Bob Walker's Official New Orleans Area Wedding Guide
YOUR GATLINBURG HONEYMOON IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS
The romance of towering mountains with absolutely breathtaking views. Clear mountain streams. Alpine sledding. White water rafting. Skiing. Nostalgic hospitality. Exceptional accomodations for newlyweds. That's Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a "Garden of Eden" for lovers, nestled in a valley on the western entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Honeymooners have long chosen this beautiful, yet affordable, mountain dream come true for their wedding trip memories. You can easily begin your life together on a Gatlinburg honeymoon for under $1,000 for the entire trip.
The Smokies straddle the Tennessee and North Carolina state line for almost 50 miles. The native Cherokee Indians called it "Land of the Blue Smoke," and since its establishment in 1934, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has become America's favorite.
From the enchanted streets of Gatlinburg you can see the rising peaks of the Smokies while you stroll by more than 400 unique shops which feature collectibles, antiques, and crafts from the region and around the world, plus excellent restaurants, exciting attractions, and first-class accomodations. Four clear water rushing mountain streams criss-cross the town.
Experience the delight of that first night with a view of the Smokies. For your romantic stay, take your pick of over 500 intimate mountain chalets or condominiums, romantic country cottages with fireplaces, or more than 125 honeymoon hotels. Choose your pleasure: round water beds, TV, jacuzzi with whirlpools, hot tubs, saunas, kitchenettes, private balconies overlooking mountain streams, and views of breathtaking mountain vistas. One downtown hotel even offers a "honeymoon island" for your stay, in the middle of a rushing mountain stream.
All you really need to bring is groceries, bubble bath, charcoal, your camera, and each other! OK....a few bucks wouldn't hurt, either.
Hand-in-hand, both of you will fall in love with the majestic beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains and its breathtaking views of peaks and valleys.
Encompassing over half a million acres of unspoiled beauty, the park offers you quiet walkways and paved main roads with beautiful sights at every turn. Drive the main roads, bicycle on the unpaved backroads or hike on the more strenuous trails, which range from 2-7 miles, and lead to the highest peaks for some real back country adventuring!
Experience together the scenic mountain countryside in the park. You can visit over 70 pioneer homes dating back to 1840, barns, mills, churches, orchards, beautiful mountain streams, and some of the most beautiful views of the Smokies you'll find, in scenic and peaceful mountain coves.
While you and your love explore the Smokies, you will be treated to glimpses of native wildlife. Watch for graceful whitetail deer, chattering squirrels, inquisitive woodchucks, shy but colorful wild turkeys, and of course the park's hallmark inhabitant, the ever popular black bear.
The Smokies feature more species of plants than any other area on our continent. Towering above all of this natural beauty are the highest peaks in the Eastern United States. Clingman's Dome, at the center of the park, is the second highest peak east of the Mississippi River, at 6,500 feet (a one mile walk to the top, but worth it). Sixteen other peaks tower over 6,000 feet.
A variety of activities for the "outdoors" couple will make your Gatlinburg honeymoon even more memorable.
Like to camp out? Awaking to the sights and sounds of the Smokies is a joy that you will never forget. Choose from 10 campgrounds or overnight camping in the back country. Permits are required, but they're free.
Share the thrill of landing a mountain trout in a rushing stream of crystal clear water so unique to the Smokies. Year-round trout fishing in city stocked streams and in hundreds of miles of park streams is available. Each year over 28,000 trout are released into the freshwater streams and the Little Pigeon River for your fishing delight. Permits are required.
Rafting, tubing, and swimming in bracing mountain streams are waiting for you too, as well as hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, picnicking, and trap and skeet shooting. Check out the tennis courts and the par 72, 18 hole golf course.
Board the world's largest aerial tramway in downtown Gatlinburg for your journey up to Ober Gatlinburg for alpine sledding, ice skating, and skiing at its best, on real snow or artificial turf. 10 slopes are available, aimed at all skiing abilities.
What attractions await you in downtown Gatlinburg! World class shopping, museums, haunted houses, miniature golf courses, sky rides, multimedia shows, live musical theater, indoor pools, racquetball courts, professional theater companies, concerts by nationally known entertainers, square dances, parades, and even dancing to a German oompah band. Visit the largest Arts and Crafts community in the nation. Live country, gospel, and pop performances round out the nightlife scene.
Don't drive! Board a brightly decorated, open-air trolley to experience the sights and sounds of Gatlinburg. The delightful trolleys make frequent stops on a regular route through the entire city.
A personal recommendation as you tour and enjoy downtown Gatlinburg: forget the diet and devour the soft, creamy Chocolate Butter Fudge sold at the candy shops. Numerous other types of fudge, candy, and taffy are available too, and they're all worth a trip to Gatlinburg by themselves. You can watch them make fresh, hot taffy, too, and they give samples. You'll want order forms to buy some of these unique treats by mail between visits.
Gatlinburg is a honeymooner's paradise year round.
Spring comes to the Smokies in mid-April and lasts through late June with the blooming of millions of stunning wildflowers for you to enjoy together.
Summer is the most popular season for honeymooners. Experience everything from water sports to historic structures, museums to unique shopping, plus fine dining and a variety of nighttime entertainment. No matter what the temperature, cool mountain breezes always make your stay more enjoyable.
Autumn brings spectacular color displays from mid-September through mid-November. Crisp, clear weather and vibrant autumn color create a perfect background for hiking, horseback riding, photography, and ROMANCE!
Winter is especially for newlyweds who love winter sports, smaller crowds, cooler temperatures, fine shopping, and, of course, snow! In the wintry evening, exquisite dining and fine entertainment provide honeymooners a prelude to romantic hours in luxurious accomodations featuring cozy fireplaces and jacuzzis.
For fun in the surrounding areas, take a drive to the Cherokee Indian Village, located in Cherokee, North Carolina, thirty minutes from the eastern edge of the park. See Native Indian culture, shop the many stores for handmade Indian gifts, and be sure to get your picture taken with one of the many Cherokee Chiefs available for photographs (and tips).
Ten minutes from Gatlinburg, at the western edge of the park in Pigeon Forge, is Dollywood, with plenty of "Home Spun Fun," Dolly Parton style. It's a nice pay-one-price theme park with fun rides and attractions. Country music abounds, and major country music stars appear in concert almost every night. You'll need a full day to enjoy all the fun at Dollywood. While there, check out the Dolly Parton museum.
Cold, delicious apple cider, the favorite drink in the Smokies, will be available almost everywhere you go.
If you like cherry flavored cider, it's almost impossible to find. However, it's usually available at the souvenir shops on the highway in Pigeon Forge. Be sure to see the free hillbilly exhibits there too.
Another breathtaking attraction is the Lost Sea, located in Sweetwater, between Pigeon Forge and Chattanooga. You can tour the huge caverns as you hike down to the world's largest underground lake. You'll take a boat ride and see some of the largest rainbow trout ever in the almost crystal clear water.
Of course, as you pass through Chattanooga, be sure to stop at Lookout Mountain with its numerous rock formations and breathtaking views from Rock City at the top. You can view seven states there, and suck it in as you go through Fat Man's Squeeze. You'll enjoy the statues of the little elves who will accompany you along the trail. This is well worth a two hour stop.
No matter what your price range, Gatlinburg is a most popular and perfect honeymoon spot. The magic of Gatlinburg will catch you and your special someone in its romantic spell, and you'll want to return time and time again.
If you'd like more information on spending your honeymoon in Gatlinburg, call for the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Honeymoon Brochure Package. It's free, and so is the call. Phone 1-800-900-4148, or write the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 527, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Or check out the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce web site for complete tourist and honeymoon information at: http://www.gatlinburg.com/
BOB'S RECOMMENDATION:
Former New Orleanian and Miss New Orleans 1971 Kay Rogers invites you to
visit her sites and view the lovely and romantic honeymoon chalets she has
available in Gatlinburg for your honeymoon or vacation.
http://www.gatlinburgromance.com
http://www.gatlinburgvacationchalets.com