Gatlinburg wasn’t love at first sight for us.
Years ago, when my oldest boys were just 2 and 4, we planned to meet my mom and grandparents in Chattanooga for a family trip. At the last minute, my little family of four decided to leave a few days early and spend some time in Gatlinburg.
That’s where the adventure began.
The Scenic Route… Very Scenic
I had to work that Monday, so we decided to drive through the night. In theory, this sounded like a great idea.
Somehow — and I still don’t fully understand how — we took the “scenic route” and ended up in Georgia, completely bypassing Pigeon Forge. We drove what felt like endless backroads.
I remember being on the phone with my mom trying to figure out where we were. She kept mentioning traffic lights.
I said, “We haven’t seen a traffic light in hours.”
That first trip started off exhausting. But we did make it.
A Day and a Half of “Cram It In”
We spent about a day and a half in Gatlinburg, cramming in as much as we could. It was nice — but we weren’t necessarily rushing back anytime soon.
Life moved on. Years passed.
Our First Trip as a Family of Five
When it came time to plan our first vacation as a family of five — with a six-month-old baby, a 9-year-old, and an 11-year-old — we started thinking about what would work for everyone.
My husband mentioned Gatlinburg.
He found us the perfect cabin — and it was inexpensive — and just like that, we were headed back.
Unlike our Disney vacation the year before (where I researched everything), I did zero research for Gatlinburg. I decided it would be low-key and we’d just “fly by the seat of our pants.”
That worked… mostly.
A Lesson in Budgeting
Because I didn’t plan well, we didn’t budget well.
Nothing screams poor planning quite like paying a small fortune to have a handful of groceries delivered to your cabin. This was 2015, long before Walmart delivery, Instacart, or DoorDash were easily available.
Lesson learned.
But here’s the thing…
We Fell in Love Anyway
Even without a plan, without a strict itinerary, without researching every detail — we had a wonderful time.
That trip was perfect for our family of five.
And over the years, Gatlinburg slowly became our family’s favorite vacation destination.
Everyone Finds Their Happy Place
What I love most about Gatlinburg is that all five of us can find something we enjoy.
If you love the touristy side:
-Attractions
-Theme parks
-Shopping
-Shows
If you love the outdoors:
-Scenic drives
-Cades Cove auto tour
-Hiking trails
-Creek days
-Wildlife sightings
You can visit Gatlinburg and spend very little — hiking, exploring, swimming in creeks — or you can spend more on attractions and experiences.
It works for every travel style.
The Best Time to Go (In My Opinion)
We’ve visited in:
-September
-May
-June
-July
So far, my favorite is late May / early June.
-The weather is perfect.
-The bears are active.
-The crowds aren’t overwhelming.
It feels just right.
Our Happy Place
Gatlinburg didn’t win us over immediately.
But trip by trip, year by year, it became the place we return to. The place that feels familiar and comforting. The place where everyone in our family can relax and recharge.
You’ll definitely be hearing more about Gatlinburg from me.
And if you’re thinking about planning a trip there, I’m always happy to talk Gatlinburg.
