Fall (in Love with Fall) in Gatlinburg

So I went on another road trip to the south with my parents! This time, we were looking for fall foliage. And fall foliage we found!

Long-sleeve: Macy's | Leggings: Michael Kors via Macy's | Socks: Target | Ugg-like boots: Target | Hoodie: Target | Scarf: Forever 21 | Backpack: DSW

SHOP SIMILAR:

Here's one photo of my outfit and the outfit details for those of you who just want the deets on what I wore. Scroll below for my travel diary and more beautiful fall Gatlinburg!

It was very difficult to get to Gatlinburg. We left Miami at 6 am and got there at 1:15 am! My GPS acted out twice, with the second time putting us back over an hour. It happens to everyone, no matter what GPS you're using. We know this because we ended up at a cute little gas station somewhere in Tennessee and, before I explained that we were lost (as if I even had to), the clerk handed me a strip of paper with printed directions to get back on track for Gatlinburg. She reassured us that everyone gets lost up there and that some people have even gone into the store crying. Hence the pre-printed strips of paper. Lol.

Said gas station, which we stopped at by day on the way to Asheville two days later.

So we finally got to Gatlinburg, after hours of driving through mountains that we couldn't really see but could vaguely detect with our eyes and definitely detect with our ears. We checked in to the Travelodge hotel, and the next morning we awoke to this at our front balcony:

And this at our rear balcony:

FALL FOLIAGE!! And a lovely creek that provides the best soothing sound at night!

That morning we had a yummy pancake breakfast and explored the touristy strip of restaurants and businesses. Then we got on the aerial tramway for more fun at Ober Gatlinburg and wicked foliage and mountain views along the way.

Once at Ober Gatlinburg, which is a bit higher up, the foliage was even more colorful.

The whole town had such cute decor everywhere!

My dad and I continued on the chairlift.

At the top we saw this:

SHOP SIMILAR BACKPACKS:

On the way back down from the chairlift, then back down to town on the tram:

And later before dinner we explored a little by car along Parkway, which was right next to our hotel. I found this creek (more on that location in the next post), and then we stopped on the Carlos C. Campbell Overlook for more incredible views.

It's not hard to fall in love with fall in Gatlinburg. The third and fourth weeks in October appear to be peak autumn in Gatlinburg, and we were lucky enough to go during the third week.

The one thing I would change about this trip? Having Nestor go with me. Sadly the boyfriend was working in the Bahamas that weekend. I thought of him everywhere I went. It's a very romantic and family-friendly town, and by the looks of it I'd say it's also a gay-friendly town. I saw lots of same-sex couples.

Overall, I highly recommend a visit to Gatlinburg to anyone, but especially if you're from the south and you're looking for some fall foliage without going all the way to the northeast.

If you made it all the way over here, I thank you for reading along!

Linked up: 
How I Fall || Manic Monday (More Pieces of Me and On the Daily Express) || Style Sessions