Cades Cove is a historic valley surrounded by the rising Smoky Mountains. The Tennessee cove offers breathtaking scenery, interesting traces of the past and thrilling wildlife viewing. But where to stay near Cades Cove for the best experience?
Townsend is the best place to stay near Cades Cove if you want the ultimate valley access. Other options for where to stay when visiting Cades Cove are Wears Valley, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
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Where to stay overview
- Townsend – Best access
- Wears Valley – Second closest
- Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge – Busy hubs
Townsend, TN – The best place to stay near Cades Cove
Townsend is the closest option for where to stay near Cades Cove. The quaint town in the so called peaceful region of the Great Smoky Mountains is known as Cades Cove’s gateway.
From Cades Cove hotels in Townsend, it’s only 11 miles (18 km) to the fairytale-like valley. You get from the Cades Cove town to the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains spot in just 20 minutes.
With things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park just down the road, Townsend is all about enjoying nature.
Cades Cove, known for its timeless ambience and abundance of wildlife, is like its own park within the Smokies. Alone Cades Cove gets more visitors than many other famous American national parks.
Even though Townsend is a quiet town on the edge of civilization, it still has an appreciated selection of Cades Cove cottages and hotels. In the gateway town, you find both luxury Cades Cove cottages and more inexpensive hotels near Cades Cove.
In conclusion, Townsend is best place to stay near Cades Cove if you want the ultimate valley access. No other option for where to stay when visiting Cades Cove is located as conveniently. In Townsend, you also find a great selection of lodging near Cades Cove, including charming cabins and inns.
- Distance: 11 mi / 18 km
- Driving time: ≈ 20 min
- Pick Townsend for: The closest Cades Cove place to stay.
Favorite location. Townsend is the option for where to stay near Cades Cove that offers the ultimate access. From hotels and cottages near Cades Cove in Townsend it’s just a short ride to the scenic cove.
Recommended Cades Cove hotels in Townsend
Highland Manor Inn – Appreciated Cades Cove lodging
Jaw-dropping mountain views, a peaceful atmosphere and Cades Cove a stone’s throw away. Highland Manor Inn really embraces what you come to experience. It’s easy to see why Highland Manor is one of the most popular places to stay near Cades Cove.
Dancing Bear Lodge – Comfy cabins near Cades Cove
Dancing Bear Lodge offers great cabins near Cades Cove. The cabins that are rustic but well equipped have all you could ask for to enjoy your Cades Cove stay, and a little more. Dancing Bear Lodge is the perfect place to stay if you look for comfortable cabins near Cades Cove.
Wears Valley – Second closest but more central Cades Cove lodging
Wears Valley just like Townsend belongs to the peaceful region of the Smokies. The town is not located as near Cades Cove as Townsend. Still it’s an option for where to stay near Cades Cove that isn’t much further away.
The 15 miles (24 km) from Wears Valley to Cades Cove is an easy drive to make. It takes about 30 minutes to get from Cades Cove lodging in Wears Valley to the jaw-dropping scenery in Cades Cove.
Although Wears Valley might be further from Cades Cove than Townsend, the town is more central in the Smokies region. From Cades Cove lodging in Wears Valley, it’s closer to other Smokies gems further east, including Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Clingmans Dome.
In short, Wears Valley isn’t the best place to stay near Cades Cove if you want the ultimate access to the scenic cove. Still Wears Valley is more central and allows better access to other popular Smokies towns and spots.
- Distance: 15 mi / 24 km
- Driving time: ≈ 30 min
- Pick Wears Valley for: More central lodging near Cades Cove.
Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge – More Cades Cove hotels further away
If you don’t like the idea of staying on peaceful side of the Smokies, you need to look towards Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. These cities are located further away from Cades Cove but offer a much more lively time in the Tennessee mountains.
From Gatlinburg, the route through Great Smoky Mountains National Park is 28 miles (45 km) long and takes about an hour to complete. The quickest route from Pigeon Forge, which goes on roads outside the national park, is slightly shorter.
Although Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are located further from Cades Cove, they also add another dimension to a visit. In Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, you find many attractions for the rainy days you prefer not to spend in nature.
Ripley’s Aquarium, Gatlinburg Space Needle and Hollywood Star Cars attract visitors to Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge answers up with big-ticket attractions such as the Titanic Museum and Dollywood.
On top of the many attractions, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge also offer a much bigger selection of Cades Cove hotels.
To sum up, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge don’t offer the best Cades Cove access. The cottages and hotels near Cades Cove in Townsend and Wears Valley are located much closer. But if you want a stay in livelier towns, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are the perfect options for where to stay near Cades Cove.
- Distance: 25-28 mi / 40-45 km
- Driving time: ≈ 45-60 min
- Pick Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge for: More lively Cades Cove towns.
Favorite location. You can’t argue with the fact that most visitors pick Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for where to stay near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Even though the cities don’t have the hotels closest Cades Cove, they certainly offer the whole package including attractions off the park.
Recommended Cades Cove hotels in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge
Marshall’s Creek Motel – Rustic Cades Cove lodging in Gatlinburg’s heart
Marshall’s Creek Motel sits in the heart of Gatlinburg. From the Cades Cove lodging option, you effortlessly walk to restaurants and things to do in town. It’s not a fancy alternative for where to stay when visiting Cades Cove but its access to Gatlinburg attractions can’t be beaten.
Marriott Pigeon Forge – The whole package in Pigeon Forge
At the Courtyard by Marriott in Pigeon Forge, you get maximum comfort when visiting Cades Cove. The hotel is conveniently located near the town’s fun main strip. In addition, its generous facilities include both an indoor and an outdoor pool.
Search for hotels near Cades Cove, TN
Use the booking tool below to find the best places to stay near Cades Cove. Browse the map for options in various areas, or click on the search button to get all Cades Cove hotels listed.
Booking.comWhere to stay near Cades Cove FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about where to stay near Cades Cove, Tennessee.
Townsend is the best place to stay near Cades Cove if you look for the ultimate access. But you also find convenient Cades Cove lodging close by in Wears Valley. Further away, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are appealing options if you want to stay in an area where more is going on.
Townsend is the town located closest to Cades Cove. From Townsend, it’s just 11 miles (18 km) to Cades Cove. Wears Valley is also nearby but slightly further away from the breathtaking Tennessee cove.
There are no hotels in Cades Cove. But the surrounding communities including Townsend and Wears Valley offer a wide selection of convenient Cades Cove accommodation.
If you pick Cades Cove lodging in Townsend or Wears Valley, it’s all about the nature in the Smokies. In contrast, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offer a lot of family-friendly things to do also for days off the park.
To Cades Cove, it’s 26 miles (42 km) from Pigeon Forge and 28 miles (45 km) from Gatlinburg. Although the road distance from Pigeon Forge is a few miles shorter, Gatlinburg is located closer to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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