Hi, I have been trying to figure out a family vacation and I'm all confused!

Family of 4 (kids 5&7)
Coming from Tampa FL area
Want to drive to see mountains, walk, ride bikes, horseback ride and picnic.

I cant decide where to go:
here to Chatanooga is 9hrs then ride up to Pigeon forge is 2 1/2hrs then drive home from there?

From what I see from everyones opinions here is that Pigeon forge isnt that great..I dont want tacky!Is Chatanooga enough? I want beautiful outdoors and I havent seen a mountain in 7 years!! FL ya know. Maybe Cherokee NC? I dont know..I give up!
Where should we go???
THANKS SO MUCH!!!!

If you don't want tacky, don't spend any time in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg (although the kids may like it!) BUT the Great Smoky Nat'l Park is lovely. Cherokee is a little less tacky but not much but does have a fascinating Indian village re-creation. There are many cabin type resorts in the areas around the park that others on this board could recommend or you could research that are family oriented but I am not personally familiar with them. The mountains really are beautiful there.

Michelem4, just to chime in here, and say that I think Cherokee is very tacky ... haven't been to the other two areas you mention. I love the whole Asheville area, Boone, Blowing Rock, Valle Crucis, Linville Falls, Black Mountain, etc. Can't go wrong through there ...

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are tacky tourist. There's no other word for it. Chatanooga might be enough. I am sure that your children would enjoy Rock City. (and so would you) I believe there are rides, etc that would appeal to them. There's a little railroad (I forget the name) that goes just about straight up the side of the mountain. Don't miss Lookout Mountain. The view from there is spectactular.

You can cut your travel time a little bit by considering the mountains of north Georgia. Yes, there are mountains there, and they might not be as overpopulated as some of the classical Smoky Mountain places. Chattanooga is also a good choice as already recommended, and you could add a visit to the battlefield on the mountain there. Good luck.

Whoops! I erred ... Yes, I have been to Chattanooga, about 40 years ago, and enjoyed it very much at that time. But I haven't seen Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge ... I love the mountains, too, so I can understand your yearning to vacation in them ...

ok, so so far Chattanooga sounds good. Thanks!

Where in GA, Wayne? Sounds like a great idea. Any thing close to I75? On the way to or from Chatanooga?
Thanks again

Look at some of the towns off I-575 (and the road 575 turns into) in north GA. Blue Ridge has a train ride, that the kids would enjoy. Brasstown Bald is the highest mountain in GA. The nearby Brasstown Valley Resort is family friendly-pool, golf, hiking trail. There are some nice lakes in that area where you could rent a boat.

In Chattanooga, see Rock City, Ruby Falls, the Aquarium, the Children's Museum, and the Incline Railway the minor league baseball team has a nice, family friendly ball park. Do NOT stay at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo- it is the worst Holiday Inn in the entire chain. There are better accomodations near the aquarium.

I would not consider Chattanooga the "mountains". I would stay in Townsend, "the other side of the Smokies". There is a nice Best Western there with indoor and outdoor pools and lots of gardens. Townsend is quiet and near Cades Cove (a beautiful valley with many historical buildings)which is my favorite part of the Smoky Mountains.

From Townsend you can cross the Wear Valley Road to Pigeon Forge or drive up the river to Sugarlands Visitor Center and Gatlinburg. Your kids would probably like to mess around in Gatlinburg for a day.

There are many great hikes of varying lengths that begin from Cades Cove but I will have to say that this area can be quite crowded depending when you are there. Check out the National Park Service website at nps.gov.

I think Bonnie and Wayne have some good suggestions--just mapquest distances as I'm not sure timeframes.

If you're passing through Atlanta, there are some things to consider too: Six Flags over GA, Atlanta Zoo, Stone Mtn and there are quite a few options for horseback riding around here...and...if you are here on Sept. 17, Atlanta Fodorites are having a GTG!

(Padams--you in??)

Finally checked back and noticed your question. If you are going on I-75 to Chattanooga, you can turn off at Calhoun or Dalton (better) and head for Chatsworth, then follow signs to Fort Mountain. There's a nice state park, a lodge on top of the mountain, and some lovely views, and it's all within a short drive of I-75.

Why don't you try the Murphy, NC area. It is about a 9 hour drive (for us, we're in St. Pete), just over the GA border from Blairsville, GA. Perfect home base for all kinds of things, a great get away! It's a perfect location, not crowded, no traffic, beautiful scenery, etc. My 7 year old is in heaven there and never wants to come back home. There are many activities and places to explore, so many you will have to return again and again. We weren't too impressed with Gatlinburg, way too touristy for us with lots of traffic, we have to deal with that down here all the time and we sure don't want that on our vacation, I'm sure you know the feeling. Cherokee can be a bit crowded and touristy as well. If you need more info, feel free to contact me privately.

Yes, scratch Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and Cherokee/Maggie Valley right off your list. I don't think of Chattanooga as a mountain destination, although I'm sure it's a nice town.

There are indeed beautiful mountains in N. Georgia...remember Lance Armstrong raced thorught there in April. I agree that Brasstown VAlley REsort is nice, but you will have to make your own fun in that area, it's remote.

Just north, into NC is Highlands/Cashiers...another very pretty local, very high elevation and so a bit cooler in the summer. This area is big with wealthy Atlantans who have summer homes.

I think you should go for the Pisgah National Forest area. It's perfect for mountain views, waterfalls, hikes, mountain biking (as tame/childsafe or as hardcore as you want), horse back rides, etc. Also swimming and tubing in the rivers if you like that. Surrounding towns that would be a quick jump to Pisgah are Brevard,ASheville, Hendersonville. A bitter farther away - Lake Toxaway/Sapphire Valley.

I'm not sure what the driving distance is, but it seems it would be closer than Pigeon Forge.

the kids would love callaway gardens. you would love the highlands.

Chattanooga seems a bit far west. Come to NC, Grandfather Mountain, Banner Elk. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. Go to Bryson City and the Smokey Mtn Park.