Gatlinburg Travel Forum

i am planning on a trip to tn - gatlingburg area for the 4th of july weekend. should i rent a cabin (if still available) in gatlingburg, sevierville or pigeon forge?

we have a number of children (3-6yrs old) and about 15 adults - where is the ideal place to rent a cabin ie allowing for childrens activites etc.

many thanks

andy (savannah,ga)

We got to Gatlinburg every chance we get. We started out staying in hotels but have discovered after having a baby, that cabins are the way to go. We have stayed at many different places. The good cabins have fully supplied kitchens. If u get a cabin/chalet be sure to take laundry detergent..they usually only give you 1 or 2 packs. Be sure to look at the pics online before booking and make sure the cabin is what you expect. So far we havent had any problems and most places are exactly what you see. We have heard stories of things not working etc. but the bigger name rental companies are quick to fix problems. Know that anything on ski mtn road is on the side of a hill....but u may see lots of wildlife. Anything outside town requires lots of driving and with gas prices you may want to look close to trolly stops. Here's a tip...find out how close the pool is to your cabin. My cousin went down in the summer last year and had to drive 1/2 mile to the pool...Not a good thing with kids! Also, 4th of July weekend...you may want to stay in Sevierville or tword the end of Pigeon Forge. We were down once on 4th of July. Leave early and plan on sitting in trafic A LONG time if u go in through the sevierville way. Leave early the morning you plan to leave....it makes a BIG difference. Try to get a local to give you some back roads too. We know some but I dont know thier names.

I second the previous post about allowing ALOT of time to drive in Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. There is basically one road and it is like a parking lot. The roads are lined with miniture golf places and As-Seen On TV stores. Not sure what type of childrens activities you were looking for? Dollywood is close-by.