ex and I took the kids to Dollywood. Alex was about 6 and Lauren about 2. It was miserable. Drove down there on windy roads, which took forever, spent the rest of the day at Dollywood and we had to come straight back home. He didn't want to stay overnight. Kids were exhausted and so was I.

It'll be nice to go and do whatever I feel like doing, lol. I think my friend wants to go to the outlet malls. I may look but I don't think I'll buy anything, maybe a souvenir for the kids.

What is Cades Cove and Fontana Village?
patti43
18 years ago
Cades Cove used to be Cherokee Indian grounds and later settlers took it over. Now. it's an area--I think the road is about 13 miles with really old churches, a house and other places to stop and look at. While on the road, if you see a bunch of cars all pulled over and people milling around, it's most likely they are watching bears. It's a pretty drive, even though I make it sound sort of boring. It's one of my favorite places in that area. I've always seen bears and deer. It's just a peaceful place.

Gatlinburg TN, cabins, motels?

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Gatlinburg TN, cabins, motels?

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