Gatlinburg – Looking Ahead to an Exciting Year

This might be getting little ahead of things with the holiday season not even having peaked yet, but once the decorations are put away and all the gifts have been wrapped, gifted, and returned, Gatlinburg is looking at quite a 2013 in terms of events, etc. once the ball drops on the parkway.

Following New Years, visitors can still take part in the town’s Trolley Ride of Lights and see the sights downtown by way of one of the old town’s beautiful trolleys.

By January 1, things are usually in full swing at Ober Gatlinburg and it looks to be that way again this year with the snow tubing area having already opened and slopes scheduled to open December 7. This early scheduled opening is thanks in large part to some new snow making equipment that has made it possible to start making snow in less than perfect weather conditions. Follow that up with Ober’s biggest event to start the year – the Tennessee Winter Special Olympics. It’s a chance to cheer on some very talented people and enjoy Ober Gatlinburg at its finest.

A few short months later, Gatlinburg’s Smoky Mountain Springfest begins in earnest with decorations, events, and other Spring-like happenings. It’s a great time for a hike in the Smokies. Get out your nature books and enjoy all the wildflowers springing up everywhere.

Two of the bigger events to begin the year are the annual Easter Arts & Crafts show and the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage. The Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community puts on a terrific craft show every spring that brings in crafters and buyers from all over the country. Typically held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center, isn’t a show that’s not to be missed. For crafters, it’s a show that’s never the same as new items appear every season.

As far as the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage goes, this 60-plus year tradition is the perfect event for the botanist in all of us. Through seminars and guided tours, come listen to some of the country’s foremost leaders in fields of botany and gardening. These tours showcase the multitude of wildflowers, plants, ferns, mosses, trees and shrubs, as well as birds, reptiles and amphibians that call the Great Smoky Mountains home.

Visits to the Smokies Up This Year

For the local economy, the Great Smoky Mountains really are the gift that keeps on giving. And this time of year that’s a really good thing when you’re forecasting the future.

Officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently released figures that show that visits to the national park are up by nearly 8 percent over last year for the year to date. And with the holiday season in full swing, that trend is more than likely to continue due to the usual “pop” in visits to the area during the holiday season.

Molly Schroer with the national park said November visits to the 500,000-acre park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border totaled 657,935 people. That’s an 8.6 percent jump from November 2011 data and a real good sign for December.

October’s final statistics showed numbers which were slightly ahead of October 2011 numbers and year-to-date visits to the Great Smoky Mountains through last month totaled 9,204,736 people. That’s a 7.8 percent rise looking at numbers from January through November 2011.

Obviously, due to the magnificent fall foliage, October is a big month for visits to the park. The revised figure for that month is 1,133,604.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the contiguous United States. The park is home to over 17,000 species of plants and animals and many leading officials within the field of science and nature believe another 30,000 to 80,000 different types of species live in the Smoky Mountain region.

Talking about plants and animals, some 100 species of native trees can be found flourishing in the Smokies, more than in any other North American national park. Almost 95% of the park is forested, and about 25% of that area is old-growth forest-one of the largest blocks of deciduous, old-growth forests remaining in North America. Over 1,500 flowering plant species can be found here as well. In all, over 200 species of birds, 66 types of mammals, 50 native fish species, 39 varieties of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians can be found living in the park and such things as millipedes and mushrooms reach record diversity here.

Blaine’s Grill & Bar

Finally Some Fun!

Blaine’s is one of the most centrally located restaurants in Gatlinburg.  Right on the corner of the Parkway and Historic Nature Trail Road, Blaine’s resides in the shadow of the Space Needle and sees thousands of people in the foot traffic that pass the door everyday.  The location has a fair amount of history and the food is amazing.  Add to that the fact that they put on the best New Years Eve party in town and you have a happening spot that brings on the fun and the food every time they open the doors.

Blaine’s stands on the corner that was known as Rebel Corner until the fire of 1992.  In July of 1992 Rebel Corner – one of the oldest gift shops in town at that point – burned to the ground with the rest of the buildings that were on the block.  In 1995, the Smith family, that owns Blaine’s opened Ronnie Milsap’s Keyboard Cafe on the site of the old Rebel Corner.  In 1998, they changed the name, the look and the feel of Milsap’s to Blaine’s and the reputation and the happy guests have been growing every year.

The food and atmosphere at Blaine’s is second to none at Blaine’s.  The food, of course, is the main draw.  From the burgers to their desserts you will not leave Blaine’s hungry and you will find that they have something for everyone.  They even have a gluten-free menu for whom gluten is a concern.  One of their menu items that really sticks out is their patty melt.  It might be the best patty melt in East Tennessee – 5 pound patty, rye bread, Swiss cheese, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, 1000 island dressing and grilled to perfection.  The ribs at Blaine’s are also a crowd pleaser, bringing in the local and the tourist alike.  And then, there is their dessert menu.  The menu items for the sweet tooth isn’t long but it is wonderful.  Try their fried ice cream if you go there and have room for dessert, it is to die for.

Blaine’s is one of the most happening spots in Gatlinburg after the sun goes down and it is no different on New Years Eve.  With the focus of everyone’s attention being on the Space Needle and the dropping of the ball, Blaine’s sells out fast and offers four different packages for your New Years entertainment:

  • Premier Dinner – Prime Rib or Chicken for dinner, bottle of champagne, party favors, reserved seating and a confetti drop at midnight.
  • Dance Floor – Prime Rib or Chicken for dinner, bottle of champagne, party favors and a confetti drop at midnight.
  • Sports Bar – glass of champagne, party favors, appetizer buffet and a midnight confetti drop
  • General Admission – glass of champagne, party favors and a midnight confetti drop
All of these packages sell out quickly so if you are planning on spending New Years in Gatlinburg and you want to have the most fun possible, make your reservations soon.

Looking for good food and good fun while you are in Gatlinburg?  Looking for a special place to spend time with that special person?  Looking for some fun at night after the sun is down? Look no further then Blaine’s!

Blaines Grill & Bar
812 Parkway #105
Gatlinburg, TN
865-430-1978
http://blainesgatlinburg.com/

Smoky Mountain Trout House

Rainbow trout is as tied to the Smoky Mountains as the black bears that are the unofficial mascot of the National Park itself. To that end, people want to eat trout while they are in the mountains and the trout they want to eat, even though it is not native to the area, is the rainbow trout.  Since 1975, the Smoky Mountain Trout House has been serving the freshest, best tasting trout in the Smokies.  It has become one of those restaurants that you don’t want to miss when you visit Gatlinburg.

The trout that the Smoky Mountain Trout House serves is raised in crystal clear waters.  The trout are raised until they are the perfect size for eating and then they are dressed and ice packed to be served as soon as possible to the people tha line up at the door every night to experience the trout creations from this traditional restaurant.  The purity of the fish, the freshness of the fish and skill of the cooks brings out all of the flavor that a mountain rainbow trout has to offer.

Highlights from their menu:

  • Trout Eisenhower – This is a crowd favorite.  Cooked the old timey way, it is pan seared coated in corn meal.  Served with bacon and butter sauce it also comes with a dish of sauteed mushrooms and onions.
  • Parmesan Trout – Dippe din a secret sauce, covered with parmesan cheese and then sauteed in peanut oil.
  • Dilly Trout – Butterflied trout, fried with dillweed seed and lemon juice.  If you love dill you will not be able to get enough of this dish.
  • Green Bean Almondine Trout – A trout filet basted with lemon juice, it has been stuffed with green beans, almonds, onions and chopped tomato and the whole thing cooked in wine.
  • Mountain Trout Specialties Cakes – Imagine crab cakes but with trout instead of crab.  These are one of the best items on the menu.

And to top off the wonderful selections on the menu, they also have some of the best hushpuppies in town.  These hush puppies are light, fried perfect, reminding you of eating at a fish fry in your backyard.  And like any good restaurant in the Smokies they have fritters.  These fritters are trout fritters and they are a must.

A visit to Gatlinburg is ot complete until you have had rainbow trout.  In fact, you have to have it when you come tot he Smokies just so you can experience everything that there is to offer.  Over the years, thousands of people have been getting their trout from Smoky Mountain Trout House.  They are located right after you get into town if you are headed in from Pigeon Forge.  Look for Best Western Zoder’s Inn and you will see the Smoky Mountain Trout House right next to it.  Walk from your hotel or park in the parking garage right down the road, either way this place needs t o be on your list of places to eat.

Smoky Mountain Trout House
410 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-5416
http://www.gatlinburgtrouthouse.com

Sugarland Cellars

Sugarland Cellars is one of the newest wineries in the Smoky Mountains.  Located near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, TN, Sugarland Cellars delivers amazing wine and an equally compelling story about the region through the wines that they produce.  Made on site, their wines are crafted to reflect the beauty and the people of the Smokies.  From wines named from the people that helped to flesh out the GSMNP to those that are named after some of the most popular trails, they are making wines that are above average in every way.

Before we dig into the location and what to expect, let’s look at the selection of wines they are offering now – and remember all of these are made on site.  These wines and the names that have been given to them have been crafted to reflect the region and the majesty of the Smokies.  They have chosen the type sof wines and the ingredients to make these wines with the area in mind, with the mythos of the Smokies in mind and of course, when you get to look out the front door of your business each day at the National Park, it is easy to remember why your business is in Gatlinburg, TN.

Wines

Dry Wines

  • 1802 – burgundy style red wine
  • Trillium – floral and tropical white wine

Semi-Sweet Wines

  • Martha Jane Rose – blending of red and white muscadine
  • Baskins Creek Blanc – honey and citrus flavors in this white wine
  • Elkmont – made from loganberries ( a cross between a blackberry and raspberry)

Sweet Wine

  • Wiley Oakley – Concord grapes and blueberry wines make up this sweet wine
  • Mountain Laurel – muscadine sweet table wine
  • Cherry-Kee –  this one will remind you of your Grandmother’s cherry pie
Stepping into Sugarland Cellars, you will notice that the winery is telling the story of the area.  They have tried to gather local items and pieces of the local history to decorate the winery itself.  You will also find yourself in a working winery.  You can take a tour and even meet the people that are making the wines you will taste.  And yes, they will let you taste the wines they make – provided that you have the proper ID.  Check out what they have to offer and taste until you find the exact wine that you are looking for.  The good people that work there will even help you with pairings for food and direct you to what you are looking for to match your next big meal.
Sugarland Cellars is located across from the Park Grill right on the Parkway in Gatlinburg.  If you are headed through town toward the GSMNP, you will see Sugarland Cellars on the right almost to traffic light #10.  When you see the Park Grill on the left, look to the right and you should see their parking lot.  Pull and and take the tour, do some tasting and of course shop in their gift shop.  Take hoe some wine.  Take home some wine themed accessories and get ready to enjoy the newest winery in Gatlinburg.

Sugarland Cellars
1133 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
865-325-1110
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Backcountry Camping Fee Increase for 2013

For anyone planning a camping trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2013, just so you know the backcountry camping fee will increase to $4 person starting in most likely January.

It marks a change in the national park’s backcountry reservation and permitting process.

It’s all for a very worthy and good cause that will benefit all those coming to the national park wanting to stay overnight and observe its majestic beauty up close. All money deriving from the new backcountry fees will go toward improving customer service for backcountry trip planning, making backcountry reservations and applying for permits.

Additional staff will also give the national park the ability to expand backcountry office hours in order to better accommodate all the park’s guests. There will also be greater enforcement of issues such as food storage by park rangers assigned to various portions of the backcountry. These rangers are on patrol each day and look after the well-being of the park and keeping its natural state from harm.

In a move to become more technologically in tune, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give backcountry campers the ability to make reservations and obtain permits online through a new web site in cooperation with nps.gov. The site is slated to be available within the first few months of 2013.

Backcountry campers may stay at a campsite for a maximum of three consecutive nights. You may not stay more than one night at any individual shelter. The use of tents at shelters is prohibited. The maximum group size is 8 persons, except at the following campsites where parties of 12 are permitted: 17, 20, 46, 60, 86, and 90. Please note that some campsites have a group size limit of fewer than 8 persons.

The park does not allow pets on backcountry trails. Backpackers and hikers are subject to all Backcountry Rules and Regulations. Failure to abide by park regulations may subject you to a fine under Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations. Maximum fine for each violation is $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail.

Please call the reservations office to cancel any nights or spaces that become available because of changes in your plans.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park sees near 10 million visitors come through its entrances in Tennessee and North Carolina every year. It’s home to such popular natural spots as Cades Cove, Cataloochee, and Mount LeConte.

Celebrate the Holidays in Gatlinburg

What better time to book a stay at a luxury log cabin in Gatlinburg than Christmas and New Years! Celebrate the holidays in a Smoky Mountain condo, chalet, or cabin rental at Sugar Maple or Gatlinburg Cabins Online. They have properties all over Gatlinburg and the surrounding towns of Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.

Winterfest and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas are two of the finest holiday events this time of year in the Smoky Mountains. Between the light displays that run in the millions, there is no time better than now to reserve a Gatlinburg cabin and spent Christmas in the Smokies.

Need more evidence of how amazing it really is around Gatlinburg this time of year? Well, you have all the activities offered at Ober Gatlinburg’s ski resort from snow tubing to winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Just down the road in Pigeon Forge, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas is already in full gear with people pouring into the park each night. Dollywood is decorated with over 4 million shimmering Christmas lights for their annual holiday festival which runs through the end of December. Go as a family and experience Carol of the Trees, The Polar Express 4-D Experience, Christmas in the Smokies, Dollywood’s Christmas on Ice, and the Parade of Lights. Also, stop by Santa’s Workshop when you go and check in on all the Christmas goodies.

If you’re going to be celebrating New Years with us, Wilderness Wildlife Week starts in haste right after the New Years ball drops. Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park become the hub to nature-lovers the world over as they experience the wonders of nature through workshops, lectures, and seminars offered in the national park. Event-goers can choose from over 50 guided walks and hikes through the national park and numerous trails and vantage points.

If you’re coming to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains this Christmas, Sugar Maple Cabins and Gatlinburg Cabins Online offers some of the best in luxury cabin rentals in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Wears Valley. Cabins, chalets, and condos range from one to 12 bedrooms and encourage groups that are planning weddings, family reunions, corporate retreats, romantic getaways, honeymoons, and church retreats to let them plan their getaway for them. Get started by visiting www.sugarmaplecabins.com or www.gatlinburgcabinsonline.com.

Christmas Gift Ideas You Can Find in Gatlinburg

We know, we know, you’re still trying to find that perfect Christmas gift for a loved one, friend, or even a co-worker. Well, if you haven’t tried Gatlinburg, what are you waiting for? There are plenty of specialty and unique stores to get some quality shopping done in the old town.

So how about some ideas? Ask and you shall receive. Here is a list of a few of the most attractive items to be found this holiday season in Gatlinburg in no certain order:

  • Tickets to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies – You can’t come in to Gatlinburg without running straight into Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. This popular aquarium is home to over 10,000 sea creatures and was rated the No. 1 aquarium in the country by Tripadvisor. There is no better attraction outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park around here, but the Aquarium runs a close second. Just the look on a child’s face or the expression of someone entering Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies for the first time is reason enough for this to be considered a great holiday gift.
  • Ole Smoky Moonshine – Stop by a pick up ajar of some of the best and 100% legal moonshine around. You can purchase a slew of varieties in a number of flavors. For those of you who aren’t in to moonshine, their store offers other gift items including dips and salsas, and each have their own local flavor and twist.
  • Sweets for your sweet – The Country Candy Kitchen offers some of the best in chocolate and sweet treats in Gatlinburg. Candy and fudge are some of Gatlinburg’s greatest exports, and what better time of year is there to give sweet treats like dark chocolate, chocolate covered strawberries, etc? Besides the Country Candy Kitchen, there are many fudge and candy shops along the Parkway. Some of them even offer online purchasing.
  • Santa’s Claus-et – What’s better this time of year than a personalized or local Christmas ornament? It’s something friends and family can bring out every year and remember their time in Gatlinburg. Santa’s Claus-et in the Smoky Mountain Arts & Crafts Community is the perfect place to start your search. They offer everything Christmas and if you can’t find what you’re looking for they probably know where you can find it.

We hope that this condensed list gives you a good start or a great finish to your Christmas shopping in Gatlinburg this year. Maybe you know someplace that has great gifts that we’ve passed over? Leave us a comment below and we’ll consider adding it to ours. Happy holidays!

Santa’s Claus-et

There might be no other place more appropriate to visit in Gatlinburg this time of year than Santa’s Claus-et, found in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community. Not only are they 364 days a year Christmas, they make sure you know it when you come by.

Recently, Santa’s Claus-et took home this year’s Craftsmen’s Award in the Gatlinburg Winter Magic Decorating Contest. The award goes to the best decorated business in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community every year as part of the town’s Winter Magic festival of lights.

Santa’s Claus-et itself is a store that offers everything Christmas-y you could want in the Smoky Mountains. From gourmet holiday food to ornaments, all kinds of Santas from the collectible to the decorative, to holiday videos and ornaments as far as the eye can see.

You can see people’s eyes and noses perk up when you say something like “gourmet foods,” and for good reason. We’re talking about the best in mixes, fruit butter, jelly, preserves, pickles, syrup, honey, salsa, relish, salad dressings, and so much more.

As mentioned, ornaments run the gamut of the eclectic to the eccentric to the exotic. You’ll see Santas lying on the beach on one shelf and sports ornaments on another. Looking for a Smoky Mountain ornament? Santa’s Claus-et has lots of local, personalized gifts and ornaments that will put a smile on any child or adult’s face. They also offer videos, as well as local Christmas music, that you just won’t find at many other places.

So stop by the store next time you’re in Gatlinburg and stock up for this Christmas or the next. Santa’s Claus-et is open Monday through Sunday from 10 am till 5 pm in Gatlinburg’s Arts & Crafts Community. Happy shopping and have a Merry Christmas!

Santa’s Claus-et
608 Glades Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-430-9822

Donut Friar

As you walk through the shopping area in Gatlinburg called The Village your nose will be invaded by the smell of doughnuts and pastries, breakfast favorites and coffee from the one and only Donut Friar.

The Donut Friar has been a breakfast or anytime tradition in Gatlinburg for generations.  The quaint little shop on the corner inside The Village supplied doughnuts, coffee, pastries and more to people as they shop.  It is a great place to start the day for breakfast and during the day, as you roam through the alleys of The Village, a nice spot to break for a few minutes and grab a snack.  They have seating near the counters on the bottom level and more seating in the area up above the shop.  And though the seating is nice after you have been walking for a long time while shopping, it is nothing compared to the food.

Of course, the doughnuts are the best.  Glazed, cake, filled and jellies – virtually every kind of donut you could ever want or desire. Past the cases of fresh-made donuts are the pastries and breads.  Bearclaws, danishes, and their ever popular cinnamon bread.  You might find that you are headed back to the Donut Friar another morning to get more cinnamon bread or maybe right before you check out of your hotel – cinnamon bread for the road.  And to go with the doughnut or pastry of your choice – coffee, espresso or cappuccino.  Made to order, these specialty drinks go along great with the sweet, rich, sugary goodness of the doughnuts and pastries.

Drop by the Donut Friar next time you are walking the streets in Gatlinburg.  Follow your nose into the Donut Friar and eat.  Eat a doughnut and a bearclaw and get some cinnamon bread to take with you.  Add the Donut Friar to the places you visit each and every time you go to Gatlinburg.  Get up early for breakfast one day (they open at 5am, someone will already be there in line).  Start your day out right with doughnuts and breakfast sweets made with love and attention to decadence.

Donut Friar
634 Parkway #15
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-7306