Where I Went Wednesday: Gatlinburg Getaway!

I am so sorry I did not do the What I ate Wednesday! I still plan to do that I just forgot to start taking pictures yesterday!

So instead of that, today we will rehash my little Mountain getaway me and the hubs had a few weeks ago! 

Around the middle of October I had wanted to originally ride the train in Bryson City so we could see the beautiful leaves in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Great Smoky Mountains are my favorite place in the entire world.

One day I plan on doing a post on how you can visit on the cheap!  Let me know if yall would be interested.  We have went every year since we have been married and sometimes multiple times a year.  It can get expensive but even when were living on very small paychecks we were able to sneak in a trip! 

Ok so this was just a weekend trip.  Like I said, we had planned to go ride the train but it was sold out for that weekend!  So then I decided we would just drive up to the NC Mountains and stay in Boone. 

Let me give you a little advice.  When the leaves are at peak in October, don't wait until the day of your trip to try to call and get reservations!  One of the only places we called had a very basic room at a very basic hotel for over 200.00 with tax.  FOR ONE NIGHT.  Some of you are like, duh Lauryn! Others like me, are saying, wow, really?! Haha.  I am a procrastinator by nature. 

Anyways. 

Hubby mentioned Gatlinburg and I was all for that!  So we drove an extra two hours and ended up at our all time favorite town in the Mountains!  We called the hotel that we stayed at on our honeymoon and was able to get a much cheaper rate with AAA discount. (FYI AAA is worth it's weight in GOLD and has well over paid itself the year I had it!)

So on the way we went!  We drive though the park after we pass through Maggie Valley, not the interstate.  We found this route when the interstate was closed one year due to a rockslide!  Its beautiful though and I would prefer it any day! 

It was so gorgeous!  I just felt like the luckiest person alive driving through that park.  I feel so at peace there. 

We got into Gatlinburg and decided to go check in to the hotel, walk around and get a bite at McDonalds.  Pretty sure I had a happy meal :)

We did drive through Pigeon Forge that night and did a little shopping at the outlet mall. 

I got the cutest cross body bag from Coach and it was on sale!  I ended up getting it for like $48.00 and it's great quality and not too small or too big.  It's perfect!  The only two cross body bags I have ever got were second hand so I was glad to finally have a new one that was in style that I loved!

 

Later on we went back to Gatlinburg and ate pizza at the Best Italian in downtown.  I have heard raves about this place.  The pizza was pretty good.  I got the garlic knots too and we got salads and drinks.  The garlic knots are supposed to be incredible. 

 

My take?  Everything was Good.  Not Great.  LOL.  We ended up paying around 50.00 including tip which is a lot for pizza I feel like, but it's Gatlinburg!  It can be a money trap if you don't watch it!  However you can save a lot of money with coupons too! 

 



Spent the night cuddled in bed by the fireplace in our hotel room. 

The next morning we ate breakfast at the Pancake Pantry which is an amazing restaurant in downtown that is only open for breakfast and lunch.  I got pigs in a blanket and hash browns.  We have ate there numerous times and it's delicious and worth the wait and money.  Yes, we were in a line outside for like 30 minutes! 

On the way home we drove through the Roaring Fork nature trail where we saw the awesomeness of God's beauty painted all around us.  We hiked a tenth of a mile up Trillum Trail where we saw this beautiful stream gushing out of rocks.  It is gorgeous out there.  Completely FREE!  All this enjoyment at no cost to us but gas!

Later we grabbed a picnic lunch and drove back through the park, stopped to eat at a picnic site and then went home.  I miss it already!  Have you been to Gatlinburg? What are your favorite mountains where you live?