Mysterious Mansion

Usually the only time you can locate a serious haunted house is during the month of October.  And even then, it's often subpar and put on by a church or community theater with a scare factor of perhaps a five on a scale of one to ten.  Unless you happen to be in Gatlinburg, that is.

The Mysterious Mansion is open all year-round and will have you wetting your pans in fright.  From the very beginning when you're made to find your own secret passageway into the haunted house, you're on your own to work your way through the house of terror, complete with dark, dank dungeons and winding staircases.  While there seems to be only one man, a professional actor/menace, roaming the corridors waiting to jump out and seize hold of your terror, many of the rooms give you the spine-tingling impression that there is no way out, only further enhancing the sensation; the fear factor in the Mysterious Mansion is more psychological than anything else.  Plus, there's one freaky clown, and anyone who saw Stephen King's It knows that's enough to scare a person senseless. 

Those with pacemakers or weak hearts should probably sit this one out.  One thing to note: The outside looks deceivingly large, but it will only take you twenty minutes, thirty tops, to scream your way through the house. 

The Mysterious Mansion is located at 424 River Rd. in downtown Gatlinburg just off the main strip.  

Click here for more information.

Guided Horseback Riding Tours!

Do you love horseback riding (or want to give it a try)?  Well, it doesn't get much better than riding through this beautiful part of the country!  

The view of this area from horseback will not only let you see it like you never have before, but will give you the chance to step back in time.  

Rides can be as slow and easy or as challenging as you'd like.

Let us know if you you would like to book a day on the trails. There are a few companies it the area, we like to use a smaller outfit that isn't as "structured" and more easy going and is often an individual/private ride. Spend a couple of hours, or spend the day with the likes of this cutie!

 Prices depend on the length of the ride.  If you have questions, please let us know!

Restaurant Recommendation - The Bean Trees

Fresh food for carnivores and vegetarians alike riverside dining.  Organic coffee, casual, locally owned and operated.  Downtown Hartford

The Bean Trees Cafe was born to four Hartford women who saw the need for a place where friends, old and new, could gather for a bite to eat, a cold beer, or a hot cup of Joe.  The original intention was to make a small coffee shop.  However, between our love of cooking and the realization that this no-horse town was in need of something more, we decided to go big or go home.  This lead us to what you are will experience: a highly disorganized and chaotic mess that is an ongoing project!

You will most likely see the owner, Michelle running around here somewhere.  She knocks herself out improving the restaurant and always attempting to make everyone's visit as best as possible.  Luckily she has her friends and family to assist her in the never-ending quest for perfection.

P.S. We appreciate your patience.  We are not a fast food restaurant.  We want your food to taste the best it can so we cook all food fresh to order. They have local bands play on Thursdays in the summer.

After Memorial Day Weekend we will be open:
 8am - 9pm Tues, Wed, Thurs & Sat.
Friday 10 - 5
Sunday 10 - 4
Monday - Closed

Ober Gatlinburg

Things are heating up in the Mountains of East Tennessee!  If you're looking to beat the heat, head up to Ober Gatlinburg!  

Ober is an amusement park and ski area, located in the mountains overlooking Gatlinburg.  Established in 1962, the area contains a large mall with indoor amusements, a skating rink, snack bars, a full-service lounge, restaurant, and gift and clothing stores.  

Outside there is an alpine slide, the ski mountain coaster, a chair swing, a maze, mini gold and scenic chairlift to the top of Mount Harrison, and kiddie rides.  

What was formerly know as the Black Bear Habitat where visitors could see bears close-up recently expanded to become the Wildlife Encounter, here in addition to the bears there are animals native to the Great Smoky Mountains such as bobcats, river otters, opossums, raccoons, turtles, snakes, and flying squirrels.  An aerial tram connects Ober Gatlinburg to downtown Gatlinburg, about 3 miles to the east.

Click here for more information.

Bears!

Oh yeah, we've got bears!

We're On Facebook!

I am posting on Facebook as well!  

facebook.com/GarageMahalInTheSmokies

Recommendation: Foothills Parkway with Lunch

If you are looking for something to do but want to sleep in, are short on time, or you don't want to deal with the heat, check this out...

The entrance to the Foothills Parkway (see the post on the Foothills Parkway under "Drives") is only about 6 miles from the Garage Mahal, the whole loop is about 20 miles.  The views from the Parkway are amazing with lots of turn offs for photo ops. 

 At the end of the Parkway take the I-40 ramp towards Asheville, and get off at the next exit which is Hartford.  Not a lot to the cute little town, mostly rafting companies, but there is the Goodwater Winery Tasting Room and The Bean Trees Cafe.  I recommend having lunch at the Cafe, sit outside, have a drink in the shade next to the Pigeon River and relax...