Trolley Ride of Lights

Five dollars will get you more than just a footlong sub: In Gatlinburg, it can get you a ride on the Trolley Ride of Lights. From November 4 until January 30, you can enjoy a guided trolley ride of Gatlinburg Winter Magic lighting displays. The departure of the trolley takes place from Mass Transit/ Trolley Center at Ripley’s Aquarium Plaza every night at 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30. For more information, visit their website:http://www.ci.gatlinburg.tn.us/transit/trolley.htm

Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival

Do you want to get into the Christmas spirit early? Then attend the Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival, which runs from November 7th until January 2nd. Dollywood will demonstrate exactly how bright it can be with over four million Christmas lights. The festival also gets visitors in the mood with several Christmas shows. This year, Babes In Toyland and Christmas In The Smokies return as favorites from previous years. If you are looking for something for the little ones to enjoy, check out Santa’s Workshop, where larger-than-life-sized toys and an 18-foot Christmas tree provide wonder. For more information, visit their website : http://festivals.dollywood.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=95

20th Annual WinterFest in Pigeon Forge

Looking for something fun to do in the mountains during the fall? Check out the 20th Annual Winterfest Kickoff in Sevierville. During this festival, you can experience the beautiful fireworks along with free food and entertainment. Winterfest also brings together local business like Dollywood, Christus Gardens, and Ripley’s aquarium to present the most festive Christmas light displays in East Tennessee. However, the festival is not just about twinkling lights. It also includes holiday shows, snow skiing at Ober Gatlinburg and great discounts on lodging. For more information, visit here:http://www.smokymountainwinterfest.com/

Tulip Poplar

There is no better time to visit the Smokies than in the fall; the weather is nice, and the fall foliage is beautiful. The Tulip Poplars of the Smokies turn to bright yellow when the weather turns colder, so the mountains light up with color. The Smokies are also home to one of the tallest tuliptrees, standing 178.5 feet tall along Baxter Creek. The Tulip Poplar is also the state tree of Tennessee, so make sure to see one while you visit. 

Maxwell’s Beef and Seafood Restaurant

If hunger pains strike when you’re in Gatlinburg, Tennessee stop by Maxwell’s Beef and Seafood Restaurant. Maxwell’s offers numerous signature dishes including a steak and lobster meal for only $14.95. They also offer soups, salads, appetizers, beef, seafood, chicken, pasta, and dessert. Maxwell’s location on the Parkway makes it a perfect place to eat after a fun filled day.

 

A Winter Wonderland at Abrams Falls

 

Abrams Falls is a sight to behold in the wintertime. While the trek is fairly easy (5-miles round-trip), plan on roughly three hours, depending on your pace. With the departure point for this hike lying within Cades Cove, it is a popular trek among hikers. For a less busy hike, try making the trek very early in the morning or in the “off” season before May or after the last pockets of Fall color have disappeared. However, even on more crowded days, the hike to Abrams Falls is worth the effort.

The name Abrams is a shortened reference to Abraham, the Cherokee chief of a village on the Little Tennessee near the mouth of what is now Abrams Creek. The hike allows you to climb to approximately 1,800 feet at one point, but when you arrive at the falls you are actually 300 feet lower than when you started.

The trail to Abrams Falls parallels Abrams Creek most of the way, except when Abrams Creek twists left from Arbutus Ridge to form a nearly one-mile loop resembling a “horseshoe,” a stretch of the creek that has always been populated with trout fishermen when we’ve passed. At mile 2.5 you will cross Wilson Branch and take the short side trail to the falls. When you reach Abrams Falls have the camera ready – it’s really nice and highly secluded. Enjoy.

A Snowy Winter in Gatlinburg Tennessee

 

The elevations in the mountains of Gatlinburg are significant enough to provide ample snowfalls “at altitude.” Should there be little or no snow on the ground in town doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy snow at Ober Gatlinburg or atop Clingmans Dome. Whether you’re coming to Gatlinburg to ski or just to experience the beautiful winter scenes, you’re likely to find a snowy backdrop.

 

Fun in the Snow: Skiing, Snowboarding, and More at Ober Gatlinburg

 

Even though the temperature is cold, there is still plenty of fun outside to be had. Try skiing or snowboarding atOber Gatlinburg. To get to the resort, you take an aerial tram from downtown Gatlinburg. Trams run approximately every 20 minutes.

Once at the resort, you can enjoy several different winter sport options fromskiing and snowboarding to an indoor ice arena. Ober also offers a scenic chairlift ride. To see other entertainment options as well as rates and other information please visit Ober Gatlinburg’s website by clicking here.

 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

Cades Cove is a lush valley surrounded by mountains and one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. Cades Cove has lots to offer including a dozen hiking and horseback riding trails. Deer are almost always sighted in the fields, and observations of other wildlife, including bear, Wild Turkey, and fox are possible. Please use pullouts when viewing wildlife and never approach or feed animals.

A wide array of historic buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries is scattered throughout the cove. These include a gristmill, a variety of barns, three churches, and a marvelous collection of log homes and outbuildings.

An 11-mile one-way loop road takes you around the cove. Visitors can views many of the early settlers’ home sites, however many of the preserved buildings are located outside the loop. The Traffic will be heavy during the tourist season in summer and fall and on weekends year-round. 

Cades Cove – A heartbeat away from Gatlinburg

 

Cades Cove is a lush valley surrounded by mountains and one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. Cades Cove has lots to offer including a dozen hiking and horseback riding trails. Deer are almost always sighted in the fields, and observations of other wildlife, including bear, Wild Turkey, and fox are possible. Please use pullouts when viewing wildlife and never approach or feed animals.

A wide array of historic buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries is scattered throughout the cove. These include a gristmill, a variety of barns, three churches, and a marvelous collection of log homes and outbuildings.

An 11-mile one-way loop road takes you around the cove. Visitors can views many of the early settlers’ home sites, however many of the preserved buildings are located outside the loop. The Traffic will be heavy during the tourist season in summer and fall and on weekends year-round.