Jellystone Campground (our favorite) Review

This is a campground review of one of our favorite places to camp.

Four  reasons we believe this is the best campground out there!

First:  the location. This campground is located right outside the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Cosby, Tennessee. They have done a wonderful job of keeping the grounds true to the elements of nature, yet still making it easy to set up a comfy camp. 

Most of the sites are between two beautiful mountain streams. 

This was my view everyday of vacation. 

                              

                           Secondly,  we love this campground definitely because of the Staff. 

This is Dave and his wonderful family. 

Dave is a retired Police Chief from California; he finally found his way to the southern promise land!!

The campground is family owned/operated and boy does it show!  They live on site, so they really care about cleanliness and safety. There is a fully stocked camp store with all the essentials. What I really think makes them different from the rest is the fact they greet each customer and guide them to their specific campsite. I have to be honest, we have camped a lot of different places over the few years and we have never had a campground owner or host guide us into our site.  They lead you by golf cart to your site, line you up and walk by the drivers side window to direct the driver straight into place; first shot (everytime)! Anyone who has ever tried to back a camper into a tight spot knows what a luxury this is. 

Third,  "there is so much more room for activities!"

 There is no pressure to participate, but they are available. To me, that's the best part. I don't want to feel forced to be participate on my vacation if I just want to relax. 

They just make sure it is available for campers.

They have a calendar of events posted in the center of the campground, so you always know what is happening next and don't have to ask. 

Here are a  just a few of the things they had going on while we were there...

 hayrides, candy bar bingo, nightly karaoke, a very nice playground, basketball court, a full 

arcade, ping pong, putt putt, and a covered movie theater that shows kid friendly movies nightly.

Oh , and Yogi regularly goes on the loose and roams the campground...

Lastly, but most importantly, for our kind of "Comfy Camping"... 

they have Cable, Wifi and clean, large bath houses. 

This Campground definitely deserves our "Comfy Camping" Stamp of Approval

Making The Best Of A Rainy Day On Vacation

Okay, so this year's vacation would have to be graded as a C-.

I'm not sure exactly what made it less than perfect, but I know the weather did not help.

It rained the first four days we were there.

 Now don't get me wrong, I love camping, but sunshine plays a major roll in making it fun. 

This is how the first few days looked...

Grey and gloomy.

This was taken from Clingman's Dome; 

the highest point in the Smokey Mountains.

We decided that we would make the best of it. 

Attitude is half the battle and we decided we would enjoy this time together or die trying! 

Since Gatlinburg is some place we go often, we decided to visit all the antique stores we always talked about visiting, but never found the time.

Not expecting much, since this is a tourist town, I was surprised to find this wonderful booth.

 I did take a business card, but as usual, I lost it. 

Oh well, even though I can't tell you where to find it, 

check out these really cool ideas for re-purposed stuff...

I want to do this! What a great idea for a nursery or large bathroom.

I found an old silver peculator at another store for $2 that

I am going to make it into one of these lamps! 

While we were going from store to store,

  we happened upon one of the prettiest waterfalls I've ever seen.

 Only in Tennessee would you find funnel cakes and kettle corn for sale next to this...

 By the end of the day, we looked like this....

Making the best of a rainy vacation.

 I love my family and we love kettle corn!

Jelly Stone...Here We Come!!!

I am really looking forward to our vacation this year! 

No beach for us, we are headed to my favorite place in the whole world....

(photo by Google images)

the Great Smokey Mountains!

We will be parking the camper

 Here

Jelly Stone Campground
I could not be more excited!

I really hope I am lucky enough to see one of these...

At a distance, of course. 

I will be sipping my morning coffee
by this....

Don't you just love Camping!

Grayson Highlands State Park Campground Review

Grayson Highlands State Park

Let me begin by saying, 

we did not stay in the main campground so my review may not be totally fair.

We actually camped in the stable camping area.

It was Memorial Day weekend so they it was used as the overflow campground.

There were around twenty sites in this area. 

We did visit the main campground and it was very nice and much larger. 

One of the things we loved about staying on this side was watching the horses come and go.

I also learned something new. Horse trailers are actually campers on one end 

and a horse trailer on the other.

 I had no idea you could camp with your horse!

Photo from Google images

Okay, back to the campground...

 The sites are extra long, so there is plenty of room for 

gathering around the fire without feeling crowded.

The fire rings are actually in the back of the site so the smoke from the fire did not fill the

 camper like most campsites.... 

I loved that. 

The Park was beautiful with several different hikes. There is a lot to do and see.

 I recommend seeing the wild ponies.

As beautiful and all there was to do at this campground and Park,

 I can not give this campground our Comfy Campground Stamp of Approval. 

Our number one complaint; there was only ONE shower in the

 bathhouse for a campground with twenty sites.

There was almost always a line and I ended up taking take a cold shower....

 Not fun!

I normally shower in the camper, but with no sewer available, 

we were limited on gray tank space.

 

There is very little cell service depending on your server. I have AT&T and I had none.

Our friends have Verizon and they had a little.

I also must warn you  that the drive over was a tough one too.

Very curvy, steep, and narrow roadways!

So, if you are brave and willing to take cold showers, this is a very beautiful place to camp.