Smoky Mountains in Tennessee & North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains area is within a day’s drive of three fourths of the country’s population. Because of this, the Smokies host nearly ten million visitors yearly looking for both excitement and peaceful serenity, great meals or a snack in the woods, and either rustic or luxurious accommodations. The towns of the Smokies offer all this and more.

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

The most popular destinations in the Smoky Mountains are the towns of Gatlinburg TN and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In addition, Townsend (billed as the “Quiet Side of the Smokies” and Sevierville (the birthplace of Dolly Parton), which boasts the excitement of Dollywood, both offer accommodations, restaurants and attractions for the mountain traveler. The area is also the second most popular place to get married—the Smoky Mountains are the “Wedding capital of the South”.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP)

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge Tennessee, is visited by nearly 10 million travelers annually—which makes it the most popular park in the system. Covering over 500,000 acres, it features hundreds of miles of hiking trails, shorter nature trails, fishing streams, magnificent waterfalls, and wildlife. The GSMNP is to towns like Gatlinburg TN and helped develop it and several other towns and villages nearby. The towns provide necessary lodging accommodations, cuisine of all types and appealing attractions for millions for kids of all ages.