The Olde Mill Inn Bed & Breakfast

Itineraries from the Inn

 

With so many fun and exciting things to do in East Tennessee and the Cumberland Gap region, here are some ideas on what your stay may look like, based on the length of your stay (all distances shown are from Cumberland Gap):

 

One Day (Staying Local):

• Visit Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and view 3 states from the Pinnacle Overlook!  Go hiking on many trails – traverse the historic Cumberland Gap and walk in the footsteps of Daniel Boone!  Or hike up to the Gap Cave and check out the historic Old Iron Furnace (1 mile). 

• Visit the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN (1 mile).

• Get a taste for the pioneer history of the area in the Wilderness Road State Park in VA (6 miles).

• Enjoy a delicious meal at Nineteen19 Grill and Bar restaurant in town…  then relax on our deck and listen to the sounds of Mill Creek.  Or, have a pizza and salad at Angelo's in the Gap...  Finish your day with a flavorful coffee and pastry at The Gap Creek Coffee House.

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Two Days (Greater Knoxville area):

Enjoy all the activities from the One Day itinerary, and also choose from the following on Day 2:

• Visit downtown Knoxville (60 miles) and see World Fair Park, including the Sunsphere, built for the 1982 World’s Fair.

• Shop at the West Town Mall (65 miles) – the largest mall in Tennessee! 

• Visit the "Secret City" of Oak Ridge (70 miles) and learn about the nation’s nuclear history at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park and the American Museum of Science and Energy… also, don’t miss the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum.

• On the way back, stop by to check out the Museum of Appalachia in Clinton (56 miles)…  or dine at one of the picturesque marinas on beautiful Norris Lake.

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Three Days (History and Nature):

Enjoy all the activities from the Day 1 and 2 itineraries, and also choose from the following on Day 3:

• Visit Sevierville/Pigeon Forge (82 miles): The entertainment hub of East Tennessee, with a wide variety of family-friendly activities…  Dollywood, dinner shows, fun museums, Go-Kart racing… and much more! 

• Keep driving down the Parkway to Gatlinburg (95 miles):  The gateway to the Smoky Mountains!  Great restaurants, museums, arts and crafts, and more… 

• Drive through the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park (114 miles)…  Stop at the Newfound Gap overlook; hike up to Clingman’s Dome (Tennessee’s highest mountain!); and visit historic Cade’s Cove.  And if you have the time, drive through the park into Cherokee, North Carolina and visit Oconaluftee Indian Village to learn about Native American history and life (137 miles).

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Five Days (Two-State Explorer):

Enjoy all the activities from the Three Day itinerary, and also choose from the following on Days 4 and 5:

Option 1:

• Portal 31 Mine Tour – Lynch, KY (68 miles): Explore the history of Kentucky coal mining with a tour of a former mine (reservations required; cash only). 

• On the way back, take a lunch break at The Portal pizza restaurant in Harlan, KY (45 miles)…  Or visit the mountaintop restaurant at the Pine Mountain State Resort Park (16 miles) for a meal with a scenic view.

Option 2:

• Big South Fork Scenic Railroad – Stearns, KY (77 miles): Take a trip back in time on this steam train ride!  Enjoy the beautiful Kentucky countryside (extended trip schedule during the fall color season) on your way to a historic mining camp (optional mine tour and miner’s lunch available).  Check out the website for schedules and pricing. 

Option 3:

• Take a scenic drive towards Morristown, TN and visit the historic Crockett Tavern Museum (45 miles).  

• Continue on to Jonesborough, the oldest town in Tennessee (110 miles).

• Keep driving east to Bristol, the city that is in two states (117 miles) and visit the birthplace of country music and the famed Bristol Motor Speedway.

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