By Shariyah Bass
Entering Tennessee, a state I never visited before began in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. This spring break vacation was a rest from school, work, and everyday stress. I didn’t know what to expect of Tennessee. I just knew it was going to be slightly different from North Carolina.
One thing that stood out to me were the roads. From UNC Pembroke to Tennessee is almost a 6-hour drive, which isn’t too bad for a road trip. However, the winding and narrow roads were unlike anything I had experienced before. I had never driven on so many curvy roads in my life. This was also my first time seeing mountains and going to the mountains. I lived in North Carolina my whole 20 years of life and I had never been to the Appalachian region before.
Leading to our Airbnb, there were steep and narrow hills. It was very intimidating because there were no guardrails when we were driving on those narrow, curvy roads. Looking over the edge felt like staring straight down a drop. Which made the drive even more nerve-wracking.
Another thing I should’ve expected but really didn’t think about was no cell service. I should’ve known we were gonna be in the woods. Once I arrived in Tennessee, my phone immediately went into SOS mode, and I couldn’t call anyone to let them know I made it safe and sound. The WiFi was also unreliable but I managed to get through the whole trip.
I came on this trip with my camera to ensure that I captured this experience. My boyfriend’s older cousin is a professional photographer, and she also brought her own camera. This was my first time meeting her, but she was cool and pleasant company. After she had realized that I was carrying my camera with me, she offered to take me to the Great Smoky Mountains and take pictures with her, and I was excited to accompany her.
The entrance to the Smoky Mountains was very busy, but we finally received a parking pass and started the nature trail. I was looking forward to taking pictures of wildlife, but we didn’t see any animals during our hike. Instead, we ended up capturing the creek, unique trees and the natural scenery around us.
The Cataract Falls is a family-friendly waterfall and only 0.75 miles into the trail, which we passed during our hike. We had to step on rocks in order to cross the waterfall and I was struggling not to roll my ankle or fall over in front of the people who were taking photographs. It was unfortunately not easy since I was not wearing the appropriate shoes for this outdoor activity.
As we continued the trail it was just hills after hills, and I realized I am so out of shape. So we took breaks along the way to take pictures of different parts of nature. My boyfriend’s cousin was giving me helpful tips on camera settings and techniques when I’m taking pictures. We even compared our cameras—she had a Sony, while I had a Canon.
This was my best experience during the trip. Not only did I have the wonderful opportunity to spend one-on-one time with my boyfriend’s cousin, getting to know her, but I also did the activity I already enjoy: being outside and enjoying nature. It might be boring to some, but I do like outdoor activities, so I can cross this off my bucket list.
The next thing we did was to go to the Gatlinburg SkyPark, in Gatlinburg, Tenn. This is not the activity you want to take if you are afraid of heights. If you want to confront your fears, it is certainly worth it.
First off, you start with a scenic ride on the Yellow Chairlift, the Skylift, which takes you all the way up to the top of where the bridge is. From there, you cross the Skybridge, which is the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America. Once you walk across the bridge you get a very nice scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This is located Downtown Gatlinburg, and it’s just a strip of attractions, restaurants, and shops. There was plenty to do, it was crowded, and the traffic was heavy.
Overall, I recommend going to Tennessee as a family vacation. They have endless activities you can do, from shopping, amusement parks, outlets, and so much more! This trip was a 10/10 for me and I can’t wait to explore more places in the future.
