Early Spring Preview

Outside is sun shining, blue skies overhead, 65 degrees or more, birds chirping and even some flowers already in bloom.

Spring has certainly come early in the Smokies, no doubt about it, and much of the usual Spring traffic has not come here yet. If you want a time to come out to the Smokies for some genuine Springtime atmosphere without the usual Springtime crowds, you need to come out sooner than later!

At Mainstay and Pine Mountain RV, we're set up to perfectly accommodate you in every season for any reason. Mainstay Suites features two pools, one indoors, lazy river, an exercise room, and luxury rooms overlooking the city and some gorgeous Pigeon Forge farmland. At Pine Mountain RV, we have high speed internet access, nack bar, large splash pool, trolley stop, camp fire ring and more!

If you're looking for a later time to come to the Smokies, here are some upcoming events to supplement your vacation:

The 18th Annual "A Mountain Quiltfest"
3/14/12-3/17/12

The city of Pigeon Forge hosts a very popular festival in which over 20,000 visitors participate in many classes and seminars, and view some of the most gorgeous quilts in the country. www.mountainquiltfest.com

ClausFest Parade
3/17/12

Gatlinburg's Spring Parade is back on for 2012. The Clausfest parade features, get ready for this, all your favorite Christmas and St. Patrick's Day icons marching together in a grand fashion down the main street of downtown Gatlinburg. It's a sight worth coming to see. www.clausfest.org

Dollywood "Festival Of the Nations"
3/24/12-4/30/12

Dollywood opens it's gates once again to the tune of world music as Festival of the Nations returns to captivate visitors to the Smokies. Groups from Ireland, South America, Africa, Germany and more will be coming and coming back to entertain us here in the Smokies. www.dollywood.com

Great Smoky Easter Arts and Crafts Show
4/5/12-4/7/12

Imagine if the Arts and Crafts Community of Gatlinburg, with dozens of other independent artists and artisans from whole states away gathered in one huge building in downtown Gatlinburg and you have the setting for the Great Smoky Easter Arts and Crafts Show at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. www.gatlinburgcrafts.com

Make your reservations today and come in time to enjoy an early Spring. Visit us at www.mainstaypigeonforge.com and www.pinemountainrvpark.com.

Highlights for February 2012

February is the season of romance here in the Smokies. That may come as no surprise, but if you're a new visitor to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg some of what is being offered this month will surprise you!

Valentine's Day is February 14th and there are some excellent opportunities for enjoying a romantic getaway here at Mainstay and Pine Mountain RV. We're within 10 minutes to at least 30-40 excellent restaurants here in Pigeon Forge. Alamo Steakhouse, the Old Mill Pottery Cafe, Kinkaku, Calhoun's, Bullfish Grill and many more that may make excellent places for romantic dinners. Another good romantic idea is a walk around town - The Old Mill area, Walden's Landing or downtown Gatlinburg where just the two of you can spend time with each other without costing a dime. Romantic items from Cupids Petals or a romantic massage from In Cabin Services would be icing on cake as well.

What else is February offering? Well, the weekend of February 23-26 are two, TWO one-of-a-kind events for both Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge has the 12th Annual "Saddle Up!" - which is a festival focused around the Wild West - cowboy songs, dances and more are all expected throughout the city. You can see more information and buy tickets at www.mypigeonforge.com/winter-promotion.


And then in Gatlinburg is the brand new Gatlinburg Improv Fest, a festival at Sweet Fanny Adams Theater, which is 3 days of improvisational comedy performances and workshops at the theater downtown.

There's always something interesting going on here in the Smokies and we want to be your home away from home any time they're going on. See what we can offer your Smoky Mountain vacation or romantic getaway at www.mainstaypigeonforge.com and www.pinemountainrv.com.

New Years and January 2012

The holidays will be over soon, but the activity in the Smokies never stops! January already promises plenty for all visitors to enjoy!

The New Years Eve party in downtown Gatlinburg is the perfect simultaneous way for both the end of the year and the start of the new one to go out and in with a BANG. A 15-minute long bang actually as Gatlinburg traditionally celebrates with the ball drop and countdown to a HUGE fireworks display from the Space Needle. Can you think of a better way to celebrate 2011 and 2012? Come out and join the party on New Years Eve in Gatlinburg!

Pigeon Forge is where you want to go after that as it hosts Wilderness Wildlife Week, a huge event from January 7th to the 14th where everything you wanted to know about nature in the Smokies comes alive. Lectures, guest speakers, demonstrations, live animals, even guided walks in the mountains - It's a perfect event for everyone to enjoy and a great family outing.


Don't forget Gatlinburg is home to a number of year-round attractions like Ripley's Aquarium, Ober Gatlinburg, which is currently in its Winter Sports season, Fort Fun and dozens of other attractions while Pigeon Forge is home to Wonderworks, Zorb and the Titanic Museum.

You don't always need a holiday or special event to have whole weekends worth of fun here in the Smokies. Stay with us here at Pine Mountain RV or Mainstay Suites and get the right amount of luxury and convenience to anywhere you want to go in the Smokies. Check us out at www.pinemountainrvpark.com and www.mainstaypigeonforge.com.

Christmas Parades!

For those of you in the mood for some serious Winterfest Magic, we have two Christmas Parades going on this weekend.

Friday, December 2nd, is Gatlinburg's Fantasy of Lights, a huge tradition in the city that gets bigger and better every year. Dozens and dozens and dozens of floats with all your favorite Christmas characters, icons, carols and everything else (no expense spared) will be walking, marching and dancing down the street to entertain parents and kids of all ages. Starts at 7:30PM.

And then Saturday, December 3rd, is Sevierville's 49th (!) annual Christmas Parade - grand marshall'd by Santa Claus himself! Also features baton twirlers, pageant winners, marching bands and a lot more through historic downtown Sevierville (at the court house).

And both are, as most events and attractions are in Sevier County, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from us at Mainstay and Pine Mountain RV! Won't take you more than 12 minutes to get to either one from our location dead center in Pigeon Forge. Enjoy the best of both Winterfest worlds (and Pigeon Forge!) here with us at Mainstay and Pine Mountain RV!

Winterfest Kickoffs

After Halloween, even just hours after, the mood and focus in this great county immediately shifts to Winterfest, a special event that all three of the major cities - Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville - are celebrating at municipal areas in their respective cities.

Sevierville doesn't have as many city events as Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg does, but their Winterfest Celebration comes first. They hold their kick-off at the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce/Community center and provide free entertainment (inflatable bounce houses, slide and obstacle course, local performers, kid's carnival), free food and soda, mascot dance off (!), coffee and hot chocolate, Santa Claus and... fireworks? Wow! You won't want to miss Sevierville's Kick off between 3:00PM to 8:00PM on November 7th for 2011!

On November 9th, Pigeon Forge will be kicking off the Winterfest with a new Veteran's Parade on, you guessed it, Veteran's Boulevard, before taking the festivities to Patriot Park in the center of Pigeon Forge where the Trolley Tour of Lights will begin. The Parade begins at 4:30PM on November 9th for 2011 and all are invited to attend!

Then finally, the "big" show is Gatlinburg's Chili Cookoff and Winterfest Kick-off where Ripley's Aquarium becomes the city square for more than a dozen vendors, 30,000+ cups of chili and over 1,000 people are expected to show up for a night of fun, chili and the big "switch" which officially starts the Winterfest Season for Gatlinburg by turning on the million dollar lighting displays throughout the city. This event goes from 5:00PM to 8:00PM.

And the best part of all this - you can experience all three within 15 minutes of driving from us at Mainstay and Pine Mountain RV. Only once a year do you really get the opportunity to party three different times for the same event in three cities and Winterfest kick-off is it! Imagine that and then imagine all the luxury you will get at Mainstay and the relaxation you'll get at Pine Mountain in between and you have yourself one of the best weeks of the year to be in the Smokies!

Reserve now at www.pinemountainrvpark.com or www.mainstaypigeonforge.com.

Harvest Festival 2011

Time to finally say goodbye to Summer and hello to Autumn and the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival! Oh, the gorgeousity of the Smokies during the Harvest Festival is hard to believe until you actually wake up a crisp October morning to see it, everywhere, as far as the eye can see.

At Pine Mountain RV and Mainstay Suites in Pigeon Forge, you get a delicate balance of being in the mountains without being too far away from where you need to go. Very little traffic without being more than 5 minutes away from the Parkway. Add that balance to our luxury amenities (and indoor swimming!) and you have a winner of a choice destination!

Once more, a lot of events and activities are taking place during Harvest Festival. The following is a list of events and dates that correspond to the Harvest Festival season in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Mark your calendars and build your itineraries because it's going to be an awesome Autumn for the Smoky Mountains!

Taste of Autumn
Location: Gatlinburg Convention Center
Description: The Taste of Autumn has been Gatlinburg's tastiest charity event for 13 years. A $25 donation will give you access to food from all kinds of vendors with the best food in town at the huge W.L. Mills Auditorium. All proceeds go to the United Way of Sevier County.
Start Date: September 15th
End Date: September 15h
Link Out: http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=7

Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament
Location: Gatlinburg Convention Center
Description: This popular event is hosted by Rocky Top Outfitter and is open to children as well as adults, visitors as well as local. Admission prices apply.
Start Date: September 24th
End Date: September 25th
Link Out: www.rockytopoutfitter.com

Oktoberfest at Ober Gatlinburg
Location: Ober Gatlinburg
Description: German food and German fun on top of the world for the Fall Season! Get in early and join in the music, dancing and everything else Ober Gatlinburg has to offer
Start Date: September 30th
End Date: October 30th
Link Out: www.obergatlinburg.com

Ripley's Fright Nights
Location: Ripley's Haunted Adventure
Description: An entire month of screams, frights and thrills to celebrate Halloween in Gatlinburg. Character parades, the living dead, and things you better say your prayers to prepare for.
Start Date: October 1st
End Date: October 31st
Link Out: www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg/

Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair
Location: W.L. Mills Convention Center
Description: Artists and Crafters local and from hundreds of miles around gather at the Gatlinburg Convention Center where over 120 booths and all kinds of handcrafted items, plus the artists, are on display.
Start Date: October 6th
End Date: October 23rd
Link Out: www.craftsmenfair.com

Trick or Treat Kick off Karnival
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: From Noon to 3 P.M. Gatlinburg will celebrate Halloween with the Gatlinburg Police Department and Gatlinburg Fire Department working in conjunction to offer a safe, family fun filled trip for everyone!
Start Date: October 31st
End Date: October 31st
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=54

Winter Magic Kickoff & Chili Cookoff
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: Offering mouth-watering recipes of homemade chili ranging from mild and delightful to wild and adventurous, the City of Gatlinburg celebrates the start of Winter with an awesome Chili Cookoff! Bring admission and a lot of napkins.
Start Date: November 9th
End Date: November 9th
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=11

Trolley Ride of Lights
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: Visitors can soak up the spirit of the season from the comfort of a Gatlinburg Trolley by taking the relaxing Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights. These are popular guided excursions that are sure to become a tradition.
Start Date: November 9th
End Date: January 30th
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=13

Plan a Trip to Cherokee, North Carolina

Have you been across the National Park to Cherokee, NC? Cherokee is a sort of bookend to Gatlinburg and well worth a day trip visit out.

Cherokee is located on the other side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from the Spur, on the same highway that the Sugarlands Visitor Center is on. From there, it is an hour's drive through the National Park, across THE most gorgeous scenery in the Tennessee Smokies (and over a dozen stopping-parking spots to take pictures, several hiking trails and plenty of picnicking opportunities), from the tops of the hills and then down again at the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, which is your sign that you're 3-5 minutes away from Cherokee.

Once inside, you can go straight, take a turn left, or stop at the Arcade/Fun Center right at the gates into the town if the kids are getting antsy or you need a good place to stretch your legs a bit. Going left will take you to some hotels, some restaurants and some shopping alongside another arcade and fun center. Going straight will take you straight into the heart of the town. Cherokee is fairly small (about the size of Gatlinburg) and it's pretty hard to get lost.

From there are plenty of things to do from the aforementioned Arcades/Fun Centers to more cultural items of interest, like the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, which offers a walking trail, historical architecture, and some exhibits on Appalachian culture from the old days, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, which is, appropriately, the authority on Cherokee history and information with hundred of exhibits and excellent video presentations throughout the tour, the Oconaluftee Indian Village, which is a working Cherokee Indian Village meant to show you what life back in 1760 was like for the Cherokee Indians, and Unto These Hills, a dramatic production high in the hills showcasing the story of Tsali and more history plus incredible musical numbers.

Cherokee also features an island park where kids can wade in the Oconaluftee river or a canal in the center of the park plus a large, unique bamboo grove full of photo opportunities. If you have kids who like to skate, take them to the free skate park. If all else fails, Harrah's Cherokee Casino is a huge facility with entertainment like you can't get for miles and miles around.

Cherokee, NC is a little town with a lot to offer, so if you're looking for something different and you want to see a lot of gorgeous Smoky Mountain scenery on the way there, plan a day trip out and you won't be disappointed.

To get to Cherokee from Gatlinburg, take the Gatlinburg Bypass from the Spur (just 2 minutes before you reach the city from Pigeon Forge) and keep on straight for roughly an hour.

All pictures are copyright Ge'ne L. K. Lawhead