I agree that Wears Valley is nice area for cabin. I love driving on that road. A lot of the cabins can be really close to each other, but still pretty views. We used a company called
Fireside Chalet on our honeymoon, that had a lot of cabins in that area. If you are going to Dollywood and the Dixie Stampede, I think it would make more sense to stay in Wears Valley area vs Gatlinburg. Depending on time of year the traffic can be bit of an annoyance. If you go into the national park, which I highly recommend use the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge By-Pass roads to avoid some of the traffic.
We often stay at a hotel when we go, because we honestly, aren't in our rooms enough to really justify cost of cabin. We rented with a company called
Parkside Cabin rentals, on our most recent trip to Gatlinburg because we've always wanted to stay in the Gatlinburg area. Can't say I had the best view but it was still an ok view, but I hated the steep driveway, and bear that visited our cabin at midnight, haha. (Oh and they had no bear proof trash cans and in Gatlinburg and really in that entire area, the bears will get all up in the trash cans. So find out about trash pickup.
Parkside Cabin Rentals gave us a better discount when we called them to book trip and they are right next to the liquor store when you enter Gatlinburg and make a left turn. It was very easy to pick up our key and they gave us 4 free parking passes, for this one particular garage and 2 aquarium tickets (we had 6 people, but still nice). With Parkside, however our cabin had no security. Some of the cabins will have a code you punch in, etc. So I kinda didn't like that also. I remember awhile back some cabins were getting broken into, but I think they were cabins being built and people may have been stealing new appliances.
I recommend parking behind aquarium in City parking garage for the day you do that, and we like that garage for price, and it kinda does put you walking a bit if you venture up the road. I got married in that area, and just love it. On our latest trip we stayed in the Clarion Inn in Gatlinburg- loved it's location because it was at the end of the Gatlinburg strip and had several nice restaurants (and some of my favorites- Best Italian, Cherokee Grill, also a new Crockett's restaurant, and Texas Roadhouse, The Peddler,Calhouns, and Smoky Mountain Brewery) right around it. If we wanted to go to Pigeon Forge we just hit the by-pass road, and it didn't take too long to get to Pigeon Forge, but the hotel room was a bit cramped but loved it's location and I actually loved the views from the breakfast area and the balcony from our room.
With cabins, I always researched extra fees and discounts, and try to question location of cabin, because some kids and adults, get scared travelling on some of the winding mountain roads. Maybe pack dramamine for anyone who get's motion sickness. I love the Trip Advisor website for advice on Gatlinburg- there are a few forums.
For Dollywood there is a place kids can go to get measured once and receive a bracelet, but I guess with teenagers that is not necessary.
I have always had to launder our towels as well. We kinda reused our towels on some days (I do that at home too). With Parkside Cabin's they actually had several small bottles of Palmolive Dish Soap for the sink, and some packets of Laundry detergent. I usually go pre-vacation shopping for extra paper items, soaps and detergent and certain snacks. The cabins usually have a roll of paper towels, and a few rolls of TP, but I always usually bring a little back up. Most kitchens are stocked with basic pots, pans, and can openers, but I kinda don't like going on vacation to cook. Sometimes we will get pizza or Bennett's BBQ takeout (like ribs's) and bring back to cabin. I have cooked a few times, but I felt it wasted our vacation.
So many things for the teenager's to do. I always think the tubing, white water rafting or zip lining stuff looks fun, but i'm too chicken to do any of it (well I would try the tubing but not with my 2 young kiddos). At that time of the year, I love the creeks, and there are so many waterfalls
Oh and beware of speed traps if you kinda venture in Gatlinburg (in particular the Alamo Steakhouse) near Greenbrier Entrance to park (very nice road for a nice mountain stream). We got a speeding ticket going downhill. I really question the ticket, and it was on our last day of vacation and made me so upset. I spend so much money in this area once and sometimes go twice a year, and we were very much targeted with our out of state, license plate.
