Family Vacation 2005:
Great Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee

Heath Hawkins

I decided to take a trip a few miles outside of Branson. Actually a few hundred miles from Branson. In late July of 2005 my wife and I left for our yearly family vacation. This year we decided to visit the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

My regular readers understand what a Branson nut I am. I am addicted to anything Branson. So I was a little apprehensive about vacationing anywhere new. This trip all started when Candace (my wife) said she would NOT spend another vacation in Branson. She likes Branson, but she is just not at my level. She wanted to go somewhere different. The destination search started and I was reminded of a childhood vacation to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I did a quick Google search and decided that the Smoky Mountains would be worth a second trip. From the information I found, it even looked a lot like Branson. Oh Boy!

I will be including individual reviews of some of the highlights from our trip. This review will serve as an overview of the area for those who have not visited the Smokies before.

We arrived in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee after a long drive across the state on I-40. The trip was about 11 hours from our home in Missouri. We went through Memphis and Nashville, TN which I am sure are both worthy of a future trip. We arrived at the Mountain Harbor Inn Bed & Breakfast late Tuesday afternoon on Day 1 of our trip. I have submitted an in depth review of the Mountain Harbor Inn. But know for now that it was breathtaking, with a view of beautiful Douglas Lake. After a day on the road it was nice to relax for the evening.

Day 2 of our vacation offered an opportunity to spend the day investigating Pigeon Forge, TN. I remembered from the trip during my childhood that this tourist town is centered around one main strip, much like Branson. However, the town has changed. When I was there 17 years ago, there was not much to do. I was blown away by the changes. The strip is several miles long and there are six lanes of traffic. The street is lined with shops offering anything you can imagine. There are also many family type attractions. Of course there are miniature golf courses and go-carts, but there are also several small amusement parks, 4-D movie theatres, museums and even indoor skydiving. We did not do a lot of the attractions, as everything is expensive. Also, since my wife is pregnant she was not able to do many of the attractions anyway.

One thing that did catch my wife’s attention was the largest Boyd’s Bear Factory/Store in the world. The Boyd’s Bear Barn is FREE and a must see while you are in town. It is on the east end of the strip and you will not be able to miss it. There are three levels and a basement. Even if you are not a collector, you will find something you can’t live without. The top level is actually a “Build A Bear Factory.” You can choose a bear and build it yourself. I thought I was too cool but Candi could not resist. It is set up like an actual factory. You get a hard hat and a time card. You clock into the factory and start to work. You select the bear you like and than they show you how you complete the bear. You even get to dress the bear and name it before you leave. The kids were having a blast, but I think the adults were enjoying themselves just as much. For about $30 Candi made a special toy that I know our new baby will cherish. What a great memory for us.

That evening we took in a show. This is one area that sets Branson apart. Branson prides itself on well over 100 different shows. Pigeon Forge does not have that many. I counted about ten different shoes including Dixie Stampede, Barbara Mandrell, Country Tonight, a magic show, Great China Acrobats, and a few country/variety shows. We selected a show called Elwood Smooch’s Old Smoky Hoedown. It claimed to be the only true “Smoky Mountain Hillbilly” show in town. We loved it and I have a complete review of that show. Look for it under “On The Road With Heath Hawkins.”

Day three was spent at the most visited amusement park and tourist attraction in the Smokes. We spent the day at DollyWood, named for country singer and owner Dolly Parton. If you like Silver Dollar City, you will love DollyWood. I also have a complete review of DollyWood.

We had checked out of the B&B before we left for DollyWood and we were excited to check into a cabin for the last two nights of our trip. When we arrived at our cabin in the Alpine Mountain Village we knew it would be something unique. Look for the separate and complete review of the Shutter Inn at Alpine Mountain Village.

On day four of our vacation we decided to venture to the next town over. We spent the day in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It is only a short 5 miles drive through the majestic Smoky Mountains. I had heard Gatlinburg was called the Alps of the Smokes. It lives up to that description. Branson fans will feel at home here with the slow moving two lanes of traffic. The city also thrives on tourism and defiantly focuses on their main strip. The one thing that sets Gatlinburg apart is how compact it is. The strip is literally wall-to-wall shops and attractions. The one thing you will not find on the street is parking. Unless your hotel is in Gatlinburg, you should plan to pay for parking. We found a public lot in the middle of everything and invested $5 in a convenient spot for the entire day.

There is something for the whole family here. From the average touristy type shop to upscale boutiques, you will find it in Gatlinburg. There are also lots of neat attractions to get your families attention. I have a separate review of a few of theses attractions including Ripley’s Aquarium, the largest indoor aquarium in America; the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum and Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. Look for those reviews under “On The Road With Heath Hawkins.”

There are also museums, restaurants, candy shops and even two ski lifts that you can ride to the top of the Smoky Mountains. After a day of shopping and attractions, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at The Hard Rock Café. I am glad that we planned early because the wait took a while. It was worth it. The service was great and the atmosphere was fun.

After dinner we were tired, but decided to take in the only live show in Gatlinburg. At least it is the only live show I know about. The Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre is a step back to the roaring twenties. This vaudeville show was delightful and unlike any I have ever seen.You will also find a complete review of this show separately.

The last full day of the trip promised to be one of the most memorable. We decided to truly experience the Great Smoky Mountains. Of course they surrounded us all week, but we wanted to venture out of town and experience their beauty. Just east of Gatlinburg you will enter the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After a quick stop at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park Visitor and Information Center, we were off. The ranger we spoke with suggested to trip through the mountains and into North Carolina. We followed his advice.

The mountains were amazing. The road followed the Little Pigeon River for most of the trip and offered picturesque scenes of nature. There were also majestic mountain overlooks and nature hikes that took you even further into the mountains. Candi and I are built more for drive by scenery, not nature hikes. We saw plenty without taking a 2.7-mile nature hike, if you know what I mean. We did stop at the New Found Pass Overlook where Tennessee becomes North Carolina. Great picture opportunity. Next was Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Smoky Mountains. Of course once you are at the top of the mountain, there is still a 0.5-mile walk to the dome. We never actually made it to the dome, but the people coming down said the view was great. We took their word for it.

Finally at the end of our two-hour road trip we found ourselves in Cherokee, North Carolina. We were actually on an Indian reservation. I was excited. We started looking for the Indian village, but quickly discovered that times had changed. The road was lined with tourist shops with Indian themes. My wife even panned for gold at a tourist mining camp. We did finally find the Cherokee Indian Museum. We found it very interesting. We learned there that there is an actual Indian Village that you can tour, but it was raining so we decided to head back to Tennessee. I wish that we had planned to spend more time in Cherokee. If we ever make it back, this will be a priority.

The next day was the trip home. As we left my mind was filled with great memories of our time in the Great Smoky Mountains. I would say it is the next best thing to Branson.

One note that I have not mentioned before in a review concerns time-share and vacation club tours and sales pitches. This bit of information is also relevant in Branson, MO. No matter what tourist town your are in, you will find hagglers on the street and in the shops asking if you are married and if you like to see a show for FREE. I know it sounds to good to be true. There is a catch, but I think they are worth it. Most of these hecklers are offering you something in exchange for touring a timeshare property or listening to a spill about a vacation club. It may be a little inconvenient, but I think they are worth taking advantage of. Candi and I do them all the time. Some will offer FREE hotel nights, FREE show and attraction tickets, even cash. While in the Smoky Mountains we took two tours. Each offered $100 cash and one also included a FREE $25 gift card at The Outback Steakhouse. They say that the spill will take 90 minutes, but you should plan for at least two hours. Also, you have to be able to say NO to the salesman after the tour. This is a topic I may write a more on in the future. So check back for that review.

We loved our time in the Smoky Mountains. So will you! For more information or for a FREE vacation-planning packet visit www.mypigeonforge.com for information on Pigeon Forge, TN or www.gatlinburg.com for information on Gatlinburg, TN. I will have reviews and pictures of some of the individual lodging and attractions listed above, so please check for those reviews. If you visit any of them, tell them that Heath from Branson Critic Online sent you.

What do you think? Your opinion is your opinion. Let me know at hhawkins@waynesville.k12.mo.us.