Planning Your Cabin Vacation

Welcome to the log cabin capital of the world. Here in the Smokies, you can stay in rustic luxury for less than you'd pay (per couple) for a mid-range chain hotel. Luxury―in a cabin? You bet. Think game rooms, flat-screen TVs, forever view―seven indoor pools and theaters. You can afford it. Really.The only downside? Choosing one. Our online search for "Gatlinburg cabin" turned up 1.2 million hits. Yikes! With hundreds of rental companies and around 9,000 cabins to choose from, where do you begin?We'll show you how to pick the perfect cabin and plan a dream vacation--for 2 or 20. The right cabin can change everything you think about the Smokies. Give it a try, and see why this is one of the best budget destinations in the country.Our Quest for the Best
In our two-year hunt, we researched every cabin rental company we could find (more than 200) in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Townsend, and beyond. We drove up sketchy mountain roads, tallied hidden fees, and sized up everything from trailers with log siding to million-dollar homes. Southern Living editors toured hundreds and stayed in many. We made mistakes so you don't have to. Kim Cross