GATLINBURG – A new development in Gatlinburg bridges the gap between rustic hillside cabins and well-appointed downtown hotel rooms. Cherokee Orchard has four big luxury rental cabins and a pool house with indoor pool — so far. The development at 368 E. Holly Ridge Road is already available for rent, but four more cabins are to come beginning in January 2019.
This collection of eight cabins has enough space to host up to 500 guests, of all ages, for a family reunion, company retreat, sports team competition, family anniversarycelebration or a Smoky Mountain destination wedding. At this unique cabin community, you can get large parties–up to 96 people–under one roof.
A ribbon-cutting June 18 drew about 100 people, mostly local government and business officials connected to tourism and economic development.
Cherokee Orchard is the work of Kenny Hayes, the owner of Southern Scapes Home Design.
The cabins will be managed by Wyndham Vacation Rentals Smoky Mountains. Wyndham has been in the Gatlinburg-area market since 2012, managing p
roperties with multiple owners.
Cherokee Orchard, on Historic Nature Trail, is designed like a small village with winding sidewalks, thoughtful landscaping, and plenty of parking, even for buses. It’s close enough to walk to the Gatlinburg strip, but a trolley stops at the bottom of the private driveway, too.
Inspired by the majestic beauty and rich history of the Smoky Mountains, Cherokee Orchard is your own private mountain oasis. Designed to bring the outdoors in, this incredible destination features stunning open-plan living spaces with modern mountain-lodge style and local décor. Sharp peaks, timber and rustic colors give the exterior of Cherokee Orchard cabins their classic lodge appeal.
On the inside, history and functionality join forces to add yet another layer of character–rustic wide-plank engineered wood floors, locally sourced bark covered walls, oversized stone fireplaces and espresso colored furnishings.
With exceptional care taken to add modern comforts while preserving historic character, Cherokee Orchard strikes a perfect balance between active outdoor recreation, shared experiences, and personal renewal. The layout delivers intimacy without sacrificing spaciousness. Designed for memory-making, each cabin comes with varied amenities of modern resplendence such as home theaters, pool tables, an array of board games and more.
A shared space also means shared costs, so you can enjoy the ultimate get-together at a practical rate.
Book online at www.bigcabins.com or www.wyndhamvacationrentals.com or call 855-214-8104 to reserve your rustic-done-right retreat.
The Guinness Book of World Records originated out of an argument that Sir Hugh Beaver (managing director of the Guinness Breweries) had with friends over what was the fastest game bird in England. Beaver soon found that there was no book, as of 1951, that contained that information. Through research, he decided that there had to be discussions about facts in pubs and bars all over the world. So to that end, he decided that a world record book might be a very popular book, indeed. Fact finders Norris and Ross McWhirter compiled the first book and it was just released in the British Isles as part of a marketing campaign. In 1956, the book was released in the US and became a household name by the 70s. The publishers of the GBoWR soon fell into a pattern of publishing an update every year. Needless to say the idea of putting in museum dedicated to this tome of knowledge was not far behind the success of the book.
When you go inside the Guinness World Record Museum, you are going to literally find yourself face to face with world records on every wall and surface. Displays, videos, interactive games and galleries change constantly to bring the newest records to the museum. If you want to see how the tall the tallest man and woman really were you can stand next to representations of them and see if you measure up to their height. Stand by the Batcar, see the most tattooed person in the world, check out what the longest fingernails might have looked like, this and much more await you inside the Guinness World Records Museum. Make the kids happy, brighten your own day, live the book at the Guinness World Record Museum.
I recently had the opportunity to go to Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze. As this was the first mirror maze that I had been to, I didn’t quite know what to expect. We parked the car on River Road near the 
We stepped into the maze area and we were both amazed. I knew the concept and that I would be in a room full of mirrors but I was unprepared for how disorienting it would be. You are literally lost once you step away from the light coming through the main entrance. As the door shut we were all of a sudden left to figure our way through a maze where we saw images of the same thing and of mirrors reflecting the image of other mirrors. The lights are low, the mirrors and some of the walkways are framed with faux-stonework that seems to repeat forever. As you begin to work your way into the maze you get a sense that you are in a much bigger place then you really are. The illusion of size and of extra passages is held up the entire time you are in the Mirror Maze.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not Oddirorium is the most centrally located of all the Ripley 
A stroll through the Odditorium is like taking in Ripley’s Believe It or Not TV show in real life. You will find yourself face to face with the Fiji Mermaid. You will find your self standing mere feet from an actual electric chair. You can see the death mask of John Dilinger. But not everything is frightening. You will get to see creations made out of matchsticks, stroll along the rooftops of a Victorian era English city or explore the world of optical illusions. One of the highlights for any first time visitors is the worm hole.