Gatlinburg

The City of Gatlinburg has officially announced the date it is planning to reopen for business. We have all been patiently awaiting for this news as our area continues to bounce back and recover from the recent wildfires.

Here at Visit My Smokies, we have always said that Gatlinburg, TN is an exceptional place - and the folks at Guinness can prove it! Our Smoky Mountain city has hosted an unusually high number of Guinness World Record setting events. Some of Gatlinburg’s record breaking feats were organized by the city’s Guinness World Records Museum, but others were just the result of determined individuals who lived in or were visiting the Smokies.

One of our favorite Smoky Mountain towns recently received some major love from TripAdvisor! The world’s most popular travel website compiled a list of 24 of America’s best “beautiful little mountain towns” and invited its users to vote for their favorite destination. We are pleased to report that Gatlinburg placed second on the list! Here is a look at the top five towns:

Pop Quiz: How do you move a 200 year old cabin? The Answer: Very carefully! This month, one of the most important historic buildings in Gatlinburg found a new home. As reported in the Sevier News Messenger, the famous Ogle Cabin said goodbye to its former location next to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and settled into its new digs at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center. The move was prompted by the development of Anakeesta Village, a brand new retail space in downtown Gatlinburg. Visit My Smokies has all the details on the cabin’s history, the big move, and what you can expect at Anakeesta Village.

Here at Visit My Smokies, we typically tell you all about the best things to do in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Frankly, we think we do a pretty good job. However, we have let our readers down in one crucial area: we rarely tell you what to avoid doing on your vacation. In this blog, we will correct this glaring oversight by sharing the top four things NOT to do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

We are thrilled to announce that one of our favorite Smoky Mountain cities is making headlines! The popular travel website TripAdvisor recently named Gatlinburg, Tennessee the nation’s top “destination on the rise”. This means that more and more people are discovering everything that Gatlinburg has to offer, and we couldn’t be more excited. Read on to learn about the significance of the award and why Gatlinburg is becoming one of the country’s hottest vacation spots.

Unless you’re Santa Claus, you probably don’t have an army of elves to make the perfect Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. While everything would be easier if you had your very own workshop in the North Pole, finding holiday gifts for your friends and family doesn’t have to be difficult! The cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee are home to some of the best specialty shops in the Southeast. If you will be visiting the Smokies during the holiday season, be sure to check out the top four places to go Christmas shopping in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN:

One of our favorite Smoky Mountain cities is back in the news! TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, recently released its guide to the top 10 fall foliage destinations in the U.S., and Gatlinburg, Tennessee scored a spot on the list. While New England typically gets the most national attention for its fall scenery, we are thrilled to see that the Gatlinburg fall colors are getting the recognition they deserve.

One of our favorite Smoky Mountain cities is getting some well deserved attention! ConventionSouth magazine recently named Gatlinburg, Tennessee one of the top 12 resort destinations for meetings and events. Offering a wealth of travel information for companies and other organizations, ConventionSouth is a leading voice in the meeting planning field.

There is a wide range of Smoky Mountain history found in the area, especially in the cities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. Not only were these towns home to some of the first settlers of the region, they also have their own unique stories on how they got their names.

For the first time since the Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s establishment in 1937, all 2,900 miles of the park’s streams are now open for fishing. The reopening of Lynn Camp Prong following a seven-year native, brook trout restoration project marks the park’s complete stream fishing availability, which is great news for both local and visiting anglers. The park and surrounding area boasts some of the most diverse fish populations in the country, making Gatlinburg fishing streams a destination for fishermen of all ages and skill level.

Are you restlessly counting down the days until spring break gets here, or at least trying to patiently wait until the warmer weather is here to stay? At Visit My Smokies, we could not agree more! That is why we are excited to announce all of the amazing benefits that come with taking a Gatlinburg vacation in March. With spring just around the corner, there is no better time than now to plan on spending a few relaxing days in the heart of the Smoky Mountains.

Most people know Gatlinburg as a city filled with exciting attractions, local restaurants and true Southern charm. What many travelers don’t know is how the name ‘Gatlinburg’ came about, but we’re here to give you all the details!