You didn't say how much time you have allotted for this trip, but if you have the time and are interested in seeing some nice scenery, consider traveling on portions of the Skyline drive in VA (parallels I-81) or further south the Blue Ridge Parkway. The BRP ends at U.S. 441 on the NC side of the Smokies and you can just drive over the mountain to Gatlinburg. All in all, a beautiful trip but you should allot several days to drive the whole thing (about 570 miles) with 35 MPH speed limit on the Skyline Dr and 45 MPH on the BRP.