3 Things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains + Giveaway!

This is a review of my experience in the Great Smoky Mountains. This post is part of a paid partnership with RVshare to help spread the word about their Smokies Summer Giveaway going on now through July 1st, 2019! All that said, all opinions about the Smoky Mountains area are mine.

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Mountains. Country Music. The color green.

If you love these things, you’ll love a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here are a few quick tips for visiting, along with a chance to win a free RV trip there for yourself!

Clingmans Dome

Okay, so all of Great Smoky National Park is amazing. There really is no wonder why it’s the most visited national park in our nation.

BUT if you only have a few days to explore the park, I need you to visit Clingmans Dome. (Are you writing this down?)

It’s the highest peak in the Park, and the third highest this side of the Mississippi. Unless you’re as afraid of heights as I’m afraid of my mother’s disapproval, you have no excuse.

Get there.

Quick tips for your way up to Clingmans Dome:

• Calculate an extra hour or two to pull over on all the scenic stops on the way up. Maybe even longer if you’re like me and like to just stare.
• If you get car sick, heed my warning. Take some anti-nausea meds before you make the trip up. Even if you’re the one driving.
• Bring a sweater. It can get really cold up there, and it’s almost always windy! On my first visit, it was 70 degrees in town and close to 40 all the way at the top. We even built a snowman while we were up there!

Downtown Gatlinburg

Where the Great Smokies meet capitalism, folks!

I’m kidding…I LOVE downtown Gatlinburg.

I dare you to spend 20 minutes downtown without smiling and falling into a Southern accent. It’s impossible.

And just so you know– It’s easy to spend just as much time meandering the streets there as hiking the trails in the National Park. Plan for an entire day of shopping, eating yum yums, and gettin’ yo twang on.

Here are your must stops:

• Ole Red. This is a restaurant, bar, and live music venue. It’s a chain of joints by ole boy Blake Shelton. The food is delicious. The Redneck Nachos go really well with a Bloody Mary, just sayin’.
• Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. This place is currently ranked as the #1 aquarium in the country. Whodathunk?
• The Jerky Store. Vegans need not apply.
• The Gatlinburg Space Needle. Take that Seattle! This is going to give you an amazing view of the Smokies!
• Ole Smoky Mountain Distillery. All the nostalgia of prohibition, none of the consequences. And while you’re at it, just go ahead and take a moonshine tour.

Gatlinburg SkyBridge

So this is a brand new attraction to the Smoky Mountains.

Get to Gatlinburg SkyLift Park and ride a ski lift to the top. Then put on your big boy britches and take a walk on the wild side.

This new SkyBridge is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America. It’s 680 feet of pure awesomeness that stretches over a deep valley for some insane views. As you reach the highest point in the middle, look down!

Boom! Glass floor, baby!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Now that you’re all jazzed up about the Smoky Mountains and want to be cool like me and visit… I HAVE to tell you about RVshare’s Smokies Summer Giveaway!

Here’s what you could win:

• 3 night RV rental
• 3 night campground stay
• $1000 cash to spend on all the above activities!!!! (#ohyeahbaby)

The contest is going on RIGHT NOW until July 1st. You can only enter once, but there are chances to get bonus entries by sharing on social media after you register.

Whatcha waiting for? Just click here to enter and be sure to get yourself those bonus entries after, my friend!

Good luck!

Be sure to tell me in the comments when you’ve entered!