Top 10 FREE Things To Do In Gatlinburg

Check out our list of these Top 10 FREE things to do in Gatlinburg (but there are many more!).

1. Walk on the Parkway where you'll find more than 200 unique shops, dozens of restaurants and attractions for all ages.


2. Stroll along River Road that runs along Little Pigeon River one block off the Parkway.


3. Jump in your car and explore a collection of historical sites on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.


4. Drive to Greenbrier for tubing, swimming, hiking, sunbathing, wildlife watching, a nature hike or mountain biking.


5. Visit Sugarlands Visitor Center located at Great Smoky Mountain National Park's main northern entrance two miles south of Gatlinburg.


6. Enjoy Cades Cove, a western valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park where historical cabins, farmhouses and churches are maintained.


7. See Gatlinburg from a bird's eye view from the two overlooks in the National Park.


8. Indulge in a little culture as you browse the galleries of Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.


9. Take a trolley (the brand new all-day Trolley Pass is only $2.00!) or your car and visit the eight-mile loop of the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community.


10. Stroll the Parkway and take in the free and fun collection of personalities and performers at Gatlinburg's 3rd annual Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales™.

Come Celebrate The Great Smokies 75th Anniversary!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson has worked closely with his partners, Great Smoky Mountains Association and the Friends of the Smokies, and with our neighboring communities, to develop the GSMN 75th Anniversary site as their “Virtual Visitor Center” to showcase “all things 75th”.

On their site you will find a rich and evolving variety of information on the Park’s history, current issues, and future visions. Throughout 2008 and 2009 you’ll find information about a wide array of activities and events in the Park as well as officially recognized events in all the neighboring communities.

You can even share YOUR photos and stories of your Great Smoky Mountains National Park adventures through the decades! Send your friends and family a cyber invitation to enjoy your approved image. After looking at your adventure, they can upload their photo and story to become a part of the Smokies Family Album, too! Images should contain people and a recognizable feature, overlook, or sign that ties the image to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Upload your story to the Smokies Family Album

Click here for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary Site!

New Bear's Den Gatlinburg Summer 2008 Specials!!!

SUMMER SPECIALS!! (June - July - August) 2 night minimum! Excludes July 4th weekend & Labor Day Weekend.


STAY SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND GET 15% OFF!! Only available on new reservations booked after June 12, 2008. Valid for 2, 3 or 4 night stays, must depart by Thursday. Excludes Labor Day Weekend.

STAY 7 NIGHTS FOR THE PRICE OF 5!! Only available on new reservations booked after June 12, 2008. Stay 6 nights, get the 7th night free.

SEPTEMBER SPECIAL!! Stay 3 nights, get the 4th Night free. All 4 nights must be reserved at the time of booking. Excludes Labor Day weekend. Only available on new reservations booked after May 9, 2008.

August 16 & 17, 2008 - Dolly Parton brings her 2008 "Backwoods Barbie World Tour" to her Dollywood theme park

Dolly Parton brings her 2008 Backwoods Barbie World Tour to her Dollywood theme park on Aug. 16 (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and 17 (2 p.m.) with three concerts to benefit her Imagination Library program. Tickets are available ONLINE ONLY on the Dollywood website. (No mail or phone orders accepted.) Limit 6 tickets per person.

Tickets for all three concerts are on sale now exclusively to Dollywood season passholders.

Remaining tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Monday, June 23.

Ticket Prices: $35, $60 and $75*

Click here for MORE INFORMATION!

*$30 of each ticket purchased is tax deductible.

Gatlinburg, TN - Should We Stay In a Log Cabin or Hotel This Year?

Vacation home rentals have many perks for travelers. They are generally much cheaper to stay in than hotel rooms, and there are several things you can do to guarantee yourself that you save money on your vacation home, get the best price available and have a cheaper vacation.

Bear's Den - Gatlinburg, TN

A vacation rental is much more spacious than a hotel room. Instead of being cramped in a small room, you have an entire home for you and your family to stay in. The benefits don't end there, though.

Vacation home rentals almost always have full kitchens. (Double check that the vacation home you are considering has this just to be sure.) You can shop for food at a grocery store and prepare your meals at the vacation rental. This allows you to eat at home and save money on food, instead of spending a great deal of your vacation budget at restaurants.

Another benefit of vacation home rentals is that they are more personal than hotels. The people who own the home are able to make recommendations about things to do and where to go.

Homeowners want to help you and provide you with the best experience possible so that you recommend their home to your friends and family, and come back again yourself.

In order to save money on your vacation rental, consider traveling with another family and renting a home with them. This would cut the cost of your vacation home in half. Also, the longer that a home is rented for, generally the cost decreases. Rent a home for twice as long with another family, and each family spends half of the time there. The cost will most likely be cheaper for you than just renting for the time you would be there.

To find a vacation rental that suits you and your desires for your trip, you need to do plenty of research. Look on the Internet for pictures and reviews. Compare amenities, such as fitness centers, in addition to prices. Ask any family members or friends who have stayed in a vacation home in an area you desire to visit if they would recommend the place where they stayed.

Another important consideration when looking at vacation home rentals is the location. How far is it from town and restaurants? What is the distance to the attractions or the mountains or whatever it is that interests you in this particular location?

Often times vacation homes are booked well in ahead of time. It's common for a family to book a year in advance when their trip ends, so it's important to plan ahead to find the best deal.

Occasionally there are last minute travel deals available, so don't forget to check those out for this summer.

You also should be aware that many vacation home rentals require a deposit when you book, and if for some reason you are not able to take your trip and rent the home, you could lose that deposit. So be sure to check out the deposit and refund policy of the vacation rental.

Vacation home rentals are a great way to save money on your vacation. They also have a more comfortable, inviting atmosphere than a hotel can provide. When planning your next trip, check out the Bear's Den to save you money and provide you with a more relaxing environment.

Gina Clark writes on travel and financial issues. Click

here to learn additional vacation and money saving tips. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gina_E_Clark

Nature Photography in the Great Smoky Mountains

A couple of years ago I posted an article here: Bear's Den Smoky Mountain News: Great Smoky Mountains Photography - Taking My Camera On The Road as I was getting ready to head down to the Bear's Den for a weeks vacation. As I begin to plan for our July trip, once again photography is on my mind!

In my email this morning I received this GREAT Article from the This Week In Photography (TWIP) blog . . .and thought I'd share it here.

Photo by Brian Davis

#1. Get off the couch. You can’t shoot nature photos indoors. You have to go outside. Don’t worry about waiting for the perfect moment. It will never come. Just go outside and find it. Don’t wait for it.

#2. Dress for success. If you plan to be outside, know what the weather is going to be like when and where you go, and then plan for contingencies. Always bring a spare pair of boots and socks in the car in case your feet get wet. Always have some minimal rain gear. Dress in layers and don’t forget sunscreen.

#3. Gear up for success. Nature photography is a contemplative artform, so bring a tripod to both slow yourself down, and to get steadier shots. Bring a level to make sure your horizons are in good shape. Bring lots of memory cards and backup gear. You never know when a body will fail. Have a spare. Also bring flash and/or reflectors and defusers.

#4. Avoid including the sky in your shots if it is gray or white.

#5. Tell a story. Don’t just set your tripod up at the first location you find and fire away. Approach your subject from several different angles, in different light and using different lenses.

#6. Go early and stay late. You’ve probably heard this before, but in case you haven’t, the best light is the hour around sunrise and sunset. If it looks good at 3:30 pm, it’s going to look great an hour before sunset. Wait.

#7. LUDA - Look Up, Look Down, Look All Around. Looking around and being aware of your surroundings will help you find shots you didn’t know you were capable of getting.

#8. Have a purpose. Don’t just go out shooting everything you see. Give yourself a project. Make sure you have a theme or a goal.

Photo by Brian Davis - Cades Cove

#9. Watch your horizons. Make sure you avoid putting the horizon dead center in your photos.
Try to place the horizon in the top or lower third of the frame. Also watch out for merges. Make sure the horizon doesn’t merge with mountain tops, tree lines or other subjects in your photo.

#10. Look at lots of nature photos if you want to become a better nature photographer. Writers read to get better at writing and photographers study photos to get better at photography.

This post sponsored by Lensbabies. - Share This - View article...

Gatlinburg to Host Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales - June 13 to Aug. 9

Back by popular demand, Gatlinburg’s 3rd annual run of Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales™ begins in downtown Gatlinburg on June 13 and will run through August 9. Tunes & Tales is a summer-long street performance event featuring costumed musical performers, storytellers and artisans portraying time periods as far back as 1800.

A collection of personalities and performers arrive nightly at 5 p.m. via horse-drawn wagon in the center of town. Visitors witness a magical transformation of sidewalk to stage as the characters disperse along the downtown Parkway for an evening of entertainment and storytelling until 10 p.m.

As many as 14 nightly acts perform throughout the evening. This popular eight-week event truly highlights one of Gatlinburg’s greatest assets – the walkability of the community – and provides guests with an interactive, educational and entertaining experience the whole family can enjoy.
As part of Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales™, visitors can stroll along the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg and catch a toe-tappin’ performance by “The Back Porch Cloggers,” a group showcasing the original dance of the Appalachians.

In addition, guests can meet Whittlin’ Joe as he demonstrates his craft and shares his stories of living in the Smokies, and Miss Nan the school marm shares her experiences and fun stories as a pioneer teacher. “Zeno the Gatlinburg Bear” also makes nightly appearances during this popular summer special event, dishing out hugs and waving to his new friends.

Other popular returning Appalachian characters include Hammer and Strings, the dulcimer duo, and Animal Mac, who sings about his four-legged friends from the Great Smoky Mountains.

Visitors also get a chance to hear traditional mountain music by the Spring Lizards, a musical husband and wife team, who plays the music of the 1800’s. The pure and rustic music and folk-like lyrics tell stories of the joys and tribulations of life of the early pioneer families.

Folks will enjoy hearing from Annie the Quilter as she shows off her family’s quilt noting that each square has its own story. She even gives tips and show how quilts are made to any would-be seamsters.

Since Gatlinburg is the birthplace of the famous bluegrass tune, “Rocky Top”, Tunes & Tales features traditional bluegrass bands each night such as the Tennessee Mountain Boys, Mountain Mike & the River Road Ramblers and White Oak Flats playing favorite bluegrass standards. All performances are free and happen all along the Parkway, seven nights a week until August 9 making every evening a special event in Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg’s Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales is an official activity of the City’s Department of Tourism.

Dollywood Hosts Thrills in the Hills Event June 6-8

First-time event welcomes coaster enthusiasts from across the country.

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roller coaster fans from across the country will converge on Dollywood this weekend for the theme park’s first-time Thrills in the Hills event set for June 6-8.

“Thrills in the Hills is a much-anticipated opportunity to see some very unique rides from a really up-close perspective that isn’t ordinarily available,” said Matthew Lambert, American Coaster Enthusiast member, “but everyone is really looking forward to enjoying the warm Southern hospitality that Dollywood is known for.”

Approximately 70 attendees will enjoy exclusive ride time and behind-the-scenes tours of the park’s coasters, including Thunderhead, twice named the best wooden coaster in the world by the Golden Tickets Awards, and Mystery Mine, Theme Park Insider’s 2007 best new themed attraction, as well as the Tennessee Tornado and Blazing Fury.


Participants also will see two of Dollywood’s award-winning stage shows—the 2006 international Heartbeat Award winner Dreamland Drive-In and the 2007 winner, The Great American Country Show. The weekend’s itinerary also offers opportunities to visit Dollywood’s Splash Country and Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner attraction.

“It’s an honor for Dollywood to host Thrills in the Hills and showcase all that our properties have to offer,” said Pete Owens, Dollywood Public Relations Manager. “We hope Thrills in the Hills is the first of many events of this type.”

Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Open nine months a year (March 21, 2008-Jan. 3, 2009), Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.

Debbie Reynolds brings her charm, memories and memorabilia to Pigeon Forge

Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motion Picture Museum - Featured at Belle Island Village will be the world's largest private collection of Hollywood memorabilia - preserved by Debbie Reynolds. The museum will feature interactive exhibits including two large state of the art theaters and 10 themed pavilions showing original clips and displaying artifacts from almost every Academy Award-winning film.

The collection is valued at over $50 Million and contains more than 3,500 costumes, including:

• Marilyn Monroe's white dress made famous in "The Seven Year Itch"
• Dorothy's ruby-red slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz".

"The area here is so beautiful," Reynolds explains when talking about the decision to locate the museum in Sevier County. "I lived in Roanoke, Va., for five years and thought this whole side of the world was wonderful. We had an offer (for the museum) in Branson, but it just didn't come at the right time. Here, I love the river, the water and the trees and the people are so America. This place is what we all want America to be like. It's part of the Bible Belt. I think they (Sevier County) will receive this with great warmth.


And we just acquired Davy Crockett (TV show) items. What perfect timing."The museum will be housed inside a replica showboat. "The showboat design was Glen Bilbo's idea," Reynolds said, referring to the Belle Island developer. "He and the others wanted it to be really musical and I had bought the original 'Showboat' costumes from MGM. Items from Kathryn Grayson and Ava Gardner are so colorful and wonderful and we're going to have so much music around the exhibits. There were just a million ways you could go and I thought it was a great idea."

Visitors will also have an opportunity to take home their own piece of Hollywood's history - the museum gift shop will carry original pieces of memorabilia. You can find out more about the collection, the museum and Debbie at the following sites:

• www.debbiereynolds.com

www.hmpc.tv

Belle Island Fact Sheet 2008Belle Island Village is located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., about 35 miles southeast of Knoxville, Tenn., in the eastern part of the state. The development is situated on an actual island where the Little Pigeon River splits, located between the Parkway and Teaster Lane on the south side of Wears Valley Road. Pigeon Forge is a gateway community to the nation's most-visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Click here for more information