Starbucks

The Gatlinburg Starbucks is at 903 Parkway, on the main strip through town. It is not a Smokies destination, and nobody drives here for the atmosphere. What it offers is predictable espresso, tea and pastries on a street where independent cafes can be crowded in season, which makes it handy for the first hour of a park day. The phone listed for the store is (865) 325-1545, and the chain's official site has current hours and mobile ordering.

• Address: 903 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.
• Phone: (865) 325-1545.
• Ordering: mobile ordering through the Starbucks app lets you skip the line, which matters most on weekend mornings and during leaf season.
• Hours: check the app or the store page for today's hours, since the closing time changes with the season.

The Parkway is Gatlinburg's main road, and it is also the route that leads to the national park entrance. A coffee here fits a plan to be on the road early: grab a drink and a pastry, then head toward Great Smoky Mountains National Park before the lots fill. Popular trailheads and overlooks can fill by mid-morning on fall weekends, so the extra ten minutes you save by ordering ahead can matter. Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free, but any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes needs a parking tag ($5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual) displayed on the dashboard. America the Beautiful and other federal passes are not accepted for it; the Park Service fees page has the details.

Downtown Gatlinburg is walkable, and the free city trolley system, described on the Gatlinburg visitor site, runs the length of the Parkway, so you do not have to move the car between stops. Parking on the Parkway itself is limited, and most people use a paid lot or their hotel.

• Early risers who want caffeine before a drive into the park.
• Travelers who have a favorite order and no wish to gamble on a new cafe.
• Anyone waiting on a table elsewhere on the strip who needs a place to sit.

If you want a local pastry or a mountain-made coffee instead, walk a block or two along the Parkway, where independent shops have their own menus. For a fast, familiar stop, though, this location does the job, and the app saves you time when the line stretches to the door.