Country Roads...

We spent spring break this year in The Smoky Mountains. 

We were in Gatlinburg, Tennessee (not West Virginia) most of the week, but the entire time I could not get John Denver's singing out of my head.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect and we did so many fun things in such a short period of time that it is hard to remember everything! So, here is an attempt to show some of what we did:



This was taken in the parking lot of our hotel.  Pretty nice view, for a hotel parking lot, huh?!
We stayed at the Park Vista in Gatlinburg, and it was great!



Most of the time in the car I was banished to the backseat...to avoid kid car-sickness and fighting. 
Actually, it is a pretty nice ride back there.

Dylan did really great.  It seems that she will be a good travel buddy, based on these first couple trips with her.  She did well in the car and hung out in the stroller or baby carrier (with no care in the world) while we were doing activities/hiking.

Walking around downtown Gatlinburg (Didn't take many pictures down there, because really its mostly just a bunch of shops full of junk.)

Waiting at the horse stables for a turn to ride.

David, Dawson and Jamie rode horses up and down a mountain.
(I stayed back with Dylan). 
We could hardly believe that Jamie was big enough to do it on her own, but she was, and did great!

We did a few of the trails in the National Park, or stopped at different places off the side of the road.  The Laurel Falls trail was about the maximum (or maybe too much) for the kids because of the incline and length of it. (Also, if you ever go to it with a baby...do NOT take a stroller on the "paved" trail!  Bad idea!) However, it was worth the hike when we got to the falls, because they had a lot of fun climbing around.  (Plus the views on the way up were great!)

Laurel Falls - Smoky Mountain National Park

On our way back down from Laurel Falls.

 

Somewhere in the park a bunch of people were pulled over on the side of the road looking in the woods...we figured it had to be something good, so we stopped too.  It was a black bear.  The picture I took of it just looks like a black ball of fur in the trees, but I think this one of all the crazy tourists is funny.






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 One of the days we took a Gondola ride up to Ober Gatlinburg (a ski resort / amusement park).

 There were a ton of things to do up there, so we ended up staying most of the day. 
There was a wildlife exhibit, with a black bear that wasn't hidden in the woods.

Tons of different rides, mini golf, ice skating, food, and shopping. 

 Plus, one of the really fun things to do up there is ride the ski lifts up to the top and take the alpine slides back down the mountain (little carts that go down the ski runs).

We had to spend a little time everyday at the hotel pool...because there is no way we would get away with not letting those two swim in a pool like this, as much as they could.  The slide/pool was Jamie's favorite thing all week.

 

 This girl was just content to watch the pool action.



Bedtime story.

In Gatlinburg there is a really cool aquarium.  Probably the best one we have ever been too.  Sharks and Stingrays and all kinds of crazy fish we have never seen. 
Dawson said it was his favorite part of the trip (it was also David's favorite).

Just to prove everyone isn't always smiles all the time...it wouldn't be vacation without some meltdowns in true Jamie style.

Stopped at a few spots on our way up to the highest point in Tennessee.

Ran into the Appalachian trail a few times.



Top of Clingmans Dome.  6,643 feet.  This was also a bit of a climb for kids (and two somewhat out-of-shape adults!), but wow, what a view!



This was probably my favorite part of the trip
(with a close second being people watching and listening i.e: "I'm fixin' ta get som-in to eat, how 'bout ya'll?...")