Our Trip to Gatlinburg + Gatlinburg Falls Resort

We stayed at Gatlinburg Falls Resort on our family vacation to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Here are our favorite things to do in the area and ways to maximize your time in this beautiful are of the country!

With the “spring” weather the way it’s been in Ohio, it’s no surprise that we packed up our bags and headed South to Tennessee a few weeks ago to enjoy a few days away during the boy’s spring break.  Our goal was two-fold.  One, we wanted to have a mini-vacation as a family and enjoy some warmth.  Two, my husband is from Tennessee and we wanted to visit family over Easter weekend.  Gatlinburg was the perfect location for our family and we cannot wait to go back.

Gatlinburg Falls Resort

When Gatlinburg Falls Resort contacted me about spending a few nights in one of their cabins, I was all in.  Little did I know how amazingly perfect their cabins were for a family like ours.  We found the cabin to be very clean and the view spectacular.

See more about cabins like ours here.

The boys would tell you that their favorite thing about our cabin was the game room.  I had someone mention to me that they wouldn’t stay in a cabin with a game room because they are there to hike and enjoy the area.  Well, so were we!  But having the games was a highlight for the boys and a highlight for us.  The boys had a blast in the morning at 6:00 am when they woke up and mom and dad could sleep in.  Vacation.  True vacation.

My husband would say that his favorite was the hot tub or the movie room.  The hot tub was perfect after a long day at Dollywood.  We lowered the temperature for the boys to enjoy as well.  What a treat.  The movie room was enjoyed by everyone in our family during a movie night we had one night.  My husband also enjoyed Star Wars with surround sound once the kids had gone to bed.

I would say my favorite about our cabin was the view.  I thoroughly enjoyed drinking my coffee out on the front porch each morning and reading my book each afternoon for a bit.  Again, a game room for the win with the boys!  Momma had some quiet time to herself.

Things to Do & Places To Eat In Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

Here are a few things we enjoyed during our time in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, which are very close to each other and were a perfect distance from our cabin.

• Dollywood – A highlight for sure.  What can I say? I love Dolly.  I absolutely loved the shows and the boys really enjoyed all the coasters.  We had a great time exploring the park for an entire day with family.
• WonderWorks – This was a first for us and it did not disappoint.  If you do decide to enjoy this venue, get there before they open to be first in line.  Tackle the ropes course first before the two hour wait that comes later in the day.  We hit every highlight before the crowds and spent about four hours there enjoying the activities like laser tag and giant people bubbles.
• Cataract Falls – After advice from the Gatlinburg Visitor Center we decided to hike to Cataract Falls.  The falls were awesome and very easy to do with kids.  We also decided to do the additional hike and although we thought we were lost for a while, it turned out it was a longer trail to the John Ownby cabin.  It was well worth it and I highly recommend this hike if you have elementary-aged kids.  You park at the Sugarland Visitor Center.
• Gatlinburg Trout Facility – We stumbled upon this treasure.  They had a playground for the kids to enjoy and a little beach we could walk to and let the kids explore.  Fishing is available for kids on certain days of the week.
• Grist Mill – The boys enjoyed exploring the water near the Grist Mill during a short stop in the area.
• Pigeon River Pottery – While the boys were at the Mill, I enjoyed the pottery.  During most afternoons they have a craftsman you can watch making the pieces that they sell.
• Three Jimmys – This was a restaurant we found on our own and it was REALLY good.  The burgers were the best I’ve had in a long time.  We ordered “to go” and watched a movie in our movie room while enjoying dinner one night.
• The Donut Friar – Donuts!  These were recommended by a friend and were everything I hoped they would be with a hot cup of coffee on the front porch of our cabin looking at the view.  Best morning ever.
• Boss Hogg’s BBQ – Another one recommended by a friend.  We got it “to go” and enjoyed it at our cabin on our second night there.  We ordered a side of coleslaw and baked beans.

With a full kitchen at our cabin, we enjoyed a large breakfast each morning.  I made my biscuit recipe and froze the biscuits at home to bake at our cabin each morning.  We added eggs and bacon we purchased at a local grocery store.

We cannot wait to go back to the area as there is so much to do that we feel like we barely scratched the surface.  If you’ve been to the area, what’s your favorite thing to do?

Gatlinburg Falls Resort is operated by Venture Resorts.  They are the largest cabin rental agency in the Smoky Mountains so they have over 400 cabins to choose from no matter the size of your family.  Amenities vary by cabin, but include things such as Jacuzzi tubs, pool tables, and game rooms with arcade games and some even have home theaters like ours!

I was hosted at Gatlinburg Falls Resort at no cost to me in return for a review.  Guys, go check them out!  While the opinions I shared are my own, they are amazing and we cannot wait to go back.  You can see the exact cabin we stayed at here.