We're back at it again with another weekend getaway! After our trip to Gulf Shores, I thought that would be our only summer vacation; however, Mr. M insisted on going on another trip. I think he caught the travel bug because he is already talking about when the next trip is.
If we're going to make another trip, I told him it needs to be somewhere close or spend about an extra few days at a farther location, so it doesn't feel like we drive there just to turn back around.
Since we both have our own businesses that we run, we can't be away for too long, especially him. So, we decided on going to our favorite travel destination, the Great Smoky Mountains.
This trip was so last minute; I'm pretty surprised that we were able to find lodging.
I searched high and low for last-minute deals on either a hotel suite or condo. Unfortunately, I was coming up short because all that was left were motels and low-star hotels.
Again, my search landed me on Priceline, looking to see if I could score something to fit my family of four.
During my hunt, I found a vacation rental company that had some cabins available. I always wanted to stay in a cabin but thought they catered more to large families.
The vacation rental called Eden Crest Vacation Rentals had a couple of cabins available on Priceline; one for families up to 20 people and another one for up to 8 people. So naturally, I was interested in the 8 people cabin.
But, I wasn't going to pay those high Priceline fees, so I went to Eden Crest Vacation Rentals website directly to pay a lower price.
For a two-night stay in the 8 person cabin located in Sevierville, the rate was $899. That's not bad for a summer rate. However, I saw two-night stays for a hotel room going for a higher price in Pigeon Forge. This summer, the Smoky Mountains is in high demand, with people making up for lost travel last year. As a result, it's nearly impossible to book a cabin for a week's stay.
Like the condos I have been booking this year, once I made my payment, the vacation rental created an account for me with the information that the cabin I booked provides. Also, booking through Eden Crest offers free ticket deals to some of the top attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. If I stayed longer, I would have used those deals.
On our trip, I didn't realize how far away our cabin is from local attractions. It's 30 minutes away from Pigeon Forge and about an hour away from Gatlinburg. My thoughts during my drive up those steep, curvy hills, this cabin is meant to be away from it all. An escape from everyday life to get some much-needed rest and enjoy all the natural 360 views.
The cabin is perched on a ridge top of the Smoky Mountains, with Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Townsend, TN being the closest towns.
The cabin is located in a luxurious community called The Preserve Resort; it's the quiet side of the Smokies with beautiful log cabins with captivating views. Once you settle in, you want to unwind and enjoy the many amenities inside the cabin.
Our cabin, called I Can Only Imagine, had many amenities that we didn't need to leave; we would be occupied with all it had to offer inside. Check it out!
Layout
• Loft - Queen Bed
• Loft Level - Game Room
• Loft Level - Queen Sleeper Sofa
• Main Level - King Bedroom
• Main Level - Queen Sleeper Sofa
Entertainment
• All Flat Screens
• Board Games
• Cable TV
• Foosball
• Multi-Game Arcade
• Pool Table
• Walking Dead Shooting Game
• Xbox 360
Indoor Living Space
• Central Air
• Electric Fireplace
• Heat
• Iron
• Ironing Board
• Jacuzzi Tub
• LED Flatscreen TVs
• Linens
• Shampoo
• Smoke Detector
• Washer
Internet/Communications
• Free WiFi Access
Kitchen
• Blender
• Coffee Maker
• Cookware
• Crock Pot
• Dishwasher
• Full Kitchen
• Microwave
• Oven
• Refrigerator
• Stainless Steel Appliances
Outdoor
• BBQ Grill
• Country Porch Rockers
• Deck
• Hot Tub
• Outdoor Dining Area
• Patio
We were so in love with this cabin! It was cozy, comfortable, clean, with modern touches. I adored the country-style decor! We could have stayed in the cabin the whole time and gone nowhere. But, we had to leave to eat since we didn't bring food to cook.
We managed to cram in some stuff in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge during our short trip.
Gatlinburg
It seems like whenever I visit the Smokies, we're always in Pigeon Forge. However, I wanted to do something different during this trip and visit Gatlinburg.
Gatlinburg has a lot to offer for families. Many of its key attractions offer sweeping views of the neighboring national park, including the 407-ft. Space Needle observation tower and the Sky Lift, a 2.1-mile aerial cable car that journeys from Downtown to the famous amusement park and ski resort Ober Gatlinburg.
My family and I walked up and down Gatlinburg's strip to check out some of the mom-and-pop shops.
Also, we dined at Tennessee's first pancake specialty restaurant, Pancake Pantry. This popular breakfast and lunch spot is known for many varieties of flapjacks.
Since they're known for their pancakes, I made sure to order that along with my egg white Mexican omelet.
My daughters had delicious scrapes that they ate down to the last bite!
Pancake Pantry is a tasty place to get a taste of what Gatlinburg is known for, a yummy pancake breakfast.
Pigeon Forge
We didn't do too much in Pigeon Forge. Just our usual shopping at Tanger Outlets, dine at Paula Dean's for dinner and visit The Island.
Have you heard the news? The Island just opened a new ride called SkyFly: Soar America, and we got to be one of the first people to try it out! SkyFly: Soar America is a Dynamic Attraction flying theater where guests experience a feeling of flight as they soar over some of the most iconic locations in the United States in this fully immersive experience!
The ride itself was fun and had you feeling like you're flying through well-known landmarks. But I wish I knew some of the places we were passing through.
Also, the wait to get on the ride was a bit long. The air conditioning wasn't working while in line, which made people irritable. But I was told that would soon be fixed.
The ride itself is about 6 minutes long, and I feel it's worth trying out and an excellent addition to The Island.
I heard this ride is similar to Soarin' Around the World at Epcot in Disney World. So, if you like that ride, you'll enjoy this one.
Another wonderful getaway to the Smoky Mountains!
I'll need to start booking cabins more often! Such a peaceful, tranquil trip that I sure needed to help me reenergize.
I love being such a short drive from the mountains! The Great Smoky Mountains will always be my family's top travel destination! Make sure to check out our other trips to the Smokies.
Follow Product Review Mom on Google News!
Very nice. I gotta make a trip to the mountains one day. It's been a minute. Loved the cabin and all it has to offer.
ReplyDeletesaving this post. I think we know where we will go for Fall
ReplyDelete