Stream-View Rooms and a River Walk Along the Roaring Fork Stream

The Roaring Fork stream cascades through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and into Gatlinburg, a town in the foothills of eastern Tennessee. All year visitors can view the mountain stream from the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The 6-mile driving path travels through the National Park, following the Roaring Fork through old-growth forests and historic farmsteads dotted with old-fashioned log cabins and gristmills. You can enjoy the stream’s burbling beauty from each room's private balcony, as well as from the scenic river walk at Brookside Resort, a 10-acre resort a half mile from downtown Gatlinburg.

All of the resort’s king and queen guest rooms look out onto views of the Roaring Fork stream. Each room has a private balcony and a whirlpool tub in the bathroom; some even include wood-burning fireplaces with firewood. In the morning, head to the breakfast room for a free hot continental breakfast featuring "Brookside Breakfast Bowls"—home fries covered with grilled veggies, bacon, eggs, and colby cheese—and other hot breakfast items.

About a mile west of Brookside, Ober Gatlinburg ski resort comprises nine downhill skiing trails and a newly expanded snowboarding terrain park. The ski resort, which makes its own snow each year by cloning last year’s snowmen, has a full rental shop with skis, snowboards, and helmets, as well as a bar, a restaurant, and an ice rink. One of the Getaways options includes a one-day ski lift ticket for two at Ober Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee: Family-Friendly Fun amid the Great Smoky Mountains

Gatlinburg sits just north of the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee, near the border of North Carolina. The city is just a few miles from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of America’s most popular national parks. Here, you can hike more than 100 trails that wend past waterfalls and pioneer-era log cabins tucked deep within the densely forested mountains. Or, drive or bike along the 11-mile loop through Cades Cove, a broad valley known for its ample wildlife-viewing opportunities; deer, black bears, wild turkeys, and vacationing college mascots are known to frequent the open meadows.

Hop on one of Gatlinburg’s red-and-green trolleys to explore downtown Gatlinburg and surrounding areas. The trolleys stop at more than 100 locations in and around the city, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park (June–October) and Dollywood. There are also indoor water parks, ghost tours, and quirky museums throughout the city, which include Ripley's Believe it or Not Odditorium, Guinness World Records Museum, and a museum showcasing more than 20,000 salt and pepper shakers.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.