When we travel from Ohio to our friends’ lake house in South Carolina, we like to break up our trip by spending one night in a different city.  The first year we stopped in Ashville to tour the Biltmore Estate and had a fabulous time.  I’ll write about that in another post.

via Pigeon Forge Travel

Smoky Mountains Side Trip

On this trip we decided to take advantage of the fall foliage and went to the Smoky Mountains.  We fell in love with the Smokies and the views were breathtaking!  I have skied in the Rockies out west and was used to snow-covered mountains but have never experienced seeing mountains at their prime in the fall.

We had rented a van so the three couples could travel together and we were off for a fabulous trip.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

I am always a little nervous when I am responsible for finding lodging for a group and it’s not my trusted Marriott Hotel.  When possible I love boutique type charming and quaint places to stay.  I scoured the internet for a unique place in the mountains and did I score big!

I have to admit I didn’t like the main drag of Gatlinburg.  It was way too commercialized for me and nothing but tourist traps for parents and their kids.  I was looking for quaint and peaceful.

It seemed like a long drive through Gatlinburg to get to our destination and was I ever relieved when we pulled up to the Lodge at Buckberry Creek!   Have you ever had that feeling that when you arrive at your vacation spot, you immediately know you are in for a treat?  Well, this was that type of feeling!

The Lodge at Buckberry Creek

Our home for the next night was at the Lodge at Buckberry Creek, nestled into the Smokey Mountains.  We parked our van and went into the Main Lodge and we immediately felt welcomed!  The decor was rustic elegant.

After checking in we went out on to the deck to take in the amazing views.

While out on the deck, we met the owner of this fabulous resort and he told us that just the other night, a baby black bear crawled around the restaurant deck!  He even showed us a picture of the bear on his iPad.  Yikes!  It put me on alert!  Fortunately, we had nothing to worry about.  No more bear sightings during our visit.

I loved how they had wool throws on the back of the dining chairs for guests in case they got cold.  It’s small touches like that make you feel so special as a guest.

 

We were lucky to get into this fabulous resort within a month’s notice.  Unfortunately, we weren’t as lucky to be able to get dinner reservations outside on the deck.

We still had a lovely dinner in their indoor dining room.  The menu was fine dining at its best  and we discovered a great wine called Educated Guess.

Click here for a sample menu.

After dinner we took a nice walk back to our rooms.  The mountains are so peaceful and beautiful at all hours of the day.

Ober Gatlinburg Ariel Tramway

Before traveling on to see our friends in South Carolina, we took a ride on the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway.  What a view!  The colors were breathtaking.

Do you have a favorite place to enjoy the fall foliage?