In February, we escaped the cold winter in Atlanta for a quick getaway and thawed ourselves at the fun, family-friendly indoor waterpark resort at the Wilderness at the Smokies Sevierville Tennessee.

I have been checking out and stalking the website for quite some times but have yet to pull the trigger to stay there. It was our friend’s birthday celebration and they invited us to stay with them. So we couldn’t say yes fast enough.

The Wilderness At the Smokies Sevierville TN Hotel & Waterpark Resort

The resort is located in Sevierville about 20 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg. It’s a great location for family in Atlanta to enjoy a quick getaway on the weekend or holidays. With a short distance from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, family can enjoy nature at the same time as the fun in the waterpark. The resort comprises of hotels, indoor waterpark, outdoor waterpark (seasonal) and timeshare units.

The check-in process was smooth and rather uneventful. One note for family is that you can opt to check in early which allow you more time in the waterpark with extra charge for $50. So I guess it’s up to you to decide whether extra 4  hours is worth the $50. In our case, we only stayed for one night so we decided to pay extra $50 to give us extra time in the waterpark.

Plenty of Room for Multi-Families Vacation

We stayed at the one bedroom deluxe unit at the River Lodge building which connects to the Wild WaterDome indoor waterpark and Lake Wilderness outdoor waterpark (which was closed for the season).

The room layout is designed with multi-families in mind with one bedroom with 1 king beds and partial wall and another bunk bed. Kids couldn’t get enough of climbing up and down the bunk bed. With in the bedroom itself, there is also sofa bed, small fridge and a microwave.

Our group of 3 families stayed comfortable in this one bedroom deluxe with plenty of room to move around. The kitchen and dining room area was a big plus for family vacation with kids. We were able to cook dinner and have quick breakfast at our room to save money.

In the living room area, there is a murphy queen bed and sofa bed for more people in our group. What I like most is the screen that you can use at night to give more privacy during night time.

Fun Time in the Wild Waterdome Indoor Waterpark

Now, I know what you want to know most is the indoor waterpark. Here is the deal. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation where you can read your book by the pool, then I would say look for somewhere else. But if you want to find a resort where kids will enjoy a full fun day and say ‘this is the best day ever’ to you multiple times a day, then you are in the right place.

There is no mistake that the Wilderness At the Smokies resort is a family destination seeing from the rows of minivan parked in the parking lot. We went there during the holiday break so the waterpark was quite crowd. But based on my friend who visited the resort a few times in the past, she said this was not at all crowd!! Hmm.. I don’t know if I can take any more people in this space.

The whole indoor waterpark was under the see-through roof so you still get plenty of Sun. Don’t forget to put sunscreen on even though it’s indoor.

Great Fun for Kids of All Ages

With many different sections and features within the Wild Waterdome indoor waterpark, kids of all ages can enjoy the fun. For the toddler and younger kids, the Flying Squirrel Play Area provides the safe area with 2 kiddie slides, bounce/swing tree and teeter totter

The Great Wave is definitely a favorite for the whole family especially the dare devil ones. It reminded me of the Surf Pool at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon waterpark but in a much smaller scale.

However, Miss J surprised me when she went on all 3 tube slides – the Storm Chaser, the Runaway Canyon and the Trail Twisters. Mr. Z was just a couple inches under the limit to ride the Storm Chaser so I guess we will have to go back again for him to experience that thrill ride.

Safety First

The safety measure inside the waterpark was prominent. There were several lifeguards around the park area. But I wouldn’t dare to leave my kids alone just because of how easy it was to loose sight of them in the crowd. Plus there is really no security measure to check-in or check-out of the waterpark area.

For kids that still learn how to swim, there are plenty of floating-vests available for them at the entrance of the waterpark and at the other end of the waterpark.

It was a great weekend for us to spend with our close friends and celebrated their birthday. Kids truly enjoyed the fun in the water and didn’t want to leave at all. I know we might want to go back and visit again in summer to check out their 2 other outdoor waterparks.

Family Tips:

• Don’t forget to put on sun screen for kids. Even though, it’s indoor waterpark, the roof is see-through so it means you can still get plenty of sun.
• The room configuration allows for sharing the room with other families to make it more affordable.
• The cost of the room includes the waterpark admission. So the price might seem high but if you add the cost of typical waterpark admission, it is fairly affordable.
• Most room has full kitchen so you can save by preparing your meal at your room.

Check out other travelers photo at Delicious Baby – Photo Friday.

Sevierville Vacations

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Miss J enjoyed her water roller coaster ride of Trail Twisters Tube Slides at Wilderness at the Smokies, an indoor-outdoor waterpark resort in Severville near Gatlinburg, TN.

It’s a great family resort. Stay tune for more detail review of the hotel and the waterpark.

Check out other travelers Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

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Last year (Gosh, it feels weird to say that when it was just a couple months ago), when we visited Gatlinburg, we also had a chance to visit the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

Now, living in Atlanta with the world’s largest aquarium, I tend to be a little snobby at the other aquarium. What could be there that I haven’t seen already. But EVERY TIME I always surprised at how much fun both our kids and us enjoying the visit.

The Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

This time was no difference. After a great day which started with hearty breakfast and great walk in the nature, we were a little bit tired, so I didn’t know how much we would be able to keep up the energy. Luckily, the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies opened late during the holidays. We were able to take a quick break at our resort at Holiday Inn Club Vacation before heading out to the aquarium.

Just like most aquariums, we followed the path in the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies to view various types of sea creatures. But what I like most about the Ripley’s Aquarium is various stations inside that allows kids to explore more at their own pace in the Discovery Center.

Mr. Z loved to get up close and personal with Nemo & Dory inside this bubble tank after he bounced from touching the sting ray, played the interactive games and jumped on the play area.

The Penguin Playhouse

As we walked around the aquarium, we rounded up to probably the best part of this aquarium. The Penguin Playhouse where kids (or adults) can crawl inside the tunnel that will lead you to the middle of their exhibit.

We literally came face-to-face with them. I bet they were wondered what kind of animal are we.

Many of them even tried to peck Mr. Rojo and the kids while they were inside.

We had a great time there and the aquarium is the right size that doesn’t overwhelm kids. Plus with many open space for kids to roam around, even during the holiday season, we didn’t feel crowd at all.

Family Tips:

• There is a locker that you can rent to keep your coats or other personal items. It makes visiting and chasing after kids in the aquarium much easier.
• We went there a bit late so we didn’t get to see the penguin swimming around inside the penguin crawl tube. So plan your visit during the day might give you more chances to see penguin in action.

Check out other travelers photo from Delicious Babay – Photo Friday.

Disclosure: Thank you Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort for hosting my family over the weekend and providing us with complimentary attraction tickets and expense card. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I will not write about a place we will not visit ourselves.

Gatlinburg Vacations

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Shopping and family vacation go hand in hand like an identical twins brother. No matter how much I try to limit the amount of retail shopping in our trip to Gatlinburg, we couldn’t resist a quick visit to local store.

There are plenty of shops in Gatlinburg to satisfy a wide range of customers from tacky souvenir shop, local artist store, restaurants and normal chain store. But one of the store that stood out on our weekend trip to Gatlinburg is the NOC’s Great Outpost.

The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) Great Outpost

The NOC’s Great Outpost is located at the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The log cabin style store stands tall and is a great place to visit with kids during a trip to Gatlinburg!

The store also provides various guide trips, activities and information. At the Great Outpost Basecamp, they can help you with the trip planning whether you want to do it yourself or with a reputable guide. It’s a great resource for any visitor to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Once we walked through the front door, a two story fire place was lit and warmly welcoming visitors to just sit back and relax. A great alternative for anyone who is not up for a retail therapy. But for us, there was no stopping for a little adventure inside this huge outdoor superstore in the Smokies.

Miss J enjoyed her time in testing out the swinging chair, one of many outdoor products and equipments inside NOC’s Outpost. The Great Outpost reminded me a lot of Bass Pro Shop but more for the outdoor activities than hunting and fishing.

During the Christmas time, kids could take a picture with Santa Black Bear on the sleigh.

Fun Free Things to Do for Kids (and Adults too)

We took our time walking around this multilevel store from bottom to top. Each level is packed with all kind of products for your outdoor activities. BUT, it’s not just a store. There are other fun activities for kids.

In the children section, kids can have a little escape from their parents in this little nook where it’s a bit too small for me to get inside. But it’s a perfect size for kids to sit back and enjoy a quiet time with a book or play around.

On the top level, Mr. Z and Miss J couldn’t have enough of walking (ok.. maybe with a little bit of running as well) back and forth on the swinging robe bridge in the middle of the store.

It was also a perfect spot for them to check out a rock climbing and cheered on other kids.

In the end, surprisingly we didn’t buy anything. So I will have to say this is one of the best place to find free thing to do with kids in Gatlinburg.

Check out other travelers photo at Photo Friday.

Gatlinburg Vacations

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During our weekend trip to Gatlinburg, we were treated to a little nature guide from a Walk in the Woods. Before you all go, who need a guide when you just walk a nature trail, I had the same thought when I first heard about ‘A Walk in the Woods’, a nature guide service in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But after spent some times on their site and checked out various services they offer, I quickly changed my mind and was glad that the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Gatlinburg had arranged a complimentary guide for our family.

Who is A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods is guided by Vesna and her team of local nature experts who have vast amount of knowledge of the Great Smoky Mountains in a more intimate way, not just textbook information that you read off from a guidebook. They have been providing nature guide tours for over 12th year! And you know, you are in a good hand when you saw that Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel chose them as her guide.

A Beginner Step to Hiking the Smokies

Vesna met us at our resort lobby and quickly got acquainted with Miss J and Mr. Z. She had planned an easy family-friendly nature walk for us as an introduction to the Smoky Mountains. I had to admit that I wasn’t sure how hard the walk would be or how Mr. Z would survive the whole walk seeing he already whined about our walk from downtown Gatlinburg back to the resort earlier that day. Not a good sign!

Sugarlands Valley Trail

Our destination for that day was Sugarlands Valley Trail – a super easy, paved nature walk trail near the entrance of the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg and the Sugarlands Visitor Center. For family who travel with young kids, this is a perfect trail to introduce your kids to the Smoky Mountains.

The trail is right off the main road going through the Smokies with plenty of parking space. With just half mile loop, even the most reluctant kids would be able to tackle this trail.

Amazing Guide

I couldn’t express how much I love the guide with Vesna. She was friendly and animated for the kids and was able to command their attention throughout the whole walk with stories and tales of this great National Park. Vesna also was very patient to answer all the questions from Mr. Z who seemed to say “Excuse me, what happen.. da da da..” every 5 minutes.

We walked through and learned about the old settlement and their lives.

We learned about plants and animals. She even showed Miss J how people in the past use plants in their lives.. Brushing your teeth anyone?

Before we knew it, we were at the end of the trail! We had a really great time learning all about nature that we wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate otherwise. Yes, walking or hiking is an easy activity to do. Put on your shoes and start walking. But making a walk or a hike fun and educational for a family is something that is harder to accomplish.

Our Stamp of Approval

I personally would contact Vesna and A Walk in the Woods team again when we visit Gatlinburg. It’s the best way to enjoy hiking and learning about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Plus the cost of their service is very reasonable and I think it’s worth every pennies. Put it this way, it’s cheaper than going to most amusement parks and your kids will learn so much more!

Disclosure: Thank you Vesna for a wonderful day in the wood and the Holiday Inn Club Vacations for arranging the tour for us! This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence.

Check out Spotlight Thursday at Trekaroo and other Travelers Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Gatlinburg Vacations

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On the first morning of our Galinburg trip, we woke up fashionably late as we normally do on our vacation. The agenda for that day was to explore Gatlinburg as much as we could. So the big breakfast was called for.

Typically, when we stay at the suite hotel with kitchen, we bought grocery to stock up for breakfast. But this trip, I wanted to try out a few local eateries.

Our first stop was the Log Cabin Pancake House which conveniently located right across the street from the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort. Even before we walked inside, this place already grabbed our full attention with a chuck wagon sticking out from their roof top. Now, that’s where we want to have our country style breakfast.

The Log Cabin Pancake House seems to be a local favorite for both breakfast and lunch. The place was filled with families in big tables all around the huge fireplace enjoying scrumptious breakfast.

The breakfast menu has what you will normally expect from the pancake house. With varieties of pancake and waffle, it made an indecisive person like me felt rather lost.

Mr. Rojo, on the other hand, knew exactly what he wanted right away. For a big Reese fan, the Butterscotch Chip Pancake was a perfect dish to satisfy your craving for peanut butter cup. Kids also had many choices for from their Jr. menu where they could choose from waffle, pancake, and french toast.

After a big meal, we checked out the little shopping area inside the restaurant filled with funny signs and souvenirs. I guess when you are in the tourist destination, it’s easy to find souvenirs even in a restaurant. I, however, loved the long front patio lined with rocking chairs.

This place was definitely a great place for breakfast. Like most other restaurants in tourist town, the price seems to be on the higher side of the fence for us. We spent almost $40 for a family of 4 for breakfast. Well,  that’s what we normally spend on eating out for dinner!

This post is part of Wanderfood Wednesday. Check it out for more stories of food and travel!

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Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Gatlinburg With Kids: Hearty Breakfast @ Log Cabin Pancake House is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

This past weekend we were invited by the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort for a stay in this family-friendly resort. We have visited Gatlinburg on a weekend trip in the past but we stayed in a rental cabin home. So it was our first time staying in a resort property right in downtown Gatlinburg.

The Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort

The family friendly Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort is a newest member of Holiday Inn brand family that aims to provide luxury, resort-style accommodation at the affordable price. With the partnership of Kemmons Wilson who built the first Holiday Inn hotel in 1952 in Memphis, TN and IHG, the Holiday Inn Club Vacation offers timeshare ownership program with more than just a typical timeshare program.

At first, I have my reservation when I heard about “Club Vacation or Timeshare”. We have seen those advertisement before of cheap low rate resort stay in exchange of 90 minutes presentation. We have done that a few times and do not wish to do that again.

But after checking the website and personally speaking to the representative, I was reassured that Holiday Inn Club Vacations offers regular guests to rent the resort room without any obligation. So it means you can just book a room like you would at other Holiday Inn brand hotels and you wouldn’t have to do any presentation.

Actually, they don’t even have a sale center at the Gatlinburg location. BUT if you find the value in becoming a timeshare owners, there are staffs who will be more than happy to talk to you about the detail.

The First Impression and Impressive Staffs

When we arrived at Gatlinburg, I was VERY impressed with the hospitality from ALL the staff at the resort. Everyone was genuinely nice and attentive. We spent a good 15 minutes talking to the maintenance manager who came by after we checked in to make sure that we have everything we need.

The lobby of the resort set the stage for our stay. We felt like we walked to a mountain lodge up on the Smoky Mountains when we actually were about 5 minutes away from bustling Gatlinburg downtown.

The cozy fire place with comfy chairs was perfect for us to sit down and relax. Kids also enjoyed spending time at the checker table trying to outwit each other. If we didn’t have such a busy schedule, I’m sure they would be happy to just spend time at the lobby.

Great Location in Downtown Gatlinburg

It might sound too much like a real estate commercial but the location is a big factor for family vacation. When choosing accommodations for your family trip, the location can make your trip more enjoyable or miserable.

For family who wants to explore Gatlinburg or enjoy outdoor adventures at the Great Smoky Mountains, I would highly recommend considering the Holiday Inn Club Vacation Gatlinburg.

The resort is located about 3 blocks from the main street in downtown Gatlinburg make it very convenient to walk to any downtown attractions, shops and restaurants.

If you have been to Gatlinburg, you will know that public parking in Gatlinburg can run from $5-$10 per day. With that saving, you will be able to get yourself some hand made candies or wood craved souvenirs.

Room with Plenty of Space for Family

As a club vacation resort, the rooms at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort are one-bedroom or two-bedroom villas. With separate living area and full-size kitchen, it is definitely a perfect choice for family vacation.

We were staying at a two- bedroom villa which includes a large living room, a dining room that can easily accommodate 6-8 people and a full size kitchen. For a family of 4, the room gives us plenty of space without being on top of each other. And I think the room can accommodate even more people.

Each bedroom is charmingly decorated. I love the little details they put into the decoration that really make you feel like you are in a getaway cabin.

Resort Amenities

I probably won’t be able to list all of the detail amenities that are available for guests in the resort. But there are a few that I want to highlight because it is the little thing that count for me.

Indoor heated pool

There is no doubt that a pool is a must-have amenities for family travel. Even if you travel in the midst of winter, a quick swim in a heated indoor pool will be almost as fun as a full day at an amusement park. Unfortunately, Mr. Z got sick once we arrived (it seems to be a theme here when we travel), we didn’t have a chance to enjoy the pool.

The picture above is taken from our 9th floor. The indoor pool is housed in the building next to the outdoor pool.

FREE Wifi

Hear that? FREE as in no extra charge to use the internet in this resort. I believe this should be a regular amenity in all hotels just like free local call. Holiday Inn has always been the pioneer of complimentary services in the hospitality industry. I hope other hotels and resorts will follow soon.

Family-friendly activities

During the week, there are various fun activities for kids and adults ranging from art & crafts, story time or photography classes. This is one big difference between staying in a typical hotel and a club vacation resort. A planned activity on a rest day where you might just want to simply lay low and enjoy time in your room.

Washer and Dryer

You may ask who would want to do laundry on their vacation! A smart traveler will say ‘Me’. With all the increased price in air travel on checking in luggage, family has to learn to pack light in order to save on check-in luggage. With washer and dryer inside your room, it makes packing light easier and less troublesome. With our weekend getaway of family of 4 we only pack 2 carry-on luggage. We are fortunate that Gatlinburg is within a driving distance. But if we have to fly, we know that we won’t have to pay extra to check in our luggage.

Price

Although, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort graciously hosted my family for the weekend and also paid for certain attractions and expenses for us, the resort room rate online is very affordable and comparable to area hotels and resorts. The rate that I checked for my weekend was less than $200 for a two-bedroom. (Rate is subject to change based on availability and date)

With the saving you will further receive from cook your own meal in the spacious kitchen and walking to various downtown Gatlinburg, it makes the Holiday Inn Club Vacations a great option for family travel. I will definitely stay there again in the future!

Disclosure: Thank you Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort for hosting my family over the weekend and providing us with complimentary attraction tickets and expense card. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I will not write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Gatlinburg Vacations

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We are planning a quick weekend trip to our neighboring state in Tennessee. Destination – Gatlinburg. Thanks to the invitation from Holiday Inn Club Vacations.

Our family trip to Gatlinburg a couple years ago was short and hardly enough for us to truly explore other things to do in or around Gatlinburg.

This trip will be equally short but I hope we will have more time to explore Gatlinburg and surrounding area a little bit more.

There is no doubt that Gatlinburg is known for various fun attractions from aquarium, theme parks, miniature golf to theatre. You name it and I’m sure you will be able to find it! But Gatlinburg is also the gateway to one of America’s favorite national park – The Smoky Mountains National Park. So it’s understandable why Gatlinburg is a great family destination.

With the upcoming trip, I have done a bit more research than our previous trip to narrow down of things we would want to do on this quick weekend getaway. So here are our top 5 family-friendly things to do in Gatlinburg with kids.

1. Sugarlands Visitor Center at the Smoky Mountains National Park

My kids are hard pressed to collect all the cancellation stamps from national park, we couldn’t skip visiting one of the visitor center to add one more stamp to their National Park Passport. Plus, it will be a great introduction for them to learn about the wildlife and nature in the Smoky Mountains National Park during the free 20 minutes movie.

2. Ripley Aquarium of the Smokies

We walked past the Ripley aquarium on our last visit but with limited time we couldn’t visit. This trip, I will make sure that we set aside the time to visit this aquarium. Yes,we do have the world largest aquarium in Atlanta but I know that the kids will enjoy the underwater tunnel and are curious about the working mechanism of the System control room.

3. Enjoy special Winter events

We will be in Gatlinburg during winter so it will be cold and hopefully less crowd. At the same time, the city will be all light up with holiday decoration and lighting. I can’t wait to take a stroll along the streets in downtown Gatlinburg and hopefully catch the Winter Magic Tunes & Tales. Afterward, we might hop on the Trolley Ride of Lights to enjoy a guided trolley ride of the spectacular Gatlinburg Winter Magic lighting displays.

4. Ober Gatlinburg

Quite frankly, I don’t know if we will have time to enjoy Ober Gatlinburg this trip. But last time, we all had a blast as we slid down the hill on one of their snow tubing, a great family activity that is sure to please kids of all ages. My kids still remembered the view of the mountain city as we rode the aerial tram down from the top. So if we have enough time, we might ride the aerial tram up to have a fun time in the snow.

5. Guided Nature Hike with A Walk in the Woods

The Holiday Inn Club Vacation not only invite us to stay at their spacious location but they also arrange for a guide nature walk for us with A Walk in the Woods. To be honest, I have never thought about hiring a company to take us on a nature hike. BUT, after our own limited experience hiking with kids, I am sold (even before we try it out). You know why? Because we are newbies and lack of knowledge. Most of our hikes involved kids whined about they were tired and us trying to point to some unknown leaves or birds.

From their website, there are various programs available based on your preference and comfort. I especially love the ‘Exploring Nature with Children’ program. It will be like a class during vacation but it’s more FUN!

So there you have it. Our top pick for this weekend trip planning from Atlanta.

How about you? What would be your top things to do with kids in Gatlinburg?

Gatlinburg Vacations

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A few months ago, we packed up the kids and headed up the mountain for a weekend ski trip with our great friends. The main purpose of that trip was to go skiing in Gatlinburg. However, we got a taste of what the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer.

We left from our house a bit later than we expected so we ended up driving up the mountains during night time. It was one of the scariest drive in my whole life and I wasn’t even a driver. If anyone has an experience of driving on the scenic route in the Smoky Mountains, they will know what I’m talking about. The road is curvy up the moutain with sharp turn and sometimes even 180 degree turn. Add that to the darkness and the leftover ice not yet fully melt in the end of winter.. I was so tense that once we got down the moutain I felt like I had been in a marathon race.

On the way back most of our friends opted to take different route to avoid the major mountain road. But for us, it was a perfect chance to really enjoy this beautiful drive that we can fully appreciate it in daylight. The drive didn’t disappoint us. The kids were amazed by the ice patch on the cliff along the side of the road.

We stopped at a couple overlook to enjoy the view. I just used my imagination to see how beautiful it will be even more so during Fall season with all different color of the leaves blaster the mountain top. Then we stopped at Newfound Gap where we enjoyed the views of both the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the high ridge. This stop is very well maintained. It also a site for the Rockefeller Memorial. The kids got to get out and stretch and even tried a bit of rock climbing. :) Unfortunately, the road to Clingmans Dome which is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was closed during winter.

It was a great trip home and one that we will plan to visit later in Fall.

Check out TravelingMamas for other post in Travel Tuesday roundup.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Great Smoky Mountains in Winter is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

This past weekend, we had a short weekend trip with a group of our friends up the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg. It started from a quick conversation of ‘would it be nice to go skiing and stay at a cabin’… The next thing we knew we were packing for our weekend trip up the mountain.

We stayed at the Vista Hermosa Manor in Sevierville, TN. It’s about 15 minutes drive to Gatlinburg.. The cabin is top notch with all the amenities we can think of. The kids had a blast running around in the basement and watched movie in the theatre room. The adults enjoyed the view out in the wrap around patio and big dinning table.

The next morning, we headed to Ober Gatlinburg for snow tubing. Ok.. It was 70 degrees but they did have snow.. Where else can you go snow tubing in t-shirt and sweats like a pig! It was the end of the season so it wasn’t that busy. I lost count how many times we went up and down that slide.. But by the end of the day, I was wiped out!

On the way down, I took Miss J and Mr. Z on the Aerial Tramway down the mountain. It was nice seeing the whole town from the bird’s eyes view. The ride was short but memorable.

The last day in Gatlinburg, we didn’t get to spend a lot of time there. Since we now knew that we would have to drive through the Smokey via the curvy road, we want to make sure we get through that part before dark. So we just had a couple quick stops in town. First, we headed to the Track in Pigeon Forge. It was a cool go-kart ride for the whole family. I rode with Miss J and Mr. Rojo rode with Mr. Z. The ride went up and down the wooden track which makes it so cool and so much fun. It took a while to convince Mr. Z to leave… Oh.. We even got discount by merely mentioned that we saw coupons for buy 2 get 1 free and she just gave us the discount without the coupon itself. Nice!!!

Then we headed downtown Gatlinburg for another stop for Miss J – Ripley’s Guinness World Records. It just happened that Miss J just checked out the Guinness Book from her library last week. So it’s something that she was really excited to see things from the book come to life. It wasn’t something I will write home about but for her it was really great experience..

After a quick stop to KFC for our lunch on the go, we headed out of town.. Bye bye.. Gatlinburg and see you soon.

The drive home was as much fun as the experience in town itself. We stoped at a few lookout to take pictures and check out the gorgeous view of the Smokey. I couldn’t imagine how much nicer it will be in Fall. We just have to come back and find out, huh? :)

All in all, we truly enjoyed our small trip there. We already think about next year. :)

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Weekend in Gatlinburg is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog