Ultimate Guide for the Smoky Mountains
Tucked away in the mountains was Misty Mornings, our cozy cabin we rented through VRBO. Surrounded by tall pine trees and nature, this peaceful cabin was the perfect place to stay! We were able to enjoy our morning coffee on the porch deck, and unwind after enjoying a day filled with activities.
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Skylift Park
If you want to see some of the best views of the Smoky Mountains, then you must go to Skylift Park in Gatlinburg. The park includes the SkyTrail, SkyBridge, and SkyDeck. We arrived at the park shortly after 11am on a Thursday. We waited in a short line to buy our “one-time” pass then moved into a little longer line to go up the sky lift. It was about a 15 minute wait, but the next day we saw an extremely long line waiting to get into the park. (TIP: If you go on a Friday or Saturday, then be sure to arrive early). Once we arrived to the SkyPark, we enjoyed taking in the sweeping views of the mountains from the SkyDeck. Then, we walked across the SkyBridge. Did you know that the SkyBridge is the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America?
Village shops in Downtown Gatlinburg
The well-known Pancake Pantry was on our list of places to eat while we were in the Gatlinburg area. There’s almost always a line, but it moves quickly. And, there are plenty of cute shops in the Village shopping area, including The Hayloft, Misty Mountain Soap Co., and Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen. Another popular spot is the Donut Friar, which we came back to another morning, to enjoy some of their delicious donuts and baked goods. (TIP: The Donut Friar is cash only so bring your $ or you’ll have to go to the ATM nearby.)
The Peddler
The Peddler Steakhouse in Gatlinburg was once the Ogle family cabin. It’s history, excellent food, and view of the Little Pigeon River keep guests coming back to this popular restaurant. It has a classic, old steakhouse atmosphere but is very casual. On our visit, we called ahead to put our name on the wait list, but now the restaurant is only taking reservations online. For dinner here, we each enjoyed steaks with their baked stuffed potato. The entrees come with their fresh baked bread and salad bar. Their salad bar had a lot of options, and it can definitely be a meal in itself. Everything we had was very good! The dessert selection was also great, but we had to pass because we were just too full!
Dollywood
Recognized as America’s theme park, Dollywood was opened in 1986. Dolly Parton is the co-owner of Dollywood, which covers over 160 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains. The theme park features rides, shops, entertainment, crafts, an amazing eagle sanctuary, and much more. Even though it is pricey, I figured I had to experience Dollywood at least once in my life!
Our time at Dollywood was in December, during the Smoky Mountain Christmas. The park was beautifully decorated, with many trees, lights, and Christmas decorations. A day spent at Dollywood is a unique experience, and we enjoyed seeding the replica of Dolly’s childhood home along with the one room schoolhouse. We were also able to walk through Dolly’s bus, which was decorated in pastel pink and gold. The Eagle sanctuary was also a highlight to see in Dollywood! Unfortunately, the Chasing Rainbows Museum that housed many of Dolly’s artifacts and memorabilia, was closed. One of the employees told us that all of the museum’s items were removed by Dolly.
The Dollywood Express train line was extremely long so we didn’t go on the train ride, but we were able to watch the steam-engine begin it’s roll down the track. And we were able to go on a few rides, but most of the roller coasters had a 90 minute wait time or more. )TIP: The Dollywood APP is helpful to download before you go. You’ll find wait times for rides, theme park map, show times, as well as other special events.) At the end of our day at Dollywood, we stopped in the gift shop and purchased souvenirs.
Island of Pigeon Forge
In the massive entertainment complex, you’ll find shops, restaurants, music, rides, games, and entertainment. We visited the Island of Pigeon Forge one evening during Winterfest. After parking on site, we immediately found our way to the Fountain Courtyard, where we watched the water fountains light up and dance to choreographed Christmas music. Then we made our way to the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel. Inside the gondola, we had spectacular views of the entire island along with beautiful Christmas lights down below. We walked around some shops and stopped in Yee-Haw Brewing for a cold beverage.
Local Goat
We enjoyed dinner at Local Goat in Pigeon Forge on our first evening in the smokies. The Local Goat is a New American restaurant, with locally sourced menu items. Although there was a long wait, we were able to get seats at the bar top. We ordered drinks then our meals. I enjoyed coconut shrimp and Kevin had The Elvis burger….yum! Both our meals and the service was excellent! (Side note: come here hungry because the portions are large!)
Big Daddy’s Pizzeria
One evening, we wanted a night in to relax at our cozy cabin in the mountains so we decided to have an early dinner. We ordered online from Big Daddy’s Pizzeria. We purchased a large Big Kahuna pizza (similar to a pineapple/ Canadian bacon pizza), a house salad, and chocolate chip cannoli to share. Our order was ready when we arrived to pick it up, and everything was delicious!
Crockett’s 1875 Breakfast Camp
We had breakfast at Crockett’s 1875 Breakfast Camp in downtown Gatlinburg. Before we made our way into town, we called ahead to join the wait list. Once we arrived, we still had a bit to wait so we glanced around at the rustic decor. The interior is decorated with a camp-like, lumberjack theme. And through a large window, we noticed the large cinnamon rolls and biscuits being prepared. Once seated, we placed our order. I had the two scrambled eggs breakfast with bacon, and biscuits & gravy. My husband enjoyed the black bear camp skillet – tons of food! Both meals came with one of their corn pones – those were a treat!
