Travel advice needed: Smoky Mountains

My wife and three friends are planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains Oct. 14-18, and they're trying to figure out somewhere to stay. They're a little overwhelmed, seeing that the area appears to have 5 million cabins, all with foosball and early 80s video games. (Really, these places brag you can play Galaga and Frogger.)

She (and I) are welcoming your recommendations on places to stay, or at least how to search knowledgeably for a place so she doesn't end up writing a bitter review on TripAdvisor, or renting a place that gets sold or goes under between now and then.

You may PM me if you'd rather. Thanks for all of your help, everybody!

 

It's a big range... do you have specific cities in mind to visit or stay? I mean it's more than Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville...

 

Isn't this how Deliverance started? Cover your ass, Bob.

 

I LOVE Deep Creek Campground in Bryson City, a quarter mile from the Smoky Mountain National Park.

Cabins and located on a tubing creek.

 

I think it started in a place with high ground...

 

My wife, son and I rented a chalet with my in-laws in October. It's well worth it as long as you plan on fixing most of your meals at your chalet. I can't remember the name of our place (4 bedroom chalet, hot tub, ping-pong, no 80s video games), but I can track it down and send it if you'd like. We'd recommend it.

We stayed near Pigeon Forge off Wears Valley Road -- there was a Kroger just off the main strip (321/441) where we stocked up on groceries. Wherever you stay, just allow yourself plenty of time to travel into Gatlinburg. Your best bet is to use the bypass (though it's not well marked) and go up to Ober Gatlinburg and then tram it down to downtown.

Feel free to ask any questions -- I'll be glad to help any way I can.

 

Exactly. If you hear dueling banjos, run like hell.

 

Second everything Freelance said.

Haven't been to Gatlinburg or the Smokies in a long while, so I'm sure everything has changed. Family used to go every fall break, but we haven't gone since I was 13 or so.

 

The last place I stayed in Gatlinburg had like six or seven bedrooms. It was such a great memory with some friends, one of them passed away last year. I want to go back again, but I'd have to find a ton of people to stay at the same place. When you ride the tram thing up to the top of the mountain, it's the cabin directly to the left of the second to last tower the tram crosses over. It was the highest cabin you could get. Ahhh, memories.

 

Well, that's the problem. We have absolutely zero knowledge of the area, so we're not sure. I know they're not concerned about family-friendly, because there's no kids on this trip. In fact, I believe they'd prefer something where the area around their cabin isn't overrun like a Best Western during a youth hockey tournament.

 

Chalet in Gatlinburg.... use as your base and work your way out...

 

We're looking at Gatlinburg for a family vacation with my wife's family, and this is the place we have scoped out:

http://www.edencrest.net/4-bedroom-cabin/aboveitall.asp