For someone who is obsessed with Disney World and all things Disney going to Tennessee was a little bit underwhelming at first thought for my honeymoon. While I wanted to visit Tennessee and the adventures that it offered, Disney just seemed 100 times more appealing to me.

Luckily for me I had a soon-to-be husband who rejected Disney and went on to plan a honeymoon in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This is a short list of the things that had me fall in love with Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the surrounding areas.

1. Dixie Stampede (and the food)

If you don't know anything about Dixie Stampede you should know that it is an interactive and family friendly show with horses and skilled riders displaying their tricks as they pit the North against the South. One of my favorite parts of this Pigeon Forge attraction is the delicious food that you get to consume. Everything in the picture above is what you get, but the catch is.... you don't get any silverware. So, pick your side and get ready for a rivalry like no other.

2. The Multitude of Hiking Opportunities

Okay, so you may not be much of a hiker and that's okay. But there are such stunning views that you will come across if you decide that it is something you may want to try. These hikes range from Easy to Strenuous.

Just a quick word of advice... Be sure to get a list of the hikes that you may want to do and find out what it is labeled before you do it. You just might end up on a Strenuous three hour round trip hike just because you saw cars stopped all along the road and you had no cell phone service to look it up. Note: we absolutely didn't regret the hike after the fact because of the stunning views that we encountered.

3. Clingman's Dome

One of my absolute favorite parts of my honeymoon was the strenuous hike to Clingman's Dome. It is technically in North Carolina and the highest point in that area. Once you finally get to the top of the dome you have a 360-degree view of God's stunning creation. Everywhere you look you see mountains as far as the eye can see. I could not believe the view and I would've sat there amazed all day long had we not had other plans.

One little secret we were told from one of the wildlife rangers was that instead of taking the road trail back to the parking lot, you can hike part of the Appalachian Trail and therefore say that you've hiked it. We found the most beautiful and perfect spot by hiking that trail. Had I not wandered off the trail a bit, we would've never witnessed the beauty. But be cautious of the signs or else you'll end up lost and on your way to Maine.

4. The FOOD.

Are you really from the south if you don't count the food? We made an effort to try new restaurants that we can't just go to every single day. We tried the barbecue, which was surprisingly different than our barbecue, the typical breakfast joint with a cabin-like feel, and our favorite The Old Mill which had an atmosphere like no other. In fact, we made sure not only to try that one for breakfast but also dinner! We were told that we would come back with leftovers. We laughed that off as I am not one who usually leaves with leftovers. As we were waiting for our table however we saw every single person leave with a box of leftovers, including one family who also mentioned that it is very rare for them to walk out with a box.

Guess what? We each left with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

5. Cade's Cove

The Cade's Cove scenic loop is an absolute must when going to Gatlinburg. It can take quite some time driving through it depending on traffic, but it is one attraction you won't regret. There were several points throughout the one way loop that you can stop at and take pictures, which I made myself and my husband take full advantage of. If you see cars piled up stopping with their binoculars out chances are there is some wildlife nearby. In our case a sweet mama bear with two of her cubs. I only managed to capture their backs, but it was still quite the excitement for me! It is about an hour and a half drive to Cade's Cove, but that alone is worth it winding through the mountain capturing stunning views just on the way.

There were so many other sights, attractions, and memories that made my trip to Gatlinburg and the surrounding areas a trip of a lifetime. Downtown Gatlinburg, Ober Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Cherokee are just a few of the other places that I absolutely recommend not missing out on during a trip. Whether you choose to go in the beautiful fall and winter months (which is my next plan) or in the summer it is one trip i'll always remember.