Adventures in the Smokies

Enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of the Smokies!

Looking for something different to do in Gatlinburg?  When planning your Smoky Mountain vacation, consider including a Field School activity on your agenda.  Activities include topics such as Use of Map & Compass, Elk in the Smokies, Fall Photography, Incredible Edibles, A Day with a Naturalist, and so much more.

A partnership between the Great Smoky Mountains and the University of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Field School celebrates 32 years of bringing educational adventures to lover’s of the great outdoors.   Expand your interest and knowledge of the park’s natural wonders through hikes and activities lead by instructors who bring their enthusiasm, dedication, experience and love of the Smokies to every course.

Courses are available to adults of any age, and special family programs welcome children ages 6-12.   Space is limited on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you’ll want to register early either online, by telephone or by fax, and make your lodging reservations with us!

Click for the Smoky Mountain Field School Activity Schedule and Course Descriptions available on various weekends from September 18 through October 31.

A Fair Trade Retailer

Ten Thousand Villages, named one of the world’s most ethical companies again in 2010, offers fair trade shopping in the Smoky Mountains!

This non-profit retailer opened its doors on August 6 in the Belz Annex on Teaster Lane.  Inside you’ll find a relaxing, culture-filled atmosphere and friendly faces eager to share a cup of coffee and the beautiful artwork and handicrafts of artisans from over 38 countries around the world.

The store features home decor, tableware, baskets, personal accessories and jewelry, and global treasures and collectibles.   There are gifts and decorations from Haiti, Uganda, India, Peru and the Phillippines just to name a few.  Several pieces even have the name of the artist on the tag.  The items are as unique as you will find anywhere, and would make wonderful additions to any home.   Getting married in the Smokies?  You can create a wedding registry in store or online that celebrates your special event and your values.

When to stop by, be sure to have that complimentary cup of coffee and even join the Coffee Club!  You can register at the counter for their enewsletter offering the latest Ten Thousand Villages news and special discounts.  The sales associates are also more than willing to introduce you to the concept and principles of Fair Trade that include:

• Providing opportunities for Third World producers who are economically unable to participate in the conventional trading system
• Help develop those producer’s independence to build sustainable operations
• Fair purchase prices
• Equal wages for equal work among men and women, and gender equality
• Safe and healthy work environments for all artisans

Say hello to Ashley and Debbie and have a wonderful time discovering treasures of the world!

Don't Feed the Bears!

Bears have been sighted in the parking lot at Twin Islands Motel, and it appears they’ve come to stay!

OK… so they aren’t live bears, but they are just as neat to look at. Instead of removing the once vigorous tree at the edge of our family playground and picnic area, we decided to contract a local chainsaw carver to create a work of art.

We now have three black bears that will remain in our parking lot for years to come, and provide a perfect “photo spot” so that you can take home pictures of you and your family with Great Smoky Mountains wildlife.

Visit our Facebook page to see a photo gallery of our carving from start to finish!

Shop Tax Free August 6-8

Tax Free Back-to-School Shopping

This coming weekend is your opportunity to shop tax free for clothes, school supplies, and computers at some of the best outlet shopping malls in the area! The 2010 Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on August 6 and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 8.

Purchases don’t have to be for students; they just cannot be purchases made for business use. Now is the time to get your new home computer, get Grandma hooked up with laptop, and purchase clothing for the entire family! Here are detailed lists of items eligible for tax savings:

Tax Free Clothing Tax Free School Supplies Tax Free Computers

To help you make the most of this much anticipated holiday, we have a few suggestions for you.

1. Book your reservations with us and plan to arrive no later than Thursday.

2. Make your shopping list while relaxing by the swimming pool and then get a good night’s rest.

3. Rise early, eat a hearty breakfast, and put on your most comfortable shoes.

4. Review your bargain hunting game plan and Go Get Those Deals!

Don’t forget to use our $10 Off coupon for your stay!

August 6 - 10, 2010

Chongqing (pronounced Chung-Ching) is a major city in China, with its history dating back as far as 3,000 years. Beginning August 6, that history comes to life in Tennessee when some of China’s finest artists and performers will be in Sevierville at the Smoky Mountain Palace, current home of the Cirque de Chine. This extraordinary event will include free admission from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. to view cultural displays in the lobby throughout the day, with an hour of demonstrations and live performances at 6:30 p.m. Plan to stay and purchase tickets for the evening show when all performers share the stage at 7:30 p.m.

This 5-day event will feature:

Wang Yi – a master of the Yang Qin (a hammered dulcimer), and Chief of the Chongqing Folk Arts Troupe

Wang Yali – a master of the Erhu, a centuries-old traditional two-stringed Chinese fiddle

Liu Yingying – a Sichuan Opera star internationally recognized for her skills in Face Changing, rapidly changing face masks technique.  Successors of World Intangible Heritage

Liu Guibing – an architect who creates highly detailed sugar sculptures

Zhou Mingchun – one of two inventors of the patented Leaf Veins Painting

Chen Zifu – a magician of fans who can create exquisite fans from any material

Wen Yuguang – a master of wood engraving depicting Chinese peasants’ daily lives

Liang Su – traditional art craft of Paper Cutting

Hu Wenfu – renowned for his unique calligraphy technique, using only ink, his fingers, palm and fist

Cast of Cirque de Chine – the theater’s own resident award-winning masters of dance, acrobatics, and contortion.

All the exhibitions in the lobby prior to the evening event are free to the public. Each evening at 6:30 p.m., there will be live performances in the lobby by acrobats, demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy by Hu Wenfu, and demonstrations by the master craftsmen showcasing traditional folk arts.

Book your stay at Crossroads Inn or Twin Islands during this special event running August 6-10, 2010 at the Smoky Mountain Palace on Collier Drive in Sevierville, straight across from Wal-Mart.

Open for Lunch & Dinner

Just next door to Twin Islands is an everyday food festival!  That’s right… it’s No Way Jose’s Mexican restaurant offering a full liquor bar with cold Margaritas and frosty bottles of beer that pair perfectly with an authentic Mexican meal.

Whether you choose to dine indoors or out, you’re sure to receive friendly, efficient service from a knowledgeable staff who aim to please.   The menu is extensive with a seemingly endless variety of enchiladas, burritos, chimi’s and a whole lot more.  You’ll be greeted with a smile and a bowl of freshly made chunky salsa.

You may have a hard time deciding what to eat, so we are happy to recommend that you try some of our favorites:  Chile con Queso dip with flour tortilla chips, beef Quesadillas, sizzlin’ chicken Fajitas, burrito Florentine, and cheese Enchiladas.   With beans and rice and side of sour cream, everything we’ve tried has been delicious.

No Way Jose’s is family friendly and offers plenty of seating away from the bar if you prefer.   They also welcome large groups of all sizes and would be happy to host your family reunion, wedding, or youth group.

Stop in No Way Jose’s for lunch or dinner and tell them that Twin Islands and Crossroads Inn sent ya!

Annual Summer Craft Show at the Gatlinburg Convention Center

“A Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event!”

The 35^th Annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Summer Fair has been voted one of the South’s most popular summer events, and appropriately so! Over 180 of the finest artists and craftspeople from across the USA will gather at the Gatlinburg Convention Center July 16-24 to demonstrate and exhibit their crafts. The Gatlinburg Convention Center transforms into an enormous multi-level community of craftspeople performing their talents and offering their handicrafts for sale. Many exhibitors will be favorites seen from year to year, but new juried craftsmen always offer something interesting and exciting for guests to enjoy. The craftsman’s fair provides an ideal opportunity to purchase heirloom quality Smoky Mountain souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Plan to give yourself plenty of time to see all that the Gatlinburg craft show has to offer. You can even take a shopping break and relax with the country, blue grass and gospel music played throughout the day by Dennis Lee and Band, July 16-20, and Keith Longbotham, July21-24. They can be heard at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily, and at noon and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission to the craft fair is only $6, or free for everyone ages 12 and under. Book your stay at Twin Islands or Crossroads Inn, and forget about paying for Convention Center parking. You can grab a ride from the trolley station next door and head straight to the summer fair!

June 24, 2010

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is hosting a biannual “Art 4 Art’s Sake” Live and Silent Auction on June 24. If you are vacationing with us, stroll just across the Parkway and treat yourself to this opportunity to experience the talent and creativity of artists whose works are sold in fine galleries and displayed in museums worldwide.

If you would like, you may make advance reservations to attend the 5:30 p.m. pre-auction dinner for $17 per person. Otherwise, attendance at the auction is free. Preview and silent auction are from 6:30-7:30 p.m., with the live auction immediately following. All proceeds from donated artwork support Arrowmont’s scholarship and education assistance programs.

If you miss the art auction, be sure to stop in any Monday through Saturday between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. now until July 4 to visit the Loggia Gallery and peruse Artists-in-Residence Collections featuring works of art by ceramics artists Martina Lantin and Thaddeus Erdahl, wood artist Kent Perdue, and metalsmith Victoria Altepeter.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a nationally renowned center of contemporary arts and crafts education. Workshops are offered for weekend, one and two-week sessions from May through October each year. Check rates and availability to make reservations for a creative escape!

There is no reason to let a few rain showers dampen your Gatlinburg getaway! (Pun intended!) For vacationing adults, a rainy day in the Smokies = a romantic retreat!!

Rainy Day = Romantic Retreat

Here are a few suggestions of things to do in-room:

1. Pamper yourselves. Run a warm bath and soak in the tub. Give each other a pedicure, back scrub, or a soothing rub down.
2. Snuggle up and watch a movie. Ready the popcorn and curl up to a good movie showing on one of our satellite stations.
3. Enjoy an afternoon nap. When is the last time you had the time to do that?
4. Order dinner in. Several area restaurants deliver to our hotels. Pizza and a cold beer can be as romantic as your imagination allows it to be!
5. Play cards, tick-tack-toe, spin the bottle, truth or dare!
6. Dance! Get wild and funky or slow it down. Don’t let those lessons go to waste… practice those dance steps.
7. Pour the wine and read or write love letters to each other.
8. Reminisce… see if you both remember the same details of your first meeting, first date, and first kiss. What was each of you wearing, who were you with, where were you, etc.
9. Did you know that the fingers, upper lip, nose, forehead and palm have the most concentrated touch receptors? Interesting… when is the last time you paid attention to your spouse’s forehead? Elbows?
10. All of the above.

Prepare for your own impromptu romantic getaway by packing these things before you leave:
Tealight Candles, Lotion or Massage Oil, Popcorn, Deck of Cards, CD Player & Discs, Bottle of Wine, Pens & Paper

When you arrive, pray for rain!

Traditional Gatlinburg Shopping

Reagan’s Carousel Mall has been remodeled, renewed, and renamed The Shops at Carousel Gardens.  Enjoy fine art, elegant shopping, and fabulous food right across the street from Twin Islands and just a couple doors down from Crossroads Inn.

The reopening of this shopping center brings the “Heart of Gatlinburg Home” by showcasing traditional arts and artisans of the Smoky Mountains.  Browse for a Smoky Mountain souvenir, heirloom gift for a summer bride, or just relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy the God given talents of local artists displayed throughout 76 nooks.

Twenty-nine artists’ creations are displayed on the shops’ two levels, including paintings, prints, pottery and hand-crafted works of art.  You’ll also find one-of-a-kind gifts, antiques, and collectibles offering a touch of Appalachia.  The mall offers Lu Lu’s Cookie Gallery with specialty coffees, fresh baked goods and delicious treats, and Sweet Pea’s Cafe & Antique Lounge for a wonderful meal so that you can browse and shop for as long as you like!