How believable is it that I’ve lived in North Carolina for most of my life and have never been to Tennessee? Sort of wild if you ask me. Well, that all changed a month ago when we decided to do a mini getaway for the weekend in Gatlinburg. I didn’t have many expectations but truth be told, Gatlinburg was beautiful!

Where to Stay

I’m more of an Airbnb person than I am a hotel person (especially with Covid-19). The Airbnb we rented was about 12 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg tucked in the mountains. It was a cabin for two and included everything from washer/dryer, games and even a hot tub on the back patio deck.

Our Airbnb’s name is The Hideaway Hill and you can book it HERE.

Where to Eat

Now, I will say… I knew to not expect a big foodie scene in Gatlinburg but everywhere we ate was solid and WAY better than we expected so props to them for that!

Loco Burro Cantina

• If you’re craving Mexican, hit Loco Burro up. Ambiance is very lively and food was delicious. We ordered a chicken burrito smothered in queso and arroz con pollo (+ drinks!). If you’re feelin’ brave, you can ride the mechanical bull thats in the middle of the restaurant. I also heard that in the summertime, their rooftop is a great place to eat and drink. Pro tip: put your name on the waitlist super early in the evening.

Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que

• I’m truly upset that we came here after a long day of snowboarding kicking our ass. We were so tired and hungry, but didn’t enjoy the meal because of how tired we were. But the food and drinks here are delicious! We started off with their smoked wings which were flavorful and good even though they are on the smaller side. We then moved on to our dishes where we got chicken and pork with mac & cheese (you can skip it, it was just okay), corn, fries and biscuits! For drinks, I ordered the Front Porch Tea and the Holler Hootch. Both were great, if you like sweeter drinks get the Holler Hootch.

Smith & Son Corner Kitchen

• We headed to Smith & Son after we chugged moonshine cocktails at Sugarland (it’s right across the street). Start your meal off with the nachos, I PROMISE it’ll be the best decision you’ll make. Then, order a burger – I got the Gatlinburger and it was *chefs kiss*. Their menu has a ton of stuff, so even if you’re not feeling a burger you can order something else.

What To Do:

This trip was not only a getaway but also a chance for us to try something new, which was snowboarding. Someone call Shawn White, I’m coming for his spot.

Ober Gatlinburg

• I’m being completely transparent here. The wait to get into Ober on a Saturday morning is cra-zy. We arrived to Ober at around 10am. Got in line and waited FIVE hours. 5, cinco, cinq, cinque… FIVE. Not to mention, we waited outside in the freezing cold for the majority of the time. So this is my warning. If you’re going to visit on the weekend, get there super duper early. I’d honestly recommend getting there at 7-8am. Then, once you go in you have to wait in more lines if you need rentals and such. Nonetheless, the experience getting in sucked but our snowboarding class and instructor were great!

Anakeesta

• Described as a “family adventure park”, Anakeesta is the perfect place to take in the views of the Smokey Mountains. Enjoy ziplining, mountain coasters, views and get some shopping and dining done.

Tennessee Cider Company

• I’m not a beer person much, but I LOVE me some cider. Try the cider tasting out at TCC and take home your favorite. I brought back the blueberry flavor, it’s SO good.

Sugarlands Distilling Company

• Saving the best for last. If you want a good moonshine tasting and drinking experience come here! You pay $5 and get to taste over 8 different moonshine flavors. The $5 then goes towards your purchase (if you make one). Once you’re done with the tasting, head to the back to their moonshine cocktail bar. We ordered the creamsicle, cinnamon toast cold brew, pineapple upside down and the tropical berry lemonade. All the cocktails were delicious, the moonshine itself was great too. So much so that we ended up bringing 6 flavors back with us.

Hope y’all enjoy this guide!

Xoxo,

Wynee

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