Ober Gatlinburg, Ski Resort & Amusement Park

Before we headed back home, we decided to drive up to Ober Gatlinburg, which sits high up on the Tennessee mountaintop over-looking Gatlinburg. First you need to know that there are 2 ways to get there. One by tram, from downtown Gatlinburg, or two drive a steep inclined road to the top of the mountain. While I'm sure the tram is a nifty way to take in all the sights, it is often expensive, and 9.95 per person. Drive, and you'll find a convenient parking lot overlooking the Smokey Mountains.

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During the winter months, Ober Gatlinburg is a ski resort, with an indoor shopping center, arcade, skating rink, restaurants and more.

Around March Ober Gatlinburg shifts gears, and begins opening its amusement park rides, such as go-carts, a down hill concrete luge, sled track and other attractions.

We took part in the go-carts, and the luge both which will cost you $5.00 a person, per ride. The sled track is unique because you begin your journey riding up a ski lift to the top of mountain. The first warning signal something might make this cool, is the signs saying advanced skiers only on this lift, which are obvious remnants left from the skiing season. Below our feet we can see the concrete track weaving in and around the mountain. Ten minutes later we're at the top and loading a sled onto the starting ramp to the track. Simple instruction on how to brake, and speed up are marked on the sled. We scooted off the starting ramp and began our descent. Quickly hitting speeds in excess of 40MPH, you hit near vertical embanked curves where your forced in and out of the corners with incredible speeds. What seemed to take a long time to go up the mountain, seems to go by so fast in a high-speed bob-sled.

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Seriously this place is more fun then a Republican at a gay bar, ran by illegal immigrants. It was so nice to go to a place where the kids could have some fun, and we could too. Ober Gatlinburg is awesome.