Gatlinburg Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘Gatlinburg Cabins’ Category

The school year is starting and the cooler air of autumn will soon replace the hot temperatures of summer. Meanwhile, amidst the mountain village of Gatlinburg, the lush green hills of the Great Smoky Mountains will begin its annual transformation into a sea of brilliant hues of orange, red and yellow.

With a variety of elevations and a wide diversity of trees, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a fall color season that runs approximately from mid-September to mid-November. Tourists will soon flock to Gatlinburg to watch as the colors slowly migrate down the mountainsides from the highest elevations to the foothills.

It also means some of the busiest traffic within the nation’s most visited national park. But you can enjoy the best of both worlds with a vacation at the 5-Star Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg.

Situated ideally near the main gateway to the national park, Westgate Smoky Mountain provides spacious and luxurious cabin accommodations with spectacular mountain views or stream views from your own private balcony. And few options offer such convenient entrance into the park for hiking, biking or simply driving through the Smoky Mountains during fall color season.

The Smokies are home to roughly 100 species of mostly deciduous native trees. Temperatures, rainfall and other variables help determine peak color seasons from year to year, but the stunning color displays typically begin above 4,000-foot elevations in mid-September. Beech, birch, maple, hobblebush and pin cherry trees at the higher elevations are visible from vantage points along Clingmans Dome Road. Other scenic drives for early fall colors include Parsons Branch Road and Newfound Gap Road.

For those who prefer hiking, the early color season can be enjoyed from trails such as Albright Grove and Sugarland Mountain Trail as well as high elevation hikes to Andrews Bald or Mt.

Middle and lower elevations typically reach peak color between mid-October and early November. These amazing displays include sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple and hickory trees. By this time, the sunny days and cooler nights can kick off a brilliant color display. The roads within the park will also get correspondingly busier. As a result, you might want to hike one of the many easy to moderate trails such as Lower Mount Cammerer, Baskins Creek Falls, Little River, Old Settlers and Porters Creeks Trails.

Other popular places to see fall colors in the Smoky Mountains include Newfound Gap Road from Alum Cave Trailhead to Kephart Prong Trailhead, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Foothills Parkway East & West, and Heintooga Ridge Road to Balsam Mountain Campground. Suggested hikes include Rich Mountain Loop, Chestnut Top Trail, Smokemont Loop, Kanati Fork, and Sutton Ridge Overlook.

For details about fall color season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fallcolor.htm. For information on Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Despite a recent early snowfall at the top of the higher peaks in the Great Smoky Mountains, the fall color season still has several fabulous weeks ahead in the Gatlinburg, TN area.

The snowy weather put an end to much of the color at the highest elevations above 4,500 feet, but a vibrant kaleidoscope will continue to develop in the coming weeks at the lower to mid elevations.

Currently, portions of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s mountainsides are exploding with color while other areas still remain primarily green.

Now is a great time to experience the beauty of the Smokies and the quaint mountain village of Gatlinburg, one of the main entrance points for the National Park. For information on discount Gatlinburg vacations, visit www.GatlinburgVacationStore.com.

While the Park offers a variety of opportunities for hiking and recreation, you’ll also find plenty to do in and around Gatlinburg. The town is filled with exceptional shopping, dining and fun-filled attractions designed for the entire family, including Wild Bear Falls Indoor Water Park at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is by far the biggest attraction of a Gatlinburg vacation. The park covers about 800 square miles and offers many attractions and activities to tourists. Sight seeing is the most common activity as the park is lush green with hundreds of species of wildlife and plants. There are rivers and waterfalls, too. Hiking is also very popular and Highway 441 bisects the park and gives access to many trails via car. You can also go backpacking and camping in the national park. Apart from these activities, you can also go skiing and fly fishing. There are many other attractions in downtown Gatlinburg which will make this a fun trip for the entire family. For details, visit www.GatlinburgVacationStore.com

A perfect Gatlinburg vacation package typically starts with a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park!  As the official gateway to the Smokies, the beautiful mountain village of Gatlinburg provides a great place to start and end your day in America’s most visited national park. Click for Gatlinburg hotels.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses 800 square miles of Tennessee and North Carolina wilderness.  The Park offers some of the most spectacular and inspiring natural treasures the Appalachian Mountains have to offer.

Although Gatlinburg is home to a variety of theme parks and attractions, the National Park remains the center piece of the area and entrance to the park is free!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected land areas east of the Rockies, providing 500,000 acres of forest and amazing views of rolling ridges draped in hazy-blue, “smoky” fog.

Established in 1934, the Park is also one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, providing a special sanctuary for thousands of species of plants and animals. And with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, the park provides plenty of opportunity to get out and explore all that nature has to offer.

After a long day in the park, you can head back into Gatlinburg, Tennessee and enjoy the many quaint shops, cafes and inns.  Or make the short drive over to nearby Pigeon Forge and enjoy many other friendly and fun family attractions.

For additional information on Gatlinburg dinner shows, Gatlinburg tickets and Gatlinburg discount vacation packages, visit www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com.

One of the most popular summer events in the beautiful mountain village of Gatlinburg, TN is the annual Craftsmen Fair. This fun-filled happening slated for July 17-26, 2009 offers more than 200 booths containing home made arts and crafts featuring some of the nation’s finest work. What better way to start your next Gatlinburg vacation.

Unlike many art shows, artisans on hand in Gatlinburg not only display their work for sale, but they also demonstrate their special talents and skills and answer questions about their work.

In addition to amazing arts and crafts, the Fair features great music, with live country and bluegrass concerts happening several times each day. Click here for Gatlinburg tickets.

Of course, the Craftsmen Fair is just the start of a great Gatlinburg vacation package. You can also find discount for a wide variety of other area theme parks, attractions and dinner shos.

One of America’s Largest Aerial Tramways departs regularly from downtown Gatlinburg…taking you up Ober Mountain to the Ski Resort and Amusement Park. Two 120 passenger counter balanced cars provide an experience for all ages, from the young to the young at heart. Kick back and enjoy scenic ride while getting an astounding aerial view of the Gatlinburg area and adjacent Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

When you reach the summit, the fun really begins. Cool off at the indoor ice skating rink. Win prizes at the arcade. Experience the thrills of an alpine slide and water rides. Or check out any of the other amusements like a pirate ship, bumper cars, mini golf and more.

And no trip to Gatlinburg is complete without a trip into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As the Gateway to the Smokies, there’s good reason why Gatlinburg remains one of the most scenic and most visited places in the nation.

For more information about Gatlinburg, Tennessee vacations, discount Gatlinburg vacation packages, Gatlinburg hotels and discount attraction tickets, visit http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com.

At Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, nature trails will take you from your cabin rentals in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg 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 down-home dining. 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.