I will be visiting your state at the end of May for my honeymoon. My bestfriend and his wife paid for a week's rental at a cabin resort in the Pidgeon Forge area. Aside from our honeymoon antics what are some things to do and see in that area of the state.
It has been years since I was in the Smokies and or Gatlinburg area. I know the traffic can be expected to be bad, but what us should I be on the lookout for.
Any good restaurants to go to, that are not tourist traps. How about some good southern cooking?

So how about it guys what is fun to do in that area, good to eat and things to avoid???

 

Theres all kinda stuff to do in Pigeon Forge.
1.Dollywood. It is a great themepark for rides and shows
2.Dixie Stampede. Supper and a show
3.Cades Cove. Go early in the morning and you will see all kinds of wildlife.
4.Space needle. Its in Gatlinburg, takes you high in the sky for a scenic view.
5.Horseback riding. If you like that sort of thing


As far as places to eat they are all kinds of choices, ask some of the locals when you arive and they will point you in the right direction.

Cades cove is in townsend, it is easy to find from pigeon forge and a must do. They are millions of other things to do these are just my favorites.

 

And to add to those Gear head needs; Floyd Garretts car museum is pretty cool to tour; its in Serville next to a chezy dealer. Additional attraction is the Aquarium in Gatlinburg.
Reptley's museum is not a good choice in my opinion.
The Supernations will be in Knoxville the weekend od the 16-18th of May;

Mitch

 

Dont forget the Pancake Pantry on the strip in Gatlinburg.

 

keep'em coming guys.. we are thinking on going to the aquarium, I am thinking of surprising her and taking a drive over to Asheville to go see the Biltmore. I know that is something she has wanted to see for a while.

We will probably do most of our food in the cabin; but go out every once in a while for fresh air and get a meal prepared for us.

 

Tourist traps in Gatlinburg??? Naw, surely not...Don't tell me that the tourist have found out about Gatlinburg...

Pretty much all of Gatlinburg is a tourist trap...

Tim

 

I forgot about the car museum, it is defanantly worth the ticket price. There is alot more cars inside than it appears to have.

 

I have to go through Gatlinburg quite a bit for work, I would rather take a beating than go through there in tourist season.

 

You mention the aquarium. If you've been through the one in Newport, I wouldn't mess with the one in Gatlinburg. I've been through both, and both are good, but they are about the same, in my opinion.

Last year my wife and I and the kids were down there and just for the fun of it, we went into Gatlinburg the back way and we left the back way. I don't remember the route exactly, but if you want to stop in some shops that are different then the stuff in Gatlinburg, you might want to consider that.

Smokey Mountain Knife Works is always a place I like to stop. It don't do much for the kids or the wife though.

I looked on mapquest and I can't figure out how we went last year. But I do remember there were some neat shops on the route we took. Not commercialized at all.

 

It wasn't Hwy 321 was it...

Tim

 

We made it to Pigeon Forge and traffic was at a stand still, so we ventured off 441 and went east then south. We hit 321 at the outskirts of Gatlinburg, but I don't remember the road, or roads we took. It was a winding and curvey drive, but it was a nice drive too.

 

I pretty much know where you were...I use to work in that area alot, and have been all over in there...

Tim

 

Sometimes the best scenery and most interesting places are found off the beaten path. Next time we go down there, we will find a different back way to get there. Just to do and see something different.