Thank you for 2013

I'm sorry we've been 'absent' for the past few days.  We've been traveling and expected to have good Internet access.  Alas, it was not to be.

But as we are now just three days away from a new year, we want to take this opportunity to thank ALL of the folks who have been a part of our Gatlinburg experience in 2013.

First, a huge 'thank you' to our daughters, Marcia and Angie.  Marcia has faithfully answered every inquiry for Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out - no small task, considering we've received more than 700.  She has also kept track of all the reservations, communicated with our guests, and followed up with each one.  Angie is our 'webmaster,' keeping both www.SmokiesRentDirect.com and www.SmokyMountainTower.com up and running.  Both have provided valuable advice and encouragement throughout the year.  Also, Marcia's son, Nathan, has jumped in to perform research and check our advertising sites for accuracy.  So we truly are a 'family affair.'  Here's a photo of the group, with Nathan, Marcia, and Angie standing behind Dave.

Our Gatlinburg team makes it all work.  Ingrid and Bob Nelson and their daughters have done a fantastic job of cleaning our cabins after each stay, as well as taking care of small maintenance needs, changing the key codes, and making sure everything is in good working order.  Ingrid is an amazing person - she even answers guests' phone calls 24/7!

For larger maintenance jobs, Ingrid introduced us this year to Gary Stipes - who has done everything from installing new thermostats to replacing a toilet to fixing a ceiling leak.  There isn't anything he can't do.  And, for emergencies, we can always call on Darren Phillips, who lives right next door to All Decked Out.  What a blessing!

Of course, none of this would be of any importance if it weren't for YOU - our wonderful guests.  In 2013, we had almost 100 sets of guests, almost evenly split between our two cabins.  THANK YOU for all your great notes in the guest books, and for your care of our cabins.

Now, as we approach 2014, there are some changes in the wind.  We are working hard to confirm some things, and will let you know the news as soon as we can after January 1.  For now, though, we thank you for staying with us in 2013, and hope to see you again next year.

2013 is finished, but 2014 is getting started

It's December 20, 2013 - only 11 more days left in this year.  For us in Gatlinburg, the year is technically over.  We have no more available dates for the rest of the year.  Actually, we're full until after New Year's Day.

We want to thank all of you who have stayed with us in 2013.  In the past, Smoky Mountain Tower has rented quite a bit more than All Decked Out.  But that changed in 2013.  The two cabins were almost even.  In fact, we had one more set of guests at All Decked Out this year than we did at Smoky Mountain Tower.

Now, we're looking forward to 2014 - and there are some VERY big changes in store for us next year.  It's just a few days too early to tell you about them.  But very soon after January 1, we will have a special announcement to make.

Meanwhile, as you get together with your family in the next week or so, you may be making vacation plans.  We hope we will fit into those plans.  We will actually be traveling for the next 6 days, and Marcia will be with us.  But we will be checking email - so please let us know if you have any questions about staying with us in 2014.

Because of our travels, our next post will probably be after Christmas.  So Phyllis and I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.  We hope you enjoy the time with family and friends - and please also remember the Reason for the Season - the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

A confession...

Remember our posts last month about the mistletoe growing in the woods behind Smoky Mountain Tower?  This picture will remind you.

In my post, I promised to hang some real mistletoe inside All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower for you to enjoy.

Well, I'm sorry - but I have failed!  We have looked in a dozen stores to try to buy mistletoe, but we just can't find it anywhere.  So I apologize to those of you who will be staying with us for the rest of this year.  If you will write to me at Dave@SmokiesRentDirect.com, I'll still try to find mistletoe and mail it to you.

I guess you can always print out this picture and hang it up, but it's not the same.  But what IS real is your opportunity to stay at either Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out.  Would you believe, this week is still open - but just until next Sunday morning, December 22.  So if you want to make a REAL last-minute trip to Gatlinburg, you can register online right now.

Here are the links:
   All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.Com/All-Decked-Out/availability
   Smoky Mountain Tower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com/availability

Just remember, every minute you wait to make your reservation, the chance goes up that somebody else will book - or time will run out.  Starting next Sunday afternoon, both cabins are booked until next year!

If you can't make it this week, please pass this along to your friends.  SOMEBODY needs a quick trip for a little rest and some last-minute Christmas shopping at the outlet malls!

The answer to "What" and "Where"

In our last post, we asked you to identify the plant in the picture, as well as the location of the plant.  One person got the "where" part of the answer, but not the "what" part.  So here are the correct answers.

The plant is a Nandina bush - a member of the bamboo family.  It looks similar to holly because it is an "evergreen," but it's not part of the holly family.

As you can see, this particular bush is located between the front door and the garage door at Smoky Mountain Tower.  It is starting to get the red berries right about now.  So if you make a quick trip to Smoky Mountain Tower before Christmas, you can enjoy our Nandina bushes "live and in person."  There are actually a couple more bushes just to the left of the front door.

We only have a few dates open at Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out for the rest of this year - but we have plenty of dates in 2014.  Now is the best time to be making your Gatlinburg plans - before the rush.  Just visit our websites for more information (you can always access both cabins at www.SmokiesRentDirect.com).   See you in Gatlinburg!

What am I, and Where am I?

Here's another guessing game.  What is the name of this plant, and where is this specific plant located?

It shows the colors of Christmas, but is it holly?

Maybe the background will give you a clue about the location.

Please be as specific as possible, and we will give you the answer in a few days (unless somebody guesses correctly right away).

CYBER MONDAY

It will come as no surprise that today is "Cyber Monday."  I'm sure you've already received dozens of emails, announcing this deal or that discount.

So I supposed you want a Cyber Monday deal for Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out, right?  Marcia and I actually talked about it last night.  And I've thought more about it this morning.

Here's what I think:  You are already overwhelmed with Cyber Monday deals.  So we're not going to add to all the confusion.

However, we DO have some great nights still open this month at both All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower - including Christmas at All Decked Out.  You already know our prices are among the lowest in Gatlinburg, and you already know we don't have ANY extra charges, like cleaning fees or extra person fees.

So, if you are just aching for another Cyber Monday deal, write to me at Dave@SmokiesRentDirect.com and make up your own deal for any open nights this month (remember, there's a two-night minimum).  I'll do my best to give you the deal, as long as it's reasonable and I won't lose too much money!

This is probably the ONLY Cyber Monday deal where you control the offer!  Please pass this along, so your friends can also take advantage of this unique opportunity.  And here's even better news - I'll be glad to get your offers anytime this month, as long as we still have open nights.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a day when we all (hopefully) spend a little time considering the things we are thankful for.  It’s a good exercise.  But instead of asking you for a list of those “thankful things,” I want to take a little different approach.

In addition to all we do in connection with our Gatlinburg cabins, All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower, I am now the Executive Director of a small leadership institute (www.DeltaOneLeadership.org).  That gives me a great opportunity to continue working with people I first met at ServiceMaster, especially the former Chairman, Bill Pollard.  So I want to share a quote about ‘thanksgiving’ from Bill’s book, “Serving Two Masters?  Reflections on God and Profit.”  In the book, there’s a whole chapter on Prayer. 

Think about all the drawings you have seen of that first Thanksgiving, almost 400 years ago.  Many of them show pilgrims who are praying.  So, today, please think about this quote from Bill Pollard in his book: 

“When I pray, I should be ready to act to accomplish the things I am praying for. As I pray, I should not be anxious, but have a spirit of THANKSGIVING. I can worship God in my prayers and bring delight to Him as I seek His way and His will.”

Prayer is definitely more than just asking God.  It’s also a time for thanking God.  That’s something we should probably do more often – especially today.

The Gatlinburg Christmas Parade - Almost...

Earlier today, I put up a post about the Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade, which takes place in less than two weeks (Friday, December 6 and 7:30 pm).  It's always a spectacular event, as you can see.

In my post, I said that one of our cabins was open, so you could enjoy the parade in person.  But I was wrong.  When I rechecked our reservations, I found that we have guests arriving that afternoon at both cabins - Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out.  So I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next year to stay with us and enjoy the parade.

But we still have some good dates open in December, including some weekends.  You can enjoy all the lights in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, AND save some money on your Christmas shopping at the Outlet Malls.  How's THAT for a plan!

Just go to our websites and check our calendars for the dates that work best for you:
  -All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out/Availability
  -Smoky Mountain Tower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com/Availability

You, too, can make the holidays special, and we're glad to help.

You're gonna hate me for this...

In our post on Saturday, November 9, we told you about the Christmas decorations that would 'go live' in Gatlinburg on Wednesday, November 13.  We promised to post some pictures.  So here's a photo, just for you.

Oh, you thought I was going to show you the lights at night, when they're so brilliant - instead of during the day when they aren't anything special?!

Well, to be honest, that is exactly what we had in mind, too.  But we got all the decorating done early at All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower, so we were able to head for home before Wednesday night, when the lights were turned on.  Under the circumstances, this was the best I could do.

But wait, there's hope!  You can type "Pictures of Gatlinburg at Christmas" into Google and get lots of photos.  Better yet, make a trip to Gatlinburg between now and February 28, stay with us at Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out, and see the lights for yourself.  If you do, I don't think you'll hate me so much!

More Christmas decorations

We promised to show you a few more Christmas decorations at our Gatlinburg cabins.  So here they are:

We'll start with an exterior photo of Smoky Mountain Tower, where we've added a couple of wreaths.

Inside Smoky Mountain Tower, we have decorations spread throughout the place.  But we have something new this year - a garland in the living room.

At All Decked Out, we added a bow to our big heart wreath:

And take a look at the mantle in All Decked Out:

The stockings are hung - just for you.  Yes, All Decked Out is still open for Christmas.  But this is your last chance.  On Monday, we're going to add a note about this opening to all our advertising sites.  If history is any indication, the dates will be gone very quickly.

You can easily make your reservation at our website - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out/Availability.  We hope you can enjoy Christmas with us at All Decked Out, where there are LOTS more decorations!

Christmas has arrived!

As promised, we are in Gatlinburg and have just finished putting up Christmas decorations at both All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower.  Here's just a tiny preview - the Christmas trees.

If you have stayed with us, you'll recognize the living room corner at All Decked Out on the left, and the sunroom at Smoky Mountain Toer on the right.

There's more - but it's late and we just want to send you this quick preview.  We'll show you more in the coming days.

Remember, Christmas Day is still open at All Decked Out.  We hope YOU can enjoy Christmas with us at All Decked Out.

We're in Tennessee, getting ready for Christmas

We're not there yet (in Gatlinburg), but we're getting close.  Because we have guests in both Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out this weekend, we're enjoying a short visit with John and Marcia and their boys (Marcia handles our Gatlinburg reservations, so we're also doing some 'business!').

But tomorrow we are heading for All Decked Out and plan to spend the next couple of days decorating both cabins for Christmas.  No, it's not too early - because Gatlinburg will turn on all its Christmas lights next Wednesday.  You can get a preview and find out how you can enjoy a special Trolley Ride to see the lights by going to this website:  http://www.gatlinburg.com/events/details.aspx?id=13.  And we plan to post some of our pictures for you next week.

Speaking of Christmas, you can still spend Christmas Day in Gatlinburg.  Due to a rare cancellation, All Decked Out is open!  We have guests arriving on Thursday, December 26.  But you can come in the weekend before (Friday or Saturday afternoon, December 20 or 21), have a great time leading up to Christmas, and spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Gatlinburg.

We are confident that somebody will take advantage of this cancellation, and we plan to publicize this opening on our advertising sites next week.  So you need to make your plans quickly and get the dates booked.  In the 17 years that we have been renting out All Decked Out, we have always had guests on Christmas Day - and we are confident that 2013 will be no exception.

And we will be all ready for you!  Watch for our decoration pictures next week.

You are correct...

...if you guessed that our last post showed a picture of mistletoe.  And you're doubly correct if you guessed that the picture was taken from the Tower deck at Smoky Mountain Tower.  Here is a long shot to prove it.

Linda and Elsie figured it out.  Thanks to both of you for your correct guesses of the mistletoe picture.

The 'mistletoe tree' is actually on the property of our good friend and neighbor, Bob Ward.  And it's way down the hill in the woods, so it's a little hard to stand under, if you want to be kissed during this Christmas season.  But we plan to decorate both Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out for Christmas in about two weeks, and we will make sure to hang some mistletoe inside.

There is still time to enjoy the holidays with us in Gatlinburg.  But you need to make your reservation quickly before time runs out.  Bring someone you love to All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower and enjoy a kiss under the mistletoe - along with all the other great things we have to offer.

What's this?

Tomorrow is November 1.  That means it's time to start thinking about the upcoming holidays.  So we're going to show you some 'holiday' scenes in and around Smoky Mountain Tower and All Decked Out.

Let's start with this one:

What is this, and where is it located?

Please post your answer, and pass this along to your friends.  Remember, this is a two-part question.  You have to tell us WHAT this picture is showing, and WHERE it is located.

Of course, the best way to find out EXACTLY what this picture shows is to stay with us in Gatlinburg.  We have some great availabilities in November and December for your pre-holiday trip.

Happy guessing!

The time has come...

As part of the continual management of our Gatlinburg cabins - All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower - we have just completed a competitive review of our pricing.

We knew our rental rates were low, but we didn't realize how low!  In addition, we knew our costs were going up, but we didn't realize how much!  So the time has come for us to make a small adjustment in our rental rates.  Everything is going up by only $10.00 per night, effective immediately.

But we have some good news for our blog and Facebook friends.  We know you might be in the process of making plans to stay with us, and you didn't expect this increase.  So we have set up a special coupon code to give you a 10% discount on all bookings for any dates between now and December 31, 2014.  The coupon code is Price10 (be sure to enter it exactly as shown, because coupon codes are case-sensitive).  This discount will actually give you a rate that is cheaper than our old rates!

However, this offer is only available for a limited time.  It goes away on 11/12/13, so you have a little more than two weeks to make your plans and complete your reservation.

More good news:

• We still don't charge any extra fees.  In our research, we found all kinds of extra fees being charged by others.  Almost everybody else is charging a cleaning fee, and those fees add an average of another $80 to your rental.  So a two-night stay that looks like it only costs $140 per night is really $180 per night!
• We haven't changed of our policies.  We still only ask for a reservation deposit of $150.  We still have a 2-night minimum (except at Thanksgiving and Christmas).  We still have a liberal cancellation policy.

We hope you will take advantage of our special offer, and we hope to see you in Gatlinburg soon.

There is still time to enjoy the fall colors.

Phyllis and I drove through the Smokies on I-40 yesterday, on our way to Marcia's in middle Tennessee.  We were surprised to see that the fall leaf colors haven't peaked yet.  Take a look:

As you can see, there's still a lot of green.  We saw lots of maples (they are the ones that provide the rich colors) where only the tops have started to turn.

Also, two of our local friends have confirmed that we're at least a week away - or as one person said, "A good freeze away..." - from the color peak.

And speaking of green, you can still save some green if you stay at All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower next week.  Both are open from Sunday afternoon (10/27) to Thursday morning (10/31).  And the price is still discounted by 15% - to only $152.15 (plus tax).  All the details are on our websites.  Remember, you need to enter the coupon code of October15 to get the discount.

See you in Gatlinburg!

PS -Here's another closeup photo that shows where the color is headed.  We could have taken lots more pictures, but it clouded up right after we took this one.

It's Fall - time for a change!

Our Smoky Mountain Tower website has a new look, to match the change of colors in the Smokies.  Here's a preview:

You can see more by going directly to the page - www.SmokyMountainTower.com.

Of course, the first thing you'll notice is that our 15% discount for October dates is still available.  Stephen and Michelle took advantage of the sale and are enjoying Smoky Mountain Tower right now - at a savings of almost $54.00!  That's goes a long way toward paying for gas and meals.

The weekends are gone, but there are still dates available at All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower both this week and next week.  We hope you can join us - and save some money.  You can book directly on our websites - the Smoky Mountain Tower site listed above, and www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out/Availability for All Decked Out.

521,086 reasons to save money!

All 521,086 acres of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are now OPEN!  So you have even MORE reason to take advantage of our big 15% off savings on all open dates in October.

But every day you wait is a day you will miss out on the beautiful colors.  We just heard that the color peak is now forecast to be late this month, and we have dates open right at that time.

Just go to our websites for all the information:
   Smoky Mountain Tower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com/Specials
   All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out/Specials
You will need to enter coupon code October15 to get this deal - but all the instructions are on our websites.

Tell your friends.  Share this post.  We hope you can take advantage of this great deal AND enjoy Gatlinburg AND the National Park!

Why am I doing this?

Okay, it's October.  The leaves are turning and the peak is probably just a week away in Gatlinburg.  But we still have some REALLY GOOD open dates this month at All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower.

So I'm going to do something I've never done before.  I am going to lower the price for all open nights in October by 15% - down to $152.15 a night.  With tax, that's a TOTAL of $171.55 per night.  Remember, we don't charge ANY extra fees - just our low nightly rate and tax.

Here's a calendar of the nights available at each cabin:

As of this minute, there are 11 nights open at each cabin.  But that can change.  So you MUST make your plans quickly and make your reservation NOW.

To get this great discount, just go to our websites as follows:
   Smoky Mountain Tower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com
   All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out

Click the "Book Online Now" button on the left side, enter your arrival and departure dates, and click "Review & Book."  On the page that opens, go to the Coupon Code section and enter this code: October15 (be sure to enter it exactly as shown - coupon codes are case sensitive).  Click "Redeem" and you'll see that you have saved 15%!  Now, just complete the required information and you're all set.

We are announcing this Special Deal here first.  But you only have a 24-hour head start.  Then we'll post it on all our advertising sites.

Oh yes, why am I doing this?  Because I REALLY want you to enjoy the leaves in Gatlinburg this year.  All the reports are for a spectacular year, and the weather appears to be cooperating, too.  So we hope you can stay with us THIS MONTH!

The bathroom shelf at Smoky Mountain Tower

Every time we go to Gatlinburg, there is always some work to be done.  Way back in August last year, Phyllis started repainting the shelf that's in the main bath at Smoky Mountain Tower.  On our most recent trip, she added a little more frills to her paint job - especially in the upper corners.  So here are a couple of pictures of the process:

The next step is to add circles in those little pink squares in the corners.  We'll let you know when that gets done.

Slowly but surely...

"There's nothing to do if the Park is closed."

Some people are saying that, if the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed, there is no reason to go to Gatlinburg.

That is a MYTH!  In fact, one of the reasons we purchased All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower is because there is SO MUCH to do in the area - and the Park is just one piece of that pie.

Check out this website for a more complete response to this myth:

http://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/smoky-mountains/great-smoky-mountain-national-park-update/

If that doesn't give you enough things to do, try the websites for Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, which are less than 15 minutes from either of our cabins:
   www.Gatlinburg.com
   www.PigeonForge.com

We hope you will join us this month for God's great display of colors.  From what we've heard, it's supposed to be especially good this year.  We're pretty confident you won't be disappointed!  Of course, you can always write to us if you have any questions.

See you in the Smokies - Park or no Park!

Do you like exotic food?

I just have to show you one more picture from Grand Cayman.  We had a great dinner at 'Over the Edge' on the north side of Grand Cayman.  This was our meal:

Starting at the top left, the yellow items that look like bananas are fried plantain.  Then that purple item was boiled turtle in a wonderful wine reduction sauce.  Moving clockwise, you'll find fried conch and mahi-mahi (by the lemons).  On the bottom right is a breadfruit salad (breadfruit is like potato and is featured in Herman Melville's 'Mutiny on the Bounty').  Then we had green vegetables and rice.

This may not be something you will find in a Gatlinburg restaurant, but it was all VERY delicious.  I ate every bite!

As we get a little later in the year, we may tell you more about the Cayman Islands.  We had a wonderful time.  Now, it's back to work on giving you the best Smokies vacation possible.  We've had several October bookings since we talked about the fall colors - including folks who are coming to All Decked Out from California, just to enjoy the spectacular color display.  But we still have some open dates.  So please check our calendars at www.SmokyMountainTower.com/Availability or www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/Availability.  You don't want to miss out on the colors AGAIN, do you?

We're taking a break...

We love Gatlinburg.  But when we visit, we spend most of our time working on All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower.  So this week, we're taking a REAL vacation to celebrate our 52nd anniversary.  We're staying at the Holiday Inn Grand Caymanian in the Cayman Islands - our favorite 'out of the country' place to relax.  We celebrated our anniversary on Monday by taking a tour of the island, including a stop at the "blowholes."  Take a look:

When a wave comes in, the water shoots 40-50 feet in the air through a hole in the rocks.  It's quite spectacular.

We have lots more pictures and will try to make an album so you can enjoy our trip with us.  The Cayman Islands are a great place to visit if you want an alternative to the mountains.  Please write to us for more details on how we may be able to get you a special deal.

The fall colors are coming...

If you're keeping up with us, you know that we just made a fast trip to Gatlinburg and stayed at Smoky Mountain Tower.  This picture is a view from the main floor deck, looking at the trees on the west side of the sunroom (sorry, it was a cloudy day):

As you can see, the trees are starting to put on their fall color show.  The dogwoods are usually among the first to change - but the others won't be far behind.

Our local sources tell us the peak color at the top of the mountains could be as early as the first full week of October.  So that should make Gatlinburg pretty spectacular around the third or fourth week of the month.

And you can enjoy it.  October is always a full month for us, but we just had a cancellation due to illness.  So Smoky Mountain Tower is open from October 19 and on into November.  We hear it's supposed to be a pretty good year for color.  So this is the time to experience it for yourself.  To make your reservation, just go to our website at www.SmokyMountainTower.com and click the "Book Online Now" button.  Or click on "Availability" to check dates.  Our calendar is always right up to the minute, because it's tied into our reservation system.

The colors are coming ... and we hope you will join them in Gatlinburg!

(Almost) Full Moon at Smoky Mountain Tower

Did we tell you we made a fast trip to Gatlinburg?  Oops - guess not.  But here we are at Smoky Mountain Tower, getting a lot of maintenance work done. as well as restocking all our supplies.

But I just took time out to go up to the Tower deck and enjoy the (almost) full moon.  You can even see Mt. LeConte through the trees.  The moon will actually be full Thursday afternoon, but we'll be back home by then (and it's hard to see a full moon during the day!).

I figured you might like to enjoy it with me, so here's a photo.

You know, you can see the full moon in person from Smoky Mountain Tower.  We're already booked for the October full moon.  But the November full moon is Sunday, November 17 - and Smoky Mountain Tower is still available for the dates around that time.  So make your plans now, and make your reservation quickly.  You, too, can enjoy the full moon live and in person!

Birthday and Anniversary month

I just realized I haven't shown you our Gatlinburg calendar picture for September.  This shows our anniversary dinner a couple of years ago at Smoky Mountain Tower.  The inset pictures show all the goodies provided by Ingrid, our wonderful cleaner/property manager.

September is a busy month, because we have three birthdays and an anniversary.  If you've been following our posts, you already know that we're running a Birthday special, in honor of Phyllis' birthday earlier this month.

All available dates in September are still 15% off.  Just use Coupon Code Birthday15 when you make your reservation.  But you MUST hurry, because the month is half over.  We still have a few dates available, including next weekend at All Decked Out.  Hope you can stay with us!

Don't forget ... Patriot Day

In our last post, we reminded you about our Birthday sale and showed you a picture of our Americana mantle at All Decked Out.  Today's post is more serious.

Today is Patriot Day (sometime called 'Patriot's Day') - September 11.  We all remember what happened 12 years ago today.  But how does this relate to All Decked Out or Smoky Mountain Tower in Gatlinburg?

About three weeks ago (August 15), I told you about my 'favorite thing to do in Gatlinburg' - which is to go to a Food City store and get their great potato chips.  Today, I want to share something else about Food City.  Recently, they produced a very inspiring commercial that you need to see on this Patriot Day.  Here is the link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoABty_zE00

The commercial is titled "Grandfather's Pride."  Please play it - it's only a minute long.  Then tell me what you think of it.  Enjoy your day ... and your freedom!

Don't forget...

There is still time to take advantage of our "Happy Birthday Sale" - where all available dates in September at both All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower are on sale at 15% off.  Just enter the coupon code Birthday15 to get your discount.  Don't delay, or the dates you want may be gone.  Write us if you need more information.

If you want to celebrate America, there's no better place to stay that All Decked Out.  The whole cabin is decorated in Americana.  Just look at the decoration over the fireplace in the main room.

It's all yours to enjoy - even at a discount.  So come to Gatlinburg this month and save!

Happy Birthday Sale!

Today is the (fill in the blank) birthday of my wonderful wife and partner, Phyllis.  So we are going to give YOU a birthday present!

We still have some open dates this month at both All Decked Out and Smoky Mountain Tower.  So our "Birthday" gift to you is a 15% discount on any available dates in September.  That brings the nightly rate down to $152.15, which is less than our lowest regular rate of the year!

Here's our calendar.  Look at all those green boxes.  Every one is an open date that is all ready for you to enjoy (as of the moment I'm posting this).

We're announcing this deal here first, to give our friends a 'head start.'  But open dates are like airline seats - they're a perishable item.  So you need to book NOW before somebody else gets your dates.

To make your reservation, just select your cabin.  Then go to our website:
   Smoky Mountain Tower - www.SmokyMountainTower.com
   All Decked Out - www.SmokiesRentDirect.com/All-Decked-Out

Click the "Book Online Now" button and enter your arrival and departure date. 

Then click "Review & Book."

On the page that opens, scroll down to the "Coupon Code" section.  Enter this code:

Birthday15

(be sure to enter it exactly as shown - coupon codes are case-sensitive).

Then click "Redeem"

Now enter all the required information and you will be all set.

If you have any questions, write back to me - Dave@SmokiesRentDirect.com - and I'll help you make your reservation.

Happy Birthday!

Sunset pictures by grandkids

It's the last day of August, so it's fitting that we end our series of pictures by our grandkids with their beautiful sunset pictures.  These were all taken from the top deck at Smoky Mountain Tower.  The first one was taken by Lindsey.

You remember Lindsey.  She's a junior at Anderson University in Indiana, and the gal with the 'fish moustache!'

Now, here's a sunset picture by Zack, who is a high school senior at the Schaeffer Study Center in Mt. Juliet, TN.

What do you think?  Personally, I think both of these young people have a great eye for photography.  But then, that's what you would expect from a 'papa,' isn't it.

You, too, can enjoy sunsets like this when you stay with us at Smoky Mountain Tower.  Just go to www.SmokyMountainTower.com/Availability to find the best dates for your visit.