re: How to salvage my trip: Gatlinburg

When people say they went to Gatlinburg and loved it, they didn’t mean hang out on the street for a week. You’re surrounded by the National Park which is the main attraction and depending on time of day and which entrance you take you could spend hours without seeing people. Hang out in the mountains all day and go to town at night to eat maybe. If you don’t have kids you can venture out even further.

Do the Roaring Fork Motor Trail by car and stop at several spots along the way to hike. Bring an ice chest and have a picnic up there somewhere. I’ll say that some of the coolest trails might not be marked so be on the lookout.

Cades Cove will be crazy busy this time of year so avoid that area.