The Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area of the Great Smoky Mountains is filled with fun-filled family adventures. There’s a seemingly never-ending variety of outdoor recreation ranging from hiking and exploring the national park to white water rafting, fishing, golfing and more. Or you can choose from a wide variety of theme parks and other attractions.

You’ll also find an exceptional array of shopping options, particularly if you’re in the market for hand-made arts and crafts. In fact, the Historic Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, founded in 1937, is the nation’s largest organization of independent artisans.

You’ll find nearly 100 shops, studios and galleries, not to mention a number of small dining establishments lining an eight-mile loop amidst the area’s beautifully contoured Smoky Mountains.  

These many talented artisans create everything from quilts, old-fashioned straw brooms with hand carved handles, exquisitely woven baskets, beautiful jewelry and hand-dipped scented candles to Victorian ceramic pitchers, pottery, dulcimers, stuffed bears, leather vests and more. You’ll also find a number of exceptional paintings featuring the area’s spectacular mountain scenery.

Whether you explore the craft loop or simply take in one of the many art galleries and boutique shops in Gatlinburg, you’re sure to find a special treasure hand created by a community of crafters like no other in the U.S.

For details on Gatlinburg’s Great Smoky Mountains as well as discount Gatlinburg attraction tickets and Gatlinburg vacation packages, you can visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains the most visited of America’s many national parks. With more than 9 million visitors a year, the Great Smoky Mountains offers 800 square miles of spectacular scenery spanning much of Tennessee and North Carolina.Despite its remote location, the Grand Canyon places a distant second to the Great Smokies in terms of visitors, with more than 4 million guests per year.

All told, the U.S. national park system spans 84 million acres and encompasses everything from mountains to seashores to the White House.

While a majority of National Parks are free year round, the National Park Service offers a number of fee free events throughout the year at those parks that do require an admission fee.

With National Park Week coming up, there’s no better time to celebrate the beauty, diversity and history of America’s 394 parks, April 16-24, 2011. The parks will be waiving all entrance fees while also holding special events like scavenger hunts and guided nature hikes.

Other remaining fee free days on the 2011 National Parks calendar include: June 21 (first day of summer), Sept. 24 (Public Lands Day) and Nov. 11-13 (Veteran’s Day weekend).

A long list of National Parks offer visitors the opportunity to join the National Park Service Family as Junior Rangers. Interested students can complete a series of activities during their park visit, share their answers with a real park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger badge or patch and a Junior Ranger certificate.

For more information on the U.S. national parks, visit http://www.nps.gov/. Or go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for the latest on the Great Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, TN including discount Gatlinburg vacation packages.

When it comes to spectacular scenery, Gatlinburg has plenty to offer, including sweeping vistas, colorful wildflowers and miles of rolling mountains.As the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg remains a crown jewel among Tennessee’s mountain villages. It’s also home to many of the area’s most scenic viewpoints.

Gatlinburg visitors can take a glass elevator more than 400 feet up to the top of the Gatlinburg Space Needle where an observation deck provides a vivid and wondrous 360° view of the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains. You’ll also enjoy a distinct bird’s eye view of Gatlinburg. The view is a panorama of beauty during any season, any time of the year.

Another popular viewpoint is from the Gatlinburg Sky Lift. Climb aboard the Lift and you’ll glide peacefully over the Little Pigeon River on a slow and spectacular 500-foot ascent to the top of Crockett Mountain. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled on the landscape below you as the mountain terrain is also home to a variety of wildlife.

You’ll find a truly awe-inspiring view of the Great Smoky Mountains and Douglass Reservoir from the upper viewing area at Douglass Reservoir Overlook. Meanwhile, the lower overlook offers a picture perfect view of Douglas Dam and the French Broad River Basin.  

Inside The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll also find Laurel Falls. One of the area’s most scenic hiking trails, this 1.3 mile pathway was originally built in 1935. The wide trail is completely paved and easily traveled by all ages until it reaches the 75-foot Laurel Falls. Beyond the falls, the trail is less heavily used and ascends through mostly virgin forest to a fire tower on Cove Mountain.

You’ll also find amazing mountain and creek views from your villa at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg. For more information on discount accommodations, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ today.

The groundhog called for an early spring, and with warmer days just around the corner that means trout season can’t be far behind in the Great Smoky Mountains. More importantly, it means it’s almost time for Gatlinburg’s annual Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament.

Gatlinburg, the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, offers up its 12^th annual trout derby on April 2-3, 2011. The fishing tournament is open to adults and children. It’s also equally challenging for both visitors and locals, with multiple categories to be contested. This is the largest trout tournament in the Smokies and all Gatlinburg and state fishing regulations will be observed.

Of course, fishing is just one of the joys of springtime in Gatlinburg. You’ll also find the surrounding Smoky Mountains beginning to burst out in all of its colorful glory. There’s no better time to get back to hiking and biking the hundreds of miles of trails inside the National Park.

You’ll also discover myriad shopping, dining and fun-filled attractions for the entire family sprinkled throughout Gatlinburg and neighboring Pigeon Forge, including the popular theme park, Dollywood.

For more information on activities and discount accommodations available in Gatlinburg, please visit http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Grab your skis and head to the mountains - the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee!

Nestled in the heart of the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains, the town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee remains a popular destination throughout the year.

While the largest crowds venture to Gatlinburg during the summer and fall color seasons, winter remains an excellent time to visit - especially if you enjoy          outdoor recreation such as skiing.

Ober Gatlinburg is Tennessee’s only ski resort, offering eight ski slopes ranging from beginning to advanced. Ober Gatlinburg lies 3,000 feet above sea level.

Using a combination of natural and man-made snow, visitors can ski and snowboard. Plus, there’s even an indoor ice-skating rink that’s great fun throughout the year.

Even if you don’t ski or skate, it’s worth the trip up to Ober Gatlinburg where you’ll find spectacular views, fun activities and great food.

For details on Ober Gatlinburg and other Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area attractions, go to http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Winter weather has arrived throughout the nation and that means ski season is well underway. For those seeking a snowy adventure, AOL Travel recently released its list of top U.S. ski destinations. And that list included two destinations that feature a Westgate Resorts property - Park City, Utah and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Other top ski destinations listed were Mount Hood, OR; Lake Tahoe, NV; Lake Placid, NY; Jackson, WY; Big Sky, MT; Aspen, CO; Vail, CO; and Stowe, VT.

Here’s what AOL Travel had to say about Park City and Gatlinburg:

Park City: Drop in on the world-famous slopes of Park City, home to the steep mountains where the United States Ski Team trains. With 500 plus inches of snowfall every season and around 100 powdery trails, adventure awaits around every turn at this top ski destination. Also home of the Sundance Film Festival, it is not unusual for hordes of tourists to outnumber permanent residents here.

Gatlinburg: High above Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a mountaintop resort featuring nine whitewashed trails. The snowmaking system at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort produces enough white stuff to please snow bunnies of all abilities. With an amusement park, an aerial tram that sets off from downtown Gatlinburg, and fantastic views of the Great Smoky Mountains, its easy to see why this is one of the top ski destinations in the country.

For more information about Westgate Park City Resort & Spa or Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, please visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Fall colors.Year in and year out, one of the nation’s premiere fall color destinations is Gatlinburg, TN. Located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Gatlinburg area is a haven for those who want to take in the brilliant hues of a spectacular color change across the mountainous region.

With beautiful foliage, crisp air, country arts and crafts, harvest festivals, theme parks and more, Gatlinburg is the place to be in October.

Figuring out when the color in the leaves will peak is difficult and changes year by year. A good rule of thumb that defines a brilliant fall is dry weather with cool, but not freezing, temperatures in October. While other factors also come into play, the Gatlinburg area typically sees its most brilliant colors during the last couple weeks of October. The higher elevations change color first and then the reds, oranges and yellows start trickling down into the valley.

The Tennessee State Department of Tourist Development offers plenty of help in determining the peak color season. For the most recent fall foliage updates and forecasts, scenic route guides, photos, and more, visit their web site at http://fall.tnvacation.com/.

Keep in mind that fall is one of the busiest seasons in Gatlinburg and weekends are the busiest days, with extremely heavy traffic. Consider staying right in the middle of the colors at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort. You’ll be surrounded by fall foliage, just minutes from the gates to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and you’ll have access to the area’s largest indoor water park, Wild Bear Falls! Go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for information.

Get ready! Autumn is in the air and the fall color season is fast approaching. Yet few destinations will provide the vibrant array of colors that you’ll find bursting forth in the scenic Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

For a truly colorful fall vacation, start in Gatlinburg, TN - the fabulous gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. America’s most visited national park offers up 800 square miles of wilderness throughout Tennessee and North Carolina. And with 500,000 acres of forest soon to be bursting out in brilliant hues of yellow, orange and red, the Appalachian Mountains are a sure bet for a fall family getaway.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomes more than 9 million visitors annually, many of whom will also make a stop in the quaint mountain village of Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg offers an fun-filled array of family fun attractions and events, ranging from comedy and magic shows to dinner shows and theme parks like Dollywood. There’s also Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort where an indoor water park offers 60,000-square feet of wet excitement under a retractable roof - year-round! Wild Bear Falls Water Park pays homage to the adjacent national park with attractions like Cades Cove Lazy River, Clingman’s Dome (360-foot body slide), Laurel Falls (300-foot tube slide) and Little Pigeon River, a zero-entry pool and toddler play area.

From October 7-23, 2010 you’ll also enjoy the annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair, a special celebration of arts, crafts and music. The Fair offers more than 200 booths featuring the finest work of artisans and craftspeople happy to demonstrate their skills, answer questions and offer their unique art for sale. You’ll also find plenty of live country and bluegrass music and entertainment.

For more information on events in Gatlinburg as well as accommodations and Gatlinburg vacation packages, go to http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Few destinations offer as many opportunities to experience the great outdoors as the Great Smoky Mountains area near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

As the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg puts you on the doorstep to an amazing array of outdoor recreation. Try your luck fishing for a mountain trout in one of the many lakes, rivers, streams and ponds. Hop on your bike and experience the quaint and historic mountain village of Gatlinburg or zip into the national park and tour the Cades Cove loop.

While in the park, look around for wildlife in the extensive and diverse habitat. Or look to the trees for some amazing bird watching. The crest of the Smoky Mountains towers nearly a mile above the foothills, creating a range of elevations and topographies and microclimates ideal for nearly 250 species of birds.

The park also offers more than 800 miles of scenic hiking trails that range from difficult to easy. There’s no better way to experience the vast solitude of the national park land.

The Gatlinburg area offers a special challenge for golfers. The mountain terrain not only provides a magnificent backdrop, it creates an up and down layout that will test golfers of any skill level.

Another outdoor adventure the family can enjoy is a fun-filled horseback ride, so saddle up for a back country excursion or a guided tour. And for those seeking extra adventure, there’s nothing quite as exhilarating as a whitewater rafting trip down an untamed river like the Big Pigeon.

Now is a great time to visit the Gatlinburg area and experience the outdoor opportunities. For additional information on Gatlinburg, the Great Smoky Mountains area and accommodations like Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

The 29^th Annual Gatlinburg Scottish Festival and Games will be held in Gatlinburg, VA this weekend, May 15-16. Official weekend festivities begin with a parade down the Parkway in Gatlinburg at 6 p.m. on May 14.On Saturday and Sunday beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Mills Park, the Scottish Games will feature professional and amateur athletes competing in a variety of events such as tossing the Scottish haggis, turning the caber, Highland wrestling and the manhood stones.

Musical guests Cutthroat Shamrock, Colin Grant-Adams, Albannach and Thistledown Tinkers are among the featured entertainment during this popular two-day festival.

The events will also feature an assortment of Pipe and Drum Bands competing in individual and band events, competition of dozens of Highland dancers from across the country and border collie demonstrations.

For details on Gatlinburg discount vacation packages and lodging such as the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit http://www.gatlinburgvacationstore.com/.