Tennessee Road Trip (Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga: motels, theater, cabins)

[TravelChange2012]

OK. So It's NASHVILLE > GSM (unless I add in knoxville). That sounds right because Spikett just said the same thing to me.

Knoxville? Everyone thinks I should make a stop there? Or just drive through on the 40?

The links you left, and mention of Cookeville. Not really sure if you mean to visit these places or if its on the way and I'll notice it on the way?

[CraigCreek]

Knoxville is between Nashville and the GSM, if you're heading to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Or, you could go by Maryville, skip Knoxville, and go down to Townsend, the "quiet side of the Smokies". Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are extremely commercialized - Townsend is much smaller, but offers pleasant accommodations, tubing on the Little River in the summer months, and proximity to Cade's Cove, the crown jewel of GSM coves (mountain valleys).

I agree that a map would be your best friend.

Another idea would be to see the Smokies after leaving Atlanta - go up to Franklin, NC, then over to Cherokee, enter the park, cross over the mountains, and leave the park via Gatlinburg. Beautiful scenery; easy drive from Atlanta, and you could visit the ruby and sapphire "mines" around Franklin.

The area around the GSM is filled with outdoor recreation opportunities of many kinds and is very tourist-friendly.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by TravelChange2012

OK. So It's NASHVILLE > GSM (unless I add in knoxville). That sounds right because Spikett just said the same thing to me.

Knoxville? Everyone thinks I should make a stop there? Or just drive through on the 40?

The links you left, and mention of Cookeville. Not really sure if you mean to visit these places or if its on the way and I'll notice it on the way?

It's on the way between Nashville and Knoxville. To drive from Nashville to Knoxville (and the Great Smoky Mountains are adjacent to Knoxville) you'll pass right by Burgess Falls and Cummins Falls. And if you needed a place to eat, you could eat at the place I recommended in Cookeville which serves locally-brewed beer. It would take just a couple of hours to visit both of the state parks.

And I agree that getting off Interstate 40 and going the "quiet" way to the Smokies through Maryville and Townsend is the way to go. If you go through Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg you'll probably leave with a bad taste in your mouth. Unless you happen to like gawdy tourist traps.

Here's the state road map of the eastern half of Tennessee (from just east of Nashville all the way to North Carolina) which includes what we've been talking about here:

http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/Maps/201...ialSM-Back.pdf

[TN Tin Man]

For those outdoor hiking individuals..
Waterfalls of the Cumberland Plateau - Tennessee - YouTube the names of the falls are in the lower left and right corner of the frame..

This link will also show you the waterfalls plus much much more for the outdoors individual.

http://web.eecs.utk.edu/~dunigan/landforms/

[Stone1]

I really want to encourage you to try the Knoxville/Maryville/Pigeon Forge/Townsend area as well. I have family near Chattanooga so the wife and I have given thought to moving to the area for semi retirement. We found we like Nashville, Clarksville, Chattanooga areas but when we went to the Maryville area it just seemed like a better fit so we are looking more into those areas for semi retirement. For lack of a better way to put it, the eastern areas mentioned just had a better feel for us.

[TravelChange2012]

I'm confused about the knoxville maryville pigeon forge and townsend....

If I do Nashville > GSM > Chattanooga

Should I put Knoxville in before Chattanooga?

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by TravelChange2012

I'm confused about the knoxville maryville pigeon forge and townsend....

If I do Nashville > GSM > Chattanooga

Should I put Knoxville in before Chattanooga?

I am asking this question legitimately ... have you looked at a map of Tennessee?

Knoxville is just about an hour away from the Smokies. You would have a hard time getting to the Smokies from Nashville WITHOUT going through Knoxville.



If you're eventually planning to get to ATL, you would do some serious backtracking to put Knoxville AFTER Chattanooga.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

[TravelChange2012]

Yes, I did look at a map. And are you confirming I am correct?

Nashville> Knoxville > GSM > Chattanooga

If you recall, I never said anything about Knoxville, meaning, I never said I was going to stop there. I'm now asking if I DO stop there, if that is the correct order to do so.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by TravelChange2012

Nashville> Knoxville > GSM > Chattanooga

if I DO stop there, if that is the correct order to do so.

Yes, IF you choose to stop in Knoxville, the above order would make the most sense.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by TravelChange2012

I'm confused about the knoxville maryville pigeon forge and townsend....

If I do Nashville > GSM > Chattanooga

Should I put Knoxville in before Chattanooga?

Depends. You could visit Knoxville before GSM or after the GSM. It will be your choice.

Either way, I will say that Knoxville doesn't have a lot of touristy things to do. It's a great little city and I absolutely love living here. It's got a great mix of good weather, schools, cost-of-living, jobs and a charming downtown. But it is not a big tourist attraction. We have a small but solid zoo, a riverboat or train tour and very, very small but substantial art and history museums. There's a wonderful visitor center that has a free concert of Americana music at noon six days a week. But having said that, it is not a major tourist destination. We don't have a major aquarium or the infamous Rock City of Chattanooga or the Grand Old Oprey of Nashville or Memphis' Graceland and Beale Street.

There is an interesting museum and train ride over in Oak Ridge if history is your thing. Oak Ridge was the Secret City during the Manhattan Project. I find that stuff fascinating.