Posts

Posted on 7/28/2026

Like Coming Home: One Couple's Guide to Gatlinburg from Little Bear Cabin

Casey Georg and his wife have visited the Smoky Mountains more times than they can count. And every single time, it feels like coming home. ...

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Posted on 7/16/2026

Hidden in Plain Sight: Private Smoky Mountain Cabins

When people picture a Gatlinburg cabin, they usually picture two options: right in the thick of it in Downtown Gatlinburg, or so far out you're driving twenty minutes for coffee. There's a third option, and it's the one most guests don't know to ask for. Our most private cabins sit on quiet streets, wooded acreage, and tucked-away neighborhoods that are still just minutes from downtown Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the national park. ...

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Posted on 7/14/2026

18 Years of Happy Places: One Family's Reunion at Porch in Gatlinburg

Some places earn the title of “happy place” over a lifetime of visits. For Jan Hemsworth and her husband, Porch cabin in Gatlinburg was exactly that. ...

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Posted on 7/7/2026

Eleven Years, Seven Cabins: One Family's Decade of Mountain Memories with Mountain Laurel Chalets

Since 2014, Mary Plagge's family has made the trip from the suburbs to the Smoky Mountains a couple of times a year — staying in seven different cabins along the way. From a surprise bear encounter at Highland Fling to the simple pull of mountain views over a crowded beach, here's why eleven years later, they're still coming back. ...

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Posted on 6/23/2026

50 Years in the Smokies: Why One Couple Keeps Coming Back to Gatlinburg (and Mountain Laurel)

Most people discover Gatlinburg once and fall in love with it. Skip Davis discovered it nearly 50 years ago and never really left. ...

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Posted on 5/26/2026

7 Bears, a Helicopter, and a Sunrise: One Family's Gatlinburg Trip from Ober View Cabin

Some families have a Disney trip. The Powells have Gatlinburg. Every year, Carissa Powell packs up the family — kids, their little dog Dolly, and a well-worn list of Gatlinburg traditions — and makes the trip to the Smoky Mountains. They know where to get the old-time photo taken. They know the sky bridge will make the kids lose their minds. They know Cades Cove is non-negotiable. And this past spring, they added a new one to the list. ...

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Posted on 5/24/2026

The Day We Said Goodbye to Marina

We gathered at Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens to say goodbye to Marina "Nina" Torres Casas. She was 69 years old. She spent more than twenty years at Mountain Laurel Chalets, folding towels and sheets in our laundry department and cleaning cabins. She was the mother of Jazmin Hawks, who leads our entire housekeeping operation. She was the mother-in-law of Corey Hawks, our COO. She was, in every way that matters, family. ...

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Posted on 5/19/2026

Why We Do This: Creating Lifetime Memories, One Child at a Time

Fifty-four years of legacy doesn't produce quick wins. What it produces are deep wins — the kind that settle into you slowly and remind you exactly why you got into this business. This is one of those stories. ...

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Posted on 3/24/2026

WAKE UP TO GATLINBURG MOUNTAIN VIEWS

There's a moment that happens to nearly every guest who stays with us. It goes like this: you arrive in the evening, you're tired from the drive, you unlock the door — and then you step out onto the deck. The mountains are right there. Not in the distance. Right there. Mt. LeConte rising 6,593 feet directly in front of you, the ridgeline catching the last light of the day, the whole valley quiet below. And something in you goes still. ...

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Posted on 3/12/2026

PLANNING THE PERFECT DAY IN GATLINBURG

Nestled within the breathtaking Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a haven for nature enthusiasts, adventure seekers, and those in search of a peaceful escape. From its stunning natural landscapes to its charming downtown area, Gatlinburg offers a wide range of experiences that come together to create the perfect day. Join us as we embark on a journey through a day filled with beauty and excitement in this beloved town. ...

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