Top 10 Favorites in the Great Smoky Mountains



Today, my father-in-law and sister-in-law arrive for a visit. I remember fondly through the years of all the things we have done together with visiting family. Not everybody shares the same interests so with each group of relatives that visits, we are able to explore different parts of our beautiful county. When the children were little, we would hit the obvious go cart tracks, amusement parks, waterslides. But now that they are grown and we get to play tourist with adults, it is an entirely different world. We live in a beautiful part of the country. There is much to see and do. Hubby and I will occasionally take a day off and play tourist ourself.

Today I am featuring my Top 10 Favorites things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains as I hop on board the Tuesday Train.

1. Cades Cove - I love the drive around the 11-mile one way road that loops through Cades Cove. It has many historial sites such as some of the original log structures that were home to the families of the Cove before it became part of the national park. There are old churches, old cemeteries; the place is steeped in history. It is not unusual to see deer and bear meandering in their natural habitat.

2. Townsend - On your way to the Cove, you can stop and visit the town of Townsend, TN. There are walking trails, white water rafting, and tubing. You can also stop in the many craft and antique stores along the way. I love going to the Apple Valley Farm. It is a unique country store with crafts and decor that celebrate the Southern way of life. While there, I always like to have lunch at the Back Porch Restaurant. Good ole country cooking like your Mom would make.

3. Cherokee, NC - Nothing in this world is as breathtaking as the views of the mountains as you drive the winding roads through the Smokies to Cherokee. At one point, you can park and see the panaramic view of the exact point where you leave Tennessee and cross into North Carolina. For me, there is no place on earth that says "God lives here" like the pinnacle of the Smokies. I love heading over to Cherokee and touring the unique shops and watching the artisans perform their skills on the Cherokee reservation.

4. Wears Valley Antiques - Nestled in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains is a little community called Wears Valley. We love to go there for the day and visit the antique stores and craft malls. I love the handcrafted items of the area. There is one store called Moonshine Ridge that contains some of the best fudge you will ever put in your mouth. They have a little cafe as well. I always have to stop there for a hotdog. I can easily spend a whole day in the Valley.

5. Horse drawn buggy ride at Cades Cove - Another "must" if you ever visit the area is to take the Horse Drawn Buggy Ride through the woods surrounding Cades Cove. We have seen a bear every time we have taking the ride. But the horses ignore the bears and the bears ignore the horses. I guess it has become a way of life for both of them. One time, we actually took the horse back trail ride through the park. But my husband's horse, Smoky, kept lagging behind and we would have to wait on him to get going again. The problem was that my horse, Sultan, thought he was the leader and he kept trying to go ahead of the trail boss every time Smoky caused us to stop. It was not one of my more pleasurable horse rides sitting atop 1,000 pounds of attitude.

6. Town of Gatlinburg - No trip to the Smokies is complete without a visit to the quaint town of Gatlinburg. Shops of all types line the main street. There are also many things to see and do in Gatlinburg, such as Hillbilly Golf, Ripley's Aquarium, Guiness World Record Museum, Mysterious Mansion, and much more. There are many benches lining the streets. You can grab a box of fresh Karmel Korn, a lemonade and simply park yourself and people watch. I love walking up and down the streets of town.

7. Ole Smoky Mountain Candy - One of the most frequently visited spots (in my opinion) is the Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen. You can spend time at the huge windows watch taffy being pulled or fudge poured and cooled. Then journey on into the store for the biggest supply of fresh made candy you have ever seen. I never go there without buying a pound of the their milk chocolate orange creams. They have been an addiction of mine for over 30 years since my very first trip to Gatlinburg for our honeymoon.

8. Apple Barn - Probably one of the most well-known spots in the Smokies is The Apple Barn and their farmhouse style restaurant. I love visit their. We like to go in the shop itself. They have some gorgeous items for decorating, some kitchen items for cooking, recipe books, baskets and much more. Then cap off your day with dinner at the restaurant. They start you out with a free serving of apple fritters, homemade apple butter and apple juleps that are to die for. Every meal comes with a bowl of homemade vegetable soup. Your veggies come in serving bowls so you can share. Run out of veggies? Simply let them know and they will bring a free refill. One of the few restaurants I know where you definitely get your money's worth.

9. Craftsmen Community - Another must see is the local artisan's in the Glades area of Gatlinburg. Make the loop through the Glades and visit some of our local craftsmen and women at work as they display the many talents passed down through the ages. You can watch the artists of the Craft community as they make brooms, woodcarvings, candles, pottery and much more. You can easily spend the day in the Craft Community and pick up some wonderful items at your home at prices that are unbelievable for handcrafted items. I make a trip out there several times a year just to see what new things I might stumble upon.

10. The Chimney's - Name for it's high mountain top that resemble a chimney in shape, this area is a great way to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of life. Pack a picnic, some hiking boots and some dry clothes and head to the Chimneys. The picnic area is tucked among the trees as you enter the Chimney's. Park your car and enjoy a relaxing lunch. The picnic area is on one of the many rushing streams that flows through the mountains. If you are adventurous enough, climb around in the stream on the rocks or perch on a rock as you watch your children frolic in the water. I warn you, it is very tempting to touch your toes to the water and sometimes slip right on in and enjoy the cool mountain stream on a hot summer day (therefore I recommend packing dry clothes...just in case). And for those of you who are energetic and love nature, you can hike the trail to Chimney Tops and get a great view of the mountains.

Well those are my Top 10 favorite things to do. There is so much more that I couldn't even begin to cover it all. It was hard enough to pick just 10. We vacation here for the first 8 years of our marriage and loved it so much that we finally moved here. I think that's why it doesn't bother me if we don't go on an actual "vacation" some years. We can vacation any weekend we want to and not have the trouble of packing, the long drive or the expensive gas.