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

Since 2014, Mary Plagge and her family have made the trip from the suburbs to the Smoky Mountains a couple of times a year, every year. Over more than a decade, they've stayed in seven different Mountain Laurel Chalets properties — Highland Fling, Tucked Inn, Early Dawn, Poppes Pinnacle, Paradise Peake, Nestled Inn, and this August, Camp.

That's not a vacation habit. That's a relationship.

Mary describes the pull simply: there's something about the mountains that brings calm, peace, and beautiful views that home — out in the suburbs, surrounded by hustle and bustle — just doesn't offer. Here's her family's story, more than a decade in the making.

For years, Highland Fling was the Plagge family's cabin of choice — seventeen visits, to be exact. It's a single-level layout, which the family appreciated for practical reasons: their son is on the autism spectrum, and being able to stay close to his room at night without stairs or separate floors gave everyone an easier night's sleep.

Mary's sister had stayed at Highland Fling before and recommended it with one specific selling point: if you want to see a bear, this is the place. She wasn't exaggerating.

One afternoon, the family was relaxing out on the deck when Mary heard a noise behind her. She turned around to find an uninvited guest checking out the scene: a smallish bear, perched right up on the hot tub like he was deciding whether to hop in.

What followed was peak family chaos — everybody talking over each other, hollering for her son to swing open the other deck door, and a quick group shuffle inside. The bear, for his part, seemed completely unimpressed by the fuss and wandered off, presumably to go find a quieter hot tub to inspect.

“Whew!” as Mary put it — followed, presumably, by a lot of laughing about it later. It's exactly the kind of story that gets retold at every family gathering since, and a fun reminder that the Highland Fling deck and hot tub are clearly part of the local bear circuit.

As Mary's son got older — he's 20 now — the family decided to venture out and try something new. They found Tucked Inn, a cabin with two bedrooms on the same level, and it's been their go-to ever since. 

It's easy to see why it stuck. Tucked Inn is one of the newer additions to the Mountain Laurel portfolio, and the back wall of windows facing Mt. LeConte is the kind of view that takes your breath away every time, no matter how many times you've seen it. 

For a family who has spent a decade learning exactly what they love about a mountain stay — calmness, comfort, and a view worth sitting still for — Tucked Inn fits right into the tradition. 

Pictured below: Three wildly different views from Tucked Inn, shot by  Mary herself!

“We'd rather see the mountains than a crowded beach,” Mary says. For her family, the ideal Smokies day doesn't involve a packed itinerary. It's sitting on the deck, maybe with a drink in hand, taking in the view. As Mary puts it, taking in God's creation.

It's a reminder that a great Gatlinburg vacation doesn't have to be activity-packed to be meaningful. Sometimes the entire point is to slow down.

When they do venture out, the Plagge family has a handful of tried-and-true favorites they come back to trip after trip. Here are their recommendations and some photos of Mary and her family:

WonderWorks — Pigeon Forge

WonderWorks is an interactive science and entertainment attraction housed inside its famously upside-down building in Pigeon Forge. With over 100 hands-on exhibits covering everything from natural disasters to outer space to optical illusions, it's a hit with kids and adults alike — the kind of place where an hour turns into three without anyone noticing.

Anakeesta — Gatlinburg

Perched above downtown Gatlinburg, Anakeesta is a mountaintop village accessible by chairlift or gondola, with sweeping views of the Smokies, a treetop skywalk, zip lines, and a charming collection of shops and restaurants. It's equally good for a laid-back afternoon taking in the scenery or a full day of activities — one of those spots that earns a repeat visit almost every trip.

Over eleven years, Mary's family has gotten to know quite a bit of the Mountain Laurel Chalets portfolio:

• Highland Fling — single-level layout, deck and hot tub area with frequent bear activity; the family's longtime favorite

• Tucked Inn — two bedrooms on the same level, the current go-to as the family's needs evolved

• Early Dawn, Poppes Pinnacle, Paradise Peake, and Nestled Inn — all previously stayed in over the family's eleven years with Mountain Laurel Chalets

• Camp — their upcoming stay this August

Browse the full collection at mtnlaurelchalets.com/rentals to find the chalet that fits your trip.