117 Bishop Lane • Gatlinburg, Tennessee • 37738 • 1-800-637-3143

Smokies Area Attractions The Village Shops - Gatlinburg, Tennessee Gatlinburg's Village Shops is a collection of 27 unique shops in a quaint Old World setting. Shops include eateries, crafts, art, jewelry, women's fashions, a wedding chapel, and many more. The developers traveled the world for ideas and acquired roofing slates, carved doors, trim moldings, antique gas lighting fixtures, and handmade bricks to create a wonderful Alpine mood that is a delight to explore. Located near traffic light #6 beside the Pancake Gallery on Gatlinburg's Parkway. Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community comprises the largest group of independent artisans in the country with more than 70 members. A visit to the 8-mile loop of shops, studios, and galleries is like a visit to an era gone by where skills developed by early settlers 200 years ago are demonstrated in these shops and studios. Travelers can choose from an array of fine, handcrafted gift items made right here in the Smokies. Gatlinburg Aquarium Smoky Mountain visitors will be able to view some of nature's most exotic undersea life in the protective comfort of downtown Gatlinburg. When completed, the $42 million, 100,000-plus square foot marine attraction will be home to thousands of fish and other types of aquatic life from around the world. The centerpiece of the aquarium will be an underwater acrylic tunnel in which visitors will ride through 700,000 gallons of water on a 320-foot moving glide path, bringing viewers just inches away from large sharks, poisonous ocean predators and numerous varieties of tropical fish whose beauty will definitely impress spectators. Intern study programs will eventually be developed for those seriously interested in careers in Marine Science. Tours of Ripley's Aquarium will be self-guided, and guests should plan on as long as two-and-a-half hours to do it justice. Besides all the exhibits of sea life, visitors will also find Ripley's Cargo Hold gift shop and a deli-style restaurant complete with outdoor veranda. There will even be meeting rooms as well as banquet and wedding facilities available on the property. The first phases of the aquarium's construction are underway at a 6.9-acre site in downtown Gatlinburg, a location that was previously home to the Greystone Hotel. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Cades Cove is the most visited feature of the Park. Millions of visitors annually flock to Cades Cove to see the preserved pioneer homesteads, the blue-misted mountains which serve as a backdrop to the cove, and the abundant wildlife which now populate the area. To facilitate visitors, the Park provides a self-guided tour book at the cove's entrance. The 11-mile loop road takes approximately 45 minutes to complete casually from your vehicle. A more detailed look at the homesteads, some of which require brief hikes, can take several hours. Or you can make an entire day of Cades Cove if you stop at the Cable Mill area visitor center and include a 5-mile (round trip) hike to Abrams Falls. Hiking - The best part of the Smoky Mountains area is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park itself, which has over 800 miles of trails, and more than 500,000 acres of land. During your visit to Wears Valley and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, you should enjoy several of the hikes the Park has established. Fishing - To fish in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you need a valid Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license. They are not available in the Park, but can be obtained from sources in the towns adjacent to the Park. Fishing is permitted year round in the Smokies from one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. You should know your fish before you go, because there are restrictions. Great Smokies Mega Theater This 689-seat theater, with it's 70' tall and 90' wide screen, shows the large format motion pictures that have been filmed in IMAX and other formats utilizing film frames that are six times larger than that of conventional 35mm feature films. Current films include "Everest" and "Grand Canyon-The Hidden Secrets," and alternate every hour from 9am to 10pm daily. The films are approximately 45 minutes in length. A portion of all ticket sales directly benefit the National Park through contribution to Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Their signature film, "The Great Smokies," is currently in production and is scheduled for release during 2000. (865)-430-9999

117 Bishop Lane Gatlinburg, TN 37738 1-800-637-3143 or 865-436-4509 Fax 865-436-4504 No Pets Please Home | Rooms | Cottages | Request A Brochure | Area Attractions | Map & Directions | Current Weather | Email Us