| Weekend trips to Gatlinburg and the Great | | | | understand exactly why. This fully stocked |
| Smoky Mountains are a great retreat choice for | | | | aquarium has more than eight different exhibits to |
| any church group. Among the many different | | | | explore, from Shark Lagoon to their Lethal |
| wholesome attractions and activities, every | | | | Weapons exhibit to their new Penguin Playhouse. |
| member of your group will find something that | | | | Get up close and personal with some of the |
| appeals to their tastes. To plan the perfect youth | | | | world's most interesting sea creatures in the |
| group or family retreat weekend, check out | | | | Discovery Center, where you and your group can |
| some of these popular, regional activities. | | | | touch the oddly fantastic horseshoe crabs. Best |
| With more than 500,000 acres of forest and 800 | | | | of all, Ripley's offers group rates on admission, |
| miles of trails, every weekend in Gatlinburg | | | | making it an affordable stop for your group. |
| demands a Saturday hike in the Great Smoky | | | | To take a break or to end your day, check out |
| Mountains. Your group could easily spend an entire | | | | some of the delicious restaurants in Gatlinburg. |
| Saturday here. Try packing a lunch and enjoying | | | | The Parkway, Gatlinburg's main street, offers |
| the long trails of varying difficulties for a group | | | | food choices ranging from Tennessee's famous |
| with mixed age participants. Don't forget your | | | | barbeque to seafood to pizza. Your church can go |
| binoculars, as the Smokies are home to more | | | | to one of the area's many family-dining |
| than 200 species of birds. | | | | establishments to find cuisine that offer enough |
| To keep enjoying the beauty of God's creation, | | | | varieties to please a large group. |
| take the group to the Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort | | | | And don't forget about church on Sunday |
| and Amusement Park and ride high above the | | | | morning. No matter your church's denomination, a |
| Smokies. The Ober's 120-passenger gondola will | | | | house of worship door's open for your group. |
| give you and your group the lift you need on trip | | | | There are also revivals every day of the week in |
| that covers two miles in 10 minutes, and that will | | | | Sevier County. Gatlinburg is a great place for |
| take you to the top of the mountain where your | | | | group worship, as the natural beauty of the |
| group can indoor skate year-round and ski or | | | | mountains commands a strong spiritual quality. |
| snowboard in the winter. Summer also offers an | | | | These are just a few of the many options for |
| alpine slide, black bear habitat, bungee fun, and | | | | your group to choose when planning a Great |
| miniature golf at Ober. Be sure to have lunch up | | | | Smoky Mountain vacation. Make sure to ask |
| there, too-you'll want to spend as much time | | | | wherever you plan to visit if they offer group |
| catching the mountain air as you can. | | | | discounts, a huge perk of traveling together. |
| If outdoor adventures don't appeal to the group, | | | | Regardless of what you pick, the family fun that |
| don't worry; plenty of museums and indoor | | | | eastern Tennessee offers tourists is |
| attractions await to keep everyone entertained. | | | | custom-made for any church group. |
| How about Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies? | | | | Learn more about things to do in Gatlinburg or |
| Ripley's is one of Gatlinburg's most attended | | | | Pigeon Forge at our Gatlinburg cabins website. Just |
| attractions-and when you stop in you will | | | | click through to the blog when you get there. |
