There is something about the cool mountain air in Gatlinburg, TN, that makes your appetite hearty and your mouth start to water.
After a long day hiking the trails of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park or even just relaxing at your cabin your nose will lead you to one of the dozens of restaurants that can be found on the main strip or nearby and your stomach will soon thank you for doing so.
Maybe you want to try some local flavor or have a specific style of food in mind; in Gatlinburg, there is something for everyone and every appetite.
Start off the morning right with a heaping pile of pancakes smothered in sweet syrup.
Can't decide where to go? There is a pancake house for every day of the week - have Atrium on Monday, Flapjacks on Wednesday and Log Cabin Pancake House on Friday! Pancakes taste that much better when accompanied by generous helpings of biscuits, scrambled eggs, hash browns and sausages.
If you sleep in, don't worry, these restaurants run all day long serving people their favorite meal of the day, breakfast.
If you spent the morning enjoying the natural beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park you are certain to have worked up a healthy appetite.
Some of those trails can be a real workout so you deserve to treat yourself to a big lunch.
Park on the main strip and you can easily walk to one of many restaurants like the Bubba Gump Shrimp company and bone up on your "Forrest Gump" trivia, the Hard Rock Cafe for music lovers or Crawdaddy's Restaurant and Bar for a great time.
These are all family friendly locations so bring the whole gang along and try out the whole menu! Save room for dessert as there are a ton of ice cream shops and candy stores located along the way that will tempt any sweet tooth.
Maybe you are on vacation with your sweetheart or newly married at one of the many chapels located in the serene wilderness of the Honeymoon Capital of the South.
After spending the day relaxing many of the Gatlinburg cabins throw on some clothes and come to dinner at one of the acclaimed steakhouses here.
The Alamo Steakhouse is a perfect location for intimate dinners with their "Love Nests" that allow you to dine in privacy.
For a more upscale dinner choose the Park Grill Restaurant whose steaks have wowed locals and visitors alike for many years.
If you just want to wear jeans and relax the Bear Creek Grill serves fantastic food and offers a beautiful view of the creek that runs right by it.
Finding a great restaurant in Gatlinburg is easy; finding the time to try them all will be the hardest part of your vacation! To get the complete experience of your vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains be sure to include a few of these great eateries on your itinerary and don't be surprised if you want to return again for more.