My husband and I spent last week in the Smoky Mountains for our 6 year wedding anniversary. We try to take a kid-free vacation every year on our anniversary.
We originally planned to stay in a cabin closer to home, but Tennessee (Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg) is only about about 4 hours from were we live. Plus it’s a beautiful relaxing drive through the mountains.
Nothing works once you get into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The radio doesn’t pick up and there’s no cell service. Nothing but quiet curvy roads and lots of beautiful views. It’s marvelous! 😉
We stopped a few times along the way to take in the amazing mountain views and to snap some photos. The second we entered the park, there was an Elk grazing in a field. They have lots of bears there too, but we didn’t see any this time.
The cabin was beautiful. It’s a studio style cabin so both the upstairs and downstairs are wide open. We decided to stay one additional night since we found out the 4th night was free.
We spent most of our time playing pool and relaxing in the hot tub. My husband did a little fishing when the ducks weren’t around.
The ducks were very friendly. We fed them lots of bread and we became their new favorite people. Every time we stepped outside they came running up to us.
On the 11th, our actual anniversary, we drove to Gatlinburg and walked around and visited some of the shops. We bought airbrush tshirts for both the girls and had a caricature done, just like we did on our honeymoon.
There were LOTS of free moonshine tastings in Gatlinburg… and of course we tried them all! I think I had every type of moonshine ever made before noon. We ate lunch at Blaine’s Bar and Grill to sober up before hitting some of the hiking trails.
We did the motor nature trail in Gatlinburg. It’s a loop through the mountains with lots of neat places to stop along the way.
We stopped at an old cabin that was the farm of Noah “Bud” Ogle between 1883 and 1925. The first settlers called this place “Junglebrook” after the dense growths of rhododendron and magnolia that boarded the streams.
On the drive back home, we stopped at Clingman’s Dome.
At an elevation of 6,643 feet, it is the highest mountain in the Smokies, the highest point in the state of Tennessee, and the highest point along the 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail.
I love visiting the Smokies! I can’t wait to go back and bring the girls!
GREAT photos! I love the Gatlinburg area…haven’t been in ages though 🙁
Some day…
Hope you’ll stop by and link up 🙂
http://www.homeofohm.com/2014/11/wordlesswednesday-thats-not-window.html
Simply stunning. I had the opportunity to drive once thru the Smokies during the fall when the leaves were turning and it’s one of the most vibrant places I’ve ever seen. That lodge looks great and also looks like you had a great anniversary! Congrats!
Very beautiful . Makes me want to go there.
This looks stunning. I would love to visit Smoky Mountains!
The Smokey Mountains are really incredible to see
It looks like you had a wonderful time! I enjoyed looking at your photos, Have a terrific Wednesday.
Loved the photos looks fab there 🙂
Have a mountaintastic week 🙂
Wow. That place looks so majestic! I love that cabin! I wouldn’t mind staying an extra day either! That place looks like a dreamy place. Happy anniversary to you guys!
That cabin is absolutely gorgeous! I’d love to head there for a weekend!
What a fantastic place to stay. I have always wanted to go back to Gatlinburg and stay in a cabin.
We love Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg. It’s only a couple hours away from us and makes a perfect weekend getaway!
I’ve never been to the Smokey Mountains. Friends and family have. Everyone seems to really like it and photos are always gorgeous.
Looks like a gorgeous place to be! My husband and I took a kid-free anniversary trip this year and it was wonderful. I like that you guys do it every year- I’ll have to pitch that idea to my husband! 🙂
What an AMAZING room.
Mollyxxx
this place is gorgeous!! Oh my! it reminds me so much of our honeymoon cabin. I would never want to leave a place like this. perfection.
We have a trip planned for December. We visit a lot because it is only about 1 hour and a half away for us. We also have Dollywood passes which is fun for the boys. We always rent a cabin and have had a lot of luck with Timber Creek Cabin Rentals.
I really want to go to Dollywood! We were planning to take the girls with my sister and her family but the timing didn’t work out for us. Definitely planning to go with the girls next year!
I havent been to the Smokies in at least 12 years. I would love to go back and take my kids. d
What a great get away! Looks like a trip I would love to take
Oh what beauty! I don’t think that I would want to leave that cabin. Thanks for the great review and we’ll have to plan a trip down, soon!
I drove through the mountain a month ago. They are so pretty but scary when it’s steep.