4 Things to Do When You Can't Take a Gatlinburg Vacation

When there are no plans to travel to Gatlinburg in the short term, it can be a painful existence. It certainly has sunk in for me right now. No plans are even being considered until next year. But if you feel like you need a little mountain time in your spare time, I have a few things you can do when you are stuck in the grind of real life.

1. Join Numerous Gatlinburg Groups

Most of you know these are the ones where people ask the same questions over and over again. In all seriousness though, you can find plenty of awesome photos that people post from their trips. Not only should you feel happy for the people who can take their kids and have an amazing time, the power of mentally picturing yourself doing the same thing does work. Sometimes it works too well. To the point where it distracts you from the work you need to get done, whether at home or your job. Keep reaching for the sky, but keep your feet on the ground in the process.

2. Plan a Fantasy Visit

When a trip isn’t imminent, a good idea would be planning a visit as if you’re going soon. You can do this multiple times. Draw up several different itineraries, including a place to stay, places to eat, attractions to visit, and of course, which hike you would love to do in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Dream big, and set a goal of when you’d like to go again. It’s an exciting exercise I’ve done even when we already have a trip planned.

3. Take a Day Trip Near Your Home

I know this sounds like something that will take your mind off Gatlinburg, and you’re right, it does. But doing something that’s cheap and fun with the family should always be something cherished. After all, you’re probably thinking too much about Gatlinburg, so do something you know will fill the void near your backyard. There’s always something close to home enjoyable, even if it can’t sniff the sensory overload that is the Smoky Mountains.

4. Start a Gatlinburg Savings Account

This is exactly what we do. Even if you don’t have a trip to Gatlinburg planned, set aside some money whenever you can. This gives you a goal for when you do go again. Our method has worked for over a dozen years now, but will soon end when we move out of our house. Garage sales. Think of all the things you accumulate through the years. It’s more than you want to imagine. The key is to stay organized, and this has worked wonders, in addition to having one during the yearly scheduled garage sales advertised in our neighborhood. Selling your unwanted stuff on Facebook is also something that can work quite well in building your Gatlinburg dream account.

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Thanks for reading! And don’t stop the dreaming!