lost

My husband and I will be spending a couple of days (5 nights) with my parents at their Gatlinburg area condo in late April/early May. I would then like to go somewhere else for a few days (3-4 nights) to decompress from the the family visit and to celebrate our 10th anniversary. I was thinking either of just staying in the area (but away from my parents), going to Knoxville or heading to Asheville, NC. Any suggestions? We will probably be looking to relax a bit, maybe do an outdoor activity or two, and eat at some great restaurants.

Thanks much for the help!

iceeu2

I think you are definitely headed in thr right direction for an anniversary celebration when you go to Asheville.

jent103

I agree. I grew up in Knoxville and love it, but if you're already going to be in the Gatlinburg area 5 days, you'll have plenty of time to do most anything you'd want to do there. (Knoxville is only an hour away from Gatlinburg and doesn't have that many tourist attractions. There are some good restaurants, but most of the hiking, etc. is near Gatlinburg.) Asheville is close enough to be an easy (and pretty) drive, but far enough to be a different experience.

lost

Fabulous...thanks for the help...Assuming we decide on Asheville which airport would you recommend flying in and out of? If we were staying in Gatlinburg I would have logically said Knoxville- but if we are going to do both Gatlinburg and Asheville should we do the Asheville airport instead?

Ike

I don't know where you need to go when you leave Gatlinburg but this is a fantastic small inn in Aiken, SC which is 270 miles from Gatlingburg.

http://www.thewillcox.com/

You could drive over East to Highland, NC and visit that fine little city. Stay at Highlands Inn or drive out to Lake Toxaway and stay at Greystone Inn. Both are wonderful small resorts with very good restaurants and lots to do.


http://www.highlandsinn-nc.com/


http://www.greystoneinn.com/


It's only 83 miles from Gatlingburg to Highlands. Eat at On The Verandah. Great place.


http://www.ontheverandah.com/OTV1js.htm


Or you could stay closer to Gatlingburg at Dancing Bear Lodge in Towsend, TN just down the road from Gatlingburg.

http://www.dancingbearlodge.com/

Have a nice trip.

offlady

Where are you flying in from? Depends on the routes.

Gretchen

Asheville or Dillsboro.

mcmckissic1

Hi lost, a couple of hours east of Knoxville in N. Carolina(can't think of the exact city) we took a wonderful whitewater rafting trip a few years back, I think it was near Asheville. The rafting was a lot of fun and the area was beautiful in May. Let me know if you need more info.

lost

I'll be flying in and out of Boston. In looking at the flights they look comparable (prices, lay-overs, etc.). So I'm just trying to decide if one airport would be more convienent than the other. I'm leaning towards Asheville Regional- that way we do the longer driver on the front end of our trip and have a shorter drive at the end of our trip.

Ike- thanks for all of the suggestions. Aiken is probably further than we want to go- but I'll look into your other suggestions!

iceeu2

Is it possible to fly into Knoxville and then out of Asheville without a lot of additional cost?

Ike

Lost if you can afford it the best place I have visited in the U. S. that's a small luxury resort in the country and not a big city resort is Blackberry Farm. They have some special discounted dates each month so ask for them. They are down several $100.00 and the total price includes all your food and drinks as well as any leisure activites. I have been there three times and I would go back in a heart beat. They just built 4 new cottages.

http://www.blackberryfarm.com/

It's probably an hour from Gatlingburg and 45 minutes from Knoxville. Fine food and plenty to do. Fly in and out of Knoxville a/p. Good luck.

xrae

Airports would be Knoxville (TYS), Asheville (AVL), Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP). AVL doesn't have many airlines.

Further are Charlotte (CLT) and Atlanta (ATL).