Smoky Mountain Vacation Blog

When it comes to family vacations in Gatlinburg, there’s never a lack of attractions and activities to keep you busy in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

While there are any number of fun-filled itineraries that you can create, why not start the day at the top - that is, at the top of Harrison Mountain at Ober Gatlinburg. Simply take the Gatlinburt Aeriel Tramway on a picturesque 2.2-mile journey up the mountainside. Then spend a few hours, or the entire day, enjoying the array of year-round entertainment. You’ll find year round ice skating, snow skiing in the winter months, amusement park rides, a wildlife habitat viewing area and more.

Of course, if you really want to enjoy the Smoky Mountains, you’ll also want to journey into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Great Smokies, and the park features hundreds of miles of hiking trails that range from quiet strolls to expert hikes.

The Gatlinburg area is also a fishing paradise - offering some of the best trout fishing in the area. It’s a perfect activity for the entire family as you can find locations where only children are allowed to fish as well as a wheelchair accessible fishing pier.

After exploring the national park, you can always return for a fun and relaxing time along Gatlinburg’s Main Street. Enjoy everything from arts and crafts, miniature golf, go-carts, golf courses, museums, aquariums and haunted houses to a virtually endless array of shops and restaurants.

To experience the amazing arts and crafts of Gatlinburg, visit the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community, an 8-mile loop that is unparalleled in variety among the largest group of independent artisans in North America. Watch as these amazing artists whittle, paint, sew, cast, weave and carve to create original collectibles such as candles, dolls, baskets, ceramics, jewelry, quilts, pottery, leather, stained glass, framed art and much more.

For more information on things to do in Gatlinburg, you can visit www.GatlinburgVacationStore.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a great vacation spot offering a wide variety of fun and recreation designed for the entire family. If you are looking for outdoor recreation, Gatlinburg puts you near the gates to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park where you’ll find some of the best hiking and most beautiful scenery in the nation. The mountain villages of Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge also offer a variety of other entertainment options, ranging from theme parks to comedy and musical dinner shows. Kids of all ages will be delighted with the assortment of museums and shops, as well as a 60,000 square foot indoor water park – Wild Bear Falls at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort. With so much to do, buying discount Gatlinburg ticket packages online can help you save time and money.

Tennessee has many places you can go with your family, however, it is no surprise that Gatlinburg remains one of the state’s most highly visited destinations. As the Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg has something to offer everyone in the family. The park offers hundreds of miles of scenic hiking trails and spectacular drives. There are quaint cabins and campgrounds for the adventurous as well as theme parks, comedy shows and dinner theatres for those looking to relax and have a good time. You can buy a wide variety of Tennessee family vacation packages online. These all encompassing packages are designed to help you save time and money. Check out the year-round packages available now at www.GatlinburgVacationStore.com.

There are hundreds of hotels in the Gatlinburg area, and choosing the right one can add a lot of fun and excitement to your Smoky Mountain vacation. If you like the Great Smoky Mountain National Park experience, you can rent a variety of cabins or find motel and hotel lodging near the park in both Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge. You can find everything very upscale luxury cabins to budget backpacking cabins. While Gatlinburg is the Gateway to Smoky Mountain National Park, Pigeon Forge cabin rentals work great for those who are interested in the many other attractions, theme parks and dinner shows available to visitors.

Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort now offers the largest indoor water park in the south – 60,000 square feet of wet excitement under a retractable roof! Wild Bear Falls pays homage to the adjacent National Park with attractions like Cades Cove Lazy River, Clingman’s Dome (360-foot body slide), Laurel Falls (300-foot tube slide) and Little Pigeon River, a zero-entry pool and toddler play area. For your Westgate Gatlinburg vacation package with 2 Tickets to Wild Bear Falls Indoor Waterpark starting from $99, please click www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com

Westgate Smoky Mountain
915 Westgate Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

At Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, nature trails take you straight from your cabin rentals in Pigeon Forge into the densely wooded forest of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is adjacent to the resort property.

Within Gatlinburg and neighboring Pigeon Forge resorts, you’ll find a dazzling selection of Vegas-style revues, country souvenir shopping, arts and crafts, and amazing down-home dining. Enjoy a Gatlinburg dinner and show.  Plus, the world-famous Dollywood theme park is only 10 minutes away.

Most rustic luxury villas at the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort feature a stone fireplace and a fully equipped kitchen with microwave and dishwasher, as well as a garden spa tub in the master bathroom. Guests of this Gatlinburg resort enjoy two large swimming pools during warmer weather, each with a six-person in-ground hot tub.

Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort
915 Westgate Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

The Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort is located off of the Gatlinburg Parkway in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. A perfect location adjacent to the The Great Smoky Mountains National Park with trails leading directly from your cabin. The cabins are rustic, lodge style accommodations with nearby Pigeon Forge offering more than 40 attractions for your perfect family vacation. Plus, Dolly Parton’s Amusement park, Dollywood, is located only six miles from the resort. Click for Gatlinburg vacation discount packages.