Smart Southern End Selections in Gatlinburg

It’s time to switch sides and focus on my picks for the National Park side of Gatlinburg. Yes, the south end of Gatlinburg backs up to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And before you enter this vast and diverse beauty, you’ll want to stop at some superb shopping stops, excellent eats, and comfortable hotels. My imaginary line for this is drawn at light #8, Airport Road or Historic Nature Trail, which is the busy corner where the Space Needle sits, but starts at the opposite side of the road. Here is the list of “Southern” places we’ve been honored to visit and recommend over the past dozen years.

Crockett’s Breakfast Camp

I’ll just get this out of the way first. Crockett’s Breakfast Camp opened their doors before our third year of Gatlinburg trips, and they quickly established themselves as our favorite breakfast. Wonderful service and impeccably tasty dishes added to the experience and atmosphere. I believe they still give people this impression, even though they have underwhelmed us lately. I would never tell visitors not to put this on their own itinerary. It is a place I always recommend for all of the reasons it became our go-to breakfast. The giant skillet sign outside tells you all you need to know about the large portions they offer. I am rooting for them to impress us once again.

Old Dad’s General Store

I found this convenience store a charming introduction to Southern life early in our Gatlinburg vacations. It’s hardly groundbreaking, but the grill towards the front end, and once again, the atmosphere just added a special uniqueness. When I started venturing out on morning walks, it became an easy stop at the end of the Parkway. It helps that they are open earlier than most shops, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit any other time of day. They have most of what you need for a quick bite, snack, or drink, and Old Dad’s also has some souvenirs as well. Stop in, say hello, and you’ll be glad you did!

Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)

The very last building on the left before the national park entrance can’t be missed. Nantahala Outdoor Center, or NOC for short, is a prime location for all your hiking and outdoor needs. You can find guides, games, clothing, a rock wall, and quite possibly everything you need for your outdoor adventure, just in case you’re not fully prepared. There’s two floors and a rope bridge between sections of this expansive sporting goods store. Despite the fact a couple other well-known national chains may be larger, you won’t feel cheated with the selection of this awesome store.

Calhoun’s Village Eateries and Shops

A few of our can’t-miss eats are right here in Calhoun’s Village: Smoky Mountain Brewery, Calhoun’s, and Cherokee Grill. The Brewery, of course, was our first Gatlinburg restaurant and remains an easy checklist item; Calhoun’s has great entrees and the largest, meatiest, and best salad you can eat anywhere; Cherokee Grill has served up some of the best sides and steaks in Gatlinburg. Yes, I definitely highly suggest them to first-time-visitors.

A few shops have changed over the years of our vacations in Gatlinburg, but a nice secondary shop is a relative newcomer and notable for what they specialize in. If you love a good cup of coffee, Smoky Mountain Coffee will do the job, even though Coffee and Company will always get my primary business. If you’re on this end of town, it’s behind Calhoun’s, and a much better option than supporting a big fish…or mermaid, whose ubiquity is a little too easy for people to rely on. Smoky Mountain Coffee is locally owned, has good caffeinated drinks, and that’s good enough to choose it.

Howard’s Restaurant

A relic of the past, Gatlinburg’s oldest restaurant, Howard’s, was ignored by us far too long. Well, that’s not quite accurate. You see, we were scared off by negative reviews we had seen, so we knew of them. We gave them a shot a few years ago, and boy are we glad we did. All of us now rate their burgers as the best you can find in Gatlinburg. We’re not quite ready to splurge on their steaks, but it’s not a stretch to imagine you’re getting your money’s worth with some quality cuts of meat.

Quality Inn Creekside

Creek views are this hotel’s specialty, but we were more impressed with their rooms on the hill. They have a building beside Summit Manor Condos, apart from their standard creek rooms, and those are the ones we loved when we stayed here on multiple occasions. Cool Space Needle and mountain views, in addition to fantastic rates, kept us grounded here for several years. If you like the peaceful sounds of the water outside your room though, it’s a great way to spend your vacation in the middle of all the action and still have a quiet time.

If the south side appeals to you, you’re sure to have an enjoyable time. This is even more serene than the north end, simply due to the fact you don’t have as much tourist traffic entering from this way. It gets hectic only later in the afternoon when you have motorists coming back from a day spent in the national park. Foot traffic is lighter any time of day, making it a desirable location for those that seek a calmer environment.

I hope you found this article a helpful guide to your first or thirty-first visit. If you subscribe, you help me keep this publication going strong, and I certainly appreciate the kind gesture. Thanks and look out for new posts coming soon!