Last yearat The Resort @ Governor’s Crossing we began to allow you to build your own packages. We are happy to announce that again in 2012 we have tickets to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
Just go to our on-line booking engine, choose your dates and applicable rate type (our standard every day rate is called Rack, if you are a member of AAA, AARP, own a business or are a government employee you may select those applicable discounted rates). If available you will be offered the opportunity to upgrade, and then a box will appear where you can add tickets or other items. Look for the Ripley’s Aquarium logo and select the tickets needed in each age catagory. (If you require more than 4 tickets of any age grouping select 4 and then you will be able to add additional tickets).
The packages are available for stay dates 1/9/2012 to 1/2/2013on-line and must be reserved 2 days prior to arrival.Tickets will be available for pickup at 4PM day of arrival. Once tickets are received by guest they become the sole responsibility of the guest and are non refundable.You must have Java Script enabled on your computer to view these rates. You may also call 800-494-7308 to reserve your package.
The first few weeks of June in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Mother Nature treats us with the annual lightshow of the synchronized fireflies. There are 12 species of the flashing fireflies know to inhabit the park. The “flashing” is caused by a chemical reaction in the firefly’s body.
Thus year the City of Gatlinburg will provide trolley service to the Elkmont Campground through June 12, as park officials will close the entrance road to Elkmont to all vehicles and pedestrians daily at 5PM until midnight. Registered campers staying at the Elkmont Campground will be exempt from this road closure. Due to safety concerns visitors will not be allowed to walk the Elkmont entrance.
The trolleys will pick up visitors at the Sugarland’s Visitor Center parking area at 7PM until the parking area is full or until 9PM which ever occurs first. The last return trolley from Elkmont will depart at 11PM. The roundtrip cost is $1 per person. There is no overflow parking at the Sugarland’s Visitor Center, and restrictions will be enforced, so arrive early.
It is recommended that visitors bring flashlights with red cellophane covers to reduce white light. Visitors may bring lawn chairs, and carry food & water in backpacks but these items must be able to fit on their laps while on the trolleys. There are no services available at the site and coolers, alcoholic beverages, and pets are strictly prohibited.
Travelers on Newfound Gap Road (U. S. 441) through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park will experience delays beginning March 1st. Repairs on the heavily traveled two lane mountain road will begin on the Tennessee side at the state line proceeding north. In addition to repaving and drainage work the stone retaining walls will require repairs including re-construction to support the roadbeds, forcing closure of one lane from March 1st through June 10th.
Just above the Morton Overlook the work on the retaining wall and roadbed will require flag crews to direct traffic from 8AM until 9PM. Overnight traffic will be open to both lanes. At a slightly lower location traffic lights will control traffic around the clock.
From June 11 through August 15 there will be no lane closures during daytime hours. Overnight between 9PM and 8AM construction will again cause lane closures.
The expected completion time of this first phase of the road work project is scheduled for October 2012. An additional two phases are schedule to complete the repairs of the 15 mile stretch of road between Newfound Gap and the park entrance north of Gatlinburg with projected completion in 2016.
Celebrate New Years Eve at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies with their 10th annual “Dance with the Sharks”. Join in the festivities as Ripley’s will have 2 bands, Hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast, plus the opportunity for personal souvenir photo to remember the closing out of 2010. At midnight you will be able to enjoy the city of Gatlinburg’s fireworks display as we close out the old and bring in the New Year.
Tickets for this year’s gala are available on-line at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokiesweb site or by calling 888-240-1358.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies announced Thursday an expansion that will include a habitat for about 20 African penguins. The new multimillion dollar exhibit is scheduled to open in mid-March and is located at the site of the former Veranda Restaurant.
The black footed African penguins average about 2 feet in height and weigh around 5 to 9 pounds. The African penguins, with shorter feathers than the Antarctic penguin, are from a warm climate that will allow for them to be displayed in an indoor-outdoor facility.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, located in downtown Gatlinburg, was named the top aquarium in the nation last year by Trip Advisor, the online travel website.
As more and more people spend their Christmas in the Smokies, the number 1 question is: What restaurants will be open Christmas Day? Thanks to our local Chambers of Commerce and The Mountain Press, we have the following list.
Sevierville
· Applewood
· Ball’s Supper Table
· Longhorn Steak House
· Moe’s Southwest Grill Gatlinburg
· Bear Creek Grill (4PM)
· Blaine’s (2PM)
· Eleanor’s Restaurant
· Hard Rock Café
· Howards
· Legends by Max
· Linberger’s
· McDonalds
· Papa John’s
· Park grill
· Park vista
· Peddler
· Ripley’s Aquarium restaurant
· Smoky’s Sports Pub
· The Lodge at Buckberry Creek Pigeon Forge
· Buddy’s Bar-B-Que
· Calhouns
· Corky’s
· Denny’s
· Flapjacks
· Golden Corral
· Happy Days Diner
· Hardee’s
· Kinkaku
· La Carreta
· Louie’s Grill
· Mama’s Farmhouse
· No Way Jose
· Papa John’s
· Shoney’s (Dixie Stampede location)
· Star Buffet Chinese
· TGI Friday’s
· Thai Thani, Oishi
· Wood Grill Buffet
We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year from The Resort at Governor’s Crossing.
Local ski resort, Ober Gatlinburg, opened this weekend for this years ski season. With the recent colder weather here in the Great Smoky Mountains, the ski resort has been able to make snow and has five of their eight slopes open with 15-25” bases reported. Ober Gatlinburg is accessible by car or by taking the Aerial Tramway from downtown Gatlinburg. The tramway happens to be one of the largest in the US. Click here for further information on Ober Gatlinburg.
We have an updated photo from the Campbell Overlook south of Gatlinburg. Some color change is starting to appear in the lower elevations. The second photo is taken from Newfound Gap from the overlook at the parking area.
We are beginning to see color changes of some of the leaves in the Great Smoky Mountains. The following photo is from the Campbell Overlook just south of Gatlinburg, about 12 miles from Newfound Gap. In this wide angel shot taken 10/7/09 you can see some reds and oranges in the upper elevations on some of the ridges.
Fall Foliage at Campbell Overlook 10/7/2009
Weather permitting we will post a photo from the same location next week.
Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg are gearing up for the upcoming car shows the next two weekends. The 37th Annual Shades of the Past show will be held at National Parks Resort Lodge and Smoky Springs Ranch on Sept. 11th & 12th. The Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center will host the annual Grand Fall Rod Run the following weekend, Sept. 18th-20th.
We will try to post some pictures of early arrivals for the car show later this week. The Resort still has units available for these two weekends. Via Veteran’s Boulevard, none car show enthusiasts have easy access to Dollywood.
