How to Plan Your Visit to the Smokies
So you've decided to visit the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area for your vacation? Fantastic! Now there's the planning to do -- but don't worry, we have you covered with our Trip Planner Mini-Guide. We'll help you get ready for a fun vacation that may turn into a yearly tradition.
Many travelers like to return to our area every year. Even if you have been here before, there's always something new to discover. Here are just a few of the area’s highlights you can look forward to:
1) Visiting during different seasons over the years can make your trip to the Smokies unique. While our area is known for fall's stunning display, every season offers something to enjoy and explore. Spring is no exception as Gatlinburg transforms itself during Smoky Mountain Springfest. The entire town greets the season bedecked in flowers and songs that hearken back through the decades to the earliest settlers who homesteaded here in the 1800s.
2) The grandiose beauty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a magnificent backdrop to any activity you undertake around town, and provides a whole new world for you to discover when you enter the park's trails and campgrounds.
3) The famous Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community with its 100+ artisans who demonstrate their ability to weave, carve, create pottery, candles, soap and so much more. Visitors can spend an entire day watching and listening to the artists as they discuss how they learned their crafts. Plus, the parking is free!
4) Wildlife viewing really doesn't have to be planned when you visit Gatlinburg - you'll likely see black bears, deer, dozens of colorful birds, butterflies, salamanders and many more creatures who frequent the park area, especially in Cades Cove. Cades Cove is a 6800 acre natural area that offers many opportunities to get close to nature. You can select one of the trails (there's one to match most anyone's fitness or skill level) or you can tour the loop road by car or on foot.
Now those highlights should whet your appetite for your trip, and there's so much more to see and do! We better start the trip planning guide so you can get here a.s.a.p. and enjoy everything that Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have to offer!
Easy Smokies Trip Planning
1) Choose your perfect cabin
We have everything from cozy 1-bedroom cabins to 4 or 5 bedroom cabins that can accommodate groups as large as 18 people! Our cabins have all the comforts of home including fully equipped kitchens, plus luxury amenities such as hot tubs, pool tables, private pools, theater rooms, and more! We also offer pet friendly cabins so the entire family can join the fun!
2) Download the free Gatlinburg app
Available for iPhone and Android. The cool part about the Visit Gatlinburg app is that you can search for all the best things to do from your location.
3) Check the National Park's website
This site is a treasure trove of information on what you can see and do in the park. Get your free trip planning information and books, maps and guides from their online store.
Need a few tips on things to see in the park?
We recommend Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park at over 6600 feet high. The observation tower is a very popular attraction and it's a good idea to go early in the day before it gets crowded. You might want to check the weather forecast before you go too, as it may be overcast on the day you visit. Visitors enjoy the walk up to the tower, which can be a bit strenuous but rewards you with some of the most amazing panoramic views of the Smokies you will ever see.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is another popular natural spot that the whole family can enjoy. See old homesteads, Rainbow Falls and Grotto Falls, and some incredible scenery, such as old growth forests, wildflowers, and of course Roaring Fork mountain stream.
4) Discover the best places to eat
Gatlinburg makes it easy for people to enjoy terrific food anytime, as restaurants serve a great mix of local specialties and well-known favorites. Try some of the terrific trout caught locally. Visit a famous pancake restaurant that offers 25 types of pancakes. Go with steak, chicken or superb Italian food. Pair these dinners with amazing locally made wine and micro-brewed beer and you have a meal made in heaven.
5) Decide which attractions you want to visit
With so much to see and do in this area, you may want to decide on some key activities beforehand. Here are just a few of the incredible attractions you can enjoy:
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
In addition to the variety of marine life you can see, they also offer live shows. Two popular ones are the family-friendly and interactive Live Mermaid Show, (where the aquarium’s mermaids swim with many awesome sea creatures), and the Marine Science show (a perfect family show which shares a variety of facts about aquatic life and the oceans).
Ober Gatlinburg
Visit this family-friendly attraction which offers several entertaining activities at one location. Take the aerial tram from downtown Gatlinburg up to Ober Gatlinburg and get an all-day Outdoor Activity Wristband. Kids 4 and under are free. The aerial tram ride is a fun beginning to your day at Ober. You can then spend the day on the many rides and activities that Ober Gatlinburg has to offer.
Don’t forget the indoor skating rink and the famous alpine slide. You may wish to purchase the All Activity Wristband which includes admission to the Wildlife Encounter and one session of ice skating. Visitors of all ages, and especially children, love the Wildlife Encounter and can enjoy a fun and educational day learning about and enjoying the antics and behaviors of black bears, otters (these are great to see in the underwater viewing area), birds of prey, nocturnal animals and more.
Winter at Ober Gatlinburg is a whole different experience. Their ski slopes, snowboarding and snow tubing areas provide winter sports enthusiasts of all ages plenty of ways to have fun in the snow.
Brewery, Winery and Distillery Tours
Sometimes people are looking for a different type of ‘up close and personal’ activity, and a great alternative is a winery, distillery or brewery tour. Fortunately our area is home to several noteworthy breweries and wineries and a distillery that has built a name for itself on the national stage.
Ole Smoky Moonshine: Start your tour at this Gatlinburg distillery and discover ‘The Holler’. There’s so much to see – from authentic moonshine stills to the people and processes responsible for creation of real Tennessee moonshine. This tour is very pleasurable and you can ask questions and try some samples of their terrific moonshine flavors. Depending on when you visit you might get to taste special seasonal flavors, too. If you stop by the Ole Smoky store you can buy moonshine and moonshine-themed items, like coolers, t-shirts, stainless steel shot glasses, and even Ole Smoky Moonshine mustard barbecue sauce.
Sugarland Cellars: If you’re in the mood for a fun local winery tour, Sugarland Cellars in Gatlinburg offers a great tour and free wine tastings. Variety and delicious flavor characterize these distinctive local wines. The friendly staff at Sugarland Cellars really likes to meet with visitors, so this is a popular stop on the winery tour in this area. And of course no trip to Sugarland Cellars would be complete without a visit to their wine shop.
Smoky Mountain Brewery: The Pigeon Forge location of this brewery and restaurant makes a great stop for the whole family. See the micro-brewery in action and order up delicious snacks, appetizers, subs, sandwiches, burgers, Italian specialties and pizza, salads and much more. Enjoy some of the distinctive beers with locally-inspired names. You can even try samplers of their beers in 5 oz. glasses, or enjoy your beer in pint glasses all the way up to 33.8 oz. Super Mugs.
They also have a location in Gatlinburg which features great food, their famous micro-brewed beer, an enclosed deck and the gorgeous Smoky Mountains scenery surrounding this popular restaurant and gathering spot.
So there you have it; just a handful of the unique attractions and activities that are waiting for you here in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN.
The next step is getting your cabin reserved for your trip! Reserve your Gatlinburg cabin rental now and get ready for some fun! Traveling with your pet? See our pet-friendly cabin rentals here.
We can’t wait to see you soon!