Why You Should Visit Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Gatlinburg, Tennessee has got to be one of the best places I have visited. Nestled in the Smoky Mountain National Park area, Gatlinburg has something for everyone.

The biggest attraction in Gatlinburg is the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. Inside, you can find sharks, all sorts of fish, you can pet stingrays, and get a lot of educational information. The aquarium has places to walk through and see different fish and other aquatic life, and there is also a tunnel where you can either ride a conveyer belt or walk under sharks, sea turtles, and fish. There is an area for children to play, for you to take their pictures, or for them to learn. You can also attend a lecture! There are places to eat, to watch divers feed fish, and to purchase souveniers. The best part is the stingrays. They will swim close enough for you to reach out and pet them. Kids love it. The stingers have been removed from the stingrays so it is perfectly safe. It is easy to spend all day in the aquarium and go through as often as you would like!

Ripley's also has a Believe It or Not Museum, a Ripley's Haunted House, and a 3-D theatre, and you can purchase combo tickets at any of the Ripley's Aquarium. The Haunted House IS very scary and NOT for smaller children. The Believe It or Not Museum is FASCINATING. There is more information in there than you could ever imagine, from two headed cows to shrunken heads to people and animals that can do amazing stunts, it is worth the time.

Also in Gatlinburg is the Guiness Book of World Records Museum. That is also full of a ton of interesting information. You can see wax figures of the world's tallest man, the world's smallest woman, and so much more. If you have your camera, you can also take your picture beside them.

There are also other attractions, such as the World of Illusions, Cooter's Place (from The Dukes of Hazzard), the Space Needle (a 342 ft observation tower), a winery, and several different museums. You can also ride a sky lift up to a mall in the mountains, or just ride it up and back down.

There are places to play miniature golf, more haunted houses, wedding chapels, food and SHOPPING! There is a Thomas Kinkade store, places to buy quilts, clothes, souveniers, art, candles, celtic things, crystal, and a lot more. You can have a sign to hang on your door with your family's name on it carved out of cedar. You can have your picture or your kids' picture made and an old time photo place that looks like it was taken in the 1800's. You can buy handmade furniture and custom jewelry. There are more arts and crafts to buy that anyone can imagine. There are candy stores with an assortment of candies, including taffy and fudge. There are several places to buy candied or caramel apples, caramel corn, and other sweets. There are places with fresh jams and jellies, and hand-dipped candies.

The food in Gatlinburg is incredible. Besides the fabulous candy, there are several restaurants to try out. Steak houses, bar-b-cue, bar and grills, italian and mexican restaurants, as well as restaurants who have a variety of food. There are also the regular restaurants like Papa John's, Wendy's, McDonald's and other similar ones for those who are wary of something new. There is also a specialty pancake restaurant that opens at 7am and has a line by 6am!

Gatlinburg is pretty much made up of a long strip, with a few other things off of the main strip. It is best to park and walk everywhere. If your hotel is in Gatlinburg, then you can just leave your vehicle there. There is a creek that runs through town where you can see and feed ducks or take your picture. It is a beautiful place to have a photo memory.

Several times a year, there are arts and craft festivals, and special things going on. You can order a visitor's guide to tell you when things are happening and get a lot of great coupons to use. Best of all, Gatlinburg is a short drive from several other Smoky Mountain attractions! Consider a vacation in Gatlinburg, and you won't be sorry!