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Tea N' Sea

T R A V E L

The States · December 5, 2016

A Weekend in Gatlinburg, TN

This is a post that I’ve been meaning to post for a while now, but never actually got around to unfortunately. As of now, I am taking a break from studying and decided to write rather than take a nap. I’m sure most of you have heard of the devastating fires that affected Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Tennessee. Gatlinburg was one of the cities that was horribly affected, and is a city that I have been visiting for years now. It may be far different than some other news that you’ve been seeing; but I wanted to share the enjoyable parts of Gatlinburg to lighten the mood, and to show how beautiful the area was before the fires.

My friend Alex and I took a short trip to Gatlinburg this summer. The little mountain city known as “The Gateway to the Smoky Mountains” has so much to offer. Although it has exponentially grown, especially in the past few years, there is still plenty to do besides the typical “tourist” attractions on the main strip.

-Mountain Views-

The first sight of the mountains that you will get is driving to Gatlinburg! You will venture through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the views can be incredible! Make sure to pull off and take some pictures!

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If you want to see the mountains, but aren’t a fan of hiking – head over to the skylift! It’s not hard to spot, as it is bright yellow against the mountain behind it! It is a good way to see Gatlinburg without expending too much energy.

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Another fun way to see the mountains without hiking is to go on a horseback tour through the mountains! As some of you know, I love horses and have been riding since I was young, so seeing new places on horseback is always one of my favorite ways to see the world!

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Of course, you should consider hiking while you’re in town! It is a way to meet new friends, work off some of the great food that you’ll be eating, and a way to see some really neat sights that you can’t see driving or closer to town. Alex and I did a few 0.5 mile hikes in a row – on which we saw a deer super close, lots of other woodland creatures, and a few historic structures. We then discovered the Rainbow Falls hike and decided to give it a go, since the sign said 2.5 miles to the falls! We figured we had plenty of time to complete the hike before dinner, and that it would be really cool to see some awesome waterfalls! Be Warned: the hike is NOT 2.5 miles – that is probably the direct route to the falls (which is not hikable in a straight line). The trail winds back and forth up the mountain. Both our Fitbits and my Runkeeper app tracked the trail closer to 8 miles! Make sure if you’re going to do this hike, you bring lots of snacks and water, and are prepared for a tough hike! Luckily, we met some nice people who gave us some snacks, and we were able to cool off in a few freezing small waterfalls along the way. Unfortunately, our phones died before we got to the actual falls, so I don’t have any pictures of it. But it was a really beautiful waterfall, and probably the tallest one that I have ever seen!

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-Food-

Of course, you can’t forget about the actual town of Gatlinburg! There are plenty of places to eat, all of which have not disappointed! My personal favorite breakfast place is the Log Cabin Pancake House off of Airport Road. Their breakfast [and pancakes] are incredible, it boasts a family atmosphere, and has great home cooking. They also have numerous collegiate flags hanging all over the restaurant [so of course here’s their Clemson flag.]

For lunch or dinner, there are many options. Most of them are chains, but I felt I could include my favorites!

I’ve mentioned in a previous blog post about Dick’s Last Resort in Orlando – there is a location in Gatlinburg as well! This location seems to pull off the sarcasm and mess-making better than the Orlando location. I found out that managers are sent to the Gatlinburg location for training, so it makes sense that their location is top-notch sarcastic.

A new place that we tried was Crawdaddy’s. We got lunch and ate on their balcony overlooking the main street in Gatlinburg. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun and we got lucky with beautiful weather as well!

Of course, another favorite of mine is the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Themed around the movie Forrest Gump, you can’t go wrong with any kind of shrimp dish they have to offer. The restaurant is surrounded with movie memorabilia, and your waiter or waitress will quiz your Forrest Gump movie trivia knowledge! It is a family friendly atmosphere with great food, and a fun environment. There are multiple locations throughout the country – another one is in Orlando as well!

For dessert, stop at any one of the small stands on the side of the road. Most of them are great, and I have yet to be disappointed! We decided to get ice cream, since it was the middle of summer and pretty warm. You may want to try something a little warmer this time of year though!

-Moonshine & Brews-

Of course, being in the mountains of Tennessee, you can’t forego the moonshine tastings. There are multiple locations that you can taste, including Ole Smoky Mountain Moonshine and Sugarland Moonshine [these are probably the two most popular ones]. You are given a flight of mini-shots of moonshine; some will put some hair on your chest, others are sweet like apple pie. Tread carefully, one tasting is more than you’d think! They are free though, and tasting some moonshine is part of the [adult] Gatlinburg fun!

There are multiple wine tasting locations – each boasting numerous types of wine. Most of them are sweet wines [muscadine is pretty popular], but you can find some drier wines if you ask around! Most of the wine shops have cute T-Shirts and knick-knacks as well, so be sure to stop in and see some of their stuff!

There aren’t many breweries in town, but we did find the Smoky Mountain Brewery. They offer a flight of small beers for around $10, all of which are made in-house. They also double as a restaurant and have great food and appetizers!

-The Town of Gatlinburg-

If you have the chance to visit, be sure to do some of the goofy touristy things like all of the Ripley’s locations, or the millions of miniature golf options that they have. While goofy, they are fun to do every now and again. Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge [the next town over] is another fun touristy thing to do, if you have the time!

Don’t forget to walk around off the beaten path a bit either, you can find some neat locations just a short drive from town! [Like this little gorgeous church – great photo op!]

Enjoy Gatlinburg for all it has to offer, and make a fun trip out of it! I hope that this post will help in your travels. I hope that this gives you a little idea of what the town is like, especially before the destruction from the fires. Remember to pray for a speedy recovery for the town and the mountains after these devastating fires.

 

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Posted In: The States · Tagged: blog, brewery, experiences, food, gatlinburg, hiking, Life, Lifestyle, moonshine, mountains, tennessee, tips, Travel, USA, weekend

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Comments

  1. Alex says

    December 6, 2016 at 8:10 pm

    That’s me! :). Beautiful place! So glad I could go with you before these awful wildfires!

    Reply
  2. Lisa says

    March 2, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    This is so great! I feel like we had a very similar adventure. I tagged my posted to our adventure in Gatlinburg. Its a small town but such a great place to relax and enjoy.

    Reply
    • TeaNSea says

      March 6, 2017 at 3:32 pm

      Awesome! I love to hear people enjoying Gatlinburg! I will go check out your post! (:

      Reply

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TAYLOR • TROPICAL TRAVEL ⛵️🌺
I’ve got the ULTIMATE guide to the Florida Keys I’ve got the ULTIMATE guide to the Florida Keys for you up on my blog! You’ve got to check it out if you want to hit all the highlights of the Keys, but here are five of my favorites! 🌴

🐟Robbie’s of Islamorada - feed the huge tarpon and see other natural wildlife!

🍰Lorelai’s - the BEST Key lime pie in the Florida Keys, hands down!

🦞Keys Fisheries of Marathon - get a delicious spiny lobster roll or reuben!

🦜Duval Street - become a true “Parrot Head” by visiting some of the bars that Jimmy Buffet used to frequent

🌅Mallory Square Sunset Celebration - the best place for the sunset in Key West, with live music, performers, and a killer sunset!

If you’ve ever been to the Keys, you’ll know there is a ton to experience, these five don’t even touch the surface of all the things there are to see and that I have organized for you! I can’t wait to get back and spend more time in the Keys again, it’s the perfect tropical experience right here in the States! 🌺 #teanseatravel
Hi, I’m Taylor and I wanted to reintroduce mysel Hi, I’m Taylor and I wanted to reintroduce myself! Let’s get to know each other, comment some fun facts about you so I can learn about you too! 🌺

I realized today that I don’t think I’ve ever actually introduced myself on IG, so hi, I’m Taylor! I’m a sailor, traveler, adventurer, and lover of sunshine and warm weather (anything below 75 F and I’m in a sweater). I have a bikini addiction and have lived in the Caribbean (take me back!) 🌺 Some fun facts about me:

🌊 I’m a Florida girl, born and raised in the little historic town of St. Augustine

⛵️I’ve sailed roughly 3500 miles in the last couple years

⛰I’ve bungee jumped off the worlds tallest bungee bridge

👩🏼‍⚕️A couple years ago I was in vet school, but left because my heart wasn’t in it anymore. Today I’m working at a vet clinic for my “9-5” (but forreal it’s more like a 7-6 lol)

🦈 My last job was working closely with sharks, sea turtles, rays, and lots of other marine life

🗺 I’ve visited the same number of countries as US states!

♻️ I’m super passionate about trying to live a little more sustainable every day to protect our oceans

🩰 I was actually a ballerina for 20 years (started at 2 and only stopped when I graduated college), which has now led to a love of yoga!

There’s a lot of interesting things about everyone, and I’d love to get to know y’all too! Thanks for joining me on this crazy adventure called life ❤️ #teanseatravel
Bummed to have left, but a weekend away in the Flo Bummed to have left, but a weekend away in the Florida Keys was the perfect tropical escape! So here’s five tips for when you head down to the islands! 🌺

🍋Everyone claims to have the best key lime pie. In my experience, Lorelai’s in Islamorada blows all the others away.

👙Pack in layers, especially if you’re going in the next couple months. It’ll be nice and warm during the day, but can be a little chilly at night, so it’s a good idea to have a light sweater or jeans to throw on!

🐟 The best food in the Keys is seafood. Try some Hogfish, spiny lobster, or conch for some local favorites!

🌊 There aren’t actually many natural beaches in the keys. Most of the islands are coral or rock edges, but there are a few to check out: Harry Harris Park on Tavernier, Founder’s Park and Anne’s Beach on Islamorada, Bahia Honda on Big Pine Key, or Smather’s Beach in Key West for your beach fix!

🎨 Drive down the islands and stop off at many little art galleries, the local art is gorgeous and is a way you can take a little piece of the Keys home with you!

Have you been to the Keys before? What’s your favorite thing you’ve done in the Keys?! 🌴 #teanseatravel
A little throwback pic because I’M ON MY WAY TO A little throwback pic because I’M ON MY WAY TO THE FLORIDA KEYS! 🌺🌴

While I’m not heading to Key West, I’m so excited to be heading to warmer weather, since it’s in the 40s right now in St. Augustine!

I’ll be spending time exploring the Keys a bit closer to Miami, about halfway down the chain of islands. Some spots we may hit are Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon Key, and all the little islands in between. It’s just a long weekend trip, but my little island heart is so happy!

I’d love to know if y’all have any recommendations for the Keys, I’d love to hear them! Have you ever been to the Keys? 

PS this pic is from a trip in 2014, and is on Ley West at the Southernmost point of the Continental US, just 90 Miles to Cuba🌴 #teanseatravel
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#keywestflorida #keysbound #floridakeys #floridakeysroadtrip #floridatravel #tropicalisland #visitflorida #visitfloridakeys #southernmostpoint #islamorada #keylargo #marathonkey #tropicaltravel #tropicalvibes #tropics #tropicalparadise #adventuretravel #gltlove #saltyluxepresets #pinktrotters #saltyluxe #theinfluencerbootcamp #florida_greatshots #instatravelgram #travelerography #tropicaldestination #tropicaldestinations #tropicalgirl
Mama always said life is like a box of chocolates Mama always said life is like a box of chocolates 🍫 and I hope this year is as incredible as this chocolate bar was 😍

For my first post of 2021 I decided to share a little more of Savannah, GA since I really haven’t posted much about it!

This pic was taken in Chippewa Square, the park that was made famous by Forrest Gump at the bus stop. Although the park doesn’t look quite like it did in the movie (thanks people who had to vandalize the bench), it is still neat to be “on set” of a famous movie scene. 

Now it’s not a Russel Stover box, but I just knew I had to have chocolate in this famous square. As we walked towards the park, we stumbled across a teeny, whimsical place called @chocolatbyadamturoni with the smell of freshly made chocolate wafting out the door. We had to go inside, and Steve bought us this gold-leaf covered peanut butter bar.

I’m sure you can see by my face, but WOW it was the absolute best chocolate I have had in my life (so far). Every bite was like a little trip to heaven, and I never wanted it to end! So I’m curious: where was the best chocolate you’ve ever had? Are you a Forrest Gump fan? 🍫 #teanseatravel
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#savannahgeorgia #savannahga #visitsavannah #visitgeorgia #chippewasquare #forrestgump #travelbloggervibes #usatravels #femaletravel #bestchocolate #instatravelgram #adventuretravels #theinfluencerbootcamp #saltyluxepresets #saltyluxe #dametraveler #travelawesome #welivetoexplore #wefoundluxury #stayandwander #iamtraveler #wearetravelers #sheisnotlost #globelletravel #ladiesgoneglobal #mytinyatlas #instapassports #travelstory #gltlove
One year ago today we officially left to sail the One year ago today we officially left to sail the Bahamas for nearly four months! ⛵️

What an adventure it was, and in my opinion the best way to visit the Bahamas. We got to take our time exploring remote islands, snorkeling, hiking, free diving, and so much more. The beauty of the Bahamas really lies under the surface of the water. One thing I was really excited about was being able to source our own seafood, sustainably!

This guy in particular is a Queen Conch, and is a gorgeous marine mollusk. They’re a snail like creature that lives in the sandy areas and boasts a beautiful pink shell. They eat algae and small marine plants, and are a good source for not only humans, but are a favorite of the nurse sharks and turtles that live in the warm tropical waters as well.

Some of you may not know, but in august of 2019, I became a pescatarian. I was excited to source my own seafood food sustainably on this Bahamas trip, but once this little guy popped his head out and looked at me, I couldn’t imagine having him for dinner. Through lots of tears, I asked Steve if we could throw him back, and my heart was so happy when his little shell was back on the ocean floor ❤️

Have you ever traveled slowly through a destination like sailing or van life? Have you ever caught or grown your own food while traveling? 🎣 #teanseatravel
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