A Weekend Getaway to Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge
This past weekend I took a little trip to East Tennessee and explored Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for a few days. I thought I’d share a few photos from my weekend in the Smokey Mountains.
If you have never been to the area mark it on your bucket list of places to visit right now. The scenery is breathtaking and while there is plenty of nature to explore, there are also amusement parks, restaurants, and shops to occupy an entire vacation.
We stayed at the Home2Suites by Hilton hotel in Pigeon Forge and the girls had no trouble settling in and enjoying the relaxing getaway. The hotel is pet-friendly with a $50 fee per pet for the length of your stay.
The weather was amazing and we spent most of the weekend walking around town exploring all of the little shops and sights.
Gatlinburg is a very touristy little town. Most of the shops, restaurants, and attractions are located along the main road through town.
While exploring the tourist area was fun, my favorite part of the entire trip was driving into the Smokey Mountains National park. I read online that one of the best places to see wildlife in the park is Cades Cove. It was a twenty-five-mile drive winding through the mountains and following along a rushing stream.
Cades Cove was beautiful and I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in the area. There are lots of places to pull off to explore and take photos. We saw many photographers taking advantage of ‘golden hour’ as the sun cascaded over the mountains casting a golden hue over the entire area.
There were two little wooden churches nestled in the forest along the drive as well as houses, barns, and outdoor structures. All of the buildings were open
Overall the weekend was a wonderful relaxing getaway and I’d highly recommend the area for a quick weekend trip or even an extended vacation. I can’t wait to go back!
