sunrise over Gatlinburg, Tennessee

3 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit When You Stay at Our Downtown Gatlinburg Hotel

Gatlinburg during Christmas time
November 29, 2018

One of the wonderful things about staying at the Sidney James Mountain Lodge during the Christmas holidays is that our hotel is close to all of the exciting festivities in downtown Gatlinburg! Whether you want to see some dazzling holiday light displays or meet Santa Claus himself, you can do it all just minutes away from our front doorstep! Here are 3 fun ways to get into the holiday spirit while staying at our downtown Gatlinburg hotel:

1. Take the Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights

One of the best ways to celebrate the season while staying at the Sidney James Mountain Lodge is aboard the Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights! This festive trolley ride takes you on a 45 minute journey through all of the beautiful Christmas lights and displays in downtown Gatlinburg, which includes lighted scenes of animals native to the Great Smoky Mountains! This special trolley route departs from the Mass Transit Center at traffic light #5 and departs at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on most nights from November through December. While you can drive to the starting point of the tour, there is also a convenient trolley stop in front of our hotel where you can take the trolley directly to the Mass Transit Center!

2. Visit Santa’s Claus-et

Santa's Claus-et in Gatlinburg

Another fun way to get into the holiday spirit while staying at our downtown Gatlinburg hotel is by visiting Santa’s Claus-et! This is Gatlinburg’s largest Christmas store and features all types of holiday collectibles, personalized ornaments, toys, games and tons of other awesome merchandise! The store also offers delicious foods for sampling, including fruit spreads, salsas, pickles and more! Santa’s Claus-et is the perfect place to pick up some gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list, so be sure to stop during your vacation at the Sidney James Mountain Lodge! Don’t forget to bring the kids along for the fun as you never know when Santa Claus might be at the store to greet your children and wish them a Merry Christmas!

3. Enjoy the Winter Magic Tunes and Tales

A huge perk of staying at the Sidney James Mountain Lodge during the holiday season is that our hotel is just a short stroll to downtown Gatlinburg where you can enjoy the Winter Magic Tunes and Tales program! This is a festive annual event where you and your family can interact with Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa’s Elves and some of your other favorite Christmas characters! You will also have the opportunity to hear fascinating stories filled with history and humor as they are told from charismatic storytellers. While you are strolling the Parkway, holiday music will fill the air with a sacred and secular mixture of Appalachia, Bluegrass and Country. The Winter Magic Tunes and Tales program starts in late November and takes place every Friday and Saturday night from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. until late December.

Check out all of the rooms at our downtown Gatlinburg hotel today to stay near all of these fun things to get you into the holiday spirit! We hope to see you soon at the Sidney James Mountain Lodge!