Going to Tennessee at Christmas time was not my first choice, but it was the best choice. Better Half and I had been stockpiling toys and gifts for the grands for several months and were looking forward to being there. So we packed up the car and took off.
Since we had a week to spend, we did some touring around the Knoxville area and I was just thrilled at the scenery! Even in Winter, the Smokey’s are impressive. In the morning, the ground is covered in mist and the mountains are shrouded so that only an occasional clump of trees can be seen peaking through. At these times, it seems as if I had been transported back in time and could feel the history wrapping itself around me.
A couple of days after we had arrived, my son-in-law suggested we drive up to the Smokey Mountain National Park. It was a really nice day so we all agreed and the six of us crammed ourselves into our car and S-I-L gave the directions. Well, we did not know that the entrance to the Park was on the very same road that ran through Dollywood! They had their annual Smokey Mountain Christmas celebration going on and the traffic was backed up for miles. The children were about to commandeer the car when we finally made it through. And then up, up, up we went over a narrow and winding road. As we drove, we saw vehicles coming down the mountain with little snowmen sitting the hoods. The kids saw this and began getting all excited about snow (secretly, so was I). When we finally hit the pinnacle and found the snow, we all got out and the grands had a ball making snow angels and snow balls. S-I-L began fashioning a snowman to ride on our hood back down the mountain.
It was a wonderful day full of laughter and delight and I would go back in a heartbeat. Just driving around the Smokeys is a pretty inexpensive way to spend a day with the family. There are lakes, and campgrounds and many historical (Civil War) sites to visit. Take your family on a Smokey Mountain vacation - winter or summer, you’ll have a wonderful time.
