Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville. Searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt.
Not really, but it sure was fun to sing the song while staying at the Margaritaville Resort in Gatlinburg, TN for the hubby’s 39th birthday.
I was informed about a week or so before his birthday that he’d requested to take off work on the day before and the day of his birthday. His birthday fell on a Tuesday which was perfect for a short three day/two night getaway to the mountains.
Operation Last Minute Hotel Search was a go.
Do you know how hard it is to find accommodations for six people last minute? Very hard, I assure you. Very hard.
I searched for hours trying to find the best deals and came across Margaritaville Resort in Gatlinburg. I was so glad to see that the resort had vacancies! After checking out all of the photos and resort amenities, I quickly booked the resort and couldn’t wait to surprise the hubby. I spent the afternoon doing laundry and packing (with the help of the kids) while he was out for the afternoon and evening.
He came home to packed suitcases and knew we were going away for a few days but didn’t have any idea where we were going.
Let the Adventure Begin
We woke up on Sunday morning and ate breakfast, loaded the car and headed out. We drove to Pigeon Forge and stopped for lunch before heading to do a little shopping at Tanger Outlet.
Check in time for the resort was at 4:00 pm. We had finished our shopping around 2:30 and I called the resort to ask if we were able to check in early and she said they had a room ready. We headed to the resort in Gatlinburg and checked in. We didn’t leave the hotel until breakfast the next day.
We booked a Double Queen Family Suite which is a one bedroom suite with two queen beds, children’s room with a queen sleeper sofa, dinette, bathroom with rain shower and tub and a porthole window instead of balcony.
Room amenities include:
- 50” LCD Smart TVs
- Refrigerator & Microwave
- Keurig Coffee Makers
- Complimentary WIFI
- In-Room Safe
Resort Tour
The hubby went on a solo tour first this time since it was his birthday celebration. If you read the post about my 39th birthday, you’ll know that I took the opportunity to tour DreamMore Resort alone before taking the rest of the family on a tour.
He came back to the room to grab the rest of the family and take us on a tour.
After our family tour concluded, he took the kids back up to the room while I walked around the resort to take photos.
Resort amenities include:
- Indoor Pool
- Hot Tub
- Outdoor Pool Area with Waterslide
- Covered Terrace with Fireplace
- St. Somewhere Spa (Full-Service Spa)
- Changes in Latitudes Lobby Bar, LandShark Bar & Grill, Joe Merchant’s Coffee & Provisions, In-Room Dining
- 24-Hour Fitness Center
- Guest Laundry
- Gift Shop
Fun in the Sun
The kids couldn’t wait to take advantage of the pool area so we headed down to check out the pool with a slide, kiddie pool and hot tub.
After much needed fun in the sun, we headed back to the room and ate dinner. Helpful tip! We learned our lesson from the trip to DreamMore in which we spent entirely too much money on food. This time we planned ahead and brought bottled water, chips, bread and items for making sandwiches. We had two meals in the room and saved money by doing so!
Night Night, Sleep Tight
The kids took some time to wind down before going to sleep in the oh so comfy beds!
Wake up! It’s time to play!
Can’t start the day without a cup of coffee. Thanks to the Keurig Coffee Maker in the room, it’s simple and easy.
We headed to Flapjacks in Gatlinburg for breakfast before taking advantage of the empty pool at the resort. The kids had pancakes while the hubby and I opted for eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and toast.
After breakfast, we headed back to the resort and to the pool. We had much fun being the only ones at the pool. It was nice to have the entire pool area to ourselves for a while.
We headed back to the room for a bit of relaxation time. We had made plans the night before to walk around downtown Gatlinburg. We went to the Mountain Mall and to The Village before grabbing lunch at Best Italian.
After lunch we headed back to the resort to rest before our evening trip to Dollywood. We purposely waited until later in the day to go so that we could stay for the fireworks at closing (and wait for the temperature to cool down a bit).
We made a stop at Rocky Top Mountain Coaster on the way to Dollywood. The hubby has tried to get me to ride one on previous trips to the mountains. I politely declined each time he mentioned it. I figured that the seven year old would go with him this time (and I was right) so I suggested that he stop at one while we were in town. They had a blast riding the mountain coaster. This particular coaster was close to Dollywood so it was a perfect time to stop.
Dollywood Fun
We left the coaster and headed to Dollywood. The hubby dropped us off at the gate and found a parking space in section B. It didn’t take him long to catch up to us once inside the park.
The lines for rides weren’t long at all and the crowd size was great. The kids were super excited to check out Wildwood Grove, the newest and largest expansion to Dollywood. They got to ride several rides in both Wildwood Grove and Country Fair. They especially enjoyed the Dragonflier, Great Tree Swing, Blackbear Trail and Frogs & Fireflies.
During the Summer Celebration at Dollywood (June 22 – August 04), there is a nightly fireworks show called Dolly’s Nights of Many Colors. The fireworks are launched from the new Wildwood Grove area at 9:40 each night. The fireworks last approximately 10 minutes.
We headed back to the hotel after we left Dollywood. But not before making a 10 pm run to Krispy Kreme in Pigeon Forge on the way back to Gatlinburg. I mean, who can resist Krispy Kreme?
Everyone took showers and headed to bed after we arrived back at the resort. It didn’t take long for everyone to fall asleep. I imagine they were worn out after an action packed day.
It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later
We woke up and decided to go back to Flapjacks for breakfast. We had the same breakfast as the day before. Why mess with a good thing, right?
After we had breakfast, we headed back to the hotel to pack up and check out. I couldn’t believe the trip was already over. As I stated earlier, time files when you’re having fun!
The trip was not complete without stopping at … you guessed it … Smoky Mountain Knife Works on the way home.
Until next time, Smoky Mountains, until next time…
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