Tennessee travel

...and if you are adventurous and decide to go to the Nooga, drive a little further and go hang-gliding from Lookout Mtn. I have done many things in my life, and hang-gliding has got to be up there near the top on the list of funn activities.

...and if you are adventurous and decide to go to the Nooga, drive a little further and go hang-gliding from Lookout Mtn. I have done many things in my life, and hang-gliding has got to be up there near the top on the list of funn activities.

Can you believe I still haven't tried that

ladydebubba60, I also live in Johnson City area. I grew up about 10 miles from JC in a small community called Bluff City. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever been to Cherokee that I can remember. As far as Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge goes I stay away unless forced. Gatlinburg is like a strip of shops with the exact same items in every store. The hotel/motels are getting pretty old. However, they do have a nice aquarium. Pigeon Forge is the closest OUTLET shopping we have. It is so crowded that it is not safe to get around. Now Pigeon Forge is so full, shops are starting up in Sevierville. The interstate exit has a Bass Pro shop and another development being built. To me the area is like a GO-CART city with a little putt-putt and shopping in between. I prefer to eat in Pigeon Forge they have a lot more to choose from. But you don't see the old restaurants or mom and pop places like you used to. There is not a Smokey Mtn feel to any of the area. You would have to drive out to Cades Cove and venture through the mountains yourself to feel secluded and in the mountains.

Can you believe I still haven't tried that

No, I can't. Maybe you should go today and report back to us?

ladydebubba60, I also live in Johnson City area. I grew up about 10 miles from JC in a small community called Bluff City. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever been to Cherokee that I can remember. As far as Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge goes I stay away unless forced. Gatlinburg is like a strip of shops with the exact same items in every store. The hotel/motels are getting pretty old. However, they do have a nice aquarium. Pigeon Forge is the closest OUTLET shopping we have. It is so crowded that it is not safe to get around. Now Pigeon Forge is so full, shops are starting up in Sevierville. The interstate exit has a Bass Pro shop and another development being built. To me the area is like a GO-CART city with a little putt-putt and shopping in between. I prefer to eat in Pigeon Forge they have a lot more to choose from. But you don't see the old restaurants or mom and pop places like you used to. There is not a Smokey Mtn feel to any of the area. You would have to drive out to Cades Cove and venture through the mountains yourself to feel secluded and in the mountains.

Yeah, that is sad. The mom and pop type places are what make places great. We used to stop in Pigeon Forge when coming to Gatlinburg many many years ago and eat at a restaurant called Trotters. It was a family restaurant that served country style food. They would bring huge bowls of food and set it on the table in front of you. I definitely know that place is no longer in existence. I am sure that Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have now met end to end. I am familiar with Bluff City. Cades Cove is great. I need to talk my husband into a trip to that area sometime. I would go to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg again just to see how it has changed. Probably would stay in Knoxville though so I can see my old neighborhoods I grew up in and stuff.

Can you believe I still haven't tried that

No, I cannot believe it. If you want to go, give me a buzz. I would love to go again. Fall is best when you can see all of the colors on the trees.

My mom loves the Gatlinburg area- she loves the outlet malls, and liked some of the antique and craft stores when they existed (it's all crap now). But I finally taught her- DO NOT GO between Memorial Day and Labor Day, or you will do nothing but sit in traffic with half a million people tying to squeeze their way into the all you can eat buffets, that are gaining in numbers on the pancake houses. Or in the fall, when everyone goes down to "enjoy the leaves", but really just want another trip of souvenir buying and pancake eating. Good grief, what a beautiful place tossed into the toilet.

That said, my kids think it is fabulous. :roll: But you can't ride the Gatlinburg chairlift all day everyday. (I have spent large chunks of time doing this, and I'm not a big heights girl)
Townsend sounds like the ticket, or stay on the Park end of Gatlinburg, where you can at least walk into the park, and stay out of your car, and never go to Sevierville. Or head over to NC, where for some reason, most areas seem to be well cared for and not so trashed out. Can you tell I am done with G'burg???

Has anyone else noticed that the people roaming the streets (aka tourists) all look like they are drones, looking for the stores in which to shop? I don't see anyone buying anything, other than food, but they all appear to be going from store to store looking for the real stores without all of the same crap.

If it weren't for all of the tourists and most of the stores, Gatlinburg would be a really cool place. The cool hiker store and the cheap motel, both currently existing, is all Gatlinburg really needs to be a cool place. Everything else is crap.

No, I can't. Maybe you should go today and report back to us?

And supply pics afterwards!
Thanks, everyone, this is making for great reading!
ladyd, sorry, but Mr. Pod and I had a laugh about you asking if things had really changed in a 20-year (little more, little less...?) period!

Has anyone else noticed that the people roaming the streets (aka tourists) all look like they are drones, looking for the stores in which to shop? I don't see anyone buying anything, other than food, but they all appear to be going from store to store looking for the real stores without all of the same crap.

If it weren't for all of the tourists and most of the stores, Gatlinburg would be a really cool place. The cool hiker store and the cheap motel, both currently existing, is all Gatlinburg really needs to be a cool place. Everything else is crap.

You are so right! And I guess for every tourist like me that hates places like that, there are 5 to come in and replace me. So I don't think there is any hope for it to turn around, like I once thought could happen. Off the list for now.

Did I mention that my parents, who are now divorced, honeymooned in G'burg many moons ago. I blame their failing marriage on G'burg. :roll:

Did I mention that my parents, who are now divorced, honeymooned in G'burg many moons ago. I blame their failing marriage on G'burg. :roll:

OK- if we are having confessions...Bdarg and I got married on a Thursday afternoon, and since I had started a new job, we just had the Memorial Day weekend to go away. So the first day was spent driving his sister's belongings to Macon GA in our pick up truck...the usuaway things operate in this family....

THEN- we went to G'BURG (everything planned at last minute and no money- whatta ya do?). It was SO crowded, but nothing like now. Hiked in creeks and went horseback riding. We had told the hotel that we were honeymooning. so they gave us a room with the hot tub and mirrors in the living room- we laughed so hard and were kinda afraid to touch anything! But hey, it's been 15 years, and I LOVE to tell people that we honeymooned and Gatlinburg and watch them try not to laugh.:funn:

My family and another family stayed in Pidgeon Forge for Easter one year :roll: Actually we stayed in a cabin with 2 bedrooms up and 2 down...each with their own baths. It had great views, and it was a good place for the kids....we drove through G'burg and went hiking.
These places are not somewhere I would want to go for a quiet, relaxing and peaceful get away now a days! :shock: But they were fun places to take the kids...my kids spent their whole time at the ruby mines! Plus my son bungee jumped....

when we go, we rent cabins in the woods away from the people, i would not stay in downtown gatlinburg on a bet...i agree about all the shops selling the same stuff, crap in any store is still crap ! i do like to drive the craftsman's loop and look at some of the handicrafts that are home made.

Speaking of crap, if you go to Cherokee, NC, you will find plenty of "Indian" blankets and "Indian" pottery (aka-crap, made in China), being sold by the Cherokee tribes.

Speaking of crap, if you go to Cherokee, NC, you will find plenty of "Indian" blankets and "Indian" pottery (aka-crap, made in China), being sold by the Cherokee tribes.

yeah, we went there once too - once being the key word !

cherokee nc does have a harrah's casino now tho, sj....

cherokee nc does have a harrah's casino now tho, sj....

I know, I've been in it once, "once" being the key word. I am probably the rare person in the crowd -- I've been to Vegas three times and placed no more than ten bets total. The casino in Cherokee is similar to the ones in Vegas, except it seems that the majority of the games are electronic. I know Vegas has its share of automated games, but the one in Cherokee has them beat. I was ready to play craps and found only electronic craps games. I could do that online instead of following all of the smoking retirees to Cherokee.

No, I cannot believe it. If you want to go, give me a buzz. I would love to go again. Fall is best when you can see all of the colors on the trees.

I think buzzed is the key term

I think buzzed is the key term

The last thing you want to be when hang-gliding is "buzzed." ;-)

I'd just like to say I REALLY hate G'burg. REALLY. It's the ultimate tourist trap. I was going to post the website of a lovely mountaintop inn we stayed at last year in Wears Valley TN but sadly, it has closed.
Iffen it were me and I was in the area, I'd go to Hendersonville, NC. It's not that much farther away and so very Mayberry with lovely shops and beautiful mountains. It is also close to Lake Lure (where Dirty Dancing was filmed) and Chimney Rock (scene of much of the movie Last Mohicans).
http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/

I'd just like to say I REALLY hate G'burg. REALLY. It's the ultimate tourist trap. I was going to post the website of a lovely mountaintop inn we stayed at last year in Wears Valley TN but sadly, it has closed.
Iffen it were me and I was in the area, I'd go to Hendersonville, NC. It's not that much farther away and so very Mayberry with lovely shops and beautiful mountains. It is also close to Lake Lure (where Dirty Dancing was filmed) and Chimney Rock (scene of much of the movie Last Mohicans).
http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/

It is also close to Ashville...which is a lovely town!

I'd just like to say I REALLY hate G'burg. REALLY. It's the ultimate tourist trap. I was going to post the website of a lovely mountaintop inn we stayed at last year in Wears Valley TN but sadly, it has closed.
Iffen it were me and I was in the area, I'd go to Hendersonville, NC. It's not that much farther away and so very Mayberry with lovely shops and beautiful mountains. It is also close to Lake Lure (where Dirty Dancing was filmed) and Chimney Rock (scene of much of the movie Last Mohicans).
http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/

yummmm - daniel day lewis !

Did I mention that my parents, who are now divorced, honeymooned in G'burg many moons ago. I blame their failing marriage on G'burg. :roll:

I honeymooned there 28 years ago. It only lasted 21 years, bet G'burg was to blame for mine as well