Cosby, Tennessee is a quieter, less-traveled town adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cosby allows access to the Park via one of five of the major entrances to the Park facilities. Besides the Park entrance, Cosby is best known for its richly textured past–moonshiners and cock-fighting. Cosby is a little tamer these days and offers travelers a full range of lodging accommodations, independently-owned restaurants and small motels and motor inns. There are even a few bed and breakfast inns. Cosby TN also offers a route to Gatlinburg TN and beyond to Pigeon Forge that might save you substantial driving time to your ultimate Smoky Mountains destination. While this route is a little farther, you will be pleased by time saved during July-August and October when tourist traffic is very frustrating. This route is as follows: From Interstate-40, exit at 440 or 443 – then take Hwy 321 approximately 20 miles–it will turn into East Parkway–towards Gatlinburg TN and continue straight on Hwy...
Knoxville TN, is a thriving east Tennessee city situated near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Three Interstates run through Knoxville. Knoxville is home to The University of Tennessee Volunteers football team and the folks around here take their football very seriously. Knoxville has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The fall is a favorite time and the colors are something to behold! Travelers come from all over the east to visit Knoxville TN and the Great Smoky Mountains to see Mother Nature at her most colorful. Knoxville’s accommodations for both casual and business travellers include everything from B&B inns to luxury hotels, and prices suit most any budget. Knoxville has an excellent Chamber of Commerce, which promotes fine facilities for conventions. Transportation in Knoxville is excellent as well, including the KAT public transportation system, taxis, limos, car rentals, and McGhee-Tyson Airport is less than 20 miles away. The culturally inclined will find Knoxville a great host—with opera, dance, theater, symphony, visual arts. And perhaps most interesting of all is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is only 30 miles...
Sevierville, Tennessee was founded in 1795 and named for John Sevier, the first governor of the state of Tennessee. The oldest of Sevier County’s four sister cities, it is also the 8th oldest town in Tennessee (Nearby Jonesborough TN takes the #1 spot). Sevierville has a popular heritage—daughter Dolly Parton’s statue resides on downtown’s courthouse lawn. Dolly is known just as well for her namesake theme parks in nearby Pigeon Forge TN–Dollywood and Splash Country. Dolly Parton returns home each Spring during her seasonal Dollywood Grand Opening and she even makes other special appearances during the year. Sevierville, Tennessee sits between Knoxville, TN and Asheville, NC, at exit 407 of Interstate 40. Sitting near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge TN, Sevierville is a major draw for the Great Smoky Mountains area and is also accessible via nearby Asheville NC and Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airports. Sevierville, Tennessee is prepared for the millions of visitors it gets annually. There are literally dozens of hotels and motels and thousands of log cabin rentals to choose from. Sevierville TN has become a very popular marrying place and plays host to thousands of brides and grooms each year in its several Smoky Mountain wedding chapels. Naturally, Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains are a favorite of...
Pigeon Forge, TN was originally called Fanshiers, but later renamed “Pigeon” from the river and “Forge” from the iron works at the Old Mill on the river. The Old Mill (right) is on the National Register of Historic Sites and serves to remind us of the original pioneer community that once lay alongside the Pigeon River. Pigeon Forge TN is home to Dollywood Theme Park, which was named for country superstar Dolly Parton and which highlights the rich heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains area. Tennessee’s most visited attraction (next to the Park), Dollywood draws over 2 million travelers annually and features rides, live entertainment shows and artisan’s work. Next to Dollywood sits Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Park, which has rides for kids of all ages. In 1996, Southern Living magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards ranked Pigeon Forge, TN as the #1 shopping spot in the South. Truly a shopper’s paradise, Pigeon Forge has some of the best outlet shopping in the South with more than 100 outlet stores. You can spend days checking out River View, Belz and Tanger outlet malls. Some of the companies represented are: Eddie Bauer, Nautica, Oshkosh, Nike, , Coach, Liz Claiborne, Rockport, Tommy Hilfiger, Samsonite, and many more. Check them all out yourself! Lodging choices in Pigeon Forge run the gamut: dozens of hotels and motels, thousands of cabin and chalet rentals, bed and breakfast inns, campgrounds, and condo rentals will ensure that you’ll have a place to rest your head at the end of a busy day. Enjoy breathtaking mountain vistas from your own luxury cabin rental, get pampered at a bed and...
There are countless numbers of fun and exciting things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, starting with visiting a Smoky Mountain Visitor Center. From historical exhibits to unique programs, there is a ton of fun things to do here you cannot find anywhere else in the area. To discover all of our favorite things about visiting a Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, read below! 1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Newsletter One of our favorite things you can find at a Smoky Mountain Visitor Center is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park newsletter. Issued in conjunction with the National Park Service, the Smokies Guide newsletter is an amazing way to stay up-to-date on park information and to discover fun and exciting things planned during your visit. This information can include tips about the wildlife, upcoming events or programs, historical tidbits, and more! The best part is, they are completely free to pick up! All you have to do is swing by your favorite Smoky Mountain Visitor Center and there they will be. 2. Unique Books About the Smoky Mountains In addition to the Smokies Guide newsletter, a trip to the Smoky Mountain Visitor Center is also the best place to find a variety of unique books all dedicated to the national park. Whether you want to learn a bit more about the park’s history, the people who once lived there, the intricate ecosystem, or anything else, you are sure to find a book to match these needs. Our favorite are the books that contain pictures of what the area once looked like. There is also a collection...
Townsend, TN bills itself as “The Peaceful Side of the Smoky Mountains”. And true to its name, it does have a much slower and easier pace than its neighboring towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN. More important is its close proximity to Cades Cove. Townsend is the closest of the towns bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is the most visited part of the Park. In fact, Townsend’s Tuckaleechee Cove is rich in Appalachian history and heritage. Here the Little River gently descends from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into this quiet community, and was a natural settlement area that has attracted and served as home to pioneers for hundreds of years. In fact, archaeological digs in the Townsend area have recently uncovered evidence of settlers dating back thousands of years. As early as the 1700’s, white settlers settled the areas of Townsend and nearby Cades Cove. Today, several museums and historic sites keep us connected with the past. In the early 1900’s, the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company ruled the area when they logged thousands of acres until 1928, when locals fostered the idea for creating a national park. The railroad museum that exists here today contains hundreds of photographs, well-restored railroad equipment and entertaining exhibits to interest the traveler. True railroad enthusiasts can enjoy viewing the preserved locomotives and logging equipment. For more info, contact the Townsend Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum at 865-448-3060. From Townsend, you are only 25 minutes to Dollywood and Pigeon Forge TN, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville. Start your visit at the Townsend Visitors Center. Call 865-448-6134...
