coming to gatlinburg,tn. (Knoxville, Ripley: rent, amusement park, how much)

[wallman]

I'm bringing my family this may and would like to know what are the best riding stables in the area.also,what are the best sights in the area? can you rent horses in cades cove? any information would help.thanks

[hiknapster]

Yes, you can definitely rent horses to ride in Cade's Cove. Very reasonable. I cannot remember how much, but check out the national park service website.

I personally love Dollywood, although it is in Pigeon Forge. A lot of people love it or hate it. If you are looking for Disney or an amusement park, you may not like Dollywood.

How do I explain Dollywood? It's what Dolly Parton would create if she wanted a place to celebrate the Smokys. Best I can do. You have to see it, especially during Christmastime.

Cade's Cove shows you what the area looked like, to a certain degree, before the creation of the national park.

And driving, hiking through the national park is great.

The rest of the area is, far as I'm concerned, honky-tonk. Others just love it.

I find the food to be mediocre. Once again, lots of people love that, too.

While we are on the subject of things to see...I highly recommend The Museum of Appalachia. Anyone that is interested in facts about the area will LOVE this place. It is eccentric but wonderful, much like East Tennessee. It is located in Norris, north of Knoxville, just off of I-75.

ATTENTION LAURA C: If you have not visited The Museum of Appalachia, well you HAVE to go. It is a treasure trove of local trivia. Trust me on this!

[jmarkey]

For getting up into the mountains, check out Smoky Mountain Riding Stables on Rt. 321 in Gatlinburg. You can't go over a walk, but the horses are good and you'll go over all kinds of terrain. I'm pretty sure they have their own website.

[jmarkey]

Also in Gatlinburg -

The Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant (somewhere around light #10) has great food. Their complimentary apple fritters and apple butter are wonderful. They disappear too fast.

Up the parkway at the far end of Gatlinburg is Arrowcraft. It has some of the best local crafts I've seen. Beautiful and unusual things.

The Ripley's Aquarium is a good place for small folk, if you have them.

For those with no fear of heights, the Ober Gatlinburg chairlift looks fun and is one of those things I keep wanting to do. Likewise, the helicopter rides over the Smokies. There are a couple of those outfits farther up the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, with different distance and pricing packages. Also in Pigeon Forge is Wonderworks. It advertises itself as an amusement park for the mind and has lots of interactive exhibits. It has a website that gives you a pretty good idea of what it's all about. It's just as much fun for adults.

If you're coming in May you have time to send for information from the Chamber of Commerce. It'll make it easier to zero in on what appeals to your family.

[GrannyLois]

I like the National Park, Cades Cove, Ober Gatlinburg, Dollywood, and my favorite is the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community. It's the real and authentic quality art and crafts of the region. You can find them online. It's the best kept secret in the area.