Here are the Highlights of Our Trip to East Tennessee
East Tennessee is packed with beautiful landscapes, activities and attractions for the whole family to enjoy, and some of the friendliest people I have ever met. To say we were sad that our vacation was coming to an end, would be an understatement.
A couple of weeks ago the family (including our puppy, Roxy) jumped in the truck and headed south for an amazing vacation in Sevierville, Tennessee. If you’re curious on how we handled the ride down, I share all about our experience here. Like, how our 8 hour travel day turned into 12 hours, and how we got through it, together.
To be honest, our itinerary was non-existent for this trip. Sure we had items on our Tennessee bucket list but not much was scheduled, and that worked out pretty well for us. We would spend dinner time deciding on where to visit the next day.
While this would normally bring a ton of anxiety for this self designated family planner, I surprisingly enjoyed the relaxed pace of figuring things out along the way. With 10 days to explore our surroundings we were able to have lazy days spent at our rental cabin when we needed some down time. And, we all enjoyed those lazy, pajama days just as much as our adventures around East Tennessee.
TUESDAY
We slept in a bit after such a long travel day on Monday. As I mentioned, we arrived in Roanoke, Virginia later than expected. So, we just grabbed some food for dinner and basically passed out. When we woke up, we were all starving, and exhausted but also optimistic about the light travel day ahead of us (only four hours). Packing some breakfast foods into our cooler allowed us to take the morning a bit slow.
Once we checked out of the hotel room, we decided to visit the Mill Mountain Star. I highly recommend a visit if you ever find yourself in Roanoke. The star is lit up at night, and you will get an amazing view of the town from the viewing deck at the top of the mountain. Similarly, the drive up was breathtaking, we were surrounded by trees that formed a canopy over the road. And, even encountered a few deer on our short walk over to the star.
However, it was a windy day at the top of the mountain, so we didn’t spend a ton of time there before heading out to lunch at Angelle’s Diner. Thankfully, they opened the patio for us so we could dine outside with Roxy in tow. Did I forget to mention, it was a 45 degree day! Thank goodness for their patio heaters.
After lunch, it was time to hit the road, and after putting the address to our rental cabin in the navigation we were off.
Checking into the Cabin in East Tennessee
After a 4-hour drive, and journeying over our first wooden, covered bridge we settled into our home for the next 10 days at Ruby Ridge. This cabin is about a mile up a dirt/gravel road, perched high up on a ridge, and tucked into the trees. The tree house vibes were coming on strong with this one.
This two bedroom cabin was perfect for us. The girls shared a room with bunk beds and a half bath, while the primary bedroom had access to the expansive deck off to the front of the cabin. There was a comfy living room and well appointed kitchen that we used daily.
The cabin also had a washer/dryer, propane bbq, and fire pit that we used almost every night.
Ruby Ridge is centrally located to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and only an hour’s drive to downtown Knoxville. So, the perfect landing space to get away from the hustle and bustle of the attractions, and just enjoy time surrounded by nature.
We closed out our Tuesday with my birthday dinner at Ristorante Dellasantina (yum!), food shopping, and cozying up on the couch to re-watch Trollhunters.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, we scheduled a tour of a home close to downtown Knoxville. This home is under 1200 square feet plus an unfinished basement but sits on over 3 acres of land. We were smitten with the location, and the potential of the home, so we ended up putting in an offer to buy it.
But, apparently we weren’t the only ones. We later found out that we lost out on the property while discovering we were one of 18 offers. This market is just insane! But, our search continues.
Rewind back to that sunny Wednesday afternoon…with high hopes, after submitting our offer we headed to Senor Cactus for lunch. I had the carnitas, and they were absolutely delicious!
After that emotional roller coaster ride of an afternoon, we decided to head back home to relax. We spent Wednesday evening grilling up some dinner, and lounging around the fire pit with some ice cream. The girls even found a few caterpillars around the yard…
THURSDAY IN EAST TENNESSEE
On Thursday we headed down the Parkway to the Lodge Cast Iron Outlet, hands down my new favorite store! We were able to walk away with a dutch oven, griddle, loaf pan, and casserole dish for a little over $70. We also picked up some skillets to add to our Mother’s Day gift baskets this year.
After spending waay too much time at the Lodge Outlet, we headed into two antique stores. One store was fun to peruse, and the girls even ended up spending some of their souvenir money there. The second antique store we visited was not child friendly so we ended up leaving rather quickly.
After the antique stores, we decided on BBQ for lunch and headed over to Tony Gore’s. I had the pulled pork sliders with a side of fries and Sweet Tea. Yum! We enjoyed our lunch on the covered patio, to the scent of the smokers just around the building. Then we headed next door to Adina’s Sweet Shop, where the girls ordered ice cream.
FRIDAY
We headed into downtown Knoxville, and our first stop was Ijams Nature Center. The girls and I were blown away by the beauty of this nature center, and cannot wait to explore all of the trails! We made a stop over at the visitor center, and then onto Jo’s Grove. We were all itching to get on the trails but since we were wearing sandals, we decided against it.
Afterwards, we visited World’s Fair Park where they were hosting an Art Festival. We all decided on Deep Fried Oreos for a snack. It was my first deep fried oreo but most definitely will not be the last! Sooo good! We spent some time viewing the handmade art at many of the booths – handmade jewelry, pottery, artwork, you name it, it was there.
Then it was off to Cafe 4 in Market Square for a late lunch where the girls split chicken and waffles, Justin had a chicken sandwich, and I ordered a Chicken Tostada Salad. I would definitely recommend the salad. Seriously, I nearly licked the plate clean.
SATURDAY
Our first lazy day of vacation, it was a day that everyone needed to relax and prepare for the days ahead. Nothing to report here, just jammies, and lounging about the cabin.
SUNDAY IN EAST TENNESEE
We took the 30 minute drive to explore Gatlinburg, “the gateway to the Smokies”. This little mountain town is worth a visit. There are a ton of shops to get lost in, as well as attractions to keep you busy. My favorite thing about Gatlinburg is the Gatlinburg Trail but, more on that later.
Nora requested breakfast for lunch so we sat down for pancakes at the Pancake Pantry. If I am being honest, Gatlinburg is not for me. It kind of reminded me of the Jersey Shore, a lot of overpriced goods, sold in small shops to take tourists money.
But, I am willing to give it another chance during the winter to experience Ober Gatlinburg. It was closed for yearly maintenance during our visit.
After spending a couple of hours in this mountain town, we decided to head back to the cabin for the rest of the day to rest up for the adventure we had planned for Monday.
MONDAY
We actually managed to make it out of the house by 9 am, to head on over to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To say I was blown away by the beauty of this national park would be a complete understatement. We arrived around 10 am, and found parking very quickly by the visitor’s center.
We spent around 4 hours exploring the Gatlinburg Trail, one of two dog friendly trails in the park. The trail follows the path of the river, and is a fairly easy walking trail, 2 miles in one direction. If you start at the visitor’s center, the trail ends in the town of Gatlinburg. Perfect if you want to grab a bite to eat, or a water bottle from the gas station.
The girls enjoyed the opportunities to step off of the trail and get closer to the river, which we did often. During one of our stops off-trail the girls found a ton of butterflies feasting on a sock left behind. We assumed the sock was covered in sugar from a Mountain Dew can left close behind. It was bittersweet to witness. On one hand, how can someone have such little regard for such a beautiful spot. On the other, it was crazy to see so many butterflies up close.
Word to the wise, be careful of ticks, Nora had one on the back of her neck, and our puppy, Roxy, had a tick in her ear when we returned home. I was also told by a fellow hiker that poison ivy can be found along the trail as well. So, make sure to take note of your surroundings.
The natural beauty of the Smokies is truly breathtaking, and one you cannot pass up when you plan your visit to East Tennessee. After spending four hours on the trail, on an 80 degree day, everyone was ready to head back home for some lunch and some rest. So, it was back to the grill and fire pit to close out our Monday.
TUESDAY
It was off to Pigeon Forge for one of the only activities I scheduled for our trip, a knife making lesson at Iron Mountain Metal Craft. A gift for Justin’s birthday. He and Nora had a 10:15 appointment to make their very own knives. Justin made a horseshoe knife, and Nora made a nail knife.
Everyone on site was amazing. Super friendly, and excited to share their skill. Nora’s instructor was fantastic, he explained everything (multiple times), and tried to make the experience fun for her. Nora’s thoughts? She cannot wait to go back to make another knife of her own. So, she had a blast!
When we return to Knoxville, we have plans to head back to make another set of knives. So that Sadie and I can make one too. We couldn’t join in this time around because you have to be at least 5 years old to take part in the lessons. So, I didn’t want Sadie to feel left out of the experience.
This is an activity I would suggest to anyone who visits the Knoxville area. We were there for around 30 minutes but, have a memory to last us a lifetime.
Afterwards, we headed over to the Three Bears General Store, this store has it all! Apparel, collectibles, an entire Christmas section, and yes, even three rescue bears who live on site. We had a great time perusing the store, and visiting with the bears. I even picked up a slingshot for my nephew, and some very tasty truffles from the candy counter. A great place to pick up souvenirs if you’re in the area!
We left the general store around lunch time, and decided to head on over to The Island, where we ate lunch at Timberwood Grill, and the girls went for a ride on the carousel. A great way to end our day exploring Pigeon Forge.
If I had to choose between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, I would choose the latter, hands down.
WEDNESDAY
It was Justin’s birthday, and our last full day at the cabin, so we all decided it would be best to have another lazy day. The girls made a fort out of their bunk beds, and I started a morning fire at the fire pit. It was 60 degrees, sunny and the perfect way to spend the morning (with a glass of prosecco in hand).
We did our best to clear out the fridge before our departure, and also finished up the final season of Trollhunters. All while tidying up, and doing the last loads of laundry before our drive back home the next morning.
THURSDAY
With an 8 hour drive ahead of us, we packed up the car and were ready to go by 9 am. We made two stops before hitting the highway – 1. Honeybee Coffee Co. for an iced Chai Latte, and 2. The Lodge Cast Iron Outlet for those Mother’s Day giftables I mentioned earlier.
Once we hit the road, everyone was vocal about not wanting to stop over in Harrisburg, PA. Truthfully, we all just wanted to be home, and resting in our own beds. So, we all decided that was the best thing to do.
Was the 14 hour drive hard?! Oh yea it was. There were times I didn’t think I was going to make it. But, reaching little landmarks along the way made it easier like the Geo Wash and Throgs Neck Bridge. It’s funny, Justin and I both said “we made it” after crossing the G Wash but knew we had another hour’s drive before making it home.
One thing I don’t think I can get over, is the cost it takes us to make it home. Having to travel over two obscenely priced bridges is a definite sucker punch. One that we are looking to remediate in the near future.
Well, that’s it! A bird’s eye view of our epic road trip to East Tennessee. And, if you’re wondering if I think you should visit, the answer is YES!! Knoxville and the Smokies should definitely be on your travel list.
