October 2014
The Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee are a popular fall vacation destination. The main draw is the colorful fall foliage. The foliage was less than colorful, although I suppose green is a color. However, it was still a fun trip. We spent a lot of time walking around downtown Gatlinburg visiting various stores and tourist destinations, dining at great restaurants, sampling moonshine and just people watching. We also took the aerial tram up to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort for their Oktoberfest and spent a day visiting the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair. We spent one morning in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg's slightly more obnoxious and touristy neighbor. The trip was rounded out by some time in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
We stopped at Draper Mercantile in Draper, VA for lunch and some very eclectic shopping on the way to Tennessee
Finally made it to Tennessee!
Last time I was in the south this was called Mr. Gatti’s Pizza. Still no relation though.
Wonderworks’ upside-down building is one of many outlandish tourist attractions in Pigeon Forge
The Titanic is one of many outlandish tourist attractions in Pigeon Forge
King Kong welcomes you to the over-the-top city of Pigeon Forge
Our room at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn is reminiscent of the hotels of days past
Our room at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn is reminiscent of the hotels of days past
Gatlinburg’s Space Needle provides a great view of the city
We stayed at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn
The Sky Lift is a chair lift that takes you to the top of Crockett Mountain
Corn mash on its way to becoming moonshine at Sugarlands Distilling
The thumper keg at Sugarlands Distilling is an impressive sight
The still at Sugarlands Distilling puts any backwoods still to shame
At Sugarlands Distilling, the back porch is home to bluegrass performances
When’s the last time you saw a mechanical key to a hotel room???
Just a horse riding a man.
The Ole Smoky Holler features great bluegrass performances
The Ole Smoky Holler features great bluegrass performances
Ole Smoky Moonshine
We didn’t try Mellow Mushroom Pizza, but mixed with moonshine, that could be a dangerous combination
Nothing says Fall in East Tennessee like a still made of corn stalks
I’d never pay to eat at Dick’s Last Resort, but watching those who do is pretty entertaining
Gatlinburg is all about the free moonshine samples
The Park Grill was one of many great restaurants we ate at
Gatlinburg is all about the free moonshine samples
We found Sugarlands Shine to be our favorite distillery
Gatlinburg’s Space Needle provides a great view of the city
The Historic Gatlinburg Inn is a cozy old place
Gatlinburg’s Space Needle provides a great view of the city
Rocking chairs on the front porch… so relaxing!
My mother getting ready to ride the Sky Lift
Wow, a chair lift that doesn’t make me afraid of heights
Riding the Sky Lift to the top of Crockett Mountain
Riding the Sky Lift to the top of Crockett Mountain
Looking down on Gatlinburg from Crockett Mountain
Looking out over the Smokies from Crockett Mountain
Looking out over the Smokies from Crockett Mountain
Just some Amish people riding a chair lift down a mountain. I’ve never seen them doing that in Lancaster.
Looking down on the Gatlinburg Space Needle from the top of Crockett Mountain
Looking down on Gatlinburg from Crockett Mountain
Looking down on Gatlinburg from Crockett Mountain
The back of the Historic Gatlinburg Inn
Crossing the Little Pigeon River on the Sky Lift
We stayed at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn
Davy Crockett's Whiskey and Moonshine
Gatlinburg goes all out with the Fall decor. It’s hard not to be in good seasonal spirits.
The corn mash smells delicious at Davy Crockett's Whiskey and Moonshine
Gatlinburg goes all out with the Fall decor. It’s hard not to be in good seasonal spirits.
Clearly, we are in the south.
Gatlinburg goes all out with the Fall decor. It’s hard not to be in good seasonal spirits.
Those scarecrows are actually crows
Dukes of Hazzard action figures in action at Cooter’s Place
Dukes of Hazzard memorabilia at Cooter’s Place
Dukes of Hazzard memorabilia at Cooter’s Place
It’s the General Lee!!!
It’s the General Lee!!!
Little Pigeon River
The Smoky Mountain Trout House has the most incredible rainbow trout. It’s the only place we ate twice!
Doc Collier Moonshine was another stop on our moonshine sample tour
Doc Collier Moonshine was another stop on our moonshine sample tour
Cooter’s Dukes of Hazzard museum and store
Sugarlands Shine was our favorite
Sugarlands Shine was our favorite
Sugarlands Shine was our favorite
Moonshine as far as you can see
The Ole Smoky Holler was a lot of fun
The Ole Smoky Holler was a lot of fun
Redneck wines
The Ober Gatlinburg aerial tramway departs the Gatlinburg station
The Ober Gatlinburg aerial tramway departs the Gatlinburg station
The Ober Gatlinburg aerial tramway departs the Gatlinburg station
The Ober Gatlinburg aerial tramway heads up the mountain
Davy Crockett’s Whiskey and Moonshine has samples to offer too
The Smoky Mountain Trout House has the most incredible rainbow trout. It’s the only place we ate twice!
The Smoky Mountain Trout House has the most incredible rainbow trout. Here it is grilled.
The Smoky Mountain Trout House is small but their amazing rainbow trout is worth the wait for a table.
The Galinburg Craftsmen’s Fair takes nearly a day to see and has many talented artisans selling their wares.
You never know when someone will pull up in their Delorean and need film
Wow, the $5 weddings are on sale today. What a deal!
Homes seemingly hang onto the side of the mountains
Talk about living in peace and quiet
My mother checks out the view from the top of the Space Needle
We stayed at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn
Daytime view of Gatlinburg from the top of the Space Needle
Sugarlands Distilling had the best moonshine
View of the Smokies from the top of the Space Needle
View of the Smokies from the top of the Space Needle
Daytime view of Gatlinburg from the top of the Space Needle
Nighttime view of Gatlinburg from the top of the Space Needle
The Sky Lift is a chair lift that takes you to the top of Crockett Mountain
Nighttime view of Gatlinburg from the top of the Space Needle
The sidewalk is never empty outside Ole Smoky Moonshine
Nighttime view of Gatlinburg from the top of the Space Needle
The phone in our room harkens back to a bygone era
The Sky Lift is a chair lift that takes you to the top of Crockett Mountain
The Sky Lift is a chair lift that takes you to the top of Crockett Mountain
The aerial tramway to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort is quite an impressive ride
The people in these homes need to keep their curtain closed or be part of the show for riders of the Ober Gatlinburg aerial tramway
Carousel at Ober Gatlinburg
Indoor ice rink at Ober Gatlinburg
The Ober Gatlinburg scenic chairlift takes you up to the top of Mount Harrison
My mother made a new friend
The altitude might be starting to get to my mohter
Riding the Ober Gatlinburg scenic chairlift up to the top of Mount Harrison
Alpine sleds race down the mountain
We finally saw some Fall colors as we rode up Mount Harrison
Mount Harrison. 3590 feet above sea level.
The view of the Smokies from Mount Harrison is incredible
Mount LeConte
The view of the Smokies from Mount Harrison is incredible
A touch of Fall color
The view of the Smokies from Mount Harrison is incredible
A bluegrass band entertains on top of Mount Harrison
Riding back down the mountain
Oktoberfest at Ober Gatlinburg
The Oktoberfest band was… ummm… different.
The Oktoberfest band was… ummm… different.
Ole Smoky’s charred moonshine isn’t whiskey but has a similar character
Don’t support those pesky moonshiners!
The food at No Way Jose’s wasn’t so great, but their parking sign was kind of cute
I think the fake fog really adds some drama to this shot
This haunted house was right outside our hotel room door. We knew the sequence of the show by heart before we left Gatlinburg
Sugarlands Distilling had the best moonshine
We spent a few evenings at the Ole Smoky Holler listening to great bluegrass bands
We spent a few evenings at the Ole Smoky Holler listening to great bluegrass bands
We spent a few evenings at the Ole Smoky Holler listening to great bluegrass bands
Riding the aerial tramway up to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort
Riding the aerial tramway up to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort
Riding the aerial tramway up to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort
Riding the aerial tramway up to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort
I wouldn’t want to stumble out of this house in the dark
Riding the aerial tramway up to the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort
Fall is starting to color the Smokies
Ober Gatlinburg ski resort was having their Oktoberfest celebration
This house is owned by the founder of Dunkin Donuts
The machinery that drives the Ober Gatlinburg aerial tramway
Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a beautiful place
Headed out of Gatlinburg into the tunnel toward Pigeon Forge.
Entering Pigeon Forge
The Island in Pigeon Forge
Corn stalk guitar and parrot outside of Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Hotel
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel is a giant air conditioned ferris wheel
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and its smaller festive twin
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and fountains at The Island
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and fountains at The Island
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and fountains at The Island
Ole Smoky Moonshine has a location in Pigeon Forge too
The Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival celebrates all things Fall
Pass the jar indeed
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel at The Island
Cornstalk turkey
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel features enclosed air conditioned gondolas
The view of Pigeon Forge and the Smokies from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
The view of Pigeon Forge and the Smokies from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
A view of The Island from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
A view of The Island’s fountains from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
A view of The Island’s fountains from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
The view of Pigeon Forge and the Smokies from the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and fountains at The Island
The Island’s fountains
Cornstalk horse
Corn mash at Ole Smoky Distillery in Pigeon Forge
The still at Ole Smoky Distillery in Pigeon Forge
A wheel of mums
Christmas Place
A scarecrow gathering
The Old Mill District in Pigeon Forge
Old Forge Distillery in Pigeon Forge
The still at Old Forge Distillery
Even the barrels are ready for Halloween
The Old Mill is a restaurant and a working grist mill
The Old Mill is powered by the Little Pigeon River
The Old Mill is powered by the Little Pigeon River
I have no idea what kind of flower this is
Heading back to Gatlinburg
A moonshine sign greets you to Gatlinburg
Sugarlands Shine was so good we went back for another sampling session
Yes, that’s a bacon maple donut!
The traffic lights in Gatlinburg are numbered and all directions are in reference to them
We spent some time in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
The Noah "Bud" Ogle Trail is a nice short hike
Noah "Bud" Ogle Cabin in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Noah "Bud" Ogle Cabin in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Noah "Bud" Ogle Cabin in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Ogle Barn in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Ogle Barn in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Ogle Barn in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
This looks like a hole in the ground but it’s actually a natural spring
Mountain streams are everywhere in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Hiking in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Mountain streams are everywhere in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Mountain streams are everywhere in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
It’s not hard to get lost in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
The trees are starting to change
Ogle Tub Mill
Ogle Tub Mill
Plumbing for the Ogle Tub Mill
Noah "Bud" Ogle Cabin
Fall colors start to appear in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Fall colors start to appear in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Fall colors start to appear in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Fall colors start to appear in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Driving the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Mountain streams are everywhere in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Mountain streams are everywhere in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Jim Bales Place
Jim Bales Place
A fence at the Jim Bales Place
Jim Bales Place
Jim Bales Place
My mother sees what it was like to be an animal at the Jim Bales Place
Jim Bales Place
People were clearly much smaller when this place was built
My mother would get a lot of concussions living here
Even the animals get log cabins
Jim Bales Place
Albert Reagan Tub Mill
Albert Reagan Tub Mill
Albert Reagan used “all 3 colors that Sears and Roebuck sells” on his cabin
The porch is held up by some sturdy Appalachian engineering
The second floor of the Albert Reagan Cabin is spacious
Albert Reagan used “all 3 colors that Sears and Roebuck sells” on his cabin
Roaring Fork powers the Reagan Tub Mill
All of these crystal clear mountain streams make for good photo ops
Dolly is watching over you in Pigeon Forge
The roses at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn were planted in the 1950’s
Calhouns was one of many places we dined along Parkway in Gatlinburg
Listening to Monroeville perform at the Ole Smoky Holler
Some improptu dancing at the Ole Smoky Holler
Listening to Monroeville perform at the Ole Smoky Holler
The dobro is apparently a bluegrass specific instrument
Listening to Monroeville perform at the Ole Smoky Holler
A guy from a neighboring room paid us an accidental visit by climbing over this wall one night
We stopped at the Pink Cadillac Diner in Virginia on the way home
We stopped at the Pink Cadillac Diner in Virginia on the way home
We stopped at the Pink Cadillac Diner in Virginia on the way home