Hello everyone
I am planning a trip from the Philadelphia area to the Smokey Mountains. I have never been there before and would appreciate any suggestions: must-sees, places to stay, etc. I have a week and would rather stay in one or two places and drive out from them as opposed to staying in different places every night. Will be leaving either late July or early August.Thanks for any help you can give

The Smokies will be jam packed with tourists in July/August. Everyone goes to Gatlinburg and tours the entire park as well. Here's a great place to stay.

http://www.dancingbearlodge.com/

glaird - I grew up in Mount Laurel, then lived in Moorestown before moving to the glorious mountains of Western North Carolina.

I'd highly recommend taking I-81 down in this direction. Way prettier than a lot of the other "direct" routes, and less traffic for the most part.

It also now connects with I-26 in Tennessee, which takes you straight into Asheville through some awesome mountain scenery.

There's tons of stuff to do and see here. Yes, we gets lots of tourists in the late summer months, but you won't experience traffic like you have in South Jersey unless you get snarled in traffic in downtown Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge.

One "must-see" is Cades Cove. Here's a link to check out:

http://www.cadescove.net/

Post something regarding specific activities you are interested in, and I'll try to get you more information that pertains to those things.

Hiking? Biking? Rafting? Kayaking? Antiquing? Arts? Crafts? Waterfalls? What sort of things are you hoping to see?

Just got an email from the Buckhorn Inn outside of Gatlinburg about their August specials:

http://www.buckhorninn.com/specials.htm

I enjoyed my stay there last summer.

Buckhorn Inn is beautiful!

We stayed at the Sidney James mountain lodge.It's ok.walking distance of the restaurants.That was in September.July/Aug. will be very crowdy I'm afraid.PAul

Dollywood. It's a great park for all ages, lots of music, good food, good shows, great rides and attractions.

Also, I like the Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg. Cash only, closes early in the day. YUM.

Personally I would avoid Gatlinburg & such. It is mainly tourist nonsense in a Mt. setting (& the ruination of it). I'd steer clear of Cherokee as well. Same thing w/a Native American tilt. Check out www.nps.gov/grsm, www.rodsguide.com & www.gorp.com. Are you looking for a cottage, cabin, resort, camping or what ? Cades Cove is a must see & from the direction you are coming I would probably include a meander down the Blue Ridge Parkway which you can pick up in Va. Some pretty good wine coming that way as well if you have an interest.

thanks to all of you for the help. Now that I have heard of all the crowded conditions, I may re-think this trip.

stevebarr
I would really like to hear more. I am interested in waterfalls, nature, etc. but without mobs of people. I am a mountain person. would like to see crafts, beautiful scenery and just be off the beaten path.
thanks for any help.

The Franklin, Cashiers, and Highlands area have a lot of waterfalls and nice hikes.
Whitewater Falls near Cashiers is one example. Chimney Rock Park (www.chimneyrockpark.com) is beautiful (the movie, "Last of the Mohicans" was filmed there). Grandfather Mountain (www.grandfather.com) near Linville is beautiful, also. We've always rented a private house near Franklin, or stayed at Fontana Village (www.fontanavillage.com)when we've been there. Cades Cove is close to Fontana, there's a dam there (part of the movie,"The Fugitive" was filmed there), the Appalachian Trail runs right over the dam, and it's in the Great Smoky Mountains. There are quite a few artisans in the area of Franklin (potters, and glass craftsmen). We found them once we were in the local area. There is also white-water rafting around the Nantahala River. I love that area of NC. Have a great time!

Okay….here goes:

How about a visit to the Joyce Kilmer National Forest? You'll be surrounded by beautiful mountain views on the way there, and the forest itself is exceptional. There's a bit of hiking involved….some of the trails are kind of steep, but they're not long and they are easily passable. It's an old-growth hardwood forest that has incredibly huge trees in it, some that over ten adults could link hands and wrap their arms around.

Here's a link with all sorts of information about it:
http://www.main.nc.us/graham/hiking/joycekil.html

Chimney Rock is beautiful, but you will encounter crowds and there's what I consider a fairly steep admission price….there are lots of mountains to explore that are free. (Still, many people I know really enjoy a visit to Chimney Rock.)

You might also find what you are looking for a little further to the east, towards the Asheville area.

You want waterfalls? Check these places out….
http://www.visitwaterfalls.com/
http://www.dupontforest.com/

If you really want some intense hiking with great rewards (views and peace) try the Art Loeb Trail, which goes out of the Black Balsam parking area off of the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Shining Rock Wilderness Area. Or, the peak of the infamous Cold Mountain. You'll sweat and puff a bit, but it's worth it.

Graveyard Fields is the most popular scenic overlook on the southern stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's popular for a reason (therefore often crowded). You can stroll through a forest of giant rhododendrons, swim in the small pond at the base of the waterfall, wander along the sides of a babbling brook….and go further out if you want to escape the mobs. You can get a free trail map at the ranger station in the Pisgah National forest, and they'll happily answer tons of questions.

In the Brevard Area, you can enjoy quite a few splendid waterfalls at the Dupont State Forest. I could go on and on, but this would turn into a novel-length post.

Don't cancel your trip! You'll be glad you came down to see the mountains. The "traffic" and "crowds" most people are talking about pale in comparison to those same things in the area where you live (believe me, I KNOW!). Unless, of course, you got to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge. Then, the traffic and crowds will make you think you are on Route 73 at the height of rush hour or trying to find a parking place at the Cherry Hill Mall on a weekend!

Come down and escape for a while!

I know that you stated that you don't really want to stay in a bunch of places, but could I suggest maybe just spennding a couple of nights in the Smokies, and finding a couple of other places of interest on a trip down Skyline Drive and the Blueridge Parkway? It sounds like it would probably be more of what you are looking for.

There are so many places to recommend, it would take a book or two to write about them all. You could center your trip around the Brevard area, which is near Asheville and features tons of waterfalls, scenic drives and interesting little shops.

I love the stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway going south from Asheville. But, the Parkway north of Asheville also has some great views, a craft shop that features great local artists and interesting places to stop.

The town of West Jefferson in Ashe County has lots of arts and crafts, plenty of interesting backroads to explore, and North Carolina's only cheese factory.

Just across the border in southern Virginia, about half an hour from West Jefferson, is Grayson Highlands State Park. (If you're coming down 81 South, you can exit at Damascus and wind down a pretty road to Grayson Highlands.) The town of Damascus has restaurants, gift shops and bike rentals….there are miles and miles of bike trails that you can ride on.

But…at Grayson Highlands (which is wrapped by the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area) you can have quite a unique adventure. Ask at the Ranger Station when you get there….but you can walk on the Rhododendron Gap Trail (where it intersects with the Appalachian Trail) and will most likely have several encounters with herds of wild ponies. Your surroundings will remind you of something out of the old west, and there's a chance you'll even get to "get up close and personal" with a new foal! There is a small parking fee if you just visit for a day.

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/gra.shtml

As far as moving from place to place goes, you shouldn't really have to do that. If you want to see mountains, pick a central location and stay there. You can drive anywhere you want to see within a few hours on the Parkway. In the mountains, there's so much to see and it is so relaxing that a few hours in the car is not like a few hours of driving in South Jersey. It passes quickly, and you might even feel a twinge of regret when you arrive at your destination because you'll want to keep seeing more beautiful sights.

You don't even have to stay somewhere fancy. You'll probably only be in your room at night to sleep, because there's just too much to see and do during the day.

thanks so much for all of the fantastic information. Unfortunately, due to a medical problem, we have to change our plans and make the trip shorter and closer to home (south jersey). If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them. We have about 5 days and will be driving. Would like to get away. Beaches are not an option. Have been to Vermont several times, so I would like to go somewhere else.
Thanks for any suggestions about places to go and to stay, things to see and good food.

You might really enjoy this, then.....if you're up for about a 5 hour drive to get there. Head on up the PA Turnpike and check these places out:

http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=105

http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=104

They're close to each other, wickedly beautiful, lots of trails, mountain views, etc...etc....

thanks so much. I checked out the links and they look beautiful. I will definitely look into these.