Car rental for Gatlinburg and the Smokies

Gatlinburg's commercial district is extremely dense. National car rental chains don't operate storefronts there either — the local rental market runs through TYS (McGhee Tyson Airport) and through Turo hosts in the broader Knoxville/Maryville area. Drive865 operates the same way.

The practical answer for a Gatlinburg-based trip is to pick up at our Maryville location. From Maryville, US-321 runs northeast through Townsend and into Gatlinburg — it's a scenic 45-minute drive through the foothills that most Gatlinburg visitors would enjoy. The Townsend entrance to the Smokies is along the way, giving you Cades Cove access without going through the Gatlinburg tourist strip at all.

If you're flying in, TYS is the airport — not Knoxville's downtown, not Chattanooga, not Nashville. TYS is a 30-minute drive from Maryville and directly on the route toward Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg itself is a walkable tourist town. You park the car and you walk. The car matters for the surrounding roads — Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Foothills Parkway, Cades Cove, and the Cherohala Skyway if you go further.

For family trips based in Gatlinburg with Smokies day trips: the Odyssey Sport. Seven seats, real cargo room, parks easily in the strip's paid lots, no drama.

For the outdoors-focused trip pairing the park roads with some driving: the FJ Cruiser. Upright visibility for Cades Cove, comfortable on the Newfound Gap Road climb, capable on the occasional gravel pull-off.

For two adults who want the Smokies as the backdrop for good driving roads: the Miata on the Foothills Parkway, the BRZ or Supra if the Dragon is also on the plan.

US-321 from Maryville to Gatlinburg is a two-lane road that goes through Townsend and the western edge of the park. It's not a mountain road in the technical sense — it's paved, straightforward, and easy to drive. The foothills are visible the whole way, and once you pass Townsend you're in the park proper.

The alternative route (US-411 to Sevierville to Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg) is the faster option on a map but runs through the heavy tourist corridor. On a Friday afternoon or a Saturday morning in summer, the Pigeon Forge strip adds 20–30 minutes. The US-321 Townsend route is usually faster in practice during peak season and is significantly more pleasant to drive.