How Tennessee, became the perfect surprise, travel destination

 On one of my recent trips, I visited the southern state of Tennessee. I met up with one of my good friends and we embarked on a ski trip to the smokies. I flew to Atlanta where she lived; we hung out for the day and the next morning, we hit the road and drove 4 hours to Gatlinburg. Our hotel was in Pigeon Forge, which was 25 minutes away from the mountain and I enjoyed the charm of that town. The locals were hospitable and friendly and the food in the smaller non-franchise eateries were delicious. 

We went during a weekend event being held by The S.E.T, a travel organization that hosted the festivities that weekend. Although disappointed in the event itself, I was able to make up for it, by exploring the town. While I go into more detail about the diaster's of the festival itself here, these are the highlights that helped me to salvage my weekend.  

The Sunliner Diner: 

 

This was right next to our hotel and while I walked into this establishment unintentionally, it was the best detour I could have made that night. They have such a cute 1950's "Happy Days" glamour concept. I loved how upon walking into the establishment, you're automatically transported into another atmosphere. From the menu, to the desserts to the decór, you feel as if you're in another era. The customer service was top-notch as the waitress was attentive, friendly and a courteous. I ordered a BLT, fries and some chilli. I was temped to grab a sundae milkshake as a neighboring patron was enjoying their's. However my lactose intolerance would have cut that enjoyment short. 

 

Brick and Spoon: 

Now, this place holds a special place in my heart. While looking for a place to have Brunch on Sunday, My friend looked up this spot and we decided to experiment with it by trying it out. They have a softening salt scrubber in their bathroom and I loved it. Their menu presents a good variety of food that feels like your enjoying Grandma's secret family recipe with the feel of a close-knit family restaurant. The food was amazing. I had Banana's in Pajamas' for the first time, and that fosters' sauce I ordered doubles of. I also had crab cake eggs with hollandaise sauce and shared in some of the homefries my friend ordered with her meal. Needless to say, we were stuffed when we left. I highly recommend it. 

Marcos'  Pizza and Panda Express:  

These two establishments are franchises that are not considered Mom and Pop "niche" shops, however, Marcos is exclusively in the South. The title suggests that it's a pizza shop, but I was able to order wings, breadsticks, and other Non-dairy items to make a meal for myself. It was a pleasant surprise. The customer service was reminiscent of the "southern hospitality" culture and I enjoyed how freshly made the food was. I can imagine their pizza is just as good. 

Panda Express we visited it through the drive-thru and while this can be found up north, it's been years since I've tried their food. The menu options have definitely changed and now have more vegan options for those who have changed their diet since the last time they've been here. 

 Ober Gatlinburg: 

This was the highlight of the trip. The lodge was beautiful and had plenty of activities to do both inside and outside of the venue. I noticed from the waterslide at the bottom of the hill, that this place must be open during the summers as well. Getting there was quite the adventure as it entailed driving up a steep cliff on a very narrow road with no guardrails. I literally held my breath the whole ride, while my friend drove 5 MPH to make sure we survived the curves and turns in the road. It was one of two "close-calls" experiences that happened to me that weekend. When I spoke to one of the mountain lodge staff members about how dangerous that road was: He laughed stating "You're not from 'round here, huh?"

If his accent wasn't so loveable, I would have taken offense to his statement. 

Music Hotel Road: 

This is the hotel that I called home for a few days. My room was comfortable and spacious and the view of the river from the balcony was very peaceful and serene. They have a heated section within their pool while the neighboring Hot Tub was relaxing because of the powerful jets and the sauna-like temperatures. I spent most of my time in the pool, however, as I prefer to swim and I take advantage of every opportunity I get to do so. My friend however enjoyed that hotel luxury and spent most of her time there. We spent our time in the indoor pool as it was during the winter season that we visited. Due to covid restrictions, they did provide masks in the lobby upon request. They were selling them for Two-Dollars a piece, which I found ironic since no one in the lobby was wearing one. as a matter of fact, very few people were wearing masks down there. It was surreal to see.  

 Our final stop before heading home happened at one of the gift shops located on the 440 parkway. It was 9.99 or less, a.k.a. Souvenir City. I walked in and bought a navy blue smoky mountain mug that had a cork bottom. It was the only thing in that store that was unique enough for me to buy. I was taken aback by the confederate flags that were plastered on the walls and on clothing items. To my surprise they were courteous to me and my friend while we were shopping; however, she wanted to get out of there ASAP. I can't say I blame her. 

So if you ever find yourself traveling through the south and are curious enough to pass through Tennessee, I would recommend visiting the 440 parkway strip in Pigeon Forge for a few days as there is plenty to do. From shopping at the Tanger mall outlet, riding the coasters, visiting the upside-down museum to feeding the bears, you are guaranteed to have a memorable adventure.