Great Smoky Mountain National Park remains the most visited national park in the nation. While a vast majority of its more than 9 million annual visitors arrive in the summer and fall color seasons, winter offers up a unique opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts.

That’s especially true for those who enjoy winter sports activities. Ski season opened at Gatlinburg’s popular Ober Mountain on Jan. 3.

Ober Gatlinburg features nine trails serviced by two quad lifts, one double lift and one surface lift. The Resort also offers terrain for all abilities, from beginners experiencing snow sports for the first time, to seasoned experts headed to the moguls and the terrain park.  

Snow tubing is another popular activity at Ober Gatlinburg in addition to skiing, snowboarding and ice skating.

For more information about Ober Gatlinburg, the aerial tramway, restaurants, shops and more, visit www.obergatlinburg.com/. Or if you would like to learn more about discount Gatlinburg resort accommodations and vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

While much of the nation focuses on the crystal ball drop in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve, the city of Gatlinburg will be celebrating with its own special ball drop.

The Smoky Mountain village will welcome the arrival of 2012 with its 24^th annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks Show at the base of the Space Needle.

The ball drop from the 342-foot-tall Space Needle at midnight on Jan. 1, 2012 will be followed by music and a dazzling fireworks display choreographed to the music. The event is a Gatlinburg tradition and many restaurants and attractions also offer special celebrations.

It’s all part of the nearly 4-month long Gatlinburg Winter Magic festival that also includes an extravagant display of holiday lights throughout Gatlinburg’s famous downtown Parkway. The custom designed displays feature millions of new LED lights that reduced the city’s energy costs for the 120-day program by 95%.

Displays include animals indigenous to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park such as deer, rabbits and squirrels as well as fanciful snowmen, dancing fountains, children and a rocking horse.

For information on Gatlinburg events, discount attraction tickets and discount family vacation packages, please visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Get ready, Gatlinburg. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town!

Kris Kringle, aka Santa Claus, star of the 1970’s children’s classic animated holiday TV special — Santa Clause is Comin’ To Town — is headed to Gatlinburg to serve as the Grand Marshal of the 35th Annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade on Dec. 3, 2010.

Kris Kringle is also featured in the ice sculpting event ICE! At the Opryland Hotel in nearby Nashville, TN.  The Christmas classic “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town” is brought to life in the form of two million pounds of expertly carved ice. The event includes character sculptures, ice slides and other scenes hand-carved by artisans from Harbin, China. ICE! and will be on display from Nov. 19, 2010 through Jan. 2, 2011.  

The Gatlinburg parade offers marching bands from across the Southeast, giant helium balloons and more than 100 entries including the famed and funky Oscar-Myer Weinermobile first was designed by Carl Mayer, nephew of Oscar Mayer, in 1936. Today’s Weinermobile travels across America giving away famous Weinerwhistles along the way. The unique Wienermobile measures 24 hotdogs high, 60 hot dogs long, 18 hot dogs wide and weighs the equivalent of 140,500 hot dogs.  

The parade begins at Traffic Light #1A on Hwy 321 and ends about an hour-and-a-half later at Traffic Light #10. It’s all part of Gatlinburg’s Winter Magic festivities.

To learn more about these events in Gatlinburg visit http://www.gatlinburg.com/. Or go to http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com/ for details on discount Gatlinburg vacation packages and accommodations.