Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Information
The park's three interior visitor centers are
Sugarlands Visitor Center
( 865-436-1291;
www.nps.gov/grsm
;
8am-7pm Jun-Aug, hours vary Sep-May)
, at the park's northern entrance
near Gatlinburg;
Cades Cove Visitor Center
( 877-444-6777; 9am-7pm Apr-Aug, earli-
er Sep-Mar)
, halfway up Cades Cove Loop Rd, off Hwy 441 near the Gatlinburg entrance;
and Oconaluftee Visitor Center (
Click here
)
, at the park's southern entrance near Chero-
kee in North Carolina.
DOLLYWOOD
Dollywood
( 865-428-9488;
www.dollywood.com
;
2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd; adult/child $57/45;
Apr-Dec)
is a self-created ode to the patron saint of East Tennessee, the big-
haired, bigger-bosomed country singer Dolly Parton. The park features
Appalachian-themed rides and attractions, from the Mystery Mine roller coaster to
the faux one-room chapel named after the doctor who delivered Dolly. Find it loom-
north of Gatlinburg.
Gatlinburg
Wildly kitschy Gatlinburg hunkers at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains Na-
tional Park, waiting to stun hikers with the scent of fudge and cotton candy. Amuse your-
self Gatlinburg-style at the city's various Ripley's franchise attractions (a 'Believe it or
Not!' museum of oddities, a mirror maze, a haunted house, a massive aquarium), or by
$11/8.50; 7:30am-6:20pm Sun, to 10:40pm Mon, Fri & Sat, 9:30am-9:49pm Tue-Thu)
to the
$35-54, child $25-44, equipment rental packages ski/snowboard $25/30)
. Afterwards, suck
down free samples of white lightnin' at the
Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery
(
865-436-6995;
www.olesmokymoonshine.com
;
903 Parkway; 10am-10pm)
, the country's first
licensed moonshine maker (sounds like an oxymoron to us!). If you plan on sleeping it
off in Gatlinburg, find homey and inviting
Bearskin Lodge
( 877-795-7546;
Howard's Steakhouse
( 865-436-3600;
www.wildboarsaloon.com
;
976 Parkway; mains
$9-30; 10am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 1:30am Fri & Sat)
will make you feel right at home, come
dinner time.
