Whatever your dream getaway—a ski trip with other couples, a kid-oriented vacation with the extended family, a chance to catch up with old friends in a mellow setting—Summit Lodge will make a great home base. The 5-bedroom log cabin is just a 5-minute drive from the restaurants and amusements of downtown Gatlinburg, and it’s nearly as close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Ober Gatlinburg Amusement Park and Ski Area, and the Gatlinburg Arts and Crafts Loop. But you’ll also find plenty to keep everyone happily occupied right on its premises. For instance, the downstairs game room has a billiard table, so you can challenge friends to a game without having to drive to a bar. If pool’s not your thing, station yourself at one of the three classic arcade games—Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, and Out Run. Show the kids in your group how we amused ourselves before the internet! And if even helping Ms. Pac-Man avoid ghosts is too strenuous for you (understandable after a day spent biking, snowboarding, or shopping the nearby outlets), stretch out on the game room’s plush sofa and watch a movie on the 55” HDTV. with movie theater surround sound. Or head out onto one of Summit Lodge’s 2 rear decks and revel in the glorious vistas. Spanning the width of the 2,700-square-foot cabin and looking out onto the Great Smoky Mountains, they’re furnished with plenty of comfortable rockers. Sip your morning coffee while chickadees greet the day with a song; reminisce with family and friends in the pink-tinged glow of sunset; come out late at night after the little ones are in bed for a romantic drink in the moonlight. For the ultimate in pampering, step into the lower deck’s 7 person hot tub. As if the massaging jets of steamy water weren’t relaxing enough, you can listen to the breeze rustle through the trees and maybe even spy eagles soaring through the sky as you soak… bliss! A double-height wall of windows along Summit Lodge’s living/dining area lets you admire the mountain vistas even while indoors. In winter the gas fireplace makes space an especially welcoming spot, though any time of year is a good one for stretching out on the living room sofa with a book or gathering the gang to watch a favorite show on the 50” HDTV. The dining table seats 12 people comfortably; smaller groups can sit at the adjacent breakfast bar. And though you might intend to eat most of your meals in one of the many nearby restaurants, once you see the fully equipped kitchen (and the stunning view from the dining area) you might change your mind. Appliances, cookware, tableware - the kitchen has it all. There’s a dishwasher too, because why scrub dishes when you can be shooting pool or hiking in the mountains? Each of Summit Lodge’s 5 bedrooms has its own bathroom, a TV, plenty of storage, and a view you’ll love waking up to. The most private of the bedrooms makes up the entire loft level and includes a king-size bed. Two additional master bedrooms, each with its own king-size bed, are just off the living room main floor. Downstairs, on either side of the game room, are the remaining 2 bedrooms. Each of these rooms has 2 queen-size beds, making them perfect if a number of kids are in your group—they’ll feel as if they’re at sleep-away camp! What’s more, the sofas in the game room and the living area convert into beds for 2, accommodating up to 4 more guests. Because Summit Lodge is located in the 43-acre Black Bear Falls Log Home Community, you can take advantage of the resort’s 2 heated swimming pools, one of which is a kiddie pool, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. But even when the pools are closed, you can enjoy a vacation that’s as action-packed or as laid-back as you like.