For many, a Tennessee mountain vacation means going to the Smoky Mountains. For those who are either looking for something different or are tired of the bumper-to-bumper traffic and the scent of exhaust fumes, there are several small towns located nearby that offer unique travel alternatives for a mountain vacation
However, all three are within an easy drive for a day-trip to the smoky Mountains if the visitor wishes.
The following three towns are all mountainous areas as well as being rich with the history of early America, having been located on the first frontier of this country’s early European settlers.
The towns are, however, very different from each other.
Douglas Lake’s Dandridge Is Historic Small Town Close to Smoky Mountains
Dandridge’s lure for visitors is most likely water sports and golf despite the fact that it offers a lot of history. It is the county seat for Jefferson County, but with a tiny population of slightly more than 2,000 people. Dandridge is the second oldest town in the state and is the only place in the U.S. named for George Washington’s wife, Martha Dandridge.
A brochure offered for visitors at the Visitors Center said that being the only town named for Martha Washington is what saved the town from being flooded when Douglas Dam was built in the 1940s. A letter written to Eleanor Roosevelt is credited with the dam being changed so that a levee rises directly behind town hall to protect the historic downtown area, which was a main stagecoach stop between Knoxville and Abingdon, Va.
Because of the stagecoach stop, four taverns located there, and the buildings still stand. In the center of the downtown area is also located a Revolutionary War-era cemetery. The Visitors Center brochure details both a walking tour of the historic area as well as an expanded driving tour.
The few downtown blocks hilly and are filled with boutiques and shops, including a number of vintage and antique stores. There are several restaurants downtown along with a hotel and a bed and breakfast or two.
National chain restaurants are located a few blocks away, where national chain hotels are also located for those who prefer them to those located lakeside. Those who prefer to spend their time on the lake with a backdrop of the Smoky Mountains will find numerous waterside accommodations.
For boaters, or those who wish to be boaters, Dandridge offers four marinas that offer a variety of services: camping, RV parking and cabins in a range of prices and luxury, from the basic to the more upscale. Mountain Harbor Inn was designated Tennessee's first diamond-rated bed and breakfast and offers many accommodations offered by the marinas. There are also a number of other B&B's available in the area, offering everything from lakeside to secluded mountain retreat.
Fishing, ski, pontoon boats and jet skis can be rented by the hour or day for those who wish to cruise the water with the beautiful Smoky Mountains as the scenery. The well-known Baneberry Golf Course is just a few miles from the visitors center on Main Street and other golf courses are within a few minutes drive.
Dandridge is located by two exits off Interstate 40.
Greeneville, A Presidential Town, Is Close to Smoky Mountains, Many Historical Sites, and Outdoor Adventures
Greeneville, Tenn., is located about 10 miles off interstate 81, and can be accessed best by the Baileyton and Bulls Gap exits. The town offers a quaint downtown, antique shops, and friendly, welcoming people. Located in the very large county of Greene, Greeneville is the county seat and has a population of around 16,000 people. Founded in 1786, the town was built around a large spring that is located in a small park behind the town’s library on Main Street.
Greeneville is a “Presidential Town” having been the home of the 17th president, Andrew Johnson. The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site includes his "Homestead" located on Main Street, and the visitors center and his tailor shop located a couple of blocks away on Depot Street. His remains are buried at the top of Monument Hill, a National Cemetery.
Davy Crockett was born just up the road in Limestone – on the banks of the Nolichucky River, and General John Hunt Morgan was shot and killed on the grounds of the Dickson-Williams Mansion, located in the heart of Greeneville.
For those who wish to stay in the downtown area, the beautifully restored General Morgan Inn faces Main Street and opens in the back to the grounds of the Dickson-Williams Mansion. Tours of the town and the mansion are available seven days a week from the hotel lobby.
In addition to touring the town, a variety of hiking trails are easily accessible, as well as golf courses, the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, water activities on the Nolichucky River, activities at Tusculum College and a variety of restaurants.
Hot Springs, N.C., Is Appalachian Trail Town Near Smoky Mountains
The tiny mountain town of Hot Springs, N.C., is a hikers paradise as the Appalachian Trail passes nearby. Main Street is filled with outfitters both for hiking and for either rafting or canoeing the French Broad River which runs right through the town.
The town is often filled with tourists who come for the music festivals held on the grounds of Hot Springs Resort and Spa, which offers visitors a chance to relax in the heated mineral water for which the town is named.
A variety of restaurants offer good to decent food, and reasonably priced shops are fun to browse through.
Lodging is available in some quaint old hotels, such as Iron Horse Station, which also has a restaurant with delicious food and a bar; a central motel; a number of bed and breakfasts or a busy campground.
Max Patch, a mountain bald with spectacular views, is but a short drive, then an easy hike, away.
Whether visitors prefer the benefits of the larger Greeneville, and its General Morgan Inn and Niswonger Performing Arts Center; the sunshine and water of Douglas Lake and Dandridge; or the quietness of Hot Springs, NC, cabins, each has much to offer for a pleasant mountain vacation.
Velma Southerland - Velma Southerland has been employed in the lifestyles section of an award-winning East Tennessee community newspaper for more than 20 ...
