Nashville and Great Smokey Mountains - talk to me!
Discussion
I have it on my 'to do' list, as part of a trip along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Plenty of good roads down there, as I am sure you already know => https://roadtrippers.com/tail-of-the-dragon/
There is also a big casino in Cherokee, NC if you are a degenerate.
Plenty of good roads down there, as I am sure you already know => https://roadtrippers.com/tail-of-the-dragon/
There is also a big casino in Cherokee, NC if you are a degenerate.
Assume you know Nashville is not that close to the Smokey mtn's, in between/slight diversion would also include Bowling green for the national corvette museum, which is very well laid out and walks you through the sections so you see everything without going in circles, Arts Garage next door is an impressive collection of old and modern American vehicles too and whilst I was sceptical it was well worth the $10 to have a gander.
Bit further east is Mammoth Caves NP, no fury mammoths, but rather the huge size of the cave network. lots of tours available, big criticisms though is the size of the groups which leads to things becoming elongated in the narrow sections and rather rushed unless you just give up on what the guide has to say. Felt like we spent 2 hours running through a cave system not having time to stop an marvel at the cave system, Guide was quite funny though, but there are lots of guides.
To the south is Jack Daniels in Lynchburg which was a very good tour with much better smaller groups of about 20 ppl and the whisky tasting at the end of the angel's share tour really opened my eyes to how good some of the single cask JD's can be and are not just for mixing with coke. The only difference between the two distillery tours is the whiskies you sample at then end, The angels share being the premium single barrel whiskies and the flight of jack tour sampling the mixers.
Another diversion but haven't been in years is ruby falls in Chattanooga which is a cave system and the highlight being an underground waterfall, it was 20 years ago though we went so not sure how the commercialisation has changed since.
As has been said, tail of the dragon, its an experience, probably best done on a bike so you don't stand out but perfectly fine in a rental car, it is however not the best driving road for 4 wheels as it is very tight and twisty, too tight an twisty to get any kind of flow in a car with all the bikes around but expect it's great on 2 wheels. Still worth it though and awesome collection of bikes likely to be found. The Cherthala Skyway which goes west from the southern end of the TOTD is a much more flowing road on four wheels but to be honest views of the mountains limited as most pull-outs and view's are overgrown and blocked by trees, a decent waterfall at the western end though at bald river falls, but that might have been enhanced by about 50-100 Harley Davison's departing just as we arrived which was quite a sight and sound as about 4 minutes worth of them passed by in convoy
Bit further to the north of the smokies is New river gorge national park in West Virginia, which is quite scenic and a mix of old industrial and returning to nature river system, quite spread out but also accessible from old towns and pretty quiet as far as national parks go with some of the observation areas we were pretty much on our own in June.
Bit further east is Mammoth Caves NP, no fury mammoths, but rather the huge size of the cave network. lots of tours available, big criticisms though is the size of the groups which leads to things becoming elongated in the narrow sections and rather rushed unless you just give up on what the guide has to say. Felt like we spent 2 hours running through a cave system not having time to stop an marvel at the cave system, Guide was quite funny though, but there are lots of guides.
To the south is Jack Daniels in Lynchburg which was a very good tour with much better smaller groups of about 20 ppl and the whisky tasting at the end of the angel's share tour really opened my eyes to how good some of the single cask JD's can be and are not just for mixing with coke. The only difference between the two distillery tours is the whiskies you sample at then end, The angels share being the premium single barrel whiskies and the flight of jack tour sampling the mixers.
Another diversion but haven't been in years is ruby falls in Chattanooga which is a cave system and the highlight being an underground waterfall, it was 20 years ago though we went so not sure how the commercialisation has changed since.
As has been said, tail of the dragon, its an experience, probably best done on a bike so you don't stand out but perfectly fine in a rental car, it is however not the best driving road for 4 wheels as it is very tight and twisty, too tight an twisty to get any kind of flow in a car with all the bikes around but expect it's great on 2 wheels. Still worth it though and awesome collection of bikes likely to be found. The Cherthala Skyway which goes west from the southern end of the TOTD is a much more flowing road on four wheels but to be honest views of the mountains limited as most pull-outs and view's are overgrown and blocked by trees, a decent waterfall at the western end though at bald river falls, but that might have been enhanced by about 50-100 Harley Davison's departing just as we arrived which was quite a sight and sound as about 4 minutes worth of them passed by in convoy
Bit further to the north of the smokies is New river gorge national park in West Virginia, which is quite scenic and a mix of old industrial and returning to nature river system, quite spread out but also accessible from old towns and pretty quiet as far as national parks go with some of the observation areas we were pretty much on our own in June.
Dollywood! It's amazing!
They had a huge fire in that region just after we went and it destroyed loads of the area around Gatlinburg
Watch out for bears and nasty snakes
We stayed here (it was destroyed almost totally but it's being rebuilt)
https://buckberrylodge.com/suites
Roaring forks motor trail
Pidgeon forge is like Blackpool for them but less classy
Lost river cave at bowling green. The Corvette tour was good even the wife liked it but the museum was boring
Nashville is good grand ole Opry is worth it, country music hall of Fame really only if your into country. But a must do is get goo goo's
https://googoo.com/pages/nashville-storefront
I'd go back in a heartbeat!
They had a huge fire in that region just after we went and it destroyed loads of the area around Gatlinburg
Watch out for bears and nasty snakes
We stayed here (it was destroyed almost totally but it's being rebuilt)
https://buckberrylodge.com/suites
Roaring forks motor trail
Pidgeon forge is like Blackpool for them but less classy
Lost river cave at bowling green. The Corvette tour was good even the wife liked it but the museum was boring
Nashville is good grand ole Opry is worth it, country music hall of Fame really only if your into country. But a must do is get goo goo's
https://googoo.com/pages/nashville-storefront
I'd go back in a heartbeat!
If you like crime and serial killer stuff, make sure you get to "alcatraz east" in pigeon forge.
Smoky mountain knife works is worth a visit too, if you like sharp things.
https://www.alcatrazeast.com/
www.smkw.com
And old smoky hissel' obviously.
M.
Smoky mountain knife works is worth a visit too, if you like sharp things.
https://www.alcatrazeast.com/
www.smkw.com
And old smoky hissel' obviously.
M.
Edited by Mortarboard on Saturday 17th September 01:04
Thanks for the tips - and i'm open to anymore.
So far the plan is looking like...
Gatlinburg base (4 nights):
- Dollywood
- Cades Cove
- Titanic @ Piegon Forge
- Biltmore Estate + Asheville (inc. pinball museum)
- Blue Ridge Parkway, Sugarland Visitors Centre, Clingmans Dome
- Fall Creek State Falls NP
Nashville (3 nights):
- Grand Old Opry
- Bluebird Cafe (subject to getting tickets 7 days in advance)
- Cheekwood Estate
- Lane Motor Museum
- Country music HoF + RCA Studio B Tour
- Plaza Mariachi Music City
- Hatch Show Print
Like I said more tips the better and also and food (breakfast and dinner) options!!
So far the plan is looking like...
Gatlinburg base (4 nights):
- Dollywood
- Cades Cove
- Titanic @ Piegon Forge
- Biltmore Estate + Asheville (inc. pinball museum)
- Blue Ridge Parkway, Sugarland Visitors Centre, Clingmans Dome
- Fall Creek State Falls NP
Nashville (3 nights):
- Grand Old Opry
- Bluebird Cafe (subject to getting tickets 7 days in advance)
- Cheekwood Estate
- Lane Motor Museum
- Country music HoF + RCA Studio B Tour
- Plaza Mariachi Music City
- Hatch Show Print
Like I said more tips the better and also and food (breakfast and dinner) options!!
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