GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE, USA -- The town of Gatlinburg, a tourist Mecca tucked in a low spot among the Great Smoky Mountains, is a study in contrasts. On the one hand it's a treasure trove of kitschy tourist attractions -- Ripley's Believe it or Not, the Guinness Book of World's Records and other sensational "museums," endless Miniature Golf courses (both indoor and out, so regardless of the weather, a game of putt-putt is always an option), game arcades, go-carts, 3-D theatres and t-shirt vendors. In the evening, the family can opt for live entertainment like Elvis impersonators or vaudeville style family fare filled with corny country humor. Like its northern counterpart, Niagara Falls, Gatlinburg is the wedding capital of the south, with wedding chapels, bridal and floral shops interspersed between the main drag's hotels, tourist attractions and pancake houses.

On the other hand, they don't call Gatlinburg the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for nothing. The town is a kitsch oasis, surrounded on all sides by nature at its finest -- lush green forests, rolling meadows and mountain vistas, all cut by veins of swiftly running brooks, creeks and rivers. A creek even cooperatively snakes its way through, under and around River Street, Gatlinburg's main tourist thoroughfare, affording motel owners the opportunity to offer the popular amenity "creek side balconies."

Both sides of Gatlinburg have their appeal.

Every now and then it's fun to be a kid again and enjoy some guilty pleasures of a tourist town, and if you have kids in tow, so much the better. Many of the attractions are surprisingly better than expected, especially Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.

Of course, Gatlinburg's other side, the nation's most visited National Park, offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with nature. You'll find 800 miles of hiking trails; and over 2000 miles of running water - the perfect foil for rafters, canoeers and kayakers, not to mention fly fishermen. History buffs will find lots of fascinating sites to explore. Everyone will benefit from the fresh mountain air, and calming effect of breathtaking mountain scenery.

A visit to Gatlinburg is surprisingly affordable. The Smoky Mountains National Park is the only one that doesn't charge any admission fees whatsoever (although donations to help preserve this national treasure are always needed and appreciated) and camping and RV fees are ultra reasonable.

If you're not into camping, Gatlinburg, a town with a population of only 3500, is home to over 11,000 hotels rooms. This means visitors have scores of lodging options from family friendly motels to romantic bed and breakfast inns, to world class luxury hotels to wonderful mountain chalets that can house one or more families in style.

Throughout the year this friendly little city hosts all kinds of special events and festivals - arts festivals, music festivals, even a well attended annual Scottish Highland Games festival. Trust me, you haven't lived until you've heard the bluegrass classic Rocky Top played by a bagpipe band.

Getting Around Gatlinburg

The city of Gatlinburg has made it easy for everyone to get around town by offering a trolley service that stops at more than 100 locations. Riding the handicapped accessible trolley in town is completely free and cars run continually until midnight in peak season and weekends and till 8 PM on weekdays during the winter season. You can also hop on the trolley and visit Gatlinburg's nearby Arts and Crafts community of artisans and shops for just $1.00 (April through December). A $2.00 fare takes you from downtown to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and back (June through October). As traffic in this small burg can get worse than Los Angeles during rush hour, it makes good sense to take advantage of this convenient and free (or nearly free) public transportation. Of course, all of the downtown area is also easily covered on foot.

Each traffic light along Gatlinburg's main drag is consecutively numbered. Visitors will soon notice that locals and tourists brochures alike constantly reference traffic light numbers when giving directions, as in, "you go down to traffic light number four and hang a left and you can't miss it." The simple system actually makes it easy to find things, get around, and arrange meeting places for travel mates who might want to go their separate ways for a while.

A Four Season Destination

Summer is high season in Gatlinburg (and weekends pretty much are, year round), with kids out of school and gorgeous warm weather and gentle mountain breezes. Autumn brings a fiery 800 square mile display of color as the lush green forests of the Great Smoky Mountains give way to brilliant color changing leaves in early October through early November, before the area becomes blanketed in snow during the winter. Skiers and snowboarders can indulge their passions at Ober Gatlinburg, an attraction that also offers plenty for non-skiers. Springtime brings the return of lush green forests and rolling meadows scattered with rainbows of wildflowers.

For more details on visiting Gatlinburg, Tennessee see the articles below.

Practicalities

For further information and reservations, contact the City of Gatlinburg Department of Tourism and Convention Center at 800-568-4748 or click to www.gatlinburg-tn.com .

If you plan on driving to Gatlinburg, be sure to check out the time saving article below. If you plan to fly, US Airways serves nearby Knoxville, for reservations call 1-800-428-4322 or visit www.usairways.com. If you don't plan on renting a car at the airport, Rocky Top Tours in Pigeon Forge offers a shuttle bus service but reservations are required, as there is not a continuing shuttle service going to/from the airport at all times. For more information and to make reservations, visit www.rockytoptours.com orcall 865-429-8687.

• The 10 Best Things To Do In Chattanooga
• Rafting the Ocoee
• A First-time Hang Gliding Experience
• The Evolution of the Bailey House
• Discovering Dollywood
• The Bloody Mausoleum of Cleveland, Tennessee
• RVing In & Around Chattanooga
• Fun Family Dining in Southeastern Tennessee
  

Cheri Sicard, in addition to being the editor of FabulousTravel.com and its sister site, Fabulous Foods.com is the author of The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country Today and Every Day. To learn more about Cheri, click here.