Getting Around Gatlinburg: Growing traffic and bypass reality
Commutes, congestion, transit, and parking: what getting around Gatlinburg really takes.
How Do You Get Around Gatlinburg?
Commutes, congestion, transit, and parking: the daily logistics nobody puts on the listing.
The time I spend getting to/from work every day is
seven minutes if you use the backroads, 15 minutes unless a bear is crossing the Parkway, then all bets are off.
Traffic congestion areas to avoid
The entire Parkway from 10am to midnight, basically always and forever.
Ability to get around without a car
Technically possible if you work at the pancake house you live above, but otherwise, plan to drive and compete for parking with everyone else.
Locals dream of driving around in a
lifted Jeep Wrangler with doors off, hair flowing majestically in the wind.
The reality is that most locals drive
a sensible 4WD SUV with 200,000 miles and four sketchy tires.
Quirky local driving habit
stopping mid-road to photograph elk or bears like it's Yellowstone,
The likelihood of finding parking
nonexistent downtown. Locals park at their cousin's gift shop or another hidden spot.
#1 driving tip
tourists don't understand mountain curves, so leave extra early always and plan for traffic snarls over nothing really.
Where I Go for a Quiet Escape
My quiet escape spot is almost dead center on the famous Parkway. Hidden in an out-of-the-way corner of The Village is The Donut Friar coffee and bake shop. Everything is superb, from the coffee to cinnamon rolls, and, my favorite, chocolate eclairs with Boston creme filling. Take your prizes upstairs and unwind, read, or just "be" while forgetting about tourist crowds and traffic.
Gatlinburg Local Expert
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