Highlights for February 2012

What a beautiful winter it has been, if winter it can be called. Even by the Smoky Mountains standards, this Winterfest season has produced unusually mild weather and days so sunny and warm, you'd think it was April.

With the weather and Valentine's Day to look forward to, the Smokies are offering quite a bit for visitors looking for a romantic getaway and Highlands Condos has everything you need to make that getaway memorable for years to come. Imagine coming to a beautiful one-bedroom condo, overlooking miles and miles of the Smokies, to a gift basket from In Cabin Services, a fireplace to curl up next to at night, and a couple glasses of wine to sip on the balcony at the top of the world looking down. Can it get better than that?


Yes it can - we're offering a special for a massage/facial here at Highlands for $160.00. Take advantage of this offer for your getaway and really enjoy yourself for your Smoky Mountain Romantic Vacation. Call (865) 908-2530 to reserve this special offer and see more at www.highlandscondos.com

New Years and January 2012

The New Year starts with a 15-minute long bang in the Smokies and offers plenty of great entertainment and activity for Winterfest long after the holidays are over.

Gatlinburg is, naturally, the center of the biggest party in the Great Smoky Mountains during New Years Eve. The Pyro-shows production company will be playing music from the center of town until the countdown starts. Once the ball drops from the Space Needle to ring in the New Year, the tower will explode in a prolonged and incredible fireworks display the likes of which you won't see for another year! Only Gatlinburg offers something that grand here in the Smokies.

Following shortly after that is another major treat for visitors to the mountains with the ever-popular Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge. This is a week-long treat, from January 7th to the 14th for nature lovers as it promises plenty of lectures, presentations, guest speakers, a gorgeous photographic exhibit, vendor with nature supplies and much more! You can see more of that at http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events_winterfest_wilderness.aspx.



The new year is already shaping up to be a great start for 2012 and we at Highlands want to invite you all out for the fun and excitement each new year in the Smokies brings. See what we have to offer at www.highlandscondos.com.

Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade 2011

One of Gatlinburg's greatest traditions and Winterfest treasures is going on this Friday, December 2nd, at 7:30PM in downtown Gatlinburg - the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade!

Without a doubt THE Christmas highlight of Gatlinburg's Winterfest celebration, the parade is a huge, grand exhibition of all things Winterfest here in the Smokies. All your favorite Christmas characters, heroes and icons, both new and old, will be prominent down the road from Highway 321 to Stoplight #10. The lights, the music and the Polar Express train itself, along with dozens and dozens of other floats, make for more than an hour's worth of entertainment.

And to really sweeten the Christmas cake there, choose our Fall - 4 Night Special going on for two weekends worth of Winterfest fun at a deal you can't beat. Check it out at www.highlandscondos.com

The Christmas Parade in Downtown Gatlinburg

The most magical night of the year is the night the city of Gatlinburg puts on The Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade through the main downtown streets in front of thousands from Highway 321 to Stoplight #10 - and you and your children won't want to miss a minute of it!

The Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade for 2011 is the night of December 2nd and it starts at 7:30PM. All of your favorite characters and floats will be gliding and marching and singing and dancing on the street. You can bet Santa Claus and his reindeer will be there, along with Frosty the Snowman, The Polar Express as you can see above - in the past we've also seen The Grinch, Charlie Brown characters and much, much more entertaining tens of thousands of people and filling the night sky and atmosphere with the Christmas Magic you came to experience!

Additional fun will include local Gatlinburg mascots, Scottish pipe and drum bands, the famous Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, which is reported to measure 60 hot dogs long (that must've been fun to measure), and Santa Claus himself will be holding an Autograph party at the Riverbend Mall at 6:00PM just before the start of the event.


It's going to be a wonderful, fun night in Gatlinburg that will kickstart the Christmas and Winterfest will provide a constant to keep that Christmas magic alive with things like Winterfest Tunes and Tales. Take advantage of our Four Day Special above for all the luxury and magic you can handle plus two weekends worth of entertainment possibilities in Gatlinburg! See www.highlandscondos.com for more information and contact.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Winterfest Kick-Off 2011

The Chili Cook-off is the big switch to Winterfest in Gatlinburg. Winterfest is largely touted as the most "magical" of the Smoky Mountain seasons and for very good reason!

On the night of the Chili Cook-off, November 10th from 5:00PM and 8:00PM, the city of Gatlinburg throws the switch for the lights to come on and Christmas to start throughout town. The Trolley Rides of Lights tour begins soon after that and visitors of all ages will marvel at the sights and wonders that transform this modest little town into something very magical indeed.

The Chili Cook-off itself it quite a show too. The purchase of an admission "spoon" gets you access to more than 30,000 cops of chili from some of the best vendors from miles around. Lots of people will be attending and there will be plenty to do for families and people of all ages. There's a reason the city of Gatlinburg chooses this as their official start to the season of Winter "magihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifc", and its because the Chili Cook-off is just that good.

Stay with Highlands Condos during your trip through the first week of Winterfest, or any time of Winterfest for that matter, and complete the magic of the holiday season here in the Smokies! We have everything you need to wrap yourself in a gossamer blanket of luxury to keep you warm in November, December, January and beyond. We have saunas, outdoor hot tubs and fireplaces that all come standard with a reservation at Highlands Condos.

Take advantage of our Four Day Special above for all the luxury and warmth you can handle plus two weekends worth of entertainment possibilities in Gatlinburg. Our prices for our 4 Night Special are listed on side outside of Peak Season (Thanksgiving Week), see www.highlandscondos.com for our Thanksgiving prices.

Harvest Festival 2011

If you've never stayed at Highlands Condos for the Autumn season, you and your camera have been missing out on hundreds of photo opportunities, not to mention atmosphere and a sense of majesty you just can't get anywhere else in the world!

Make your reservations for Highlands Condos in Gatlinburg and get views that comb over miles and miles of historical Appalachian ridges, hills, and peaks with nearly every color but blue. The crisp Harvest Festival air will add a touch of dignity to the luxury you're going to get in our condos and you won't want to leave until its time to go home!

Should you decide to venture out though, there are plenty of things to do during the Harvest Festival. Let's take a look at what Autumn offers the Smokies in East Tennessee!

Taste of Autumn
Location: Gatlinburg Convention Center
Description: The Taste of Autumn has been Gatlinburg's tastiest charity event for 13 years. A $25 donation will give you access to food from all kinds of vendors with the best food in town at the huge W.L. Mills Auditorium. All proceeds go to the United Way of Sevier County.
Start Date: September 15th
End Date: September 15h
Link Out: http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=7

Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament
Location: Gatlinburg Convention Center
Description: This popular event is hosted by Rocky Top Outfitter and is open to children as well as adults, visitors as well as local. Admission prices apply.
Start Date: September 24th
End Date: September 25th
Link Out: www.rockytopoutfitter.com

Oktoberfest at Ober Gatlinburg
Location: Ober Gatlinburg
Description: German food and German fun on top of the world for the Fall Season! Get in early and join in the music, dancing and everything else Ober Gatlinburg has to offer
Start Date: September 30th
End Date: October 30th
Link Out: www.obergatlinburg.com

Ripley's Fright Nights
Location: Ripley's Haunted Adventure
Description: An entire month of screams, frights and thrills to celebrate Halloween in Gatlinburg. Character parades, the living dead, and things you better say your prayers to prepare for.
Start Date: October 1st
End Date: October 31st
Link Out: www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg/

Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair
Location: W.L. Mills Convention Center
Description: Artists and Crafters local and from hundreds of miles around gather at the Gatlinburg Convention Center where over 120 booths and all kinds of handcrafted items, plus the artists, are on display.
Start Date: October 6th
End Date: October 23rd
Link Out: www.craftsmenfair.com

Trick or Treat Kick off Karnival
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: From Noon to 3 P.M. Gatlinburg will celebrate Halloween with the Gatlinburg Police Department and Gatlinburg Fire Department working in conjunction to offer a safe, family fun filled trip for everyone!
Start Date: October 31st
End Date: October 31st
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=54

Winter Magic Kickoff & Chili Cookoff
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: Offering mouth-watering recipes of homemade chili ranging from mild and delightful to wild and adventurous, the City of Gatlinburg celebrates the start of Winter with an awesome Chili Cookoff! Bring admission and a lot of napkins.
Start Date: November 9th
End Date: November 9th
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=11

Trolley Ride of Lights
Location: Downtown Gatlinburg
Description: Visitors can soak up the spirit of the season from the comfort of a Gatlinburg Trolley by taking the relaxing Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights. These are popular guided excursions that are sure to become a tradition.
Start Date: November 9th
End Date: January 30th
Link Out: www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=13

Plan a Trip to Cherokee, North Carolina

Have you been across the National Park to Cherokee, NC? Cherokee is a sort of bookend to Gatlinburg and well worth a day trip visit out.

Cherokee is located on the other side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from the Spur, on the same highway that the Sugarlands Visitor Center is on. From there, it is an hour's drive through the National Park, across THE most gorgeous scenery in the Tennessee Smokies (and over a dozen stopping-parking spots to take pictures, several hiking trails and plenty of picnicking opportunities), from the tops of the hills and then down again at the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, which is your sign that you're 3-5 minutes away from Cherokee.

Once inside, you can go straight, take a turn left, or stop at the Arcade/Fun Center right at the gates into the town if the kids are getting antsy or you need a good place to stretch your legs a bit. Going left will take you to some hotels, some restaurants and some shopping alongside another arcade and fun center. Going straight will take you straight into the heart of the town. Cherokee is fairly small (about the size of Gatlinburg) and it's pretty hard to get lost.

From there are plenty of things to do from the aforementioned Arcades/Fun Centers to more cultural items of interest, like the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center, which offers a walking trail, historical architecture, and some exhibits on Appalachian culture from the old days, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, which is, appropriately, the authority on Cherokee history and information with hundred of exhibits and excellent video presentations throughout the tour, the Oconaluftee Indian Village, which is a working Cherokee Indian Village meant to show you what life back in 1760 was like for the Cherokee Indians, and Unto These Hills, a dramatic production high in the hills showcasing the story of Tsali and more history plus incredible musical numbers.

Cherokee also features an island park where kids can wade in the Oconaluftee river or a canal in the center of the park plus a large, unique bamboo grove full of photo opportunities. If you have kids who like to skate, take them to the free skate park. If all else fails, Harrah's Cherokee Casino is a huge facility with entertainment like you can't get for miles and miles around.

Cherokee, NC is a little town with a lot to offer, so if you're looking for something different and you want to see a lot of gorgeous Smoky Mountain scenery on the way there, plan a day trip out and you won't be disappointed.

To get to Cherokee from Gatlinburg, take the Gatlinburg Bypass from the Spur (just 2 minutes before you reach the city from Pigeon Forge) and keep on straight for roughly an hour.

All pictures are copyright Ge'ne L. K. Lawhead