Top 8 Romantic Date Night Spots in the Smokies

Set on a 38-acre wooded property in Townsend near Cades Cove, this bistro serves modern Appalachian, farm-to-table cooking from Chef Jeff Carter, with produce from its own gardens and a highly regarded wine list. It has been voted one of America's most romantic restaurants, and the patio fire pit, with s'mores and a glass of wine, is the right way to end the night.

Chef David Rule's restaurant in historic downtown Sevierville cooks around a large wood-burning hearth in the middle of the kitchen, turning local farm ingredients into modern Appalachian dishes like dry-aged steaks, rainbow trout and glazed duck. The menu is printed daily, and the dark room of brass, stone and wood makes it feel like an occasion.

At 4,826 feet on Newfound Gap Road, this west-facing overlook looks down a valley framed by ridges toward the Sugarlands, with Mount LeConte and the Chimney Tops in view. At sunset the light runs straight down that valley, which is why it draws photographers. Bring a blanket and a thermos and start the evening here before dinner.

Set on the Little Pigeon River in downtown Gatlinburg, The Peddler is the steakhouse families come back to for generations. Your steak is cut to order at the table, the salad bar is a meal on its own, and the river views make it an easy anniversary dinner. Walk the Parkway afterward to finish the night.

Ride the yellow SkyLift chairlift up Crockett Mountain and walk the SkyBridge, which the park bills as the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America. Go in the evening, when the lights of downtown Gatlinburg spread out below you. The SkyDeck and Tulip Tower give you more angles for a photo together before you ride back down.

Inside the Historic Central Hotel in downtown Sevierville, Seasons 101 serves an upscale American menu that rotates with the seasons, from steak and seafood to Chef Darron Little's game dishes like rack of lamb and a signature Hunter's Plate. It is a calmer, more polished dinner than most of what you will find on the Parkway.

Anakeesta's after-dark night walk follows a forest trail about three-quarters of a mile long through nine zones of projections, lighting and an original score. It opens 30 minutes after sunset and takes most people about 45 minutes. Catch the view from the mountaintop Smokehouse restaurant first, then walk once it is dark.

A horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Pigeon Forge is an old-fashioned, low-key way to end a night out, and Heritage has been running romantic evening rides for more than 14 years. It makes a good surprise for an anniversary or a proposal, and the same team handles carriages for weddings.