Location: Walland, Tennessee
Favorite Family Friendly Features: Family Cottages | Kids Camp | Babysitting Services | Pool | Family Activities
Our Quick Take: Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains the newer sister property to iconic Blackberry Farms – Blackberry Mountain resort – is perched. A bit more rustic and adventure focused, it’s no less luxurious, making it a spectacular splurge for families looking to reconnect in style.
With 5,200 acres of mountainside, the wellness geared resort offers abundant space, with hiking trails aplenty, and a menu of activities to please everyone in the family. Classes and activities include those especially created for families – family yoga, family indoor climbing, family painting, and more.
Getting Down to Details:
Guestrooms: Every accommodation type is its own independent abode here. The Clingmans Cottages (sleeps three) is where we stayed, but you’ll also find the more mountainous Watchman Cabins, treehouses (for couples) and two- and three-bedroom rental homes. Each comes with its own golf cart to navigate the large property efficiently. As you’d expect in high price point properties, the lodgings are furnished beautifully with many offering sweeping valley views.
Kid-Friendly Amenities: Camp Blackberry is available year round to book for ages 4 and older, with morning, afternoon and evening sessions that include meals. Hours run from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a 5-5:30 p.m. break. Babysitting services are available and make planning a late, post-bedtime dinner for adults a breeze, with certified sitters able to stay in your cottage. A family pool is also available, as is a lake and epic water slide, with cantina style treats and beverages. Family-focused activities like those listed in the paragraphs above make it easy to schedule quality time and create memories.
What to do in the Smoky Mountain region:
When you’re investing in the experience of Blackberry Mountain, its understandable that you’d want to spend as much time as possible taking advantage of the stunning scenery and amenities included. And that’s exactly what we’d recommend! Relax and enjoy.
From the resort, you can drive roughly one hour to reach the Sugarlands Visitor Center and entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here, waterfall hikes, historic sites, and the Clingman’s Dome observation tower’s epic views are all easily drivable.
Along the route, the bustle of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are ripe with attractions and dining options. Or, in the opposite direction, you can find Knoxville and its walkable downtown. Like us, you could also add on an additional road trip stop and drive approximately two and half hours east to Asheville, N.C. There, you’ll find an eclectic downtown filled with brew pubs and shops, as well as the grandiose Biltmore Estate.
