If you have not been to Gatlinburg, Tennessee you need to go! The smokey mountains are beautiful and there is so much to do! My husband and I took a short getaway recently without the kids, but there are plenty of family friendly things to do. The cabins are always reasonably priced, and they are located with beautiful views and minutes away from downtown things to do. The drive through the park alone is worth it! There are tons of places to pull off and admire the view.
We went to Clingman’s dome. The hike is a paved way to an amazing view! It is somewhat steep but very doable! There is a tower at the top and the view is beautiful.
We stopped by Elkmont ghost town. I found it to be a photographer’s dream! Full of interesting angles and textures. I could’ve spent hours there exploring. We visited midday so the sun didn’t give the pictures the atmosphere it deserves. Maybe this spot deserves a revisit sometime in our future, but maybe that’s just me.
We went up the Gatlinburg Skylift park, where you ride a ski lift up the mountain. There is a suspension bridge at the top which has glass floor panels in the middle. It is not for the faint of heart if you are afraid of heights. I didn’t have my big camera up there, which was unfortunate. I was terrified of dropping it!
We drove on the Tail of the Dragon! Which is 318 curves in 11 miles. Let me tell you, I never want to do that again! I was so carsick afterwards! If you get motion sick this one is not for you. But it was a once in a lifetime experience that was worth it. However, NEVER AGAIN!!!
On the way home we went by Cumberland falls. This was a worthwhile stop! The falls are beautiful, and it was a good break from driving.
The weather was absolutely perfect the whole time we were there! However, on the way back we were hit hard with rain. I took pictures out the window the whole time. They turned out to be some of my favorite landscapes. The sky was rolling! I loved every minute.
Thanks for reading.
