5 Things I Love Most About Living in Gatlinburg During the Winter Slowdown

For those unaware of when the winter slow season in Gatlinburg is, it’s the months of January and February. And with the exception of the two holiday weekends during these months—Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day—tourism drops like a stone in the ocean. While businesses, for the most part, stay open and available for visitors, it can look quite different than a normal day during the summer.

I’ve lived here for almost 18 months, and this is my second winter season as a Gatlinburg resident. All of the following things I love about living here at this time are things I’ve seen, felt, and enjoyed. Sure, it’s nice to be busy, because that’s what fills your bank account. But when the weather turns cold and the streets empty out, these five things are what I love best about being a local in a beautiful tourist town.

1. Snow-capped Mountains

It took us 7 years of visiting these graceful, majestic Smoky Mountains before we laid eyes on them all covered in a bright white coating of snow. It was magnificent. And you know what? It doesn’t get old when you live here. If there’s anything I could tell someone about living here, it’s that the mountain views are glorious, no matter how long you live here. I haven’t talked to the entire populace about it, but there’s no question the mountains are what makes most people proud to call East Tennessee home. It can turn a bad day into a good one if you let its aura uplift you, and wrap you in its emotional, mental, and spiritual embrace.

2. Room to Roam

Walking the Parkway for our newfound lifestyle is a heck of a lot easier and quicker when you’re not trying to pass tourists like cars going too slow on the highway. I’m not trying to say I’m always in a rush, but when on a mission, it’s natural to pass most of our visitors. And for a guy who doesn’t necessarily like rubbing elbows with crowds of people, it’s a more pleasant stroll to have room to roam. Again, I don’t hate crowds. I fully understand and enjoy the ebbs and flows of tourism in Gatlinburg. There are little surprises there, and it’s why we love living here, even though many find it cumbersome and maddening—and I understand that as well.

3. Not Having to Plan Grocery Trips

When you live in or near a major tourism hub, you can’t just go to the grocery store whenever you need something. That’s a vast departure from our life in Ohio. Sure, we normally avoided it on weekends, if we could. But nothing compares to what faces you here. It’s not so much the grocery store itself—it’s more the traffic. What would normally be a 15-20 minute drive can easily turn into an hour or more, if you’re unaware of events in the area. During the slow season, with the exception of holiday weekends, running errands is a breeze, for the most part. Not thinking what’s going on ahead of time is a nice, easy change of pace.

4. Planning Our Own Vacation

I am certainly happy living in a tourist town, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to visit some of the places that weren’t nearly as close when we lived in Ohio. The January and February months provide a perfect opportunity to steal away when the crowds are sitting at home and visit additional prime Southern locations. We didn’t go anywhere last year during the winter, but we do have plans coming up that we are exited about. You’ll all hear it from the horse’s mouth (on this publication) when we return.

5. Going Out to Eat is a Breeze

I feel guilty about eating out during the busy seasons, which is why I largely avoid restaurants when it’s the most hectic. Plus, as a local, I don’t want to wait 45 minutes to an hour for a table if I don’t have to. Ask anyone else who lives here—I think they would agree. Anyway, I generally try not to put any extra strain on my fellow service industry workers when they’re busting their butts. They’ll make plenty of tip money from our friendly tourists, so they don’t necessarily need my business then. The slow season in Gatlinburg allows me the freedom to go almost anywhere I want without the trepidation of a long wait and burdening the staff.

Alright, folks, there’s my 5! I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorite things about the January and February months as a Gatlinburg resident. I’d like to conclude by definitively saying it’s great living here. That won’t come as news to you, but I don’t want it to seem like the tide is turning on our enjoyment. Nope. Every day we thank our lucky stars for how fortunate we are to live this life. And while there are always challenges, every obstacle gets a little easier when the Smokies are next door reassuring you.

As always, thank you for your love, kind words, and support for this little publication. I hope you keep following my “adventures” as we go through life in Gatlinburg. I appreciate you all! Stay tuned, friends!