Danae/Smokies Vac Recs

Re: Danae/Smokies Vac Recs

• BrendaK member

  June 2009

  I've only been there once and didn't see everything, so don't take this as gospel. :-)

  From what I saw, these are your choice:
  1) Hotel in downtown Gatlinburg (walking distance)
  2) Cabin outside of town (not walking distance) with a mountain view
  3) Cabin outside of town (not walking distance) with privacy
  

  We were on our honeymoon, so we did the private cabin thing. We stayed in this cabin - LOVED it. Here's the rental company we went through, I think you can search their site by number of bedrooms, view, privacy, etc.
  

  I think many of the "Gatlinburg" cabins are in Pigeon Forge (ours was).

  Be warned, if you get a cabin with a "view" they are built on top of each other (you can see in some of the pictures on the website above).

  I remember thinking that it would have been nice to stay at one of the downtown hotels within walking distance to everything, plus I thought it was cool that they were on the river. This is the only hotel I can actually remember seeing.
  

  
  
  

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• lemen99 member

  June 2009

  Thanks Brenda!!!  if it were just DH and I, I'd totally go for the cabin, but I'm leaning towards the hotel :-)

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• BrendaK member

  June 2009

  No problem!

  I think if/when we go again, we'll also opt for a downtown hotel. The drive to get up (up, up, up) to our cabin took forever... And it was a long, narrow, winding driveway that DH had to do a 10-point turnaround in. I mean, it was great for us because we had all the time in the world, but with Paige - she doesn't quite get the "patience" thing. Plus, it'd be nice to not have to get her in and out of the car every time we went somewhere! :-)
  

  
  
  

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• lemen99 member

  June 2009

  ugh haha, and I get really bad car sickness :-)

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• inkygirl

  June 2009

  I would definitely stay in Gatlinburg over Pigeon Forge, FYI.  Pigeon Forge comes first as you're driving down 441 and it's much more commercialized.  Gatlinburg is much closer to Smoky Mountain National Park.  If you want something way more natural setting, check out Wears Valley.  It's not too far, but there's way less people and it's close to the river and such. 

  There's a Fairfield Inn and Suites that's right in downtown G'burg.  It's almost directly across the street from the Aquarium.  I've heard good things about the Ramada that's downtown too. 

   Once you're there, make sure you go to the Pancake House that's right on the Parkway.  I can't remember the name of it, but maybe Danae will.  Phenomenal food.  And the Aquarium is great...Andrew would probably love the shark tunnel and all of the colorful fish.  Oh, and if you like to putt putt, you have to do Hillbilly Golf.  It's the best putt putt course ever. 

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• MrsRender06

  June 2009

  I also say to stay in Gatlinburg. We have never stayed at any of the hotels there, so I can't give you any ratings on those.  The Fairfield did look like one of the nicer ones. Just a heads up tho..a lot of them are more like motels than hotels. They are a bit on the older side. There  was also another hotel by the aquarium, but I can't remember the name. I will have to go look at my notes and get back to you.

  We went thru Sunset cottage rentals with our cabin on our honeymoon. Great company to work with. We had a mountain view and it was not next to any other cabins at all. We were secluded and WAYY up in the mountains. They no longer have our cabin on that company, but another rental company does. I will have to find the name of it again. Most cabins are not walking distance.

  Anyways...this last time we went we stayed in Pigeon Forge. Only reason was b/c we wanted to stay in the new Christmas Place Inn. If you do decide to stay in Pigeon Forge, I very very much recommend this hotel. Very nice. We were there when it was cold, so I can't remember much about walking distance to everything there b/c we didn't walk.

   Also...THE PANCAKE PANTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To die for. Great food in Gatlinburg. Also the Dixie Stampede in  Pigeon Forge was a great dinner show. We also ate at the Old Mill in Pigeon  Forge and that has a great breakfast..but nothing like the pancake pantry.

  Definitely take a day to do the park. They have great hiking trails and historical sites. We never saw any bears b/c  we went when it was really hot the first year and they wouldn't come out. The last time we went we didn't have time to do the park. It's absolutely gorgeous. Some restaurants even offer picnic lunches for you to take for a picnic in the park.

  I hope I helped some. I will get back to you on some more when I check my notes. I hope you have a wonderful time. I absolutely LOVE It there.

  ~Micah and Danae 6-17-06~
  
  ~GRACIE JEAN 7-5-08~
  
  
  

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