Dolce UVA Wine Bar & Cafe

Dolce UVA is Gatlinburg’s premier casual wine bar. They offer a wide selection of local wines, as well as wines from around the world, champagne, as well as a generous selection of drought and bottled beer, and a full menu.

Next time you find yourself in downtown Gatlinburg, stop by Dolce UVA for a glass. They’re also known for their cafe menu. So, for anyone who wants to stop by, but fears they should grab a bite to eat before trying some of Dolce UVA’s delicious wine selections, have no fear.

The appetizer section is the first thing to jump off the menu at you. From the smoked cheese and salami plate to the French Brie and fruit, there is something for every palate. Other appetizers include Buffalo wings, home made fried potato chips, tomato mozzarella caprese, mozzarella cheese sticks, and chicken tenders.

Sliding on down the menu, you have your salads and wraps, then you come to the sandwiches and entrees portion. Sandwiches include the Angus burger, various chicken sandwiches, and ciabattas with your choice of fresh cold cuts, or the stacked hot pastrami.

If you’ll be stopping by for dinner, we’re sure that something on the entrees portion will call out to you. From the 10 oz. Ribeye steak to the grilled chicken pasta or the chicken penne pasta, you can’t go wrong. Bring along the kids too. Dolce UVA features a kids menu with hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders, grilled cheese and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

Dolce UVA will leave you feeling like you’ve sampled the best of Italy when you leave. For a great time with friends, or a romantic evening for just the two of you, come out to Dolce UVA WIne Bar & Cafe in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg.

Dolce UVA
463 Parkway Suite 1
Gatlinburg, TN 37738-3003
(865) 277-7585

Chimney Tops

Chimney Tops is one of the most visited places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its access point is found just a hop, skip, and a jump from downtown Gatlinburg. Well, a little more than a hop, skip, and a jump, but you get the picture. For a relatively short hike in the park near Gatlinburg, seek out Chimney Tops and you can thank us later.

As mentioned, it’s a two-mile trek from Newfound Gap Road to Chimney Tops and the trailhead can be accessed 6.7 miles from the Sugarlands Visitor Center traveling south on Newfound Gap Road. There is also a large parking area found there.

Not only does Chimney Tops offer spectacular mountain views, the short two-mile hike is most appealing to visitors. Just watch out as you get closer to the top, the trail gets pretty steep and can be fairly slippery when it rains.

As you start out, you’ll come to a bridge that crosses the Walter Camp Prong of the Little Pigeon River. This is a great place to view and take pictures of spring wildflowers. At 0.9 miles in you’ll have crossed your fourth bridge along the trail to Chimney Tops and you’re at the point in the trail where the Road Prong Trail junction appears. You’ll go on from that point to the right and hike a switchback.

chimneymapThis creek valley you’re now on will literally lead you up to the stars. It’s a steep trail and you’re likely to hear the sound of water rippling down the mountainside to your as you ascend Chimney Tops. Another switchback and you find yourself trekking across Sugarland Mountain. If you look through openings along the trail you’re sure to catch a glimpse of Mount LeConte in the distance.

Following a quick descent, you come to a sloping pinnacle and signs warning hikers not to travel beyond Chimney Tops’ two peaks.

Two paths can be taken to the top but hikers should be wary of the rocks leading up opposite of the rock face. Some are as old as 600 million years and shine from the thousands of hand that have touched them over the years on their way to Chimney Tops. You’ve made it! Turn around and marvel at Mt. LeConte and Newfound Gap Road, it’s been a great hike and one you’ll always remember.

Lorelei Candles

One craft that you will see throughout the Gatlinburg area is hand-carved and hand-crafted candles.  Since people first came to this area they have made candles to provide light during the night and now crafters like Lorelei Candles are bring this art form to tourist that come to the area every year.  Whether you are looking for a souvenir to take home or if you are looking for a candle for that special occasion, Lorelei has a candle to fit every need and desire.

The people of the Smoky Mountains used candles out of necessity.  Their candles were simply but at some point, a wood worker maybe, realized that the candle could be carved.  The wax made a great medium to work with and if you made a cut that you didn’t like that it was easy to repair.  Over time, the candle makers in the mountains learned to work with colors and dyes to produce candles of various colors.  Today, this tradition has continued with the good people at Lorelei Candles.

The Lorelei Candles store on Glades Road is part of the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community.  They have been on Glades Road for years and through those years they have done one thing:  made beautiful candles of every description.  From candles shaped like everything from bears to eagles and maybe even famous cartoon mice to hand-carved works of art, the candles from Lorelei defy description.  The wedding candles they offer might be the most beautiful thing in their store.  The candle is dipped in many colors, forming layers of wax that, when carved give a layered affect and the, in turn, make a beautiful unity candle on your special day.  Coming in both scented and unscented varieties, the candles at Lorelei are a treat for he nose as well as a treat for the eyes.

Make a stop by Lorelei Candles the next time you visit Gatlinburg.  This is not only a great place to get candles for that candle lover on your shopping list but it can be a good way to feel your home with light and warmth and of course, works of art, carved from wax.

Lorelei Candles
331 Glades Road
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-9214
www.loreleicandlesonline.com

Alamo Steakhouse

Sometimes when you are on vacation you just really need a steak.  If you are looking for a great local steakhouse in Gatlinburg, while you are visiting the Smoky Mountains, then you need to stop by Alamo Steakhouse.

Alamo Steakhouse in Gatlinburg has long been one of the places that the locals go for steaks and when you see a bunch of cars in front of a restaurant in Sevier County with Sevier County license tags, you know the food is going to be good.  The menu at Alamo is as good as the service and the service is spectacular. On top of that service, the restaurant is located out of the middle of downtown so you can drive to the Alamo park your car (for free) and not have to walk or pay for a parking space.

Starters

It is sometimes hard to get an appetizer when you know that the there will be a lot of food coming to your table but it is worth getting a starter to share at the Alamo.  From bacon wrapped shrimp to grilled oysters their appetizers are decadent and a great way to start your meal.  One of their most appetizing appetizers are the Sombreros.  Sombreros, are mushroom caps stuffed with crabstuffing.  Then they are topped with Monterrey Jack and Parmesan cheese and baked.  These little bites of goodness are a perfect precursor to a great steak.

Steaks

Of course, the main reason that you go to a steak house is for a steak, here is just a partial listing of their selection of steaks and other beef selections:

  • Prime Rib – They run out quick most nights on this entree so you need to get there early to make sure that you get one.  Slow roasted in their ovens and seasoned for the best flavor, this is one of the best prime ribs in town.  Served with au jus and horseradish sauce.
  • Rio Grande Ribeye – There is a large cut and a smaller cut of this amazing ribeye.  Heavy marbling in this steak makes it mouthwatering and tender.
  • Alamo New York Strip – This is one of the lergest New York Strips you will ever encounter.  Not for th efaint of heart, this is one of the most tender steaks on their menu.
  • Filet Mignon – Available in both petit cut and full cut, this is the best of the best.  Now as the cut of kings, this is the steack for all of those steak lovers out there.
  • Texas T-Bone – Aged, juicy and tender, this bone-in steak gives you plenty of flavor.
  • El Presidente Porterhouse – This is the biggest steak on the menu.  If you can’t make up your mind about whether you want a fillet or a strip then thi sis the steak for you.

Here is the secret of the Alamo steak:

The Alamo Secret
If you have never tried Real Oak Fired Black Angus Steaks before, you will see why we make such a big deal over them. Oak Firing sears in the juices and all the natural flavors of these cuts of corn-fed beef. Every juicy mouthful is unbelievably moist with rich beefy flavor. After you’ve savored the last bite, we hope you’ll agree that all the work we put into preparing your meal was well worth it!

 Give Alamo a try next time you are in Gatlinburg, spend time with their great staff in a beautiful location in the mountains.  Most of all, bring your appetite.  Get ready for one of the best steaks you will find in the Smoky Mountains.

Alamo Steakhouse
705 East Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-9998
http://www.alamosteakhouse.com/

 

Bennett’s Pit BBQ

If there is one thing that everyone in the Smoky Mountains can agree on it’s barbecue.  We might not always know how we want to spell it, whther it be barbecue or BBQ but we know that we like and we love to eat it.  In Gatlinburg, one of the places to go for great BBQ is one of those spots that you go to dine on famous, award winning BBQ with an awesome staff and an even better atmosphere.

At Bennett’s, meat is king.  From smoked sausage to pulled pork and everything bbq’d in between, Bennett’s have been serving BBQ for decades.  Smoked flavor drips from every morsel of food that gets brought to your table.  The best example of what this restaurant does is by looking at one of their biggest and baddest plates of food:  the Texan Sampler.  This plate of food comes with pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked sausage, chicken and baby-back ribs.  Yes, you read that correctly, you get all 5.  Generous portion sof each make sure that you are getting well fed and that you will leave full and happy.  You also get to try a little bit of it all.  Of course, if you want something a little bigger – Big Daddy’s Ultimate Combo – FOUR baby-back ribs, TWO hog legs and a 1/4 pound of pulled pork.  Bennett’s knows how to make their guests happy, keep the food coming.

The staff and the cooks at Bennett’s have been doing this for a long time.  They get you seated, get your order and start bringing you food.  It is no wonder that this restaurant keeps winning awards and that at night throughout the busiest part of the year that they are standing room only.  The servers are top notch and can answer any question you have about the menu.  The cooks are also out of this world and you don’t have to worry if your steak will come out right when you are sitting in a booth at Bennett’s.

In Gatlinburg, Bennett’s is located toward the end of River Road, if you are headed toward the GSMNP.  They have their own parking lot, they are centrally located and if you want to walk, they are easy to get to.  In fact, if you decide to ride the Aerial Tramway to Ober Gatlinburg you will pass directly over Bennett’s as you start up the mountain.  Try Bennett’s tonight if you are in the mountains.  Or maybe the next time you make the trip to Gatlinburg you can add them to your list of places to eat.  Strap on the feed bag and give Bennett’s Pit BBQ a try.

Bennett’s BBQ
714 River Road
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-2400
http://www.bennetts-bbq.com/

Pirate’s Ball

Aaaaaaarrrrgh! Beware of pirates if you come to town in March. They’re nice pirates though, and it’s for a good cause. It’s all for the Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, Inc. And it’s their 5th annual Pirate’s Ball fundraiser at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

If you’ve ever wanted to be a pirate, what better of an event to let your hooks, err hair down. It all takes place March 11. As mentioned, the fundraiser benefits the Good Shepherd Center, a non-profit residential treatment center for emotionally and behaviorally- challenged adolescents from ages 13 to 21.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is the perfect place to host a gathering of pirates. Unique exhibits like the attraction’s underwater tunnels, sharks, and the ability to pet stingrays and horseshoe crabs in the stingray pool, are just a few of the aquarium’s big selling points and makes it a great spot to hold a fundraiser. And let’s not forget the penguins that live at the aquarium on Penguin beach. They’re so fun. They also feature a great coral reef exhibit, so be sure to stop a see that. Kids can play in the Discovery center. There’s always something for everyone, even pirates.

The Pirate’s Ball will feature food, drinks, dancing, and live entertainment. Don’t forget to bring your camera to this event, there will be plenty of opportunities to snap great shots of you and your pirate friends. Be sure to bring your “pirate accent,” appetite and your sense of adventure and fun.

If you’re going to be coming in from out of town, a Gatlinburg cabin rental is the perfect place to stay. Enjoy the Aquarium by night, and enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains by day. There is so much to see and do in Gatlinburg, so bring some outdoor clothes as well and make the event a great little vacation.

The Pirate Ball turns Gatlinburg into a tropical paradise every year with live music, dancing, food and drink. For more information, call 865-774-7684.

Wood Signs of Gatlinburg

People come to Gatlinburg for all kinds of reasons be it for a honeymoon or a vacation getaway to the Smokies, or just to get away and go shop Gatlinburg’s parkway. The downtown area sees thousands of shoppers every year due to its unique collection of stores like Wood Signs of Gatlinburg.

Since 1971, Wood Signs of Gatlinburg have been making custom wood signs to commemorate all kinds of special occasions, and add to your home or business’ decor. They’re family owned and operated.

Wood Signs of Gatlinburg make their signs out of the finest wood including a number of South American hardwoods, California Redwood, Eastern Red Cedar, and Western Red Cedar. All these types of wood that go into making some of the most beautiful signs imaginable are weather resistant and durable. Each is built to last whether you choose to display it indoors or outdoors.

Their holiday signs are especially popular, so if you’re currently downtown you can find Wood Signs of Gatlinburg near the Smokyland Motel and Riverside Motor Lodge. And it doesn’t take long at all for Wood Signs to develop your own personal sign while you shop or eat downtown. Most signs, depending on how busy the shop is take about an hour and a half.

If you’re looking for a wonderful, custom-crafted wood sign to finish off your home’s decor, or give to a friend, drop by Wood Signs of Gatlinburg and have their staff personalize an attractive wood sign that is sure to be a conversation piece for years to come.

Wood Signs of Gatlinburg
715 Parkway
Gatlinburg TN 37738
866-436-9640, 865-436-9640

Sherlock Holmes Pub

Been shopping and walking downtown Gatlinburg all day and feel the need to wet your whistle before you leave? Stop in for a drink and a great meal at Sherlock Holmes Pub, they feature a selection of of the finest draught beers, Irish and American fare, as well as local live music.

Among the various draft selections, you’ll find Newcastle, Strongbow, Harp, Smithwick’s, Guinness, Blue Moon, Fat Tire, Yuengling, and Sam Adams. Bottle options include Bud Lite, Bud, Coors Lite, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, Smirnoff Ice, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams Summer Ale, Fat Tire, Heineken, Becks, Corona, Highland Gaelic Ale, Stella, Bass, and cans of Boddingtons. Enough to make a mouth water just reading the list.

Food choices include some great appetizers like a basket of English chips and a selection of main course items like grilled chicken salad, Sir Arthur Conan Doyles fish and chips, Sherlock Holmes cottage pie, Mrs. Hudson’s beef Yorkshire pudding, Hound of the Baskervilles hot dogs, Baker Street burger, chicken sandwich (grilled or fried), and prime rib sandwich.

Live music can be seen on the patio when weather permits. Come to Sherlock Holmes Pub and enjoy delicious food, ice-cold beer, and conversation with great friends. Bring the family, kids under 5 eat free and enjoy the Smokies in one of the funnest locales in downtown Gatlinburg.

Sherlock Holmes Pub
651 Parkway, Suite 110
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865.430.5943

Zi Olive

Here is something a little different:  Zi Olive.  Zi Olive is home to the best olive oils and balsamic vinegar that you will find in the Smokies.  Located in The Village, in Gatlinburg, TN, this store allows you to sample some of the most beautiful and best tasting olive oils that you will ever encounter.  Infused oils and Balsamic vinegar are available for tasting, then for purchase and finally to take home with you to use as marinades and in recipes to add that little extra bit of flavor.

Olive Oil is one of the most amazing cooking tools ever created.  Pressed from olives at the peak of their ripeness, Zi Olive takes extra virgin olive oil and infuses it with extra flavors   These extra flavors add flavor and punch to your recipes.  And what’s more, you have the opportunity to taste before you buy.  From oils with a citrus appeal to oils that have been infused with herbs like basil and garlic, these olive oil creations are good when tasted by themselves and of course will take your next meal to new heights.

Village_logoThen of course you have their selection of balsamic vinegars.  The same way that the olive oil has been infused with other flavors, the balsamic vinegar has gotten the same treatment.  Balsamic vinegar is produced from grape juice and has become one of the ingredients of choice in vinegar and oil dressing for salads all over the countryside.  Of course, when added to other recipes, it is a wonderful addition and brightens the flavor of any stir fry.  The balsamic vinegars from Zi Olive has additional flavors to change the flavor palette of those recipes you are already using in your recipes.  Flavored with such ingredients as cherries, chocolate, garlic and figs, these infused balsamic vinegars will make every recipe you use them in take on a new life.

And speaking of recipes, you need to pay a visit to their website.  There website contains a plethora of information and recipes.  Their recipe section changes on a regular basis and will give you ideas on how to use their products and get the most out of the oils and vinegars that you purchase.  Pay a visit to Zi Olive in The Village in Gatlinburg.  As you are browsing through the shops you will spot them and you will be transported to the wonderful world of infused oils and vinegars.  Try some of them.  Taste the various flavors and imagine the recipes you already use olive oil in with a complete different flavor set.  Try Zi Olive.

Zi Olive
The Village
634 Parkway #6
Gatlinburg, TN
865-430-2400
www.ziolive.com

LeConte Lodge

LeConte Lodge sits high atop Mount LeConte, the third highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and is the only place visitors can stay overnight at that high of an elevation in the eastern half of the country.

In all, 60 guests can stay at the lodge per night. Seven rough-hewn log cabins or 3 group sleeping lodges are also available. These one room structures are equipped with upper and lower bunks. Perfect for two couples or a family of 4. Three of the cabins also have a single bed that will sleep 5 people. Each lodge has a common room as well.

There is no electricity at LeConte Lodge. Kerosene lamps light the lodge giving it that old time feel, while propane heaters warm structures. Buildings with flush toilets were installed not too long ago at LeConte Lodge; still, there are no showers up here. Basins are also found in each cabin.

Wool blankets are found on each bed at the lodge as nighttime temperatures can dip down to freezing points often. The summer months don’t escape the dipping temperatures either.

lecontelodgeCoffee or hot chocolate awaits guests upon arrival and the family-style meals served in the lodge dining room make staying at LeConte Lodge a festive and memorable environment. Mount LeConte is a happy host and as is LeConte Lodge and the years of guests have made it that way. For visitors staying over a night, they’ll be able to eat lunch at the lodge too.

You live by the sun on Mount LeConte–early to bed, relaxed by your climb, and early to rise to enjoy a renowned Myrtle Point sunrise. For leisure activities, the lodge office provides reading material, games and comfortable chairs. Sitting on the deck in rocking chairs, soaking up the view of the mountain tops and distant valleys, is a favorite activity.

Next time you’re in Gatlinburg, take a hike up Mount LeConte and come stay the night at LeConte Lodge. The mountain is more than happy to have you and looks forward to your stay. Happy hiking!