Day 7 coninued from Memphis: Then on to Gatlinburg (431 miles). After seven hours on the road, more or less, we checked into the Exploria Gatlinburg Town Square Hotel. The hotel was up a steep hill from the town's seedy center. We walked down to main street to find a decent place to eat. Eliminating the fast-food places, arcades and cotton candy shops, we settled on TGI Fridays as the best of the worst choices. The food and wine were fine and we were even able to use a $5 coupon clipped from a tourist brochure. Luckily, there was a trolley car circuit that swung by our hotel and saved us the challenging hike back up the road.

Day 8 (after visiting GSM in the morning): I was caffeine-deficient because we wanted to get an early start on Cades Cove before it turned into a parking lot. We headed to Townsend and found a little coffee shop that served an excellent cappuccino and coffee cake. The Appalachian Bear Rescue Foundation was a few doors away. We chatted with staff there and learned a little more about their operations.

For dinner we first attempted The Old Mill, the site of an 1800s grist mill and located along a stream in Pigeon Forge. But the line and the wait were so long and the people so big, we decided to try elsewhere. The Pottery House Café turned out to be the better option. It was relatively quiet and in a pretty setting with lots of flowers in its gardens. The food was good and the atmosphere relaxing. Afterward, we headed back to the hotel to get a good night's sleep in preparation of the long drive (483 miles) back to Arlington.

Day 9: Before heading back home, we stopped to have breakfast at the Pancake House. It was a perfect way to end our Tennessee tour.

Author: Jackie

Link to around Gatlinburg Photos
Link to Great Smokey Mountains NP Photos