3 nights in the Smoky Mountains
 

G'day all,
In need of some assistance. Will be spending only 3 nights in the Smoky Mountains as part of a 5 week road trip in Oct - Nov. Heading there from Nashville then heading towards Charleston. What would be really nice would be to stay in a cabin out of town then spend the days sightseeing. Was planning to stay somewhere near Asheville, but looking for advice. Understand from other topics that the Tennessee side of the mountains will be very busy at this time of year. Any recommendations on where we should base ourselves would be greatly appreciated. Also what are must see spots. As we are travelling half way round the world this may be our first and last visit.
Thanks
Chris

Asheville isn't really near the Park, but is worth a visit also. Yes, it will be busy, particularly on weekends. A number of people on here have cabins that they recommend.

While in Nashville, be sure to go to the Grand Ole Opry to see a show. I would also suggest going to the original Opry building - the Ryman Auditorium- in downtown Nashville for a tour. The music scene in Nashville at night is incredible. Along a portion of Broadway, there are dozens of bars that play live music and you can wander from one to another (no cover charges) to find the kind of music you like.

In Asheville visit the Biltmore Estates. It's an incredible mansion with spectacular gardens. Plan on an entire day.

http://www.biltmore.com/

If you want to be outside of town in the Smokys, then stay in Townsend, Tennessee - also known as the quiet side of the Smokies. I would recommend a cabin over the local motels. We've had good luck with Dogwood Cabins and Townsend View Cabins. It's close to Cades Cove - the 11 mile one-way scenic drive with historical buildings and a great opportunity to see wildlife. Make the drive up to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the park. On a clear day, you'll have incredible views. One of my favorite waterfall hikes is to Grotto Falls, where you can walk behind the falls.

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/grotto.htm

Gretchen, wave725 thanks for your replies. Yes we are already booked in for a show at the Opry. Will check out Townsend.
Cheers Chris

Would also recommend Townsend.

We stayed right near the Gatlinburg entrance to the Park, up Ski Hill Rd. It made getting into the Park very easy, and we avoided Gatlinburg as much as possible. I think that the National Park Service website has lots of good info about what to do in the Park. Driving, we liked Cades Cove loop, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Newfound Gap Road. We also did lots of hiking in the 3 days we spent visiting the Park.

TG and abram thanks for your advice.

Check the schedules at the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman. We are going in October, will be there mid-week, and there are no shows on Mondays or Wednesdays.

www.opry.com