National Park visits are on the increase

We just got the word.  Visits to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park for the first six months of 2012 increased by more than 11 percent.  And both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are showing double-digit increases in visitors this year.

You know what that means, don't you?  Yep - it's going to be harder to find a good place to stay.  So there is no better time than NOW to make your plans for your visit to the Smokies - especially because you can save some big money this coming Tuesday, July 31.  That's the day of our 16%-off Anniversary Sale.

Just in case you missed it before, here are the links to our Specials pages that have all the details:

All Decked Out - http://www.smokiesrentdirect.com/all-decked-out/specials

Smoky Mountain Tower - http://www.smokymountaintower.com/specials/

Remember, as soon as you decide which cabin is the best for you, click on "Availability" to check the calendar.  Then click "Book Online Now" to make your reservation.  If you're worried that somebody else might grab your dates, you can make your reservation right now.  Otherwise, July 31 is the day!

A week from today - it's all over!

That's right.  One week from today is August 1, and our July 31 one-day 16th anniversary sale will be history!  We're getting lots of inquiries for dates throughout the rest of 2012 - and even some for 2013.  So we know that folks are making their plans.

Marcia and I are ready.  I'm going to stay up late on the night of Monday, July 30, so I can change all the prices on our reservation sites at midnight.  And if you join me and make your reservations just after midnight, I'll even confirm them before I go to bed.  We'll sleep for a few hours, but we'll both be ready to go again on Tuesday morning, July 31 to confirm your reservations.

Here are just a few reminders:

• Before next Tuesday, you should go to our Web sites (see below) and check the availability of your dates.  The calendars are always correct, because they're tied directly to the reservation system.
• When you're ready to make your reservation, you can use the links below to take you right to the reservation site.  That will give you a slight jump on the people who will be linking through our sites.
• If you have a question before July 31, please write to us directly - Dave@SmokiesRentDirect.com or Marcia@SmokiesRentDirect.com.

Now, here are the links I promised:

All Decked Out -
   -Date Availability - http://www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out/Availability
   -Reservations - http://www.ivacationonline.com/Rentals/Rental_View.asp?PropertyID=985

Smoky Mountain Tower -
   -Date Availability - http://www.smokymountaintower.com/about-the-cabin/availability/
   -Reservations - http://www.ivacationonline.com/Rentals/Rental_View.asp?PropertyID=963

And remember, you'll save money by booking on July 31 - because a week from today, the prices will be a little higher!

"One thing leads to another..."

I've been thinking this afternoon about what to post on our blog and on Facebook.  I could remind you about our July 31 one-day anniversary sale, but you probably already have that on your calendar (at least, I HOPE so!).

But I decided to link you to a blog story we did recently for VisitMySmokies.com.  This site is run by the Sevier County Economic Development Commission.  Kelly DeBord, who manages the site for Sevier County, asked me to write up the story of how we came to purchase our cabins in Gatlinburg.

So here's the link: http://www.visitmysmokies.com/Blog/.  Then click on the July 19 post, titled "One thing leads to another..."

We'd love to hear YOUR story, too.  Why are you interested in the Smokies?  What do you like best.  You can post it right here, so send them directly to us at dave@smokiesrentdirect.com.

And while you're at it, please tell us what you'd like to read here.  What information can we provide that will make your trip to Gatlinburg more enjoyable?  What would you like to know about our cabins, or our family rental business? 

We sure hope to hear from you!