Big Meadow Family Campground

The Great Outdoors

RV rentals in Blount County are your best choice for finding an RV rental that perfectly suits your needs. Once you've selected your rig, take it and head out on the open highway to find out what driving an RV feels like. First, head for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where you'll find Southern Appalachian mountain culture and a widely diverse selection of plant and animal life. Stop on your way at Sugarlands Visitor Center to talk to the park rangers; they can give you up-to-the-minute weather reports, advice, and suggestions, and set you up with maps or anything else you might need. The center has a short, 20-minute film about the park which can get you started. If you have kids with you, completing some activities can certify them as Junior Rangers.Nantahala National Forest is just across the state border in North Carolina and consists of both mountain areas and valleys. It's a multi-use park that supplies timber and other natural resources, protects existing watersheds, acts as a wildlife habitat, and provides outdoor recreation opportunities to the public. If you'd like to try whitewater rafting, this is where you'll find it. The park has hundreds of miles of trails where you can hike and mountain bike. If you're looking for something a little more exciting, there are specific areas where you can go rock climbing. If passive observation is your thing, take your RV rental for a drive through the park to observe the gorges and waterfalls.Catoosa Wildlife Management Area has a long history pre-dating the arrival of European settlers; it was used for farming and industry as late as the Great Depression of the 1930s when industries couldn't afford to repair the railroads, leading to the failure of many local businesses. Public pressure led to the state government purchasing some of the land in the 1940s to create a wildlife management area, which led to the eventual creation of the park. Today you can come here to enjoy backpacking and camping, whitewater rafting, and many other activities.

Exploring The Area

Once you've had your fill of the outdoors, you can head to some of the urban areas to indulge and pamper yourself. Maryville is a friendly, medium-sized city with a number of shopping malls, at least two of which specialize in antiques. It has a quaint little theater that shows mainstream and specialized movies, as well as sponsoring jazz and guitar concerts and other shows. There are a vineyard and a brewery on hand where you can sample their creations, a museum, and a historic schoolhouse that is a re-creation of the original. It has a museum and gift shop, and an area that can be rented for special occasions; it's set in a quiet natural area with picnic tables where you can enjoy a brown bag lunch if you choose.Knoxville is a large city with many attractions and opportunities. If you'd like to try something social, there are any number of local tours that will take you to restaurants, wineries and breweries, heritage observation, and more. You could take a self-guided scavenger hunt tour and add some intrigue and mystery to your activity. The city has a zoo and an art museum, a historic fort, and several theaters, just to name a few possible destinations. By now, your stomach is probably starting to complain that it's time to refuel, and Knoxville has you covered. You'll find everything from simple, inexpensive venues to fine-dining establishments and everything in between; you'll also find a wide selection of cuisines, such as Asian and French fare, barbecue, steak, and seafood, and so on. One of the Mediterranean restaurants is open for lunch and dinner and has vegan items on the menu.Tennessee is definitely a state with friendly vibes and attractive surroundings, the perfect place for enjoying a motorhome camping vacation, and Big Meadow Family Campground is where you'll want to stay.