Ghost and Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg Thrills

As a self-proclaimed ghost tour aficionado, I make it a point to book one in every city I visit. My most recent was in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. While researching the best options in the area, I came across Ghost & Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg and knew this was the tour for me! It not only looked legit, but had equipment that I thought was a fun touch. That equipment lead to a haunting experience.

Ghost tours are a great way to get history of the location you're visiting, see the area at a slower pace, and have a little fun while hearing ghost stories. I've taken several ghost tours all over the country. Whether you're a believer or skeptic, in my opinion, there is something for everyone. I took the tour with my dad who doesn't get into ghost stories, but throughout the night I saw him snapping pictures and he couldn't come up with logical answers to a few questions.

Our night started with an explanation of what to expect, along with an introduction to several "ghost hunting" instruments. As soon as our guide showed us a spirit/ghost box I was excited because I had never seen one before. Essentially they pick up what a ghost is saying and it displays on the box. As we were embarking on the tour ours popped up with "blog" which freaked me out! That's not a common word for a ghost to know - especially the ones who have been gone for centuries!

So here's where the skeptical part creeps in, because even if you believe, you have to be discerning. Did they program the spirit box for me, knowing that I'd see it? As our guide explained how each worked, we would request to use the item. When we got to the box, I asked to use it. There were four boxes and seven guests. So my thinking is that if it was programmed for me, so I'd read blog, how would they know which box to give me? They couldn't anticipate that I'd even request to use that item. Some of us were getting overlapping words. So maybe they all said blog? I did something I normally don't and announced that I was doing a blog review. I think if any other guest saw blog pop up they'd have said. Also, only three words appear at a time on the box. Sometimes the words don't change, sometimes they pop up so fast it's hard to catch them, and sometimes words repeat. My dad is the one who pointed out blog and I saw it but new words popped up so fast I didn't get a picture of the screen. The photo above is a log of words that came up during the tour, illustrating the word blog. If they were tricking me, they probably would have programmed the word to pop up several times to ensure I'd see it.

The box itself can be pretty creepy! We were all getting words like death, beware, etc. So maybe they are words that the company programmed? But then again, we experienced something that made us think it could be real. We kept getting Robert. That's my grandpa's name but it's also pretty common so no big deal. Then we got Robert, console, and funeral. We were going to my grandpa's sister's funeral in a few days. Weird. I had also seen Nana around the other three words and told my dad that the word didn't fit. That surprised him because, unknown to me, they all used to call his grandma Nana. Goosebumps!

In addition to the freaky box, the tour itself was great. Our guide was wonderful. She interacted with guests as they read messages from their boxes and asked questions, did a fantastic job of telling us stories all night, and at each stop along the way showed us photos with strange orbs, lights, and even faces(!) taken by previous tour guests.

Added scary bonus: we saw a wild bear while walking around! Our guide had warned us they often look for food late at night and we may see them in certain areas. But then it happened and we were all a bit unsure of how to react to a 300+ lb wild bear. It was about 50 yards from us and could care less that we were in the area, but the rest of the night we made sure to be aware of our surroundings.

So if you hadn't gathered yet, I highly recommend this ghost tour. Days after, we found ourselves still talking about the experience. We really enjoyed the tour - even my dad the skeptic!

To book a tour with Ghost & Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg, head on over to their site. If you book online and use code ghost2off, you'll save $2.

Two-Day Smoky Mountains Itinerary

Although the Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers just under 300 sq. mi. and spans across two states, if you map out your must sees, it's possible to hit your highlights in two days. There are so many things to experience, and I wish I was able to cover more ground, but I am really happy with the two days I spent in the Smokies and Gatlinburg. If I had more time, I would have ventured into North Carolina, but otherwise, our trip was perfect!

We had a bit less time because we flew in and out of Nashville, then made the 3.5-hour drive to and from the National Park. Coming from Los Angeles, we were looking for the best flight options and that ended up being Nashville. If it works for you, Knoxville is the closest airport. Despite the long drive, it wasn't bad because we had lots of pretty fall leaves to look at along the way.

Here is how we mapped out our trip:

DAY 1

Cades Cove
This is a MUST when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains! Motorists hop on a one-way, 11-mile paved loop that wanders through the wilderness. We visited on a Tuesday and the drive took three plus hours, so expect heavy traffic. Throughout the drive there are areas to stop and see homesteads dating back to the 1800s as well as spot wildlife. We saw a bear and her cub, wild turkey, and a deer! We were worried we'd encounter windy, unpaved roads with high drops off but Cades Cove is a very mellow drive.

Old Creek Lodge
From Cades Cove we drove 27 miles to Gatlinburg and checked into Old Creek Lodge for two nights. We stayed in a comfy Two Queen Stream Room with a cozy fireplace that we used constantly. The hotel is located in the perfect location right across the street from Ober and close to restaurants and shops, but far enough away from the touristy center of town. The rustic theme and smaller size of the hotel added to the charm, and the running stream that provided a soothing sound each night elevated the ambiance. Friendly staff, free breakfast, convenient parking - I could go on and on. From outside appearances alone it is among the nicest hotels in Gatlinburg and if I return, I will definitely stay here again.

Ghost and Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg
None of my vacations are complete without a ghost tour! After doing some research I came across Ghost and Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg and knew this would be the perfect addition to our trip. I have a full recap coming up, but I'll give a teaser: we used a spirit box and it seemed to be talking to me!

DAY 2

Ober Gatlinburg
The main attraction in Gatlinburg is Ober, boasting an areal tram that travels 2.1 miles providing sweeping Smoky views. After our ride up the mountain, we visited the wildlife encounter where several rescued animals are housed. I'm not a fan of animals in captivity and wish they had a bit more room but they were saved from really bad situations. We talked to a man who cares for the animals and it's evident he really loves his job so that made me feel better. Next, we took a fifteen-minute chair lift even higher up the mountain. I'm severely afraid of heights so it was a disaster! I literally cried and had a tiny panic attack. At the overlook, the views are beautiful and every hour a band comprised of cute old men plays so if you're not afraid of heights it's a great experience. I, however, needed a beer after my breakdown so we checked out the seasonal OktOBERfest where traditional Bavarian food and beers are served while a band performs. It was a cool experience and perfect way to end the visit.

Ole Smoky Distillery
From Ober we walked about five minutes to Ole Smoky Distillery where we met with a company representative who gave us a behind-the-scenes tour, told us the history of their federally licensed moonshine - first in East Tennessee, and graciously let us sample 13 of their moonshine varieties. I'll have a dedicated post coming soon.

DAY 3

Roaring Fork Nature Motor Trail
Before heading back to Nashville, we drove through Roaring Fork early in the morning. Another one-way paved loop through the Great Smoky Mountains, this 5.5-mile drive is right outside of Gatlinburg and less crowded than Cades Cove. It is much windier and feels higher in elevation though, but still not too steep. The big difference between this trail and Cades Cove is this trail doesn't have open spaces and is densely populated with trees. The leisurely drive took about an hour and gave us one last chance to enjoy the breathtaking national park.

The Great Smoky Mountains are so incredibly beautiful! I knew I was in for pretty landscapes, but the trees and changing colors were stunning. I had hoped we'd see wild animals, and when we did it was that much more magical. Such a memorable trip.

In 2016, 11.3 million people visited the Smokies making it the most popular National Park in the United States. Are you among the tens of millions who have visited?

Banjo Billy's Denver Ghost Tour

I love a ghost tour! Every new city I visit, I try to take one. It's a great way to learn local history and have fun at the same time. A few of the many tours I've been on include New Orleans, Seattle, Atlanta, and Melbourne, Australia. When researching them in Denver I came across Banjo Billy's Bus Tours and knew it was going to be a must during my visit to the Mile-High City.

As opposed to walking through various parts of town, which can sometimes be sketchy at night, Banjo Billy's boasts a tricked out school bus that resembles a hillbilly shack on wheels - in the best way possible! Upon boarding, we were greeted with a mishmash of seating from comfy recliners to  arm chairs, a disco ball, and colorful lighting strung throughout. We instantly knew we were in for a good time!

Over the course of the next two hours our tour guide, Scott, did a fantastic job entertaining us. He is a lively storyteller, and great at keeping the guests involved. There were literal moans, groans, and "No!" screams from the riders for the entirety of the tour! As he took us to various locations throughout the city, he shared several tales at each stop. Even my friend, who doesn't believe in ghost stories, commented on how much she enjoyed the history we were presented with and the theatrics in which they were presented.

Because our Banjo Billy's ghost tour was at night, we went back to some of the stops to get good pictures of a few spooky locations in better light including the Croke-Patterson Mansion which may be the most haunted home in Denver. Don't let these gorgeous facades fool you, something sinister lurks inside of each!

I HIGHLY recommend Banjo Billy's Denver ghost tours. The ghost tours are only offered in October though, so be sure to book in advance to secure a spot. Other Banjo Billy's tours include a Boulder ghost tour (also seasonal), brewery and history tours in Denver and Boulder, and even private bookings.

Book directly with Banjo Billy's Bus Tours online or call (720) 938-8885.