One More Vacation Getaway?
If you're thinking about squeezing one more getaway into the summer before the kids go back to school, consider Gatlinburg (yes, Gatlinburg and hang in for a few sentences and I'll tell you why). We just came back from there having spent Wednesday through Saturday of last week off from work and it was, to my surprise, only about half full. For those of us who have been going for over 40 years (I had family there), or who go sometimes in the off season, this summer's sparse crowds remind you of a typical March crowd or of the typical summer crowd 20-30 years ago. We drove the speed limit from I-40 through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge all the way into Gatlinburg on Wednesday afternoon at around 4:00. We drove into the mountains on Saturday, again at the speed limit, all the way to Cherokee, NC. Besides the light crowds, and the natural beauty, there are deals. I saw about a half dozen motel signs in Pigeon Forge advertising rates from $25 - $28 per night. Now, this is Family ...