Category: Local Guides

Happy Birthday to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! To honor our favorite park, here are 6 reasons why we love the Smokies: Most visited park in America The Great Smoky Mountains attract between 8 and 10 million visitors each year! That’s more people than... ...

Lots of planning goes into having the perfect vacation. We plan for our accommodations, activities and even the route we are going to take. When everything has been planned for and you finally are on your vacation you want to take tons of pictures to capture those activities and special moments. Granted some pictures are going to be spur of the moment, but there are others that with a little preparation will give you that standout photo that will make you want to print them out! Here are 10 s ...

Ever wonder why there’s a bell over the Holy Branch beside Mountain Laurel’s offices? Modern technology and meteorological advancements have made its purpose useless, but it carries with it a piece of Gatlinburg’s history. Allow us to tell a story. Heavy rains pound the mountainside... ...

Spending time with that special someone or with family is a big part of the Gatlinburg cabin experience. Special occasions occur in all of our lives and guests often want to provide their loved one with some special way to mark events such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions and more. We know that trying to plan these things from afar can be challenging since you don’t know the area or who can provide the services you require. ...

Gatlinburg is known as an extremely family friendly place, with lots of things to do for all ages. A place where children have numerous options to keep them entertained. While families are extremely important to our area we do understand that there will be times when.. ...

Mountain Laurel Chalets opened its doors in 1972 and has served the Gatlinburg community with honor, honesty, and excellence since its inception. We have a proven track record of success. More importantly, we treat you like you are more than a financial transaction; we serve... ...

These mountains are most often associated with peace and beauty, but during the Civil War that was not always the case. Even our beautiful mountain region was not immune to the effects of the War Between the States. Tennessee was one of the most divided... ...

The symbol of the Smokies is the Black Bear. Found in all areas of the National Park and the surrounding towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Townsend. Interactions with Bears are becoming increasingly common and they are most definitely not in the bear’s best... ...

Knowing how to pack is essential for your Gatlinburg vacation and when staying at Mountain Laurel Chalets, we try to prepare our guests with how to pack. The following is a suggested list of what to pack. 1. Food (including salt and pepper) 2. Coffee ... ...

It has been known to snow as early as October and as late as May in Gatlinburg. Winter months of December, January and February traditionally provide us with some lovely winter landscapes and gorgeous snow capped mountains in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We... ...