The Inn at Christmas Place in the Smoky Mountain town of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., offers all the magic and charm of visiting the North Pole with none of the frostbite. That's because at this 145-room Bavarian-style inn, it's always Christmas -- even in the middle of July! The celebratory spirit starts in the lobby, fully decked out in plenty of Christmas bling, and then carries into each of the guestrooms. Some rooms have just a bit of Christmas spirit here and there (a "Ho, Ho, Ho" throw pillow on the bed, a ceramic Santa's sleigh holding amenities in the bathroom, pine boughs decorating the mantle), while a handful go all out with fully decorated, seven-foot-tall trees so authentic that you'll be peeking underneath for packages. Just as magical is the lower lobby, which sports a huge Christmas tree, a three-story Glockenspiel that plays Christmas carols every hour on the hour, and a mailbox for letters to Santa.

As you might suspect, Santa and his entourage show up at the inn on a regular basis -- making the rounds in the breakfast room, sitting in front of the fireplace reading stories in winter, roasting marshmallows around the outdoor fire ring in summer, and even leading a sing-along while strumming a guitar in the lobby. Santa, Mrs. Claus, or an elf or two have also been known to serve milk and cookies.

The inn is owned by the same family that runs the Incredible Christmas Place complex of Christmas-themed shops that sits right across the street. The main shop opened in 1986, but it wasn't until 2007 that the inn was born. Three years later, the same family also opened a restaurant right next to the shops appropriately named the Partridge & Pear. Many inn guests eat there several times during their stay.

The neighborhood offers plenty more for families to do, as well. The town of Pigeon Forge (not to mention its neighbors, Sevierville to the north and Gatlinburg to the south) is overflowing with countless family-friendly attractions. Perhaps best of all is the jewel that sits just ten miles down the road -- the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (the most popular of all national parks).

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