Remembering Our First Gatlinburg Trip

I can’t fathom a time when I didn’t constantly dream about being in Gatlinburg. However, that was just 12 years ago when I was a thirty-something planning our most ambitious vacation ever. Sure we had driven to Niagara Falls and flown to Florida for DisneyWorld. But that was 8 years prior, and we were seeking to go somewhere special again. Here’s my memory of how our first Gatlinburg trip transpired in 2011.

The planning started in 2010. It’s funny how I didn’t know the right pronunciation of Sevierville when I saw a brochure of it at our local AAA office. Yeah I butchered it, but a quick Google search steered me straight before I embarrassed myself with the locals. We would’ve stayed there or in Pigeon Forge our first year if not for a former co-worker of my wife’s, who suggested Zoder’s Inn as a place they loved. Since we decided to book this motel on the edge of Gatlinburg as our accommodations, we’ve never looked back.

I also remember from the information my wife gathered from her coworker, that Gatlinburg was better because you could keep your car parked and walk everywhere in town. I think that excited us, so we altered our plans slightly to compile as much intelligence as possible about this other tourist destination. About all I knew about the place was that it was a popular place for couples to have an intimate wedding ceremony. In fact, I had a coworker at a job in college who tied the knot there, so it wasn’t totally foreign to us.

Before I get into the some of the details of our first Gatlinburg trip, the pictures in this article are strictly from our photo album. It’s also funny to think of a time when I didn’t have a smartphone or a Google account to fall back on, but that’s where we are now. Plus, I think it makes it a little more personal by referring to an “old school” photo album.

Getting back to Zoder’s, it was the ideal spot for our introduction to Gatlinburg. We were in a quiet location off the Parkway; our room overlooked a peaceful stream with a nice balcony for relaxation as the white noise of the water gave you a renewed sense of calm. It was glorious. I remember thinking how great the location was, because we weren’t in the middle of town with all the noise. After staying in the midst of the action on future visits, we enjoy those spots too, knowing that we can still find peace and quiet there. Of course being closer to shops helps when you have a handful of goodies, so that way you can easily drop off your items at the room.

We planned our first Gatlinburg trip not knowing if we’d ever go back, so we stuffed as many activities as we could in our 3 day (more on that later) stay. I know what you’re thinking: Three days is no where near enough time to do everything you want in Gatlinburg. You’re right. But heck, we had no idea until we were there.

Our first breakfast in Gatlinburg was not Pancake Pantry. Nope. We stopped at the place closest to our hotel: Atrium Restaurant. I think we heard about their homemade monster, the Baked Apple Pancake, and tried that. My wife ordered it while I had my childhood favorite Blueberry Pancakes. After eating a bite of her selection, I vowed to make that my order next time…if there was one. Delicious! Think of a Crockett’s Breakfast Camp Aretha Frankenstein Pancake, only better. Trust me, it is. At least it was anyway. We haven’t been back in quite some time, but we have fond memories of that breakfast which we hope to revisit.

More breakfast goodness was enjoyed at Log Cabin Pancake House where I discovered the deliciousness of the Pancakes Royale. If you’ve never had it, it’s one of their signature breakfast items. And while I will probably never order it again, due to the fact age and diabetes both play a vital role in my avoidance of all things explosively sugary, I have fond memories of my enjoyment of this dish.

Aside from breakfast, we were treated to more Southern delectables from Bennett’s Pit BBQ, Blaine’s, (now Smith & Son Corner Kitchen) and the first restaurant we visited in Gatlinburg, Smoky Mountain Brewery. I’ve written enough superlatives about them, so you can rest assured, it’s still a must-stop when we’re in town. There are no wrong choices.

Sticking with “food,” you can’t go to Gatlinburg and not get your fair share of the much maligned empty calories. Fudge from Kilwin’s was one of our first sweet purchases, but Chocolate Monkey gave us our initial ice cream favorite. Even now, it remains our top choice for the dairy delight. While I don’t do much sampling anymore, I loved trying out the wide selection of dips, sauces, and other flavorings from the now closed All Sauced Up. I have an opinion on what’s going in that spot in a post for paid subscribers if you’re interested.

Hike Day for us was birthed in that first visit as well. After extensive research on the area, we decided on Clingmans Dome as our destination inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We quickly learned of the effort needed to hike this uphill trail to the iconic tower. Benches were welcomed. It was bewildering seeing the conditions go from clear to a foggy mist in a matter of minutes. I’ll never forget those breathtaking moments. Of course it’s also a necessity to stop at the famed Newfound Gap on the border of North Carolina. President Roosevelt gave a speech here dedicating the Park as a place where visitors could come and enjoy the remarkably beautiful landscape from places near and far.

I mentioned earlier that we had set aside only 3 days for exploring our first Tennessee visit. Well, we loved it so much, we didn’t want to leave. So when my wife and I talked about not necessarily needing to be back home on the day of check out, we called the parents and asked if they minded watching our young son for another day. I don’t remember exactly what we did on that extra day, but we enjoyed it just the same as the others. I want to say Hillbilly Golf was part of our impromptu added day. I know it was part of our first visit, and it is highly recommended, even if you want to do it just once. You take a mini-tram up on a hillside with 18 holes of mini golf. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of more modern courses, but its uniqueness is unparalleled.

Going home is never easy, but I still have that same excitement and reflection from that first trip when we leave. It’s funny to have that feeling, but I couldn’t wait to get home. Why? Well, I was ready to plan our next trip. It didn’t take long. I remember getting on my dinosaur home computer and researching what we hadn’t done, hadn’t seen, and hadn’t eaten so we could accomplish those things when we returned, in addition to the favorites we experienced. I wasn’t even certain we could make the trip again, but I didn’t care. And here we are. Eleven years later, not only have we gone every year since, but we’ve been able to swing multiple trips in a 12-month period. It truly is addicting. We’ve seen a fair amount of change—some good, and some not so good. But we love it the same—maybe even more!

I hope you enjoyed reading my recollection of our first trip to Gatlinburg. I think many of you remember the first time you visited, and still cherish the moments from it. It’s one of the main reasons why you and I continue to plan this special journey. It’s a dream vacation that I hope never ends.