Gatlinburg is a mountainous getaway and ski resort city in Tennessee, United States. It is famous for its aerial tramway, providing a panoramic view of the exotic smoky mountains, lush green plateaus, hillsides, exotic streams, and several hiking trails.
Families usually visit Gatlinburg to spend their vacations away from the busy city life.
It offers numerous attractions like a guided hiking tour, wine and shines walking tour, magic shows, nightlife, aquarium experience, mini-golf courses, and the smoky mountain tour itself, among many others.
Before planning a family getaway to Gatlinburg, learn about its attractions, activities, and famous places to include in your plan not to miss anything interesting.
Consider this blog as your tour guide to Gatlinburg.
Let us explore some of the most exciting activities that you can do with your entire family for an enriching holiday experience.
Rent a Cabin
The first thing you must consider and look for is your lodging arrangement. You do not need to leave any family members behind if you book a cabin for your getaway.
These are like a home away from home, with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms and multiple stories with modern fixtures and fittings.
In addition, you can bring your pets along with you if you travel to Gatlinburg since it is the perfect place for any pet to enjoy nature.
Type in ‘pet friendly cabins Gatlinburg‘ on Google to find the ideal lodging experience for your pets. Finding a pet-friendly place to stay means not paying for a kennel or a sitter to look after your pet while you are away.
Some cabin owners charge $89 for pet cleaning services, and you must leave your dog in a dog crate, which isn’t ideal.
The fare for the cabin depends on your family size and requirements. Cabins in Pigeon Forge cost relatively less than Gatlinburg’s since they are further away from the smoky mountains. Nevertheless, cabins in either place provide you with outclass lodging experience.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
The aquarium hosts several water creatures like 12-foot-long sharks, playful sea turtles, horseshoe crabs, stingrays, jellyfish, and thousands of other underwater creatures.
The underwater tunnel of Ripley’s Aquarium lets you get a full view of the aquarium with its stunning creatures in a picturesque mode. Different aquarium experiences include:
- Penguin painting and encounter program, where you can take part in a painting competition and win prizes
- Splashing and playing with the stingrays, which is predominantly a fun activity for kids
- A chance to touch and pet the penguins, horseshoe crabs, and other creatures without harming them in any way
- A tour of behind-the-scenes
- A ride over the shark lagoon in a glass-bottom boat
- A children’s play center with a three-story treehouse
- Sleeping with the sharks
- Educational programs
- Family-interactive and fun activities, and much more
In addition, the surrounding areas of the aquarium also have a gift shop, restaurant, and a public restroom.
Mini Golf Cub
Gatlin’s mini-golf club features two golf courses on a hillside. Both are 18-hole outdoor miniature golf courses that are award-winning based on their high standards. You also get a tour guide who narrates the history of the golf courses to you while you play.
In addition, there is also an indoor 9-hole miniature golf course if you do not wish to play outdoors. You can combine your golf course game with a laser tag game and escape room adventure in a single package at a lesser price.
Its amenities include military discounts and public restrooms.
Trail Spotlight in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Over 800 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With lush green hills, cascading views, winding pathways, and ecological communities, it is a great experience overall.
You can follow and explore the trails in the morning with your family and a guide who will tell you all about it. Some hiking trails include:
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Located on the outskirts of Gatlinburg, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail offers a jeep ride allowing tourists to admire the picturesque mountains.
It stretches over 5.5 miles, with a self-guided nature trail for those who want to continue exploring on foot.
Middle Prong Trail
The Middle Prong Trail boasts three prominent waterfalls: Lynn Camp Falls, Lynn Camp Prong Cascades, and Indian Flats Falls.
The trail runs for 8.3 miles with a few small streams accessible from Upper Tremont Road, leading to Greenbrier Ridge Trail and Lynn Camp Prong Trail.
The Gatlinburg Trail
The trail stretches 1.9 miles from Sugarland Visitor’s Center to Gatlinburg, with two walkways in the national park that are pet friendly and easy to ride a bike on.
You can go here for a refreshing morning exercise or stroll. It houses remnants of old house sites from the ancient communities and scenic views of the Little Pigeon River that runs along a portion of the trail.
It leads to a footbridge that is relatively shorter than the other trails.
Jump Off
Although not a designated trail by the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, it is a high cloud volume place and a stop-point for hikers to get a bird’s eye view of the exotic landscape.
Hikers stop here while making their way to Charlie’s Bunion.
Andrew’s Bald
Being the highest bald in the national park, Andrew’s Bald presents the best views of all the mountains in the park and is a lush, high-rise meadow. Its specialty is the amount of Flame Azaleas, a bright orange-colored flower that makes the place as beautiful as ever. The peak blooming season of the flower is during the summers, especially in July.
The Gatlinburg Skylift Park and SkyBridge
For the ultimate experience, check out SkyBridge, which is located at the top of SkyLift and is 680 feet long.
After 140 feet, you can also access other bridges and spans at the midpoint, along with the new Sky Trail.
The Sky Center’s two-story building with a Sky Deck offers exotic views of the highest mountain peaks, food, and refreshments.
Conclusion
Gatlinburg offers a wide variety of outdoor and indoor activities for the entire family. With pet-friendly cabins and hangout spots, an experience-based aquarium for the kids to enjoy, outdoor and indoor mini-golf courses, and several trails will keep you busy.
Your family can find many things to want to do while in Gatlinburg Smoky Mountains National Park and ski resort.
Therefore, take full advantage of all these activities for an unforgettable vacation experience with your entire family.