A friend says he can get special rates (really cheap) at certain motels but those motels are only in Cherokee and Gatlinburg. Which town would be better to stay at?

 

Gatlinburg is a tourist trap. It has night life, but it also has thousands of tourons. Cherokee is similar, but smaller. Both are in the middle of some great riding so it only depends on your tolerance for crowds & desire for night life.

 

Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge IMHO. Stayed in Pigeon Forge last month. $78 on a Friday night which included continental breakfast at the Quality Inn... Depends on what you like to do. Gatlinburg is like the Myrtle Beach of the Smokeys...

 

Are you going on your bike?

Gatlinburg is very touristic with lost of restaurants, shops, ski lifts to the tops of the mountain, Ripleys, etc. Imagine Disneyland in the middle of the Great Smokey mountains. It can get congested downtown during the summer. It's a beautiful town if you have never seen it.

Cherokee is a small little town with less restaurants, hotels, etc but has a Harrahs casino run by the Cherokee Indians. It is closer to Maggie Valley and Waynesville and the Dragons Tail. You would also be able to go check out Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, etc which is on the other side of Waynesville.

All are within an 1 hr drive of one another. Cherokee doesn't have as much going on there but you would be more centrally located if you planned to drive around to all the different towns.

How long do you plan to stay there.

 

I live in Asheville so I have been to all the local places so I'll share my opinion, yeah we all have one. I'm not sure of your priorities but I would not choose either of the two mentioned. Gatlinburg is like Myrtle Beach in the mountains, lot's of people, cars, traffic, hotels and restaurants plus all the other tourist stuff. If you like walking around and people watching you may like it. If you like riding your bike you may not. Cherokee is pretty touristy too but on a much smaller scale and not as nice. They have the Harrah's Casino (no alcohol) and the reservation is dry (no alcohol). You may want to look at Maggie Valley, close to Cherokee, Asheville and all kinds of great riding. I hear they have biker friendly motels that are very reasonable. You may want to do a search. Have fun and PM if I can help.

 

Cherokee is disappointing for the Casino funk in that beautiful mountain environment, but it is a good launch area for a lot of the best riding. Our favorite place to stay in Cherokee for some years is the Best Western Great Smokies Inn
Hwy 441 North & Aquoni Rd. It's only a few miles to the BRP entrance and sits just on the East rim of the Smokey Mountain National Park as Gatlinburg does the West side. With a map you can see how it works out as a good hub area. We've always had a good experience with that particular Best Western. Enjoy your ride and ride safe.

axe11

 

If you want any kind of night life in the evening stay in gatlinburg. its a beautiful town, quaint 2-lane main street, everything is within walking distance, and lots to do and see in the evening. Although the nite life is hustle bustle till about 10:30-11:00pm, it will die down after that and get relativly quiet.
Pigeon Forge is 4-lane separated by a median, and way too spread out to walk the length of town, although there is LOTS to do and see-more of an amusement park atmosphere.
In Cherokee (so I'm told-never stayed overnite there) they roll the streeys up early.

 

I'm gonna have to agree with mhud. Maggie Valley would be your ticket. Waynesville (next town over) has a really quaint downtown with some really cool bars/resturants that stay open late. I'm going to assume your friend has points with the Marriott which has sister hotels (Fairfield Inns) in Cherokee and Gatlinburg.

 

Went to the Smokeys a few weeks ago. We spent one night in Pigeon Forge and one and Maggie Valley. The hotels rates were the same but I have to say I enjoyed Maggie Valley more. I have been to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg several times and it was a nice change. Maggie Valley had good riding close by,less traffic, good places to eat, and a liqour store within walking distance of my hotel. I wasn't as worried about someone bothering my bike out in the parking lot either. We had no reservations and if it hadn't been raining probally would had rode on by. I think we will go back next year.

Sath

 

We stayed in Asheville. Lots of restaurants and bars if you're looking for something to do of an evening. It's close to everything you'll be wanting to see. BRP, Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, Cherohala Skyway, Deal's Gap, Fontana Dam, Hot Springs, etc. The Biltmore is in Asheville. Ought to see that while your out there.