City: Cosby, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (423) 487-5534, (800) 210-2119

Address: 4946 Hooper Highway

Description: Don’t let the name fool you: This isn’t an amusement park. It’s a campground for families who are happiest in a place where there’s always something going on. Jellystone offers bingo, live entertainment, ice-cream socials, and wagon rides. Saturday night is cartoon night, and you can watch family movies on the other six nights of the week. During the high season, a local resort ministry runs a day camp here that includes games, activities, and crafts. Jellystone’s backyard is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with the popular Maddron Bald hiking trail jumping off right out of the campground. This pleasant 1-mile walk takes you to a lovely picnic grove. Jellystone is open from mid-March through November, with 70 trailer/RV sites, three fully furnished cabins, two rustic cabins (with heat and air but no plumbing), two rustic suites (with color TVs, coffeemakers, microwaves, and half-baths), and 18 tent sites. Most of the trailer sites are on an island surrounded by the stream. Some premium sites are available that are almost twice as big as standard sites.Streamside sites with full hookup are $37 to $57 per night, and sites with water/electric hookup are $30 to $50. Off-stream full hookup sites run $37 to $47, and off-stream sites with water/electric hookup are $29 to $33. Tent sites with water and electric service are $30 to $34, and primitive tent sites are $23 to $25. The three full cabins sleep five at $95 to $115 a night, and the rustic cabins will accommodate six for $55 to $70. The rustic suite sleeps five and costs from $70 to $95.