It is difficult to plan a cheap Smoky Mountain vacation with an entire family. No one should have to miss out on the exciting activities and fun things to do in the area, so these are a few tips that will help you save money while you are planning your Smoky Mountain getaway!

Purchase Combination Ticket Packages

If you are planning on visiting many of the local attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, purchase combination tickets! Many of these packages include tickets to the most popular attractions, for one bundled cost. Some attractions, such as Country Tonite, even offer free child admissions! Country Tonite offers vacation packages that include tickets to their show as well as other attractions.

Use the Trolley Service

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg each offer an excellent trolley service. With well over 100 stops through Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, the trolleys are a cheap Smoky Mountain public transportation! Using the trolley service will prevent you from having to spend money on gas and parking fees. The trolleys offer day passes for unlimited rides. The cost of a day pass in Pigeon Forge is $2.50 and in Gatlinburg the cost is $2.00.

Keep Snacks on Hand and Plan a Picnic

During your vacation, keep snacks on hand! Keeping snacks in your cabin will mean you do not have to purchase snacks at over-priced locations. When you or your child has an urge for hunger, peanut butter crackers and a bottled water will usually keep them filled for a couple of hours! While staying in your cabin, there are cheap Smoky Mountain alternatives for meals. You can plan a picnic meal or cookout for a couple of the meals during your Smoky Mountain vacation. Rather than dining at a restaurant every afternoon, pack a picnic and enjoy the wildlife during mealtime!

Take Advantage of Lunch Menus

When you do choose to dine out, take advantage of lunch options! The lunch menus of most restaurants in the area are very similar to their dinner menus and offer the same quality and uniqueness. There are plenty of options on the lunch menus, the portions are always enough to satisfy, and the prices are much cheaper!

Check out the Visitors’ Centers

Visitors’ Centers in the Smokies can be fun for the entire family. Stocked with brochures and vacation guides, children will enjoy picking through the pictures of the many attractions in the area while parents will appreciate the money-saving coupons! At visitors’ centers, you can find coupons and special promotions that will help you save money and plan for your fun and cheap Smoky Mountain vacation. Inside the numerous visitor guides and booklets, you can find coupons for stores, gift shops, and restaurants. Using these coupons, as you experience Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, can save your family quite a bit of money!

Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

If you are looking for cheap Smoky Mountain things to do, spend a day or two in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! There are plenty of hiking trails, some even lead to waterfalls!  Enjoying the Smoky Mountains is completely free. No one can take a vacation to the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area without at least one trip to the mountains!