In two weeks, we will be packing up our vehicle and heading to Smoky High House to kick off the summer at our rental cabin. We start preparing for our trip a few weeks before we leave by creating many lists-- items we need buy before we leave, clothing/toiletries, groceries to take with us and groceries to pick up when we arrive. We also make sure our kids' hiking boots and water shoes still fit-- surprise, they usually don't because of how quickly they grow!
I thought this would be a great blog post for future Smoky High House guests...or anyone who plans to vacation in the Smoky Mountains! Below you'll find lists of items that may be helpful as you prepare for your trip to the Smokies. Happy Packing!
Personal Items
Toiletries (there's a Dollar General close to the cabin in case you forget anything)
Daily hangout clothes
Hiking clothes
Pajamas
Socks and undergarments
Regular shoes, hiking boots, water shoes
Light coats, rain coats, and layers for cooler hikes or mornings/evenings
Sunglasses and hats for each person
Bug spray and sunscreen
Swim suits (to use in the hot tub and if we go to our community pool)
Beach towels, goggles, and swim toys to take to the pool
Floatation device for our youngest child (we usually do hikes that end at a swimming hole/waterfall and we love taking dips in the nearby rivers, so she always wears a life vest)
Travel Items
Games to play in the car
Technology and chargers
First aid kit to keep in the car
Hand sanitizer and/or hand wipes
Umbrella to keep in the car
Old beach/bath towels to keep in the car (we use these to wipe off mud from hikes or to sit on in the car if we happen to get rained on/wet from jumping in rivers or waterfalls)
Picnic blanket (to use when we do a scenic drive and can throw it out on the grass some place to eat a picnic lunch)
Grocery sacks to keep in the car (we use them to throw out trash when we drive and to place muddy hiking boots or wet clothing/towels after hikes or swimming in rivers)
Plastic utensils to keep in the car for eating (or in case the fast food place forgets to throw them in your carry-out bag)
Ibuprofen, Kids' Advil, and feminine products (we keep these in the glove box of our vehicle)
Groceries
We pack a large cooler in the back of the car (for grocery items we want to take to the cabin)
We also keep a small cooler behind the front seat (with snacks, drinks, and other goodies to eat while we drive)
We have a list of grocery items we plan to pick-up when we arrive so that we don't have to pack them the large cooler (examples: milk, eggs, berries, bread, etc)
What we think about when packing/buying groceries:
What snacks, drinks, meals do we plan to eat during our drive to the cabin?
How many times do we plan to eat out for breakfast, lunch, dinner?
What do we want to prepare/cook at the cabin for breakfasts, lunches, dinners?
What snacks do we want to keep in the cabin?
What snacks do we want to pack up for daily scenic drives, hikes, or day trips to tourist hot spots?
Other Items We Always Pack
Backpack to use for hikes (we usually have one large one that an adult carries during a hike with snacks, towels, water shoes, first aid kid)
Refillable water bottles to keep in the car and to take on hikes
Ziplock bags (gallon and sandwich) to use for packing snacks and picnic lunches
Popcorn for movie nights in the theater room
Books and journals we want to use while we relax on the porch
Games we can play as a family
Ground coffee of choice, or K-cups
Alcohol of choice (Note: there are different alcohol ordinances for purchasing liquor in the Smoky Mountains, so if you want anything besides beer or wine we highly suggest you bring it with you or purchase it in Sevierville or Maryville.)
Miscellaneous Things We Do Before We Leave
Purchase a Smoky Mountain National Park Pass to be able to park for hikes and scenic drives/picnics. We recommend a one week pass. Visit this website to purchase and print your pass before you leave:
Plan a list of hikes that we may want to try during this trip based on the ages of children and adults, weather, time of year, etc. You can visit previous blog posts and the "Things to Do" tab on our website for hikes we recommend:
Talk to our kids about things they want to do and create a list of activities in Townsend, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg that we want to try when we stay at the cabin. Visit the "Things to Do" tab on our website for ideas (it's the link above)!
If you happen to forget anything, there is a Dollar General that is less than 10 minutes from the cabin in Wears Valley. The nearest grocery stores are located in Townsend (it's an IGA an about 15 minutes away) or in Pigeon Forge (it's a Kroger about 15 minutes away). Some guests like to do a Walmart pickup in Sevierville, but be aware that traffic on cabin rental "turn-days" (Fridays-Sundays) and evenings can be heavy through that area and Pigeon Forge.
When we drive south from Illinois to the cabin, we like to drive through Maryville, TN. There are a number of grocery stores in Maryville, and there are some great breweries and restaurants to grab food before making the last drive to the cabin. Oftentimes, we call in a pizza order from Smoky's Pizza (address: 1607 E Lamar Alexander Parkway) as we get about one hour away from Maryville, pick it up, and take it to the cabin to eat when we arrive so that we can have pizza on the porch as the sun sets over the mountains.
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