Yes, the hotels are cheap there, although we stayed in a cabin ($$$) once that was very nice. The meals at Old Mill feed two. We ordered and ate several times off the "leftovers" that we took away.

:-)

You know the kids liked it when they want to go back. There are advantages and disadvantages when you go with someone else.

Next time we go with someone else, we will have our own car. That would solve all the problems we had with another couple. We could have the fun of being with friends, but also the freedom of taking care of our needs and wants.

Pigeon Forge is a big interesting place and probably worth going again.
Glad you had fun!

Rita, you have to want to eat the same thing, though.

Judy, the kids didn't go with me on this trip. It was a mom only trip. The kids would've been bored silly shopping. Now, Alex wants to go camping again. I think that's what we'll do.

I'm not a big fan of Pigeon Forge (been there, done that more than once) BUT I love the apple barn. The fritters are wonderful and they sell the best apple butter.

Linda

Sorry your cabin wasn't up to snuff. We've always had really good luck with them. Was yours easy to get to? I mentioned earlier that the first one we rented was treacherous to get in and out of.

Haven't been back for a few years, but those outlet malls are something else, huh? Sorry you didn't get to Dollywood. We had lots of fun there.

If you did not take in "Cades Cove", you missed a great piece of early America in that region.

I was there last week (Monday -Friday) 4 nights with 3 of my college friends. Every year we get together in a different part of the country for a reunion. We had a great time. I don't especially think the rooms are "dirt cheap". My room was $147.00 per night. We all stayed at the inn at Christmas place and it was very very nice. Big beds with overstuffed mattress pads. Lovely linens and a very nice breakfast which included an omelet station. I don't want to stay in a cabin . I'll take a nice hotel any time. But, I do know a lot a people who love the woodsy style. Tennessee is certainly the place for anyone who loves that sort of thing. Absolutely beautiful mountains. My favorite place to eat is the Cafe Bakery at the Old Mill. We weren't too impressed with the menu at the Old Mill so we didn't eat there. We did go to Dollywood. That was not at all what I thought it would be. Very disappointing. We didn't stay there too long. Don't know that I would go back but all in all it was a nice trip. I will say Tennessee has absolutely the best drinking water I've ever had. The tap water there is fabulous......I think it's a fun place to go if you've never been.. and you must take the trolley to Gatlinburg. We enjoyed that.

Don't think I've ever been there!

Kathy, did you drive up into the Smoky Mountains?

We were at Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg a few years ago. Couldn't stay long, as it was just a day trip from Crossville, but the view from some hotel at top of Gatlinburg was amazing. It was February and the Smokies were all overcast and smoky looking. Very pretty.

Jodi-

Jodi, the cabin was up in the mountains, hanging off the side of a cliff, in fact. Very pretty looking out over the valley behind the cabin. We didn't go any further than that, though. I would've done more siteseeing if it were me and the kids but my friend was there mainly to shop.

Did you shop at the gianormous Boyd's Bear store?

Jodi-

No, we went to the outlet stores: Coach, Fossil, Lane Bryant, Sketchers, Nike, KB Toys, a uniform shop, and a few others I can't remember. We didn't have time to go to a few I wanted to. Didn't see the Boyd's Bear store, is it in one of the outlet malls?

Boyd's Beara was in Gatlinburg about a block off the main drag up on a small hill.

We saw it while driving around town. It's a huge barn-like building but we didn't see any signs saying what it was so we went up to investigate and were surprised to see it was Boyd's.

What luck, our next door neighbor collects Boyd's bears (which is why I even knew of them), so we stopped in and went shopping.

Jodi-

We traveled that area several years ago with a RV. I did like the outlets and we also took a driving trip down thru the Smokey Mountains. Can't remember which road, but it was one of the two lane ones that kind of circled back. Stopped at a old country store with all sorts of neat stuff. Some men sitting around with a real spittoon and they were so nice not to use it while I was in the store. Also I looked around and said to the guy, is that what I think it is? Yep real moonshine. My BIL made it and boy was it interesting? Great trip, but watch out for the wild pigs. Great area with alot to see.