April 07 thru 11 - Smoky Mountains - Townsend, Tennessee
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Spring break for the Tribe this year was spent in and near the Smoky Mountain National Park (but mostly Dollywood). This is the third time we've stayed at the KOA in Townsend. We like it. The facilities are very clean (bath houses are spotless, but we really don't use them). Daddy was initially disappointed in the site we ended-up with, but that changed quickly. It turned out to be a great site that was considerably wider than the other river-side sites. The Townsend KOA is a little more expensive than some of the others in the area, but river side sites have a view of the cabins and mountains in the background. Some other campgrounds have a fairly busy road across the river instead. KOA's key benefits: full hookups, cable, wifi, decks overlooking river.

Our first full day was initially going to be spent at Dollywood, but rain brought a change of plans. We instead went to the Tuckaleechee caverns. It was an affordable afternoon, free from rain and cold wind, and perfect for kids. The cave is really quite wonderful. At one time, the formations were a beautiful white,  like many southeastern limestone caves. Unfortunately, this cave once completely flooded by water laden with red dirt and clay. Now everything is stained a reddish brown. Still, the cave is huge, and the Tribe had quite a good time. Afterward, we met Super Dave's crew and some other friends for an early supper at No Way Jose's, the Pigeon Forge location. The food was pretty good, but the atmosphere (and the chips) were a little stale compared to the one in Gatlinburg.

Friday's weather was very nice, so off to Dollywood we went. Spring was in full bloom at Dollywood, which made it even more enjoyable. There was a pretty large crowd in the park, but it was still a lot of fun. We rode lots of rides and ate some yummy treats.