Gatlinburg Cabins at Mountain Laurel Chalets

Highlights for February 2012

2012-01-29T22:13:00.000-08:00

February, like most months in the Smokies, is yet another magical time for it's own unique purposes. Far beyond Valentine's Day, February itself is heir to an annual ambiance of romantic bliss in the mountains that just comes from cooler weather and a subdued attitude and Mountain Laurel Chalets offers everything you need to get your romantic getaway started at www.mtnlaurelchalets.com.

And here are some thoughts and ideas of how to further supplement your Valentine's, Honeymoon, Anniversary, what-have-you for when you get here; courtesy of our sister site www.thechaletcompany.com:

#1 Surprise
The element of surprise is a very powerful tool. It shows foresight and planning, and it says "I care enough about you to go to lengths to, well, surprise you." Women especially seem to relate surprise with romance. It doesn't need to be an elaborate scheme, just show forethought.

Also consider In Cabin Services to provide a wonderful surprise for you both and it will be waiting upon your arrival.

#2 Creativity
Creativity in your dating life and dating in your married life keeps things fresh and fun. When was the last time you did something silly on a date? Had a pillow fight or water war? Finger painted? Read poetry out loud? Better yet, combine two or more of these activities!

Fill the Jacuzzi with warm water and scented salts, take a romantic walk in the woods, or have a private, mountain picnic. Let your imagination make the most of your romantic adventure!

#3 Interest
Okay, this seems like a no-brainer, but for a successful romantic event, one or both of you need to be interested in the activity.

The Great Smoky Mountains offer a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that can be turned into a romantic adventure! A romantic picnic or hike is usually a great idea for nearly anyone. Consider a picnic in your Chalet and read him/her your personally written love letter. The views alone will stir the heart!

#4 Planning
Planning is what separates a truly impressive and memorable romantic getaway from a mediocre one. Call ahead, make reservations, do a little research.

#5 A Sense of Humor
Along with your most romantic plan, have a Plan B in mind and a sense of humor to get you through it. Even with the other four elements -- surprise, creativity, interest, and planning - dates can still be affected by circumstances beyond your control. The ability to laugh together is the mark of a great romance. Horribly ruined dates can become private jokes and fond memories if you keep your sense of humor intact.

We hope you get to enjoy your Romantic getaway with us here at Mountain Laurel Chalets. Hope to see you soon!

New Years and January 2012

2011-12-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

The New Year starts with a 15-minute long bang in the Smokies and offers plenty of great entertainment and activity for Winterfest long after the holidays are over.

Gatlinburg is, naturally, the center of the biggest party in the Great Smoky Mountains during New Years Eve. The Pyro-shows production company will be playing music from the center of town until the countdown starts. Once the ball drops from the Space Needle to ring in the New Year, the tower will explode in a prolonged and incredible fireworks display the likes of which you won't see for another year! Only Gatlinburg offers something that grand here in the Smokies.

Following shortly after that is another major treat for visitors to the mountains with the ever-popular Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge. This is a week-long treat, from January 7th to the 14th for nature lovers as it promises plenty of lectures, presentations, guest speakers, a gorgeous photographic exhibit, vendor with nature supplies and much more! You can see more of that at http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events_winterfest_wilderness.aspx.

Stay with Mountain Laurel Chalets and get the best of convenience and luxury accommodation. See our chalets at www.mtnlaurelchalets.com and stay tuned for more events in February!

The Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade

2011-11-29T19:57:00.000-08:00

This Friday, December 2nd, is Gatlinburg's famous Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade down the main downtown street of the city! It's been a yearly Winterfest tradition for years and years, and every year just gets better and better!

Starting at 7:30PM, the parade will start just after Alamo Steakhouse on Highway 321 and continue down the road until Stoplight #10. For more than an hour, all your favorite Christmas characters, both new and old, will be appearing and waving and dancing and singing along with you and the kids. The Polar Express train will make an appearance, the pipe and drum bands will be playing the bagpipes and, of course, no Christmas celebration is complete with Santa Claus himself and, yes, he will be appearing as well!

Get a good spot early because this is expected to draw tens of THOUSANDS of people. Then come on back home with us at Mountain Laurel and enjoy the rest of the night and weekend in the best cabins on Ski Mountain Road! www.mtnlaurelchalets.com

Looking forward to Winterfest 2011!

2011-10-27T19:59:00.001-07:00

Winterfest will be upon us sooner than you think and it's definitely not too early to think about making plans if you're staying with us in November!

The Winterfest Kick-off/Chili Cook-off is November 10th from 5:00PM to 8:00PM and it's a reason to come to the Smokies by itself! Over 30,000 cups of chili from 20 or more different vendors and restaurants, plus free entertainment, plus the official switch for the million dollar lighting displays to come on (and thus officially starting Winter in the Smokies) make it the biggest party for miles around on the 10th of November!

And don't forget about Thanksgiving either. W.L. Mills auditorium is hosting The Gatlinburg Festival of Trees, the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Holiday Show and the Nutcracker "Sweet" performance on the same weekend. Thanksgiving Weekend to be precise! From November 22nd to the 26th, you can enjoy all three of these in one place. Perfect to bring the whole family to.

Do we offer cabins to accommodate the whole family? We certainly do! See our chalets list at www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/chalet_index.html

2011-08-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

Time to finally say goodbye to Summer and hello to Autumn and the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival!

If you haven't been to Mountain Laurel Chalets during the Harvest Festival Season, "You don't know what you're missing" doesn't begin to describe what is available here during September, October and November. Even if you didn't leave the chalet from the moment you got here until it was time to go home, the views in conjunction with our luxury accommodations are worth the trip alone! Can you even imagine absorbing the majesty of the Smoky Mountains with the colors sprawled before you for miles and miles ahead while you soak in the hot tub with a loved one - champagne possibly? It's even better than it sounds.

But don't take our word for it - make a reservation at www.mtnlaurelchalets.com. We have over 100 chalets on our program, ALL on Ski Mountain Road overlooking the city of Gatlinburg and the Great Smokies. It will be worth the trip and many more!

Should you decide to venture out of the chalet for a little bit after all, you'll very likely find something worthwhile to do in our events calendar. The following are a list of events and dates that correspond to the Harvest Festival season in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Mark your calendars and build your itineraries because it's going to be an awesome Autumn for the Smoky Mountains!

Taste of Autumn
Location: Gatlinburg Convention Center
Description: The Taste of Autumn has been Gatlinburg's tastiest charity event for 13 years. A $25 donation will give you access to food from all kinds of vendors with the best food in town at the huge W.L. Mills Auditorium. All proceeds go to the United Way of Sevier County.
Start Date: September 15th
End Date: September 15h
Link Out: http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=7

Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament
Location: Gatlinburg Convention Center
Description: This popular event is hosted by Rocky Top Outfitter and is open to children as well as adults, visitors as well as local. Admission prices apply.
Start Date: September 24th
End Date: September 25th
Link Out: www.rockytopoutfitter.com

Oktoberfest at Ober Gatlinburg
Location: Ober Gatlinburg
Description: German food and German fun on top of the world for the Fall Season! Get in early and join in the music, dancing and everything else Ober Gatlinburg has to offer
Start Date: September 30th
End Date: October 30th
Link Out: www.obergatlinburg.com

Ripley's Fright Nights

Location: Ripley's Haunted Adventure
Description: An entire month of screams, frights and thrills to celebrate Halloween in Gatlinburg. Character parades, the living dead, and things you better say your prayers to prepare for.
Start Date: October 1st
End Date: October 31st
Link Out: www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg/

Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair
Location: W.L. Mills Convention Center
Description: Artists and Crafters local and from hundreds of miles around gather at the Gatlinburg Convention Center where over 120 booths and all kinds of handcrafted items, plus the artists, are on display.
Start Date: October 6th
End Date: October 23rd
Link Out: www.craftsmenfair.com

Trick or Treat Kick off Karnival
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: From Noon to 3 P.M. Gatlinburg will celebrate Halloween with the Gatlinburg Police Department and Gatlinburg Fire Department working in conjunction to offer a safe, family fun filled trip for everyone!
Start Date: October 31st
End Date: October 31st
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=54

Winter Magic Kickoff & Chili Cookoff
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: Offering mouth-watering recipes of homemade chili ranging from mild and delightful to wild and adventurous, the City of Gatlinburg celebrates the start of Winter with an awesome Chili Cookoff! Bring admission and a lot of napkins.
Start Date: November 9th
End Date: November 9th
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=11

Trolley Ride of Lights
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: Visitors can soak up the spirit of the season from the comfort of a Gatlinburg Trolley by taking the relaxing Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights. These are popular guided excursions that are sure to become a tradition.
Start Date: November 9th
End Date: January 30th
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=13

Plan a Trip to Cherokee, North Carolina

2011-08-20T19:59:00.001-07:00

Have you been across the National Park to Cherokee, NC? Cherokee is a sort of bookend to Gatlinburg and well worth a day trip visit out.

Cherokee is located on the other side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from the Spur, on the same highway that the Sugarlands Visitor Center is on. From there, it is an hour's drive through the National Park, across THE most gorgeous scenery in the Tennessee Smokies (and over a dozen stopping-parking spots to take pictures, several hiking trails and plenty of picnicking opportunities), from the tops of the hills and then down again at the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, which is your sign that you're 3-5 minutes away from Cherokee.

Once inside, you can go straight, take a turn left, or stop at the Arcade/Fun Center right at the gates into the town if the kids are getting antsy or you need a good place to stretch your legs a bit. Going left will take you to some hotels, some restaurants and some shopping alongside another arcade and fun center. Going straight will take you straight into the heart of the town. Cherokee is fairly small (about the size of Gatlinburg) and it's pretty hard to get lost.

From there are plenty of things to do from the aforementioned Arcades/Fun Centers to more cultural items of interest, like the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, which offers a walking trail, historical architecture, and some exhibits on Appalachian culture from the old days, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, which is, appropriately, the authority on Cherokee history and information with hundred of exhibits and excellent video presentations throughout the tour, the Oconaluftee Indian Village, which is a working Cherokee Indian Village meant to show you what life back in 1760 was like for the Cherokee Indians, and Unto These Hills, a dramatic production high in the hills showcasing the story of Tsali and more history plus incredible musical numbers.

Cherokee also features an island park where kids can wade in the Oconaluftee river or a canal in the center of the park plus a large, unique bamboo grove full of photo opportunities. If you have kids who like to skate, take them to the free skate park. If all else fails, Harrah's Cherokee Casino is a huge facility with entertainment like you can't get for miles and miles around.

Cherokee, NC is a little town with a lot to offer, so if you're looking for something different and you want to see a lot of gorgeous Smoky Mountain scenery on the way there, plan a day trip out and you won't be disappointed.

To get to Cherokee from Gatlinburg, take the Gatlinburg Bypass from the Spur (just 2 minutes before you reach the city from Pigeon Forge) and keep on straight for roughly an hour.

All pictures are copyright Ge'ne L. K. Lawhead

Mid-Summer Suggestions

2011-07-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

July becomes a quieter, possibly the quietest, month of summer for the Smokies. With The 4th of July accomplished, the next thing people look at is Back-To-School season in early-mid August. While many see this as "the dog days of summer", a lull in the action exasperated by high humidity and nothing to do, this is definitely the wrong way to look at it.

Between the 4th of July and August is a dignified stretch of time thats as perfect to secure a summer vacation here in the Smokies. You don't need a holiday to come to Gatlinburg and enjoy dozens and dozens of restaurants within walking distance of each other, an entire day or even weekend's worth of family entertainment you only need to park once to enjoy, and more genuinely unique shopping areas with nearly everything ever the sun all between Stoplight #2 and #10.

Or why need to fill your weekend with action at all? Didn't you come to the mountains to relax too? If you consider this period a "lull", take advantage of it with our numerous cabins here at Mountain Laurel Chalets. Cook out on our porches over the sunset of the Smokies, soak in the hot tub, lie down on our luxury beds and watch your favorite movies or TV shows in a marathon and more options all simultaneously available under one roof. Those views of the Smokies will be all yours and unless you needed to restock groceries, there's no reason at all you'd even have to leave the chalet during your time here.

Of course, there ARE even still some special events going on, like the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair (July 15-23) and Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales. There's even FREE trolley access in downtown Gatlinburg (between lights #1 and 10) until August 14th.

Even if none of that interests you, this section of the summer is a blessing in disguise and absolutely you should take advantage of it for the Smoky Mountain summer vacation you've wanted or always wanted to take! See what cabins are available at www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/chalet_index.html

Special Events Into July

2011-06-16T21:32:00.001-07:00

Starting tomorrow, June 17th to August 7th, will be Dollywood's Kidsfest which we have covered in the entry below. If you're bringing the kids to the Smokies, you won't want to miss this chance to give them an incredible summer experience! www.dollywood.com

Also starting tomorrow is Gatlinburg Tunes and Tales which has been Gatlinburg's newest major summer tradition 6 years running. A smash hit since it started, Tunes and Tales livens up the Gatlinburg city evening with plenty of public performances by musicians, dancers and storytellers until August 13th. Those who want a taste of Appalachian culture to go with their evening walk through the city of Gatlinburg will not be disappointed.

And from there we have the Fourth of July being celebrated at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge with an all day festival of games, music and later fireworks, while Gatlinburg offers the Fourth of July Midnight Parade to tens of thousands of people in downtown Gatlinburg at the stroke of midnight (5 minutes after 11:55PM on 7/3/11), a River Raft Regatta starting at 9:00AM and then the fireworks going on over the downtown section of the city after sundown.

Mountain Laurel Chalets can be the perfect home-away-from-home for these events and more, either for the summer or any other time along the calendar. Find the perfect chalet for you at http://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/chalet_index.html and make your reservations today!

Upcoming events for Summer 2011

2011-05-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

It won't be too late to make your summer vacation plans here in the Smokies until at least the middle of August, but that's no reason to delay! There's an exceptionally long list of stuff just waiting for you and your family to come enjoy!

Downtown Gatlinburg itself is a weekend's worth of entertainment within just 10 minutes of walking through the downtown area. Ripley's Aquarium is a must-see as well as Ober Gatlinburg, the city's mountain-high family fun park. There's also the Guinness World of Records Museum, Ripley's Believe it or Not!, Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, and about 2 dozen or more mini-golf and arcades for the kids to enjoy.

For those of you older who want to see something in the city of Gatlinburg can enjoy the 6th Annual Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales going on from June 17th to August 13 for the 2011 season. The dusk walk through the main downtown area now boasts streetside performers of music, storytelling and the dancing varieties! Definitely gives good reason to take a stroll before calling it a night.

And anchoring all this fun will be our luxury chalets on Ski Mountain Road overlooking the city of Gatlinburg. Play all day and then come back to barbecue or soak in the hot tub as it cools down for the evening. Come take a look at our chalets at http://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/chalet_index.html. Hope to see you soon!

Ribsfest 2011

2011-05-05T22:33:00.001-07:00

Ribsfest 2011 was another smash hit with hundreds at least in attendance! Although the venue moved back to Ripley's Aquarium (and this writer was unaware of that until arrival), it didn't deter people from having a great night surrounded by great entertainment and mountains of great food.

Here are a bunch of pictures that show all the action in play - we even somehow spotted Santa Clause reveling with the crowd and enjoying the event. Take a look at what you'll likely get to see late April next year!

Photos courtesy of Ge'ne L.K. Lawhead. All rights reserved.

Wildflower Pilgrimage and Ribsfest 2011

2011-04-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Two great special events are coming up before May, and those looking for a restful spot to come back to, away from the main traffic of the city, after a double shot of fun in the Smokies need not look any further than Mountain Laurel Chalets!

61 years. That's how long the Wildflower Pilgrimage (April 26-May 1, 2011) has been going on on this side of the Smokies. As a cornerstone of the Gatlinburg Springfest, we'd be remiss if you missed an opportunity to make the blooming mountains and its flora and fauna yours during its nearly week-long run. For our guests who enjoy the nature of the Smokies, this is THE event of the year. Don't miss out on this - look at more information at http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=31

On the flipside of that is Ribsfest on April 28th. Ribsfest is back in Gatlinburg! Spring's answer to the Winterfest Chili Cook-off sees the entire downtown road through the city of Gatlinburg, starting from Ripley's Aquarium to Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, just to hold all the vendors, entertainment and meat that are set to arrive.

Come for the fun and stay with us for the luxury! The views of the emerald mountains during a barbecue or hot tub session will cap off a perfect day here in the Smokies during Springfest.

Early Dawn

2011-03-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

We received this from a guest who stayed at Early Dawn over the weekend.

"Hey there, we just got back from Early Dawn from a honeymoon/birthday weekend with my new wife.

I have to say, I've stayed at a few chalets in my day and this one was well-worth the trip. We were nervous going up the mountains, but the directions you gave us worked well and we found it and got to it without too much trouble.

We about freaked out when we saw your chalet had THREE balconies overlooking the mountains. Three? Really? I didn't know houses could DO that, but really, I don't think I'll live to see anything like that again. This was probably the cleanest chalet I've ever been in and pretty much everything worked as expected (as in nothing was broken when we got here). The hot tub in particular was a major help as we tried to unwind from our marriage whirlwind that was this weekend. We also received a great welcoming from In Cabin Services with a chocolate basket that was pretty close to literally being the icing on the proverbial cake!

We got everything we wanted from Early Dawn and Mountain Laurel Chalets and you can use this in your advertisements or testimonials if you want. You guys MADE our weekend for us and for that we are very grateful. Thank you!"

Festival of the Nations 2011

2011-02-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Common sense states that you don't mess with a working system, and it is for this reason Dollywood has consistently opened each and every season for the last decade with Festival of the Nations, a world-entertainment showcase that has gotten better and better with each opening season.

This year, Festival of the Nations features Argentina Folk Dancing, Ecuador New Age music performances, demonstrations of the Keona hang drum, island rhythms from Trinidad and Tobago, a return of the Zambia Vocal Group and much more in addition to Dollywood's year-round plethora of entertainment and rides.

A day-trip to Dollywood in addition to a great cabin at Mountain Laurel Chalets would complete an incredible vacation in the Smoky Mountains like you wouldn't believe. You can visit www.dollywood.com to purchase Dollywood tickets and you can find the perfect chalet to compliment your trip with right here: http://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/chalet_index.html.

Spring is off to a great start already here in the Smokies, and we hope you make time to visit us this coming season!

Valentine's Day - February 14th, 2011...

2011-01-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

...is almost here again!

One of the greatest joys of visiting the Smoky Mountains is doing so on a special occasion like Valentine's Day, getting a place of your own on the mountain side, and just watch the sun drift down as the gorgeous starry night sky takes hold. A pop of cork and champagne is served. A hot tub for two is filled and it creates an unforgettable and repeatable experience for the two of you.

This fantasy can easily be yours at Mountain Laurel Chalets at any of our cabins. All of what we offer is on Ski Mountain Road overlooking the city of Gatlinburg and miles of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Looking for suggestions? See http://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/romantic_cabins.html, and http://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/romance_ideas.html.

We hope to see you and your loved one for Valentines Day here at Mountain Laurel Chalets!

Ober Gatlinburg - Open for Winter Sports!

2010-12-15T20:41:00.001-08:00

In case you haven't heard, Ober Gatlinburg is now open for winter sports!

Our cabins at Mountain Laurel Chalets have long been a collective "headquarters" - an easily accessible place to come back and rest - for avid winter sports enthusiasts who want to be close to Ober Gatlinburg and get all the skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and ice skating fun they've waited for.

Ober Gatlinburg is at the top of Ski Mountain where all the cabins and chalets of Mountain Laurel Chalets reside, and they make extremely sensible places to come back to after long, cold hours on a snow slope. Our accommodations feature hot tubs, fireplaces, jacuzzis/whirlpools, washer/dryers and plenty of things to keep you warm for the season!

Ober Gatlinburg's Winter Sports season extends through the Winterfest, January, February and possible into March, so you have plenty of time to make your reservations and enjoy everything our chalets have to offer. Ober Gatlinburg is the only place around for miles and miles that offers Winter Sports, so if you're looking for the right place to get some arctic adrenaline pumping, its right here on Ski Mountain with us at Mountain Laurel Chalets!

Thanksgiving in Gatlinburg

2010-11-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

November is a big month for Gatlinburg, starting with the zenith bloom of the fall colors and into the big Chili Cook-off and into Thanksgiving weekend.

We have a lot of returning events this year, like the perennial favorite, the Festival of Trees (www.festivaloftrees.com), alongside the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community Holiday Show and the Nutcracker "Sweet" all throughout the weekend at the H.L. Mills auditorium in downtown Gatlinburg. The trolleys are doing more tours of the lights throughout the city and the Gatlinburg Thanksgiving Bowl (football tournament) is back for its 38th year (!) up in Mills Park near Gatlinburg Pittman High School.

And Mountain Laurel, as always is your home away from home as you take in all the excitement of the start of the holidays. Nothing capitalizes on a Smoky Mountain vacation like waking up in a luxury chalet on a gorgeous mountain, taking the day out to enjoy the holidays and then coming back to luxury as the sun sets in the gorgeous views our chalets offer on Ski Mountain Road.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Mountain Laurel!

Oktoberfest 2010

2010-10-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

October is a favorite month for a lot of people, and why wouldn't it be? It's the month the temperatures finally dip to reasonable numbers and its the month the leaves change color - but depending on who you ask, its also the favorite month because of Halloween... or Oktoberfest.

Gatlinburg has long been a great place for Halloween year after year in the mountains, but people looking for Oktoberfest have not had as much luck. Enter Ober Gatlinburg; they're having all day Oktoberfest Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays every weekend in October. Because this is Ober Gatlinburg, it will be a more stately affair - plenty of beer and fun but in tasteful amounts.

There is German food and singing at 1:00, 4:00, 6:00 PMs throughout the days. Its best to get there in the afternoon to enjoy all the fun. Whether you stay for all the fun or not, Ober Gatlinburg is also incredible just for the ride above the Smokies which gives you one of the BEST views of the Smokies in full bloom around - you're literally flying in the air!

Take a look at this video and see what fun you could be having!

And its all just up the hill from all our cabins at Mountain Laurel Chalets. Where else can you stay in Tennessee where you get gorgeous mountain views, genuine structural peace and quiet and a major family entertainment park with Oktoberfest right up the hill? Only Mountain Laurel Chalets makes that possible with each chalet on Ski Mountain Road. Stay with us and enjoy your Smoky Mountain Vacation!

Things To Do In August

2010-07-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

August belongs to Pigeon Forge during the last month of summer. Gatlinburg takes a well-earned break and the city of Pigeon Forge, just a 15-18 minute drive from most of Mountain Laurel's rentals, takes over from there to offer some unique special events:

Aug. 1st-31st - Celebrate Freedom! From the mypigeonforge.com site, "Join us in honoring Americas heroes during the entire month of August. Participating businesses offer exclusive discounts to veterans, all branches of active duty, Reserves, National Guard, retired military, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS personnel (ID required)." www.mypigeonforge.com/celebratefreedom.

Aug. 13th-14th - Stringtime in the Smokies - The Old Mill square hosts Southern music performances for two days. Come enjoy the free performances and take a good look around the Arts and Crafts district of Pigeon Forge with Patriot Park and the central Trolley hub across the street. Great weekend get out in you're in the area. www.oldmillsquare.com.

Aug. 23rd-25th - 14th Annual World Premier Gospel Concert - Grand Resort Hotel Convention Center, featuring Tim Lovelace, the New Calvary Echoes, The Old Paths, Heirline, Ricky Atkinson, Compassion, Three Bridges, Sould Out, Greg Day and Ann Downing. Please call 1-800-251-4444 for more information.

These are some great all-day events, and you can look forward to a well-earned, well-rested evening back at your Mountain Laurel Chalet on the couch, on the bed, in the hot tub and more! Day trips between the cities are part of the fun in the late-summer, early-fall transition of the year in Gatlinburg, so go on out, have some fun and come back to a night of luxury living here at Mountain Laurel Chalets!

The Fourth of July (and now The Third of July), 2010

2010-06-16T11:11:00.001-07:00

Is there any summer activity that's greater than the Fourth of July? Good luck trying to find one. There are only two events a year in this country that are so important, we shoot off high-powered, multi-colored explosives in public and in our backyards as an active means to personify our jubilation - the birth of the year and the birth of the nation.

To celebrate the Fourth of July in Sevier County takes some energy and some planning, but wow can you get a lot done in roughly 40 hours.

For one, Pigeon Forge is pulling a fast one on us and having its usual Fourth of July celebration on July 3rd! This day belongs to Pigeon Forge, as Patriot Park, the huge, level, open park in the Old Mill district, turns into the outdoor Fourth of July central. Bring a cooler, some chairs, a beach towel and enjoy some outdoors the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Some food vendors will be there and a large sound stage will be built for entertainment starting in the afternoon and lasting until the fireworks start. Diamond Rio and many other guests, local and abroad, are expected to perform that day!

Then, travel to Gatlinburg, which on a busy July 3rd evening starts filling with people in the mood for a celebration. At the stroke of midnight that evening, right as it turns into the Fourth of July, an enormous parade starts and marches through the streets of downtown Gatlinburg. Lots of floats, lots of people, lots of patriotism - the way a Fourth of July parade should be done.

The next day, you can return to downtown Gatlinburg for the midday favorite ID4 event, The River Raft Regatta, at the Ripley's Aquarium. It's an unmanned river raft race down the Little Pigeon River and you can find out more about it at this page: http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=33.

Then, as night draws near again, you have a choice - stay in Gatlinburg and watch the fireworks or check out the amazing fireworks at Smokies Stadium in Sevierville. Smokies Stadium would be a drive to get to, but what says America better than watching American fireworks celebrate America at America's favorite pasttime stadium? Certainly not me trying to fit the ubiqitous word into a sentence as many times as I can. Either way, you'll be treated to another incredible and bright fireworks display.

Two in one year! Only in Sevier County!

And with Mountain Laurel, getting to all these events should be a relative breeze. Unlike most cabin companies, all our many, many units are in one place - hovering over the city of Gatlinburg on Ski Mountain. You can get to Pigeon Forge in roughly 15 minutes and downtown Gatlinburg in roughly 7. The Smokies Stadium is a far out drive even from downtown Sevierville, but it will be worth the trip if you decide to go.

Either way, you'll come home to Southern comforts after a long weekend out. Hot tubs and jacuzzis will soak away your tired skin and rejuvenate that worn-out body, and then you can surrender to the bed all you want. Any of our units will give you that, and thats over 100 choices to choose from!

From a Devoted Fan.

2010-06-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

The following is a post and some gorgeous pictures of the mountains donated to us by a Mr. Pete Noyles.

"The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in the world and there is a good reason for it. The beauty of the park is nothing short of spectacular with all its natural resources: wild animals and plants, rivers, cascades, waterfalls, mountains, hiking trails, and scenic roads. Tubing, rafting, fishing or just plain wading in the water are extremely popular in the many streams found in the park. There is something for everyone to enjoy from young to old and active to inactive and disabled. There are wheelchair accessible trails in the park including a beautiful trail to a very pretty waterfalls.

I find plenty to do and enjoy in the park in inclement weather as well as good weather. Almost everyone I know who has visited the park wants to revisit it. There is also a lot to do in the surrounding communities if you are not inclined to the beauty of the park.

One of the more popular attraction in the area is Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. This is an amusement park for children full of fun things for kids of all ages to do. There is a casino on the Indian Reservation over the mountain in Cherokee, NC. It is about an hour's ride from Gatlinburg over a beautiful winding mountain road with many pull-offs and a lot of spectacular views. There are shopping malls, museums, galleries, and a first rate aquarium in the area.

There are all kinds of lodging in the area as well. We deal solely with Mountain Laurel Chalets because they are the best in the area. Their staff is polite, courteous, helpful, and will do their very best to see that you have an enjoyable stay. They can be contacted at: http://www.mtnlaurelchalets.com/contact_us.html. I highly recommend them and wouldn’t do business with anyone else. I much prefer to stay in a chalet on the mountain rather than in a hotel in town. Accommodations in the chalets are like at home and most if not all have a hot tub and a pool table. I use the pool table to store my photographic equipment.

There are also many fine places to eat in the area. I highly recommend the Cherokee Grill and Calhouns but there other places just as good.

I will be happy to answer any questions you may have or provide advice on trails and things to see in the park."

~ Pete Noyles

The Penguins of Ripley's Aquarium

2010-05-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

With all the great new stuff thats been going on in Gatlinburg and the stuff thats to look forward to, it's easily to lose track of even the bigger news and events, much less the smaller ones and everything inbetween.

This is hardly small news though, Ripley's Aquarium invited new guests to the Smoky Mountains that you can't find anywhere else in Sevier County.

Penguins.

Black African Penguins!

And they're here at the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, where they're active in the Penguin Playhouse, a new state of the art indoor/outdoor habitat. You can view the penguins from above and... below the water? Certainly that's not new for the Ripley's Aquarium, but the new clear tunnels that let you get to see them in the water are. Great, GREAT idea to take the kids, or just come see them yourself! Everyone's welcome to come see the new Penguins at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies!

And at our cabins and chalets on Ski Mountain Rd, it's not far a jump at all to get downtown and enjoy the activities! You can be at the entrance to the aquarium and back home for a well-deserved rest in no time. Such as only ONE of the major advantages to staying with Mountain Laurel Chalets, check out our many, many chalets for many, many more advantages!

25 Years of Dollywood

2010-03-03T15:20:00.001-08:00

As soon as the gates open on March 27th, 2010, the flood begins. Thousands and thousands of eager guests who have been waiting for the perennial Festival of the Nations since as early as last year, quickly fill the park to see all the many new additions and familiar traditions Dollywood brings year after year.

This year, Festival of the Nations features "DRUM!" culminating Aboriginal, Black, Celtic and Acadian cultures into an exhilirating performance of music and dance and more. "Invaders" is an island-steel ensemble performing the sound of Trinidad. Atahualpa returns for another great year of South American music and Imagine returns too after a popular, grand performance from last year's Festival of the Nations.

Another thing to look forward to is the advent of Adventure Mountain for 2010. It's a new section of park designed as an outdoor obstacle course and even those who don't like to play outside will have a hard time staying away!

Finally, 2010 makes it the 25th year Dollywood has been entertaining families here in the Smokies. 25 years hasn't gone by unnoticed and we hope for Dollywood to stay open another 25 years at least! Stay tuned to see what Dollywood might be thinking for celebrating its 25th year in business!

Spring Break with Mountain Laurel Chalets

2010-02-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

You've been looking forward to it since the start of the second semester. Spring Break is coming up and Mountain Laurel Chalets is waiting for you to make your reservations, so that you can get the Spring Break you've earned.

Each and every cabin and chalet is located on Ski Mountain Road overlooking Gatlinburg. You get a secluded wooded environment for your vacation, far away from the stresses of academia but not so far away that you can't get into town for whatever you would need. Let our hot tubs and jacuzzis absorb you, let our TVs and game rooms entertain you, let the fact that all of our chalets meet current standards of excellence and then some further distance you away from earthly concerns.

You came to the mountains this week to relax, and you will get it at Mountain Laurel Chalets. You can also take advantage of specials the chalets owners have posted by clicking here: http://secure.instantsoftwareonline.com/StayUSA/Default.aspx?coid=0210, or you can take advantage of our yearly special: Stay for 7 nights and get one free! Perfect for Spring Break!

You worked hard, now enjoy yourself at Mountain Laurel Chalets!

Valentines Day and Smoky Mountain Romance

2010-01-05T19:04:00.001-08:00

The deep, dark greens or grays of the Smoky Mountains inspire the same mysticism that all life yearns for. It is a wide-reaching atmospheric compliment to everything people come to the mountains to find - in other words, its the magic that makes it easy to relax, or the spark that really makes your Valentines Day romantic.

Mountain Laurel Chalets see miles and miles of The Smoky Mountains from Ski Mountain Road. This wide open view can be a backdrop for many romantic activities - hot tubbing over champaigne, guitar serenading if you feel so moved, sensual dessert, in cabin massages - or maybe something simple like a movie or old fashioned making out.

The cabins at Mountain Laurel Chalets feature everything you and your partner need to get away and be yourself in high quality surroundings. Get away from it all and have each other in your own privacy, overlooking the world, with everything you need at Mountain Laurel Chalets!

The Joys of the Off Season

2010-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Gatlinburg offers a lot of things year round, but there are most definitely off seasons too - little pockets of time inbetween major events that everyone looks forward where things are pretty normal, traffic is minimal, gas prices are sometimes down, and there is plenty of room for everyone.

Many of Gatlinburg's main attractions are open year-round - that's all the Ripley's Entertainment; Aquarium, Museum, Guinness Museum, Haunted Adventure, Motion Picture theatre and more. Ober Gatlinburg is open year round and makes a great place for winter sports during the big off season of January to March - the adventure there being that ALL of Mountain Laurel Chalets are just down the mountain from Ober.

Take a look at www.gatlinburg-attractions.com for everything you can do year-round in the city, and enjoy that it's all highly convenient to Mountain Laurel Chalets. When you're done a day's outing and you just want to get home to a warm bed or a hot tub or just relax in a luxurious house, Mountain Laurel Chalets is there for you, and not nearly as far away as you might think it would be.

Snow Report

2009-12-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

Winter is "officially" here (despite being cold enough for frost 2 months in a row) and what that means for thousands of hardcore winter sports enthusiasts in this area and all over is that its time to trek up to Ober Gatlinburg!

Ober Gatlinburg has two main functions to the life and blood of Gatlinburg - provide a family fun center at the very top of the mountain looking down on the city, and be THE place to go to for miles around for serious winter adrenaline: Skiing, Snowboarding, ice skating, snow tubing and snow trails. Whether or not there is snow or ice in the city, you can bet it will be present for winter at Ober Gatlinburg!

Ober Gatlinburg's website posts Snow Reports on its website at http://www.obergatlinburg.com/snowrpt.htm daily, so be sure to check it out before heading up. You can also find prices and availability on that same page, as well as everything else Ober Gatlinburg has to offer.

Don't miss out on all the winter fun! Pick up your Winter Passes for Ober Gatlinburg today! Or Tonight! Just get them while they're good.

Ski Mountain Road

2009-12-18T13:56:00.001-08:00

Just because the major holiday part of winter will be over soon doesn't mean there won't be much to do here in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The first thing you can count on is that many of the city attractions in Gatlinburg stay open year-round. That means all the Ripley's activities, Fort Fun, the Space Needle and more keep their doors open no matter how cold it is outside.

The other thing is Ober Gatlinburg. Already a guaranteed stop for families looking for self-sustaining family fun (at the top of the mountain looking down on Gatlinburg no less), when the temperatures hit below 40, it means the slopes are open at Ober! Ober is Gatlinburg's winter sports center and they includen skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and more!

And the guests at Mtn. Laurel chalets are the lucky ones - for Ober Gatlinburg is just up the mountain from you. You are within minutes of their parking lot. Why else do you think they would name it Ski Mountain Road? And a trip down to downtown Gatlinburg doesn't take too long either - you get the best of both worlds on that ticket.

Make your post-holiday winter travel plans with us and enjoy a trifecta of vacationing perfection - luxury, location and excitement - all courtesy of Mountain Laurel Chalets!

Thanksgiving Weekend at W.L. Mills Auditorium

2009-12-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

It was a good show at the W.L. Mills Auditorium the weekend after Thanksgiving.

The Festival of Trees provided family time and Christmas anticipation for the early risers and the afternoon. A large, grand room was reserved for the man-made winter wonderland and dozens of trees illuminated the otherwise unlit room. Lots of colors; even more lights could be seen. Each tree had its own specialized design representing those who volunteered to build it (100% of all effort was donated). Some, such as the one donated by Our Savior Lutheran Church, had a very classical design, while others, such as one donated by Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, took on more creative and unique designs. Smaller children took very well to the Letters for Santa corner and whole families took even better to the Christmas Gift Box costumes that certainly provided unexpected smiles form the entire group. All and all a very good success for Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries.

Downstairs was the annual holiday Arts and Crafts Show. You could see plenty of artworks lining the long halls as you arrived to the main room. Inside the main room was like having all of the Arts and Crafts community gathered together in easy walking distance. Music, locally performed, played from every corner while snacks and drinks were sold from the back of the room. Craft seekers did not leave disappointed, as artwork, woodwork, needlework, jewelry, clothing and much more filled the aisles, and everything was decorated for Christmas.

We look forward to the festivities for next year! Happy Holidays everyone!

Winterfest 2009 Preview

2009-10-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

It is currently fall. Halloween is in a couple weeks. The leaves are changing color before they drop to the Earth in fantastic floral precipitations and decorations line the streets up and down main roads.

But we'd be lying if we told you people didn't have their eyes toward the months to come at the same time.

Such is the draw of Sevier County Winterfest - easily the favorite county-wide season behind summer, Winterfest is mid-November to mid-March for a lengthy celebration of snow, holiday cheer, and the mountains at some of their most naked and honest.

The cities follow suit with Trolley Tours of Lights going across Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. In Pigeon Forge, the Trolley Tour of Lights starts at the kick off of WinterFest at Patriot Park, November 5 at 4 p.m. following a gathering, some entertainment and announcements and so forth! The kick off in Gatlinburg is November 4th at 5:00 PM following the wildly popular Chili-cookoff. Those who choose to do both will have a weekend's worth of entertainment in just a couple nights.

There some great things to see on the way to Christmas. November 24-28 is the Festival of Trees - which is a Winter Wonderland onto itself and a landmark holiday tradition in Gatlinburg. Another seasonal favorite is the Holiday Arts and Crafts Show where as many talented Artists and Crafters as the area can hold gather at the W.L. Mills Convention Center for a week-long showcase of talent, music and the culture of the mountains.

The Christmas Parade in Gatlinburg is the night of December 4. A new presentation of the Nutcracker "Sweet" plays at the W.L. Mills Convention Center November 27-28. A new Christmas version of the Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales begins November 27 until December 20.

And finally there is the Fourth of July, where Gatlinburg prepares for an onslaught of party revelers, some tens of thousands, who gather at the center of downtown at midnight for an enormous, expectation-shattering fireworks from the Space Needle.

That's just from November to January. Be sure to come back when we have indepth information on these events! You miss it and you have to wait for next year!

2009-09-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

In no more than 2 weeks, The Gatlinburg Crafts Fair for fall will open the doors of the W.L. Mills auditorium and fully satisfy fans of the Appalachian wood-worker, artists and artisans' trades between October the 8th and the 25th. Good-sized crowds are known to pour into the convention center to get a more-than-good look at the incredible and incredibly skilled individuals who decor our houses and delight that little corner of our hearts that yearns for the simpler ages in American history.

Such is the appeal of the Craftsmen's Fair - so much so that its a bi-annual affair for Summer and Fall. A special event so popular is has to be done twice a year?

Such is the appeal of the Craftsmen's Fair. Many, many artists and crafters will be attending and working right in front of your eyes. Even if you don't like huge crowded areas, this is still something to attend, as the Conference Center is huge (it has to be to sponsor something this big) and you won't be hearing much noise over the sounds of gentle acoustic picking and performances by Keith Longbotham and Dennis Lee.

Admission is $6.00 per person, children 12 and under are free. Come see the event so popular it had to be held twice! You won't regret it.

Biltmore Estates

2009-07-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Biltmore Estate is the Eastern united States equivalent of Buckingham Palace or one of those big, majestic, castles in Germany you've always wanted to see but don't want to pay the price of a used 2006 Mazda to go see. If you've never heard of it, get comfortable because you're going to want to stay for the whole presentation.

Biltmore Estates, in Asheville, North Carolina, is a megalith from the Gilded Age - 175,000 acres of pure, high class majesty in the South. There are 250 rooms which include nothing less than art rooms, a two story library, indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, and rooms filled with turn of the century (and not the 21st century) furniture, exercise equipment and other collectibles. The exquisition is enough that movies have been filmed within those walls for 60+ years.

The inside of the mansion is worth the trip and price of admission alone, but why would you come all that way and not take advantage of the rest of that acreage? Outside are gorgeous, complicated floral designs, fountain, arbory, water works, not to mention outdoor shopping, winery, china, Christmas gifts, gourmet foods - and we're not talking the cheap stuff here. These are real, genuine, high class items.

Probably better you bring dinner over here - we're not done yet. You haven't even heard yet the events that the Biltmore puts on each year. The Summer Concert series goes on July 23rd to August 1st which you get to absorb on the Southern Terrace over the sunsets of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is the Flower Carpet - 100,000 flowers arranged to cover a quarter acre with a carpet design. There's the candlelight Christmas evenings, Festival of Flowers, man there are all the reasons in the world to visit Biltmore.

And the only rental company in town that sells tickets for Biltmore is right here at Mountain Laurel Chalets. Its only a 90 minute drive to Asheville, NC where Biltmore is located, making it the perfect day trip and making our chalets the perfect place to drop back off to when you come back.

Fireflies in June

2009-06-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Being one of the largest protected ecosystems in the country, possibly the planet, makes it obvious that the Great Smoky Mountains are home to a wildly increasing number of organisms where the leg count could be anything from 1 to 1000. Some are fun to look at and beg for pictures; others pretty much coined the term 'creep crawlie' and there are certainly a lot of those here in the mountains.

But one organism is so popular here in East Tennessee that people travel cross-country just to see them... at night. When you can't usually see things...

Yes, somehow, the East Tennessee Lampyridae Lightning Beetle Bug (also known as Firefly) gathers crowds and congregations like nothing else on Earth. It amazing to consider, but when you actually get to see them in action over the mountains, you understand why.

The fireflies come in the middle of June to Gatlinburg. Hundreds of them. And they all 'synchronize' their lights in a natural display. Its wild to look at. Nobody knows WHY they do this, they just do and you have to see it to believe it.

You can watch the Fireflies in Elkmont in Gatlinburg. The National Park Service, on behalf of NPS, offers these tips:

Light Show Etiquette
Flashlights disrupt the fireflies and impair people's night vision. The light show is best when you:

- Cover your flashlight with red or blue cellophane.

- Use your flashlight only when walking to your viewing spot.

- Point your flashlight at the ground.

- Turn off your flashlight when you find your viewing spot.

You can also help protect the fireflies and their habitat:

- Do not catch the fireflies.

- Stay on the trail at all times.
- Pack out all of your garbage.

Happy viewing!

The Fourth of July in Gatlinburg

2009-06-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

For 34 years and counting, Gatlinburg Tennessee has been one of the first cities in all the country to celebrate Independence Day. You can't get much earlier officially than Midnight, 5 minutes after 11:55 PM, July 3rd, and you can't celebrate it better without a parade.

More than 100,000 people gather between Stoplights #3 and #10 to watch. All the way up and down the parkway in downtown Gatlinburg, the streets will close and fill with endless floats from local businesses and on the special occasion of the Park's 75th anniversary, the city of Gatlinburg will recreate President Roosevelt's motorcade as part of the the parade. The event lasts more than an hour and you will enjoy every minute of it.

Then it's off to bed with you. You'll need to rest to enjoy the activities of the coming day.

At noon, the popular River Raft Regatta takes place along River Road behind the Mountain Mall (at the Aquarium). Registration begins at 10 a.m. and at promptly noon, all kinds of floating objects race towards the Aquarium. This is a free event sponsored by the Gatlinburg Parks and Recreations department.

And then at sunset, the show begins. "Stand Here" is Gatlinburg's suggestion for enjoying the fireworks, meaning between Light #3 and the Sky Lift, you'll be able to witness a 20-minute display of lights and pyrotechs 500 feet overhead. It caps off a perfect evening to an eventfully rich day of Independence.

And lucky for you, Mountain Laurel guests, if you cannot be downtown to watch the fireworks, you'll be able to see from them from your cabin or chalet. If you can imagine sipping wine in the hot tub with your wife or husband while the night sky explodes with summer magic. You'll never forget those 20 minutes as long as you live. All courtesy of Mountain Laurel Chalets.

Paradise Peake Beautiful Mountain Getaway Home in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

2009-06-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

Paradise awaits you at Paradise Peake of Mountain Laurel Chalets of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Our planned weekend away turned out to be a perfectly romantic and relaxting time as we enjoyed this spacious and beautiful home.

My husband and I had planned that we would like to stay where the mountain views and fresh mountain air helped us to relax and unwind and the views at Paradise Peake did not disappoint. With a full 180 vista view of the Smokies, we simply hated to leave the home! So....we didn't

With the littlest bit of planning my husband and I each packed a few things we knew the other would enjoy. As we arrived at the home we knew we had secured the perfect place for us to refresh and spend time together. We decided to eat in the first night, with views like this we knew we could not find that at any restaurant in town so we set the table in front of the beautiful living room windows, turned on some music and enjoyed a lovely dinner together.

The mountain views only became more beautiful as an afternoon thunderstorm passed by and left a gorgeous rainbow to enjoy while we sat in our rocking chairs following the rain. The air cooled and it had such a fresh mountain scent.

Who would have guessed we would have full WI FI service at the top of this lovely mountain but we did and so an evening of entertainment began as we engaged the laptop and a game of trivial pursuit over some great conversation. The pool table and entertainment area downstairs made for a perfect place to enjoy some friendly competition. My husband enjoys playing pool and we can't wait to bring our entire family back for a special occasion.

As sunset came we enjoyed the hot tub following our dinner and game. What a terrific way to unwind. The hot tub was located in a private area where we saw or heard no other people. Only the sounds of the winds rushing through the trees and the conversation between us.

We will be anxious to return to Paradise Peake with our family this autumn. We cannot imagine the views in the fall as the leaves turn. Before we check out we will be reserving a weekend in late September for our entire family to meet at the wonderful home. Thanks to the owners and managers of Paradise Peake of Gatlinburg, Tennessee for such a wonderful vacation with my husband!

Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales

2009-05-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

The mountains of East Tennessee are full of stories - resulting largely from thousands of years of indigenous and pilgrimed peoples living across the 1,500 mile mountain range - and the design of Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales aims to bring those stories straight to you as you visit us in the summer.

Starting June 12th and extending to August 8th in the year of our Lord, 2009, Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales is a summer-length event across downtown Gatlinburg promising and providing a host of entertaining characters and performances featuring costumed musical performers, storytellers and artisans portraying various time periods from the 1800s to today. Nearly a dozen acts involve the audience as they each perform in simultaneous ten-minute performances throughout the night.

Past performances included good old-fashioned bluegrass, acoustic music, dulcimer, dancing, psaltry, music on a wagon driving through downtown Gatlinburg and, of course, Zeno the Bear. We can expect many of these performances to return as they grew in popularity over the last couple years that Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales has been in operation. This is a relatively new tradition for Gatlinburg, but one that, given its popularity so far, will be a tradition for some years to come!

Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales is an all-across-downtown-Gatlinburg event and is free to the public all summer long. Don't miss Gatlinburg's new favorite summer activity!

Gatlinburg's Scottish Games This Weekend! Last Minute Deals on Chalets!

2009-05-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

Mountain Laurel Chalets invites you to attend the Gatlinburg Scottish Games, a long-standing Gatlinburg tradition celebrating the Highlands at the home of the Highlanders at GPHS.

Mill's Park on Highway 321, just down from Gatlinburg Pittman High School, has been and continues to be the home of the Scottish Festival and Games, a weekend long expression of admiration to the Scotch-Irish roots of our section of the Appalachian Mountains. This festival is serious business to the community, but all kinds of fun at the same time.

You can expect large tents full of imported goods - all kinds. Books, clothes, patches, canes, napkins, CDs, pins, buttons, coats, flags, even swords and armory. You can expect the winds to carry both the old songs of Scotland and the new songs of Scotland. Pipes and Drums play all around the park at many given moments, while a selection of artists play in the main tent in the center of the park. You can expect a large crowd of people, wearing kilts (and usually something underneath) to either be enjoying the festivities or working them, as dozens of clans will set up to meet with others and provide much backbone to the event.

That's the festival, now here are the games: Bordie Collies, Dancing, Haggis Hurling (yes, you read that correctly), Athletics, and large men tossing even larger cylinders of wood as far as they can.

It is a full day's worth of activities and Mountain Laurel Chalets is your ticket to enjoy it. With chalets a 15-minute drive away, you can easily spend the day getting exercise and sun and all the good stuff that signifies the coming summer and then come home to a luxurious cabin to relax and reload. Its a weekend of culture and fun and Mountain Laurel Chalets is here to give it you!

Visit www.gatlinburgcabincoupons.com for last minute coupons on a 2 night stay to come and enjoy all the fun the Scottish Games offer and visit www.eventsgatlinburg for more information on the Scottish Games.

Holly and Shamrock

2009-03-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

The Holly and Shamrock Parade of its debut year 2009, the most unlikely new contributor to Gatlinburg's Springfest, had a good start with scores of happy children in attendance along with parents who had as much fun as they did.

The main street of downtown Gatlinburg shut off in the mid-day to prepare the way for over 100 costumed Santa Clauses with all kinds of Mrs. Clauses and elves by their side. St. Nicholas was joined by his uncommon cousin St. Patrick and the luck of the Irish carried the parade to respectable success for its first run. The turn out was a great start and there were enough laughs and giggles and shout-outs and waves to justify an even larger crowd. Everyone was having the time of their lives. The children who attended couldn't have been happier as Santa after Santa after Leprechaun after Santa delivered candy, good wishes and surprise vists for the youngest of children who only get to see Santa during Christmas.

There was a flatbed truck carrying a 6 piece band Christmas Carol'd in 73 degree weather (absolutely perfect weather for a parade, additionally) to the delight of listeners. Others drove in silly ways, making crisp, stereo quality cartoon sounds and just had fun making the children laugh. The highlight came at the end when Santa's sleigh broke down momentarily, only to be revived as everyone cheered on, and it rose off the ground, spun a 360, and shot like a rocket to catch up to the rest of the parade! A great surprise to cap-off the event, and a great surprise Christmas memory ...on St. Patrick's Day.

All in all a brisk affair, but those who saw it were far from disappointed, and those with young children will more than likely return for even greater fun at the next Gatlinburg Springfest.

Springfest in the Smokies 2009

2009-03-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Spring has Sprung, finally. The warm weather finds an even warmer welcome here in the Smoky Mountains as the gray humps of the mountain revert to green, and a new slew of favorite activities return to large fanfare.

A brand new parade debuts in Gatlinburg and its pretty original to say the least. The Holly and Shamrock Parade starts at 4:30 PM St. Patty's Day. Ol' Santa Clause makes a surprise return to march down the streets of Gatlinburg alongside the perennial Irish favorites. That's right. Elves and Leprechauns... walking side by side in late March. This might be the only time you ever see such a monstrosity, so be sure not to miss it 4:30 PM on Tuesday, March 17th! http://www.hollyandshamrock.com/

On March 28th, The Music of the Mountains kicks off at the Sugarlands Visitor's Center. 2009 makes it year 5 for this anticipated celebration of our culture through song. It's a 7 hour festival, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and it features 45-minute and hour long sets by Lost Mill String Band, Tony Thomas, Dr. Ted Olson, Boogertown Gap, Matt Morelock and Brian Volmer and finally, Roger Howell and Friends. And then there is an extra performance by Jimbo Whaley at the W.L. Mills Conference Center in downtown Gatlinburg starting at 7:00 P.M. http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=32

Many, many, many Christians look forward to Easter, and just as many look forward to the Easter Sunrise Service at Ober Gatlinburg. The tram leading to the service runs at 6:15 AM and the service starts at 7:00 AM with a full breakfast at the ski resort's restaurant. http://www.obergatlinburg.com/

Then the big one hits, The 59th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is the big event in Gatlinburg's Springfest. The fact that this tradition is nearly into its 6th decade should give you credence into how much the Wildflower Pilgrimage means to this community. People return year after year simply because they weren't able to do everything the last! Over 100 exhibits and items and lectures and experts and guided hikes and anything remotely educational about the mountains will be available. http://www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org/

Stay with us as we bring you upcoming events in late Spring and early Summer.

Family Reunions in The Smoky Mountains

2009-02-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

How often do you see your family? The whole family? Once every few years? Less than that? In today's increasingly hectic dictation of schedule, people get to see less and less of their cousins, aunts, great grandfathers and so on, making the ever-rare chance to get everyone together more demanding in a way. It has to be special.

Mountain Laurel offers one possibility to keep everyone together and having fun with Laurel Lodge. Laurel Lodge is a 12 bedroom chalet overlooking Gatlinburg; built specifically to house and entertain large functions of people.

You won't have to worry about picking up everyone or meeting everyone at a certain place.

You won't have to worry about having enough space (accomodates up to 24).

You won't have to worry about not having enough spare time.

There is a charcoal grill for barbecuing, handicap accessibility, high speed internet access, hot tub, pool table and much more to keep the whole family together and having fun.

Stay near the National Park on Ski Mountain Road

2009-02-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

Mountain Laurel Chalets is a Gatlinburg tradition for many families. Staying in a home on Ski Mountain Road is the ideal vacation when planning your Gatlinburg Stay. Ski Mountain Road is located at the base of the entry to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The Sugarlands Visitors Center along with Laurel Falls, Chimney Tops and so many more great hiking and picnic areas are located near our cabins and chalets.

The National Park Celebrates 75 Years.

2009-02-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

In 1934, The National Park Service finalized the plans to make The Great Smoky Mountains a national park to be protected and preserved under federal Law.

75 years later, the Great Smoky Mountains is still one of the largest and most popular National Parks on Earth. Great effort has been made to preserve the ecosystem, and now Gatlinburg would like to celebrate.

The Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Gatlinburg will be a venue for regional singer/songwriters with acoustic touches on 1/15/09, 1/29/09, 2/12/09, 2/26/09 (7:00 - 9:00 PM). See www.hardrock.com for more information.

A Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge is a free event from 3/11/09 - 3/15/09, hosting a large number of quilts and quilters who gather from all over the country. A special quilt pattern will be unveiled in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains. 800 classes will be offered. See www.mypigeonforge.com for more information.

Music of the Mountains is the Sugarlands Visitor Center all day event featuring Tony Thomas, Matt Morelock, Boogertown Gap and a variety of other bluegrass and old-timey. Concert is on 3/28/09 and goes from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The 59th Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage..... wow. This is THE natural event of the year for Gatlinburg, offering a large number of exhibits, classes, nature walks, nature hikes. The list can literally go on and on. Begins in April 22 and goes into April 26.

Keep checking back with us for more special events.