Even 10 is not a crowd at Topsy. The five-bedroom log home easily accommodates up to 10 people on its three floors and offers plenty of room—both inside and out—to stretch out, relax, and make the most of the quiet wooded setting. Just as important, it’s only a 10-minute drive to the Pigeon Forge Parkway, home to amusement parks, dinner theaters, go-karting, mini golf, outlet shops and more.

Making up much of Topsy’s main floor is the great room. With its lustrous wood-planked walls and floors, beamed cathedral ceiling, stone-surround fireplace and large windows looking out onto lush trees, it’s everything you want a mountain lodge’s living area to be. When the whole gang isn’t gathering to watch TV or play charades, you can curl up in an armchair to catch up on your reading.

Alongside the fireplace is the dining table, and just behind that is the breakfast bar. Here everyone can sit down to a home-cooked meal rather than heading out to restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. And before you say you don’t want to cook while on vacation, take a look at Topsy’s kitchen. Equipped with shining stainless-steel appliances, cookware and tableware, along with generous counter space and elbow room, this kitchen makes cooking a pleasure. There’s a park-style charcoal grill outside as well if you prefer cooking alfresco.

Downstairs is another gathering spot, the den. A pool table is the main attraction, but there’s also another TV and fireplace. The kids can play down here while the adults unwind in the great room after a day on the go.

The decks are also conducive to rest and relaxation. Kick back on a rocker with your beverage of choice, listen to the wrens and warblers sing in the trees and take a deep breath of fresh mountain air. Relaxation is practically guaranteed! The only thing that could be even more rejuvenating would be to soak in a hot tub out among the breezes whispering through the trees—and Topsy has one right there on the deck.

If you prefer to luxuriate among steamy jets of water while indoors, head upstairs to Topsy’s primary suite. Here you’ll find a jetted tub as well as a luxurious king-size bed, a plush chaise and a flat-screen TV that, like all of the cabin’s other televisions, receives satellite channels. This suite has a private bathroom as well. You might never want to leave this room!

Three of the other bedrooms include queen-size beds. One of these rooms features French doors that open onto a deck. You and your sweetheart can slip outside to listen to the serenading whip-poor-wills and owls without waking the others. The fifth bedroom includes bunk beds, making it the perfect camp-like adventure for the kids.

Topsy is located in the picturesque Covered Bridge Resort. In the summer you can swim in the outdoor pool and laze on a poolside chaise. Year-round, you can stroll along the beautifully maintained grounds, which include a bridge over Walden’s Creek.

For all its bucolic charms, the resort is only a 10-minute drive to the Parkway. The Island in Pigeon Forge amusement park, Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner theater, Alcatraz East Crime Museum and the Tanger outlet mall are just a few of the attractions lining the Parkway. In 15 minutes, you can drive to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which you can explore on foot, by bike, on horseback or by car, and in 20 minutes, you can be at Dollywood. Even Knoxville, home to a zoo, the Sunsphere, an art museum and delightful Market Square, is only 45 minutes away.

Whether you prefer hikes or roller coasters, shopping or swimming, mountain biking or lazing in a hot tub, you’ll love staying at Topsy. Make your reservation today—before someone else beats you to it!

(This unit does NOT provide internet)