In the midst of all the crazy wedding planning, Sean and I decided to have a weekend for ourselves. We got a great deal on a little hotel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee because of Sean’s IHG rewards points and so we headed to the Great Smoky Mountains for a rustic weekend.

We took the scenic route and drove directly through the Smokies. It was beautiful, especially with the setting sun. I’d never been to Gatlinburg before and was looking forward to a quaint mountain experience, similar to the one we get in the North Georgia mountains.

I was pretty darn shocked when we rounded a corner and pulled up to some strange combination of Las Vegas, Disney World and Dixie Land. It’s worse than a tourist trap – not only do chain restaurants abound, but there are so many cheesy activities that do NOTHING to encourage visitors to take in the amazing nature around them. For shame.

But there we were and since all we really wanted was to spend quality time together, we decided to make the most of it. We went to Smoky Mountain Brewery for dinner – not a chain, but not good either. We then wandered over to the Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler where we tasted some moonshine, listened to live music in rocking chairs and sampled homemade wine. 

The next day, we decided to go to Pigeon Forge because anything had to be better than downtown Gatlinburg. We drove down a strip of road similar to Gatlinburg, then turned off into this charming historic mill area. We had a nice lunch at a cafe where they make their own pottery plates, mugs, etc. The nearby shops and general store were charming and the weather was nice enough for us to take a leisurely stroll.

We left Pigeon Forge and headed up the road to this enormous knife store at the recommendation of a friend. There was a neat knife museum inside that went through a history of the tool along with unique knives and innovations over time. The place was so big there was a mini waterfall inside – it was a little overwhelming for me, but I’m glad we checked it out. It was memorable.

On the way back to Gatlinburg, we had to drive through all of Pigeon Forge. We’d thought in the morning there was nothing cheesier and out-of-place in the gorgeous mountains than Gatlinburg. We were so, so wrong. Pigeon Forge was…in a word…terrifying. Don’t believe me? Google it, but don’t go. Ever.

With both towns being filled with weird amusement park-like attractions and carnival games, we did what anyone in the mountains for a weekend in the winter would do – we went skiing! The tram in Gatlinburg took us directly to the ski slopes at the top of the mountain and offered stunning views. I know the fall colors would be incredible to see, but there is something so interesting and peaceful about the stark winter landscape.

The sky over the slopes was amazing at sunset.

The day was warm enough for a fleece, but once it got dark we broke out all our ski gear to keep warm.

Great views from the top of the mountain.

We had so much fun skiing together for the first time. Our skill level was pretty even too, which made it even more enjoyable.

We were both a little sore the next day from our skiing so we decided to take it easy. We explored the Arts & Crafts trail just outside of Gatlinburg – several miles of winding mountain roads dotted with pottery shops, art galleries, local canned foods, etc.

During our pre-trip research we had found a British pub called Fox and Parrot and decided to check it out, as it was along the Arts and Crafts trail. We pulled up, excited to find a place off the beaten path. It was a gem! Traditional English food, casual atmosphere, craft beer, board games, darts…we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and several games.

After lunch, we headed back to the hotel for a nap and then checked out the indoor pool and hot tub before heading back downtown. We stopped in for another moonshine tasting and purchased some bottles as gifts and souvenirs. The distillery was nearby so we peeked in and read the plaques to learn more about this unique beverage. Very cool stuff that I didn’t know.

We don’t have regular TV at home and we did at the hotel, so we grabbed a Mellow Mushroom pizza and watched the Oscars in our room. It was an awesome night. 🙂

I’d like to say we were sad to leave Gatlinburg but we were not. We will definitely miss the views and the park, though.