Nashville -Dollywood suggestions

[Tink3815]

Planning a 5-day trip to Nashville and Pigeon Forge, late October. Doing Sat and Sun in Nashville and driving to Dollywood / Gatlinburg for a few days. Not into the bar scene. Plan to do Grand Old Opry Sat pm. Also want to tour the city during the day on Trolley tour.

Is the area near the airport a safe area? Trying to decide the best place to stay for Sat night.

Are there any must-do stops or good barbeque restaurants on the way to Pigeon Forge and around Gatlinburg?

Will the mountain trees still have color at that time of the year?

Looking forward to hearing everyone’s suggestions.

 

[sk!mom]

I can't answer any of your questions but as a big fan of Nashville, I would encourage you to stay walking distance to lower Broadway on Saturday night. Not for the "bar scene" but for some of the best live music you will ever hear. Yes, it's happening in bars and yes, Saturday night can be busy and crowded although I've never found it crazy in the early evening but You have plans for Saturday night so you could be down on Broadway hearing great music midday. As an example, we were one and done with the Opry but stay on lower Broadway every trip and spend whole days listening to great music.

If you still don't want to, then I would suggest staying by the Grand Old Opry if that is your evening plan. Lots of hotels there.

 

[Tink3815]

I can't answer any of your questions but as a big fan of Nashville, I would encourage you to stay walking distance to lower Broadway on Saturday night. Not for the "bar scene" but for some of the best live music you will ever hear. Yes, it's happening in bars and yes, Saturday night can be busy and crowded although I've never found it crazy in the early evening but You have plans for Saturday night so you could be down on Broadway hearing great music midday. As an example, we were one and done with the Opry but stay on lower Broadway every trip and spend whole days listening to great music.

If you still don't want to, then I would suggest staying by the Grand Old Opry if that is your evening plan. Lots of hotels there.

Thank you,

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We spent a few weeks in Nashville for DH's job earlier this year. We've stayed at Clarion https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laqui...nd-suites-nashville-downtown-stadium/overview & La Quinta https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laqui...nd-suites-nashville-downtown-stadium/overview near downtown & Best Western Suites near Opryland. https://www.bestwestern.com/de_DE/b...=BLBWI0003G&cid=BLBWI0003G:yext:website:43134 Clarion & La Quinta are closer to downtown. Best Western is closer to Grand Ole Opry. Clarion & Best Western have free parking. La Quinta is paid parking. All three have shuttle service, if you don't want to drive downtown. Clarion's was complimentary. I think it was $10 per person at BW. We didn't inquire about the La Quinta shuttle.

There are places near Best Western to eat & watch live music without having to deal with the chaos in downtown. We went to Broadway once on a Saturday evening. Our evening was spent taking an Uber there, walking through three overly crowded bars, walking behind a guy that was so drunk that he kept falling on the sidewalk, then giving up & calling an Uber to take us back to the hotel. I wouldn't advise going there on a weekend, unless you're the type that enjoys Epcot on NYE. FWIW, we returned on a few week nights & had a great time.

While you're at Grand Ole Opry, you should tour Gaylord Palms. It's a beautiful resort that also has live music. Parking is free at the mall.

We would stay at any of these hotels again.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I forgot to address the fall foliage. My MIL who lives in the mountains of NC sent me pictures of her area on November 10th last year. The leaves were beautiful. There's a good chance you'll see some. Hopefully, someone from the Pigeon Forge area will chime in to correct me, if I'm wrong.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

I have been to Gatlinburg in later October and the leaves were still there. It will be crazy busy though.

 

[Tink3815]

I have been to Gatlinburg in later October and the leaves were still there. It will be crazy busy though.

We hope to be there on a Tuesday to avoid weekend chaos. Is it just busy with leaf peepers or do they do speciial events? TN travel guide did not have alot of events for them.
Thanks

 

[Tink3815]

We spent a few weeks in Nashville for DH's job earlier this year. We've stayed at Clarion https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laqui...nd-suites-nashville-downtown-stadium/overview & La Quinta https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laqui...nd-suites-nashville-downtown-stadium/overview near downtown & Best Western Suites near Opryland. https://www.bestwestern.com/de_DE/b...=BLBWI0003G&cid=BLBWI0003G:yext:website:43134 Clarion & La Quinta are closer to downtown. Best Western is closer to Grand Ole Opry. Clarion & Best Western have free parking. La Quinta is paid parking. All three have shuttle service, if you don't want to drive downtown. Clarion's was complimentary. I think it was $10 per person at BW. We didn't inquire about the La Quinta shuttle.

There are places near Best Western to eat & watch live music without having to deal with the chaos in downtown. We went to Broadway once on a Saturday evening. Our evening was spent taking an Uber there, walking through three overly crowded bars, walking behind a guy that was so drunk that he kept falling on the sidewalk, then giving up & calling an Uber to take us back to the hotel. I wouldn't advise going there on a weekend, unless you're the type that enjoys Epcot on NYE. FWIW, we returned on a few week nights & had a great time.

While you're at Grand Ole Opry, you should tour Gaylord Palms. It's a beautiful resort that also has live music. Parking is free at the mall.

We would stay at any of these hotels again.

Thank you, i would love to stay at Gaylord Palms, but not in the budget.

 

[kymom99]

I stayed at the best western mentioned above. I found it to be fairly nice and convenient to the opryland hotel area. Definitely walk around the opryland hotel. If you go downtown, do it early. Also, the trolley doesn’t run in the evening. It’s not cheap so if you want your moneys worth, plan to go early.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We hope to be there on a Tuesday to avoid weekend chaos. Is it just busy with leaf peepers or do they do speciial events? TN travel guide did not have alot of events for them.
Thanks

People just love to visit in October. The leaves are pretty, the weather is nice, and they decorate a lot in Gatlinburg. Going in the middle of the week should definitely help.

 

[VFL]

We were in Nashville in June to see a Savannah Bananas game and stayed near the gulch area. It was nice and close to everything.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Dollywood has its fall festival.
https://www.dollywood.com/plan-your-visit/fall/
The pumpkin displays are fabulous!

 

[Tink3815]

Dollywood has its fall festival.
https://www.dollywood.com/plan-your-visit/fall/
The pumpkin displays are fabulous!
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I love the cats, planning on going on Monday to the park