The Fourth of July (and now The Third of July), 2010

Is there any summer activity that's greater than the Fourth of July? Good luck trying to find one. There are only two events a year in this country that are so important, we shoot off high-powered, multi-colored explosives in public and in our backyards as an active means to personify our jubilation - the birth of the year and the birth of the nation.

To celebrate the Fourth of July in Sevier County takes some energy and some planning, but wow can you get a lot done in roughly 40 hours.

For one, Pigeon Forge is pulling a fast one on us and having its usual Fourth of July celebration on July 3rd! This day belongs to Pigeon Forge, as Patriot Park, the huge, level, open park in the Old Mill district, turns into the outdoor Fourth of July central. Bring a cooler, some chairs, a beach towel and enjoy some outdoors the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Some food vendors will be there and a large sound stage will be built for entertainment starting in the afternoon and lasting until the fireworks start. Diamond Rio and many other guests, local and abroad, are expected to perform that day!

Then, travel to Gatlinburg, which on a busy July 3rd evening starts filling with people in the mood for a celebration. At the stroke of midnight that evening, right as it turns into the Fourth of July, an enormous parade starts and marches through the streets of downtown Gatlinburg. Lots of floats, lots of people, lots of patriotism - the way a Fourth of July parade should be done.

The next day, you can return to downtown Gatlinburg for the midday favorite ID4 event, The River Raft Regatta, at the Ripley's Aquarium. It's an unmanned river raft race down the Little Pigeon River and you can find out more about it at this page: http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/event_detail.aspx?id=33.

Then, as night draws near again, you have a choice - stay in Gatlinburg and watch the fireworks or check out the amazing fireworks at Smokies Stadium in Sevierville. Smokies Stadium would be a drive to get to, but what says America better than watching American fireworks celebrate America at America's favorite pasttime stadium? Certainly not me trying to fit the ubiqitous word into a sentence as many times as I can. Either way, you'll be treated to another incredible and bright fireworks display.

Two in one year! Only in Sevier County!



And with Mountain Laurel, getting to all these events should be a relative breeze. Unlike most cabin companies, all our many, many units are in one place - hovering over the city of Gatlinburg on Ski Mountain. You can get to Pigeon Forge in roughly 15 minutes and downtown Gatlinburg in roughly 7. The Smokies Stadium is a far out drive even from downtown Sevierville, but it will be worth the trip if you decide to go.

Either way, you'll come home to Southern comforts after a long weekend out. Hot tubs and jacuzzis will soak away your tired skin and rejuvenate that worn-out body, and then you can surrender to the bed all you want. Any of our units will give you that, and thats over 100 choices to choose from!