Stay close to home without being home for the holidays: 2020 Cyber Monday travel deals in East Tennessee

Traveling amid a pandemic can be tricky, but we wouldn't blame you for needing to get away from home this holiday. 

There are options and great deals close by that you can take advantage of this Cyber Monday. From glamping getaways to outdoor adventures, here are East Tennessee accommodations and attractions offering discounts during the holidays. 

Places to stay 

Dollywood properties 

Guests can stay at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa for rates as low as $109 per night. Most stays between Dec. 1, 2020, and March 11, 2021, are eligible for reduced pricing. To take advantage of this offer, book your stay online between Nov. 27 and Nov. 30 11:59 p.m. ET at dollywood.com/Resort. 

See the Smokies right outside a window during a stay at Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins this holiday season. Guests who reserve their cabin between Nov. 27 and Nov. 30 11:59 p.m. ET can book five nights for the price of a four-night visit. This offer is good for stays between Jan. 3 and March 11, 2021. Check availability and book at Dollywood.com/Cabins. 

Blackout dates apply to both offers. 

Wilderness at the Smokies 

Whether you are paying for friends and family or treating yourself to some savings on an upcoming reservation, Wilderness at the Smokies is offering its only gift-card sale of the year. 

For every $100 spent on gift cards, you'll get a $10 bonus card. So, for $100, you'll get $10, for $500, you'll get $50 and so on. 

Gift cards can be used for lodging, onsite shops and restaurants. Gift cards are valid for 60 months from the date of activation. Bonus cards are valid for 24 months from the date of activation. 

Buy gift cards and plan your next trip at wildernessatthesmokies.com. 

Treehouse Grove

Stay in style at Treehouse Grove, a hidden treehouse resort in the Smoky Mountains. This winter, the resort is offering special rates to stay in any of the eight two-room, one-bath treehouses. The glamping getaway opened this year and has been especially popular amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

From now until Dec. 1, guests can book dates between Jan. 2 and Feb. 28, 2021, for 15% off with code "WINTER15". A two-night stay is required to take advantage of this offer. This deal can not be combined with other offers. Plan your trip at treehouse-grove.com. 

Graduate Hotels

Graduate Hotels is a collection of boutique properties including the recently added Nashville and Knoxville locations. Now is the time to visit the hotels, which are inspired by some of East Tennessee's most famous faces like Dolly Parton and Peyton Manning. 

Graduate Hotels is offering up to 50% off stays with code "GAMEON" between Nov. 30 and Dec. 4. The deal is good for stays from Nov. 30, 2020, to March 31, 2021. A limited number of rooms are available for each date and may not be valid during blackout

periods or combined with any other discount or promotional offers. 

Gain access to the deal at graduatehotels.com/cyber-sale-2020.

Glamping Hub

Want to get away but worried about crowded or shared places to stay? Glamping Hub, an online service with more than 26,000 destinations around the world, is here to help this holiday season. Glamping Hub has 680 sites to choose from in Tennessee. 

For a limited time, guests can get $30 off any reservation over $200. This offer is only available online during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Go to glampinghub.com to find a place to stay, and enter code "GHBLACKFRI30" at checkout to apply the discount.

Expedia 

Expedia's Travel Sale, the site's biggest promotion of the year. began Nov. 23 and lasts through "Travel Tuesday" on Dec. 1.

Select stays for travel dates through Sept. 12, 2021, will be marked down, according to Expedia. Download the Expedia app to save an extra 12% with an app-only coupon on select hotels and activities.

Visit expedia.com/blackfriday to find deals and book trips. 

Things to do

Dollywood

Get access to unlimited rides, shows and seasonal events at Dollywood by buying a 2021 season pass. The infamous East Tennessee amusement park is offering a Cyber Monday incentive too good to pass up. 

People who purchase a 2021 season pass on Nov. 30 will receive a free park refill mug,  which includes $.99 refills on fountain drinks all season, with every pass. Or, buy a two-park Super Pass and get an upgraded refill mug, good for free refills through the end of the 2021 season. 

The offers are only available for new online pass purchases made Monday, Nov. 30. Season passes purchased through either offer may be used immediately for this season’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival.

Take advantage of this offer at dollywood.com. 

Anakeesta

Anakeesta, a mountaintop outdoor theme park off the Gatlinburg strip, is offering discounted annual passes for 2021. Visitors can enjoy the newly opened Black Bear Village, AnaVista Tower and TreeVenture Challenge Course, which are all part of the park's $6.5 million expansion. 

Buy two Anakeesta annual passes and receive a $25 gift card, or buy four annual passes to and receive a $50 gift card. 

Annual passes are valid for one year from the date of issue and include one free buddy pass, 20% off retail food, beverages (excluding alcohol), zipline tours, mountain coaster rides and gem mining. Plus, annual pass holders can ride in the Express Lane, the fastest way to the top. 

More information is available at anakeesta.com. 

Travel tips

Look for longer-lasting deals

Because time is arbitrary in 2020, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are no longer tethered to their day. Plus, more businesses are making online booking easier than ever. 

Be on the lookout for discounts being offered before and after shopping holidays so you have more time to decide on the best deals. 

Be flexible

The coronavirus pandemic has made it almost impossible to have concrete travel plans. Many travel brands are offering deals accordingly.

Consider how companies handle refunds and reservation dates. Now is the time to think about travel insurance, too.

Keep it clean

Protecting yourself and others is the most important part of traveling this year. Do what you can to slow the spread of the virus, including getting tested for COVID-19, wearing a mask, physically distancing and other preventative measures. 

Of course, don't travel if you start to experience symptoms.