It is that time of year.. when Smoky Mountains cabin owners are getting bombarded with requests for Christmas and New Years stays. Of course most EVERYONE is booked for those dates and has been for months. Don't be that person next year -- scrambling to find something, anything at all! Here are few tips to avoid vacation frustration: DO: book early if you want to stay exactly during holiday weeks.  Christmas and New Year (unlike spring break) is a fixed calendar date, so you can plan FAR

Blue Mountain Vacation Cabins shares some of the best things to do in the Smoky Mountains when you’re planning a visit for the first time. The Smoky Mountain area is full of fun for everyone! There is so much to do, from attractions, to dining, to shopping. If you’re planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains for the first time, there are some things you just can’t miss out on. To help you decide what to do, we’ve made a list.

Been to the Smoky Mountains many times? Seen it all, done it all? Maybe not everything, after all! Expand your hiking horizons by choosing the experience that will give you unique bragging rights: Smoky Mountain Llama Treks! Hike without a heavy backpack and enjoy the scenery!

Vacation rentals are not hotels.. and they are not shared spaces either! You have probably read some travel “bloggers” and various articles offering advice on how to save money on your travel. While we would not venture to advise on air travel or cruises, or even accommodations outside of vacation rental homes in the Smokies, we would like to say that much of the advice that bloggers, travel sites and travel publications give is exactly WRONG when it comes to renting vacation homes in the

Why vacation rentals are scam targets? What are the typical vacation rental scams? "Do"s and "Don't"s when looking to rent a vacation home on social media or Craigslist. Safe and unsafe ways to pay for a vacation rental.

Why the log cabin? When you stay in a cabin, you get an experience like no other.  There’s something you’ll remember when you get older.  Everybody is together in a cabin (and, when you stay in one of our cabins, you don’t have neighbors right next door to you that you have to worry about).  Everybody’s got their own sleeping quarters.  You’re not just paying for somewhere to sleep and lay your head.  When you stay in a cabin, it’s that thing you’ll remember and you’ll do it year, after year,

The rise of booking sites... and scams We have written before here and here about the vacation rental listings sites transitioning to becoming "online marketplaces", "online travel agencies" or "booking sites" which, for all intents and purposes, mean basically the same.  How it used to be Owners of vacation homes paid a sum of money (often pretty substantial) to advertise their property on some of most popular "Big 3" vacation rental sites like VRBO /HomeAway and TripAdvisor; AirBnB was

If you have "done it all" in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville area during your stay, have time and want to try something new out of the way, consider a side trip that you can do in one day.   Take a day trip to Mount Mitchell - the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Approximately 2 hrs 45 mins each way, including the drive on scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

If you have "done it all" in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville area during your stay, and want to try something new, consider a side trip to Hot Springs, NC - less than hour and a half from our cabins. Visit relaxing hot springs spa and soak in warm mineral water.