Summer travel in the Smokies is a great way to explore the outdoors, do fun activities, and try some great wine! Here’s a look at what’s going on the area & where to go! Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge have lots to offer.
Summertime Fine
All throughout town there are plenty of attractions and activities to enjoy with family and friends. For the first time ever, Gatlinburg is holding a Fourth of July Parade which will begin on Saturday July 4th at 12:01 a.m. This is the first Independence Day parade in the nation that that will start the minute Fourth of July begins! The celebrations will end around 10 pm on Sunday, so you have plenty of time to stop by and enjoy the festivities!
Come be a part of this exciting celebration of independence! The parade will begin at Baskins Creek Bypass on East Parkway, turn south onto Parkway at traffic light #3. Then it will go all the way down to traffic light #10. We suggest getting there early on Saturday to secure a spot and take a moment to enjoy the local restaurants for dinner! Dollywood is a must do on anybody’s agenda while visiting Pigeon Forge! June 25th– July 31st Dollywood’s Summer Celebration will includes extended park hours, entertainment, and a drone light show!
Limited-Edition Wines
While all of the Rocky Top Trail wineries have great wines year-round, they also have some seasonal and limited-edition wines that you don’t want to miss with your summer travel plans! At Little Bear Winery in Downtown Gatlinburg, there’s Summer Delight, with honey, lime, & mint. Back in Pigeon Forge at Mill Bridge Winery, try their summer cider release – Straw About That Basil. A fresh and inviting blend of strawberry and apple with a hint of Sweet Basil. Mountain Valley’s Devil Dogs’ semi sweet wine with flavors of grape, blackberry, raspberry tastes so delicious! Hillside Winery has Southern Kiss, a peach and muscadine blend that will surely become one of your favorites! Then, over at Apple Barn they have Anchors Aweigh. This apple and blueberry blend also supports our wounded Veteran’s by sending a portion of the proceeds to Smoky Mountain Service Dogs. Mountain Valley has also just released their new wine coolers! Spun Sugar tastes just like cotton candy. Their Grapefruit is sweet and fruity without the bitterness. Finally, their Muscadine Sweet Tea makes you feel at home in the South. All are available for only a limited time so be sure to grab some before they’re gone!
All of these wines are available online here Rocky Top Wine Trail!
Summer Wine Recipes
Not only is our wine great for drinking but it’s also perfect for cooking and baking! From simple pairings to wine-infused brownies, these recipes give you an opportunity to try out so many unique flavors in a different way. Check out the Rocky Top Wine Trail’s Facebook to see more of Katie\’s Kitchen recipes and creations. A few of the most popular recipes on her page include Wine Ice Cream Shakes, Potato Salad, Pulled Chicken Sandwiches and more!
For the ice cream shakes you’ll need about 5 scoops of vanilla ice cream, a blender, and your wine of choice. For the recipe it calls for Elkmont wine from Sugarland Cellars, which has a blend of loganberry and raspberry with a sweet and tart finish, but any sweet and fruity wine works great. Just add your slightly softened ice cream and amount of wine you prefer into the blender, and you’re done!
For the potato salad you will need a pound of cooked potatoes, black pepper, salt, chives, tarragon, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, two scallions, and a teaspoon of garlic. Season to your desired taste. Also, one tablespoon of white vinegar, three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil along with two tablespoons of Pino Grigio Wine from Hillside. Just mix all together and you’re done!
Explore & Sip
Wanting to combine all three great ideas? The Rocky Top & Gatlinburg VIP Wine Tour and Trail is here to make it a possibility! While visiting Dollywood in Pigeon Forge during your summer travel planning, could be on the VIP Tour and have somebody be the DD! You’ll get to try the limited-edition wines along while picking up some bottles to use in fun recipes. Same goes for visiting Gatlinburg. Sugarland Cellars and Little Bear are located right where the parade will be happening. Interested in booking a VIP Tour? Visit our Eventbrite booking page!