5 Fun Facts about Gatlinburg!

Here are 5 fun facts you may, or may not know, about Gatlinburg!

1. What's greater; the number of people that get to call Gatlinburg home or the the number of aquatic animals in Gatlinburg? There are just over 4,000 residents in Gatlinburg. The number of aquatic animals  is well over double that amount though! Ripley's Aquarium is home to over 10,000 exotic sea creatures!

2. Gatlinburg is actually the 2nd most popular place in the United States to get married. The only place that hosts more weddings is Las Vegas. As a side note,  I've always been so glad to say that Gatlinburg is where my wife and I got married!

3. If you've ever been to Gatlinburg,  there's a good chance you've stood in line, anxiously waiting to get through the doors of the Pancake Pantry.  If you've been there, you know how good the pancakes are. What you might not know though is that in 1960 they were actually the first pancake house to open in Tennessee! If you haven't been, I'd definitely recommend going. The fact they are still open after so many years speaks on just how good they really are!

4. There are roughly 1,600 black bears in the national park. Everyone hopes for a chance to see one when visiting the Gatlinburg area. A couple of the best places to see one when visiting the area are Cades Cove and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. If you're not lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one there,  you can always go to the Ober Gatlinburg Wildlife Encounter. Admission is $6 for adults and  $4 for children. There you will actually get to see a family of bears; dad (B.J.), mom (Minnie), and their two children (Holly & Chief). Also keep in in mind that despite not being in the wild the bears at Ober Gatlinburg still hibernate and may not be visible in December, January, and February.

5.During peak season the population in Gatlinburg balloons from around 4,000 to over 40,000 people! There are two peak seasons; June 15th -August 15th and the entire month of October. Those are wonderful times to be in Gatlinburg,  but if you want to avoid some crowds you might want to pick a different time to visit.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about Gatlinburg and the surrounding area.  If you have any comments or questions you can reply here or on any of my social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Vero, or Twitter) @GatlinburgLife

Donuts in Gatlinburg.

I think everyone knows that Gatlinburg has some of the best pancake houses that you can find absolutely anywhere. If you visit Gatlinburg for a few days though you might find yourself wanting a different breakfast option one morning.  With that, may I suggest a donut?

The first of two options would be going to the Donut Friar. Situated in The Village, this is the most popular place in Gatlinburg to grab a donut. They open at 5AM and you can grab a seat at one of their tables inside or sit outside near the Village fountain. Popular items there include their cinnamon bread, éclairs, and jelly filled donuts. Powered,  chocolate glazed, coconut,  and donuts with sprinkles are popular option as well. As for myself, well, I usually can't decide. In those instances, I'll just get a few glazed and mix in several different kind to make a dozen.

Another place to get a great donut is at Mad Dog's Creamery and Donuts.

They are located at 731 East Parkway and open at 7AM and I actually prefer them over the Donut Friar.  Options seem to be endless here. They have several different varieties of cake donuts, yeast donuts, filled donuts, and house specialties such as Espresso Sugar. They also serve funnel cakes, 24 flavors of ice cream, milkshakes, banana splits, and doggie treats! Yes, if you have your 4 legged baby with you, you can enjoy your donut or ice cream on one of the outside picnic tables and your fur baby can also enjoy a treat with you. They also have water bowls outside for your pets convenience.  If you visit here, I highly recommend my personal favorite,  the chocolate dream!

Don't limit yourself to just to one, be sure to get a box full so you can enjoy one later in the day.

While you're there be sure to also check out the awesome piece of chainsaw art on display outside.

Donut Friar and Mad Dog's Creamery and Donuts gives you two great options on that day you want to take a break from the pancake houses. I hope you give them a try and find them to be as delicious as I do! Be sure to check back soon as I continue to blog about my favorite things to do and favorite places to visit in Gatlinburg.

FUN off the strip in Gatlinburg.

There are a lot of things to do and places to visit on the Strip in Gatlinburg. In fact, you can check out my other blog posts for some great ideas on what to do when you are on the Strip.

This time I want to tell you about a couple of places to check out that's not on the strip. Get ready to spend about half a day having what might be the most fun you'll have while in Gatlinburg.

If you're coming in from Pigeon Forge,  turn left at red light #3 onto East Parkway when you get in Gatlinburg and drive until you come to traffic light #3A at Glades Road. On the right you will see the shops and artists of Buie's Landing.  One of those is Art Studio of the Smokys. I'd suggest to call ahead of time and schedule an appointment for yourself and absolutely anyone in your party to stop by and take a private art lesson/ create a painting.  My wife and I recently did just that. Neither of us have ever tried to paint or have any art experience what so ever.  We had seen all the gorgeous works of art that had been shared on their social media sites of people just like us, however. People with little to no experience,  and they ended up with wonderful paintings. Even if ours didn't end up looking as good, we figured we would at least have fun trying! We were right about the fun! The paintings we ended up with didn't look bad either! Have a look!

This was such a fun and unique experience! Your whole family would enjoy taking the time to truly relax and enjoy the time together while doing this. I'd also recommend it as something wonderful for couples to do. We can't wait until we get a chance to go back again! The finished painting you end up with will always be a reminder of the wonderful and unique time you had while in Gatlinburg, or if you prefer, would make an awesome gift!

I'd recommend calling ahead and getting an early appointment time of about 10AM or so. This way, you can reserve a couple hours of time, and when you get through, head right across the street and have a bite to eat!

Right across the street you will find an awesome place to grab a bite to eat. That place is Three Jimmy's!  We headed over there as soon as we finished our paintings. The first time we went there we actually ordered a Hawaiian pizza to go. It didn't disappoint!

In fact it was so good we decided we needed to go back and dine in. We also wanted to try something different on the menu. My wife ordered the club sandwich,  which she said was wonderful!   I opted for the street tacos w/shrimp and a raspberry Chipotle sauce! The verdict....some of the best street tacos I've ever had!

We're looking forward to going back and trying something different on the menu. I'm sure it's all good, so we'll end up trying everything on the menu at some point. Perhaps next time we'll even save room for dessert!

So there you have it! A nice little half a day in Gatlinburg, off the Strip. A nice morning of relaxation and fun followed up with a wonderful lunch! If you want to spend the rest of the day in the area, you are right at the beginning of what is known as the Arts and Crafts community. There's plenty of shops and businesses in the area to keep you occupied for the rest of the day. I'll also guarantee that if you do visit other artists and businesses in the Arts and Crafts community that you will find something else you don't want to go home without!

There are a lot of ways to enjoy all that Gatlinburg has to offer. Check back soon as I'll share more of my favorite businesses and things to do.

5 things you Must Do when on the Gatlinburg Strip!

1. SEE A SHOW

When you visit Gatlinburg there is a good chance you will want to see a show of some sort. My recommendation is Impossibilities located in the Iris Theater at the base of the Space Needle. Described as an evening of Magic, Mindreading, and Mayhem it's a show anyone would want to see from children to adults.  The Magical Comedian Chris Collins and the Master Mentalist Erik Dobell will provide an evening of humor, magic, and mindreading. You will leave wondering 'How did they do that?', and as a warning your side might be hurting from all the laughing you'll do!

2. EAT!

Well, of course you will want to eat, but there are a lot of places to choose from, and you will want to get this choice right for sure! So, before you go to see the Impossibilities Show stop by one of the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants choices. In the mood for one of the best steaks in town? Cherokee Grill is where you'll want to go!

Perhaps you want some award winning ribs! Visit Calhoun's! You won't be disappointed!

In the mood for a pizza and a beer, or maybe some wings? Smoky Mountain Brewery is the perfect spot!

You can find a complete review of the any of these restaurants or the Impossibilities Show by checking out my other blog posts.

3.Visit ANAKEESTA.

Now, before you get that wonderful meal and go see a great show in the evening, take a ride up via chairlift or chondola to the top of Anakeesta!

You can find out all you need to know about Anakeesta by visiting their website at www.anakeesta.com Highlights include:
The ride up!

Breathtaking views once you get there.

In the Forest Memorial Walk you will see scars from the devastating fires from a year ago, but also the realization that Gatlinburg is alive and well and continues to heal!

Be sure to experience the tree canopy walk.

And there's no way I'm going and not getting what I consider to be the best ice cream in Gatlinburg from

Pearls Pie in the Sky!

These are just a few things you will enjoy at Anakeesta. Get there early, because you will want to spend most of the day there!

4. Walk the Strip.

Before Anakeesta opens at 10AM just take a chance to walk the strip and familiarize yourself with all the shops, attractions,  and places to grab a snack. You'll actually want to spend a whole day walking the Strip and exploring all the businesses, but take this chance to scope out some of the places you'll want to remember to visit for sure.

5. Go to Tennessee Homemade Wines.

At some point during the day make sure you stop in Tennessee Homemade Wines and grab a bottle, or three, or six, or...well, you get the point. The more you buy, the bigger discount you get. I always recommend here because I have never been a big fan of wine at all! My wife has loved a good wine for a while, so we always will check out the different wine places and get samples when available. She will always find one she likes and buy a bottle. I will take samples and always decide I'm good without any. Tennessee Homemade Wines was a true turning point for me however.  The first time a tried samples there changed the way I feel about wine.  I still try samples from other places, but generally I still don't like them. When we visit Tennessee Homemade Wines however, we always end up in agreement that we walk away with at least 6 bottles! Don't miss out! Even if you think you don't like wine, try a sample. You just might change your mind. I did!

There is a LOT to do on the Gatlinburg Strip, but these suggestions will definitely fill up a full day for you. If or when you visit these suggestions I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do! Thanks for reading and check back soon for more fun things to do while in Gatlinburg.  Also,  please give me a follow on instagram or twitter @GatlinburgLife

Our visit to Calhoun's, Cherokee Grill, & Smoky Mountain Brewery.

Last week my wife I decided we would visit 3 restaurants that are in the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants.  Two of the three we have never had a chance to visit; Calhoun's and Cherokee Grill. We had been to Smoky Mountain Brewery before, but wanted to go and try a different menu item from what we had last time.

On Monday we went to Calhoun's in Gatlinburg .

We arrived just after 1:00 PM, so for the most part the lunch rush had past. We were seated right away, service was good, and our meal was out to us in no time. Now, on to what we actually ate. My wife opted for the prime rib quesadilla. She loves to get quesadillas at any and every restaurant we go to, so I was curious to see how this one would stack up to anyone else's. According to her, it definitely didn't disappoint and when we go back, although she might try something different, she'll probably just go right back to it, if she can. It wasn't on the regular menu. It was on a special of the day menu, so she's just hoping it will be available again.

As for myself,  I had decided before I even walked in that I was getting their 'world famous ribs'. I had heard too much about them to try anything else. I ordered a half rack of ribs with fries and slaw for the sides. I find slaw to be tricky in restaurants and I usually end up disappointed. With the slaw here at Calhoun's though, that was not the case. It was actually really good. As far as the fries, well, I could have ate a whole plate of those. The main item here is of course the ribs though. Would they live up to my expectations? Absolutely!  The meat had a very nice smoked taste as well as being tender. It had just the right amount of sauce on them, which was of course,  wonderful as well! I wasn't sure if a half rack would be filling enough, but it was. I walked away from the meal feeling full and satisfied. Ordering a whole rack wouldn't be a bad thing though, as you could always take your leftovers with you. I'm sure they would be just as tasty warmed up the next day. So yeah, I'd definitely recommend the ribs! Just ask for a few extra napkins if you order them and dig in!

On Thursday we went to Cherokee Grill.

We both looked over the menu online before we went so we would have an idea of what we wanted. My wife decided to get the Blue Cheese Sirloin (10 oz. steak, blue cheese crumbles, mushrooms and sundried tomato sauce). Her sides were a baked potato and broccoli. Ordered medium well, the steak was cooked just right and very tender. She loved the flavor that the blue cheese crumbles added. Also, don't overlook the sides. She raved about how good the broccoli was!

She also ordered a glass of water and a 'Spring Fling' to drink with the meal. Another good choice!

I was unsure what I wanted. I had a couple of suggestions fom @gatlinburgnow and @clyde_usa on twitter on what to order. (Please go give them a follow, btw ☺️) @gatlinburgnow suggested the Prosperity steak or pork chops while @clyde_usa suggested the Filet Mignon. After a bit of deliberation I decided on the Filet Mignon. I added on a lobster tail to the order and chose broccoli and the Neva's potatoes as my sides. When everything  arrived at our table it all looked perfect. I like the fact that when the steaks arrived our waitress asked us to cut into them to make sure they were cooked just the way we wanted. I ordered my steak medium rare and it was cooked to perfection.  It was so juicy and tender that I cut it into smaller bites than I normally would just to savor the taste. After my first bite i then took a bite of the lobster tail. It was just as good. It along with the melted butter was so good I had to go ahead and finish it off before I could get back to my steak. The sides...can't forget about the sides. The broccoli really was wonderful. If you like broccoli as much we do, you could probably eat a plate of it alone. Now, with all that said, strangely enough, the Neva's potatoes might have been the best part of the meal! I mean really, how many times do you go to a restaurant and the sides are truly just as good as the main part of the meal? They were a creamy, melt in your mouth, hashbrown casserole type potato. I could have literally just ate a large bowl of those Neva's potatoes! Needless to say, we were both very pleased with all of our choices for the night. We will definitely be going back! I'd like to say we'll try something different next time, but everything was so good we might just have to stick with exactly what we had...one more time.

Saturday we went over to Smoky Mountain Brewery in Pigeon Forge.

We had visited the one in Gatlinburg before and it was great. We got a margherita pizza on that visit. It was very good!

We thought we would give the SMB in Pigeon Forge a try this time, however. We both wanted to try something different. She ordered the Brewmaster's club salad (ham, roasted chicken,  strips of bacon, green peppers,  tomatoes,  onions,  black olives, banana peppers, and cheddar cheese). Sound good? Just look at the picture! It was!

I ordered what is a popular item there, a single order of the Original WET Wings (breaded in seasoned flower, fried crisp, and tossed in their Sweet & Spicy Thunder Road Sauce). They were fried to the perfect crispness and had just the right amount of sauce on them. The flavor was just the right amount of spicy and sweetness. I was glad our waitress had brought me several wet wipes, because the way I tore into the wings, I needed them. 😋 With the wings, I ordered a Black Bear Ale on draft. When we went to the SMB in Gatlinburg,  I had ordered a sample of several different brews, and the Black Bear Ale was my favorite.

What I really loved about the place though was the atmosphere! There was a college football game on between Georgia and Auburn.  I'm not a fan of either team or dislike either team. There were, however,  a lot a fans for both teams in the restaurant as the game was going on. The restaurant had such an electric feel to it. There were cheers and boos with what seemed to be every play of the game. Adults and children alike were all having a wonderful time with their friends and family watching the game and having some good eats. I'd love to be there when a Tennessee Vols game was on or perhaps even an NFL Tennessee Titans game! So, not only would I recommend going to SMB for the food in Pigeon Forge, but I'd also recommend going just for the lively atmosphere.

Now, with all that said about our visit to Calhoun's,  Cherokee Grill,  and Smoky Mountain Brewery.....there was one unfortunate thing to report. Not ONCE did we save room for dessert! That's just inexcusable!  Now we will have to go back to all three places, order our meals, and be sure to save room for dessert next time!

I'd highly recommend going to all three restaurants and giving them a try! If you make it there before we have a chance to go back, be sure to try a dessert and let me know how it is!

Getting ready to explore Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge!

The week after Thanksgiving my wife and I are going to explore some of the different things to do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  We're deciding now on what places to visit. We're going to visit as many restaurants,  attractions, and  places to shop that we can. Although we aren't sure right now exactly where all we'll be going, here are a few of the things and places we have in mind.

Gatlinburg :

We are probably going to visit a few restaurants in the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants. We have been to Smoky Mountain Brewery and really enjoyed it when we went, so we will probably go again. We also plan on trying out Calhoun's and Cherokee Grill for the first time.

Also on our list will be some of our personal favorites.  Three Jimmy's and Trish's Mountain Diner come to mind!

I'm sure we'll need to walk the Strip one day and do as much shopping as possible!  We'll be sure to stop at some of our favorite places such as Tennessee Homemade Wines. We can't go wrong with that.

Other fun things we may do is visit the recently opened ANAKEESTA, take a tram ride up to Ober Gatlinburg,  and take a trolley tour of Chistmas lights one night!

Pigeon Forge:

We'll definitely visit some of our favorite places to eat such as Sawyer's Farmhouse Restaurant. We also want to try out some places that we haven't been to; Frizzle Chicken Pancake Coop and Curl De La Creme come to mind.

Shopping at Tanger, the Incredible Christmas Place, and a visit to The Island are all a must do!


We've got a lot more in mind for Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge so we'll have to plan it out so we can get as much as possible in.

Check back soon as I'll be posting a lot of pictures,  reviews,  and blog posts! Hopefully what you see here will help you decide on a few places you might want to visit when you get a chance to visit Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge.

Impossibilities Show in Gatlinburg. Highly recommended!

    If you're looking for a night of fun,  laughter,  and amazement; or better yet an evening of Magic, Mindreading, and Mayhem I suggest an evening at the Impossibilities Show located at the bottom of the Space Needle in the Iris Theater in downtown Gatlinburg!

     Erik Dobell -  The Master Mentalist,  and Chris Collins - The Magical Comedian are the headliners here. On the evening we went, we saw the solo show of Erik Dobell. I'll say up front the magic acts he performed were awesome,  but the mentalism was down right spectacular and will leave you truly wondering how he did it!
     My wife and I had front row seats for this show, and Erik started it off by getting my wife involved right away. She was called upon stage to assist with a mentalist trick. Afterwards I was handed a large envelope. I would then hang on to that envelope the entire show. At the conclusion of the show it would have its purpose, but i wont give that part away.  The point of me holding it the entire show, was just to verify it had not been tampered with at any time during the show. Now, we've seen magic shows in the past with audience participation and thought, 'They must be in on the trick'. Having now been participants,  we know that's not the case! In fact, if that were the case, nearly the entire audience for the show would have to 'be in on it' because there is a LOT of audience participation. It seemed as if everyone got involved in one way or another!
     I don't want to give away all the things that will take place during a show, however I do have to make mention of one thing. At one point Erik asks someone to pull a name from an envelope that he has. He fills it with names of famous people. From Micheal Jackson to Mr. T to John Wayne to, well, you get the idea. Erik then proceeds to fold up a piece of paper and cut it as if he were making a paper snowflake.  What he ends up with however is a cutout picture of the name of the person that was drawn from the envelope.  That picture is such a great representation of the name that's drawn that it doesn't matter how he done it. You're left in amazement by just how good the cutout looks! As an example,  who does this one look like? And oh yeah, if your the lucky participant that gets to draw the name he let's you keep the silhouette cutout!

     This is a show that absolutely anyone would want to see! If you're in Gatlinburg on a family vacation and have the children with you, this is the one show I'd recommend!  It's a good clean show and the children there on the night we went absolutely loved it! It's also a perfect show for the couple that's in town to celebrate an aniversery or friends in town just looking for a little fun and relaxation! Put this on top of your list of things to do while in Gatlinburg and thank me later! We'll definitely be going back ourselves to catch another show!
     Also make sure after the show that you stop and say Hi to Erik or Chris, take a selfie with them, and perhaps purchase a souvenir or two.

If you would like more information on Impossibilities you can go to http://iristheater.com , go to their Facebook page https://facebook.com/ImpossibilitiesShow , or follow them on twitter @bestmagicshow , or instagram @Impossibilities_show

Also check out their latest video where they celebrate their 2017 TRIPADVISOR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bbd9IDf630M

Be sure to check back often as I continue to blog about the #GatlinburgLife Also feel free to leave a comment here or on twitter where you can follow me @GatlinburgLife
Thanks for reading!