This story was written in collaboration with Forbes Finds. Forbes Finds covers products and experiences we think you’ll love. Featured products are independently selected and linked to for your convenience. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale.
The Gatlinburg Strip is a place unlike any other, filled with family-friendly attractions like Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and the Gatlinburg Space Needle, which rises 400 feet above the action. The entire city is just under 2.5 square miles, so it’s easily negotiable.
Here are some of the best hotels on the strip in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Black Bear Inn & Suites
This hotel is at the southern end of the Gatlinburg Strip, and is one of the closest to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the trailhead of the Gatlinburg Trail, which is a short and easy walking/biking path through the woods. Black Bear Inn has balcony rooms and suites that can accommodate up to eight people, the largest of which have fireplaces and spa tubs. The hotel offers a free hot breakfast every day, and has a heated indoor all-season pool.
Margaritaville Resort
Granted, it may not be on the beach, but Margaritaville Resort still feels like a tropical island vacation with Jimmy Buffett. The outdoor pool has a waterslide and a terraced fireplace area, and there’s also an indoor pool. The St. Somewhere Spa even has perfect Parrothead touches, like the Lost Shaker of Salt Exfoliation and the Manicure/Pedicure in Paradise. On-site dining includes the Landshark Bar & Grill and the License to Chill Bar. The hotel is on the Gatlinburg Trolley line and within walking distance of downtown attractions.
Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg on the River
Located on the Parkway, Baymont by Wyndham has rooms with fireplaces and balconies overlooking the Little Pigeon River and the mountain scenery beyond. This pet-friendly hotel is family-friendly, too: Baymont offers children’s activities, a children’s play area and a game room in addition to its indoor pool.
Gatlinburg Inn
This historic hotel has been a Gatlinburg tradition since 1937, and still maintains old-fashioned Southern hospitality, like a porch full of rocking chairs overlooking the mountains. Gatlinburg Inn is so central to the action in the city that its outdoor pool is next to the path of the Gatlinburg Sky Lift, which boards next door, and looks directly at the Gatlinburg Space Needle. Parlor rooms come with a separate sitting room, and family suites have two separate bedrooms.
Quality Inn & Suites Gatlinburg
This pet-friendly hotel is directly across the street from the Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster and within walking distance of the aquarium. Quality Inn has an outdoor pool and a whirlpool, and offers free hot breakfast in the morning. All the rooms have microwaves and refrigerators, and some have balconies and fireplaces.
