Image Group Goes on the Road!
I have a confession to make…I think I’m in LOVE…
…with the breathtaking Smoky Mountains!
I took a road trip for Spring Break with my two handsome boys – Jeremy & Nikolas. After a rough start with
the late season snow (isn’t is supposed to be SPRING?!), we made the 9.5 hour trek southeast to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
As soon as I hit 441 South, through the mountains and tree lined roads, I knew we were going to love this town.
Our hotel overlooked the river and was about 1/4 mile from the hustle and bustle of downtown Gatlinburg. A perk for us because we
enjoyed walking to and from the Parkway. Both boys loved the balcony (Jeremy danced on it daily) and the fireplace (Nik insists our house needs one).
I loved the mountain view! After getting settled and getting a good night’s rest, we decided to visit some of the local attractions. First stop – Ripley’s Aquarium
of the Smokies. This place was pretty amazing! It has an underwater tunnel through a shark lagoon, friendly African penguins, and tons of fish from all
over the globe. It’s definitely a must see – especially if you have younger children or happen to love Nemo (like me)!
The next day we decided to hop into the car and drive through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I am
not quite sure just how high into the mountains we were, but I know it was WAY too high for my afraid-of-heights son Nik!
No matter the height – the view was just GORGEOUS!
We spent time on the Parkway…just walking and enjoying the beautiful weather! Jeremy popped into a jerky shop
where he tried kangaroo and alligator jerky (eww). Nikolas and I stuck to poking in and out of all the shops – weird
jerky just isn’t our thing. 🙂 While our time in Gatlinburg seemed very short, all three of us agreed that we would
definitely be back very soon! Before we headed back home, we spent a couple of days near Nashville. The weather
was not very cooperative there but we did get to spend some time with family so it was worth the trip! Plus, I got to
eat at hands down one of the BEST places in the country – Pancake Pantry. Anyone that knows me has heard me
raving about this place! Maybe its the southern hospitality or maybe its just the food – but I would drive down every
weekend just to eat those delicious, fluffy, heavenly pancakes! You should try them sometime!!
And while it’s back to work and school for us, we’ll have the memories of this trip for a lifetime. We met some very interesting people,
ate some really great food, and shared quite a few laughs. I have tons of photos – too many to share – but have included some of my favorites below.
This may have been our first trip to Gatlinburg, but it will NOT be our last!
Hotel Fun
Outside the aquarium
Happy Spring! See you all soon!
~Brittany
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