Paws in the Smokies: A Dog-Friendly Gatlinburg Getaway 🐕🏔️

Our unexpected extra day in Gatlinburg (thanks to wildfires) turned into a lazy pup-cation! Here’s the scoop for traveling with dogs: 🏨 Stay Hampton Inn Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail Perks: Quiet balcony room + adjacent park for walks (5 mins to downtown). P-friendly: No pet fee! 🐾 Dog-Friendly Activities 🚡 Skylift Park Free for pups (must be held tight on open-air chairs!). Warning: Not for nervous dogs—saw one pup trembling! Skip if: You fear heights (like me wimping out on the suspension bridge). 🚘 Cades Cove Scenic Loop Bear hunt fail (too hot—they were napping somewhere shady). Drive carefully: Winding mountain roads = sweaty palms. 🥾 Gatlinburg Trail 6km round-trip with creek pit-stops (perfect for paw-dipping). 🍽️ Eats (Rated by Pup Approval) 👍 Loco Burro Fresh Mex Cantina Rooftop dining: Dog-friendly + killer margs. 👎 Tom & Earl’s Back Alley Grill Greasy sandwiches = human & pup regret. 🥞 Log Cabin Pancake House Solo breakfast: Solid Caribbean pancakes (no dogs allowed). 🍫 Chocolate Monkey "Hand-dipped strawberries" = fake chocolate tragedy. 🥭 Baskin Robbins’ Mangonada Sweet-salty-spicy mango bliss! ⚠️ Heads Up Over-touristed: Generic souvenir shops + crowds. Watch for kids: Some tried surprise butt-pets on my dog! #PetFriendlyTravel #SmokyMountains #TravelWithDogs