Tennessee: Townsend, KOA – Campfire Chats, Trout Fishing and Tubing.

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Tennessee: Townsend, KOA – Campfire Chats, Trout Fishing and Tubing. KOATownsend

Families enjoy staying at Townsend because it is safe friendly and peaceful. Located in the shadows of the marvelous Smokey Mountains, the town is on the quiet side when compared to neighboring Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge but no less rewarding. It’s the closest entrance to Cades Cove and the ideal launching spot for days filled with activities including kayaking, river tubing, fly fishing, golfing, hiking, biking shopping and even geocaching.

Location, location, location! To start with, this KOA has 1,650 feet of frontage along the Little River which flows out of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Crystal clear and always cool, the River is ideal for swimming or tubing and is well known as a habitat for both rainbow and brown trout. Bonus points: The campground is less than an hour to the more commercialized areas of the Smokies - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

Fun stuff onsite. All of the campsites have picnic tables and campfire rings. Additional benefits include swimming pool, two bathhouses, a modern playground, a covered pavilion equipped with a large barbecue pit, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, arcade and a laundry. During the summer months organized activities include scavenger hunts, tye-dye projects and games. The five-mile Townsend Bike Trail begins and ends just across the road from the campground. The river is excellent for swimming or tubing and is well known for great trout fishing. Tubes and bikes are available for rent onsite. Need to know: For tubing enthusiasts look for the "water hole" at the fork in the River where sunbathers and tubers meet after entering the Park from Townsend. Bonus points: Pack your fishing gear the fishing is free and the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Association stocks the river every two weeks during the summer months.

Select your sleeping spot. Sleeping options include campsites under the pines, RV spaces, cozy or two bedroom log cabins and (new for 2008) six riverfront kamping lodges with views of the crystal clear Little River. The lodges are equipped with room for six and include full kitchen, private bathroom and living room. The tent site areas range from semi-sunny to heavily wooded and secluded. Bonus points: The new super sites offer guests water/electric/cable hookups, large stamped concrete patios and above ground fire pits. Guests may use the convenient honey wagon service at these sites.

Here’s the deal. If you are considering an RV rental then checkout Cruise America and Cruise Canada and save 10% on the RV rental at more than 130 rental locations nationwide. Also save 10% on your camping at any KOA Kampground. KOATownsenfTubing

Make it happen. Townsend / Great Smokies KOA, 8533 State Highway 73, Townsend, TN 37882 USA. Reserve online or by phone toll-free 1-800-562-3428, (865) 448-2241 or visit TownsendKOA

Fun stuff in the area.

Two wheels rule! A well-marked paved trail parallels Highway 321 for more than three miles. The scenic bike path passes by the Townsend Visitor Center, restaurants, shops, and ends up across from the KOA. For more solitude the best bet is to navigate the Cades Cove Loop. Without the sounds of motorized vehicles wildlife is abundant and the sounds of solitude rewarding. Bonus points: The Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles for the benefit of foot and bicycle traffic from sunrise until 10:00 a.m. every Saturday and Wednesday morning from mid-May to late September. Need to know: Even though the pace is peaceful and slow make sure to wear helmets and mind warning signs. Bikes are permitted on most park roads but prohibited on trails. (Smoky Mountain Biking Tours P.O. Box 4056 Maryville, TN 37802-4056 Toll-free 1-800-746-7791.)

See the world. Dollywood is a 125-acre family adventure park created to make having fun easy. Open nine months a year, Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. In addition to an array of wild rides Dollywood is the home to Mystery Mine the first ride of its kind in the U.S. Passengers encounter several high-speed twists as the miner cars maneuver their way through a series of uncertain encounters including a fall from a collapsed trestle and a plunge into an abandoned tunnel. Bonus points: Each spring Dollywood opens its season with the Festival of Nations and provides visitors with an array of international entertainment. The five-week celebration includes music, dance, food and art from around the world. The festival offers attendees a window on the world with costumes, music, food and art to be enjoyed by all ages. (Dollywood Theme Park. 1020 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, 37863. Toll-free 1-800-Dollywood (365-5996), 1(865) 428-9488 or www.dollywood.com)

Discover local dinosaurs. Imagine a stroll in search of an allosaurus. How about seeing a dilphosaurus, a tapatosaurus or standing in the shadow of a tyrannosaurus rex? At the Dinosaur Walk Museum, 40 or more scientifically accurate life-sized dinosaur replicas are waiting to be discovered. Carefully designed and created by "paleoartists" there is a sense of Jurassic Park within the complex. This is not a thrill-based attraction with loud surprises and eerie sound effects to traumatize the unsuspecting. There are sound effects and the wall murals of forests, volcanoes and canyons. It's truly an easy paced entertaining place that is ideal for children going through the dinosaur stage of learning. Also onsite taxidermy displays some of the world's most venomous snakes including the king cobra, green mamba, and diamondback rattler. Bonus points: Just across the parking lot is the National Antique Mall – a place to buy cool fossils including dinosaur teeth. (Dinosaur Walk Museum. Located at traffic light #1, 106 Showplace Blvd. 1 (865)428-4003 or www.dinosaurwalkmuseum.com)

Hike over ancient mountains. Smoky Mountains are among the oldest mountains in the world. Awesome and refreshing, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a species epicenter and a hikers dream. Within the boundaries more than 10,000 species have been identified yet scientists believe the species population may be as high as 90,000. More than 800 miles of trails await footsteps. Routes follow river beds and logging trails to mountain rims with gorgeous views and cascading waterfalls with mountain pools. Hike the 1.3-mile trail to Laurel Falls in about 45 minutes. Paved all of the way, the walkway is ideal for parents with young children in strollers. Agile feet may descend to the bottom of the falls and feel the power of the water. For families looking for an easy outing, try Cucumber Gap Loop Trail which offers a beautiful river, birds, squirrels and shade along the way. Need to know: For all the trail options, obtain a copy of the Great Smoky Mountains Trail Map distributed by the national park office. (Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Visitor Information Recorded Message 1(865) 436-1200 or www.nps.gov/grsm)

Start searching. The sport of Geocaching has grown in popularity and expanded in difficulty spawning variations to meet an areas unique terrain and climate. From virtual caches and offset caches to puzzle caches and multi-stage caches the fun is in the game. If you have never tried the while you are in Tennessee it may be the perfect family adventure. It just so happens that Blount County is populated with a rich variety of caches waiting to be discovered. For a full listing of all the caches in the Townsend and Blount County area go to the geocaching.com

For fun, kid-friendly Reviews of Hotels in Townsend TN check out Uptake.com. They search 5000 travel sites...so you don't have to!

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