Smoky Mountains Trip
May 30, 2017 10:35:58 #
My wife and I are planning to visit Great Smoky Mountains NP this summer and I am interested in some advice regarding where to stay and more importantly, great photo locations and the best times to view them. We are flying into Atlanta and will be heading to the park from the North Carolina side. From there we will head to the coast and Charleston. Having never visited the southeast, any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks.
May 30, 2017 10:52:00 #
Maggie Valley is a neat little town. Johnathan Creek Inn. Trout stream runs along the north side. Great restaurants walking distance. Wheels through time Motorcycle museum. Many day trip options.
May 30, 2017 11:05:12 #
Cade's Cove during the day is stop and go; I would try and go as early as possible in the day.
When you get to Charleston, spend a day on Isle of Palms, and photograph some of slave daughters and their basket art along US 17 north.
Oh, and a day in old Charleston, and a day at fort Sumpter, and a day at Foley and James Islands. Don't forget Ashley Gardens, and the Naval Museum in Mt Pleasant, and...
When you get to Charleston, spend a day on Isle of Palms, and photograph some of slave daughters and their basket art along US 17 north.
Oh, and a day in old Charleston, and a day at fort Sumpter, and a day at Foley and James Islands. Don't forget Ashley Gardens, and the Naval Museum in Mt Pleasant, and...
May 30, 2017 11:11:24 #
May 30, 2017 11:18:01 #
zgirl
Loc: TN
Grandfather Mountain has a mile high swinging bridge and lots of nature photography opportunities! Pack your patience if you go in the fall when the leaf peepers are out.
Grandfather.com
Grandfather.com
May 30, 2017 12:20:30 #
chemdoc wrote:
My wife and I are planning to visit Great Smoky Mountains NP this summer and I am interested in some advice regarding where to stay and more importantly, great photo locations and the best times to view them. We are flying into Atlanta and will be heading to the park from the North Carolina side. From there we will head to the coast and Charleston. Having never visited the southeast, any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks.
Stay in Townsend, TN, instead of Gatlinburg. Townsend is at the west edge of the park (easy access to the park), and is quiet. Unless, of course, you like miniature golf, wax museums, outlet stores, a Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum, T-shirt shops, mirror mazes, souvenir stands, an upside-down White House, and thousands of other flavors of tacky. If you do, Gatlinburg's made for you. From Townsend, be sure to check out the Tremont area - amazing falls and rapids. Also, the Foothills Parkway.
May 31, 2017 06:10:24 #
May 31, 2017 06:28:17 #
chemdoc wrote:
My wife and I are planning to visit Great Smoky Mountains NP this summer and I am interested in some advice regarding where to stay and more importantly, great photo locations and the best times to view them. We are flying into Atlanta and will be heading to the park from the North Carolina side. From there we will head to the coast and Charleston. Having never visited the southeast, any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks.
I stay in Townsend, TN-on hwy 321 between Maryville and Gatlinburg. It's called the "quiet side of the Smokies" for a reason. Also, Townsend is only 3-4 miles from the entrance to the Tremont and Cades Cove areas. The Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg areas are HUGE tourists meccas. If you stay on the NC side, Cherokee, Maggie valley, and even Asheville are reasonable options. If you stay on the eastern side, make a point to find your way into the cataloochie area-there's a couple of herds of elk there
May 31, 2017 06:35:25 #
DWU2 wrote:
Stay in Townsend, TN, instead of Gatlinburg. Town... (show quote)
What Dan said. Towensend Gateway Inn is a great place to stay. Would also recommend Klingmans Dome. Cade's Cove for everything from wildlife to architecture. Can't do sunrise there but several options for sunset.
May 31, 2017 06:40:16 #
If you aren't too old and your lungs are in good shape, go into the Park and go to Clingsman Dome. When you get to the summit the view is fantastic. The walk up to the Dome is so steep,, they have benches to sit down and rest. Its quite a hike, not long, just steep. Good luck!
May 31, 2017 07:40:35 #
brow3904
Loc: Upstate South Carolina
Biltmore House in Asheville. On your way to Charleston a good stopover for the night would be Greenville, SC. Main street is tree lined with many restaurants, sidewalk eating, and usually live music on the street in the evening.
May 31, 2017 09:00:33 #
I recommend staying in Asheville. Easy access to the park, and plenty of good restaurants and other attractions. My wife and I have enjoyed two stays at the Pinecrest Inn B&B. The only wild bear I've seen my last two trips to the Smokies was in the back yard of the Pinecrest.
May 31, 2017 09:46:55 #
I highly recommend Cades Cove great for wildlife shots but you need to be there real early or late in the evening because a lot of the wildlife isn't real active during the day but we went the first week of May and saw two different mama bears with four and three cubs respectively and A big bruising mail one was earlier midmorning snoozing in a tree the other one was just before dusk foraging with the Cubs she had playing in my opinion it was worth the whole trip we stayed just outside of pigeon Forge in a private cabin and we had the time of our lives the newfound gap Road runs between Cherokee and Gatlinburg across the mountains is where you turn off to get to Clingmans down but several areas to pull off for some pretty good landscape shots enjoy your trip
May 31, 2017 10:04:50 #
When you arrive in Charleston check out the churches. Also the Citadel, 4 corners of Justice, and other historic buildings. Most hotels there have information on what to see and how to get there.
May 31, 2017 10:26:24 #
chemdoc wrote:
My wife and I are planning to visit Great Smoky Mountains NP this summer and I am interested in some advice regarding where to stay and more importantly, great photo locations and the best times to view them. We are flying into Atlanta and will be heading to the park from the North Carolina side. From there we will head to the coast and Charleston. Having never visited the southeast, any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks.
Learn to eat "hush-puppies" and to listen very slowly to the speech. After the people and their food everything else is eye-candy. If you have an extra day in Atlanta drive southwest to Columbus, GA. Calloway (sp?) Gardens is well worth the trip. Allow an extra card in your camera, the Gardens are a shooter's delight and the place is 2500 acres of gardens, lakes, and golf courses. The emphasis is on the gardens. There are several hotels on the grounds if you are so inclined. Hope you enjoy your visit, the people are great, so are the sights.
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