Things to Do in Gatlinburg & the Great Smoky Mountains
Gatlinburg sits at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park — the most visited national park in America with 12+ million visitors a year. The town itself is a compact mountain village packed with attractions, restaurants, and shops along the main strip.
Pigeon Forge (Dollywood, dinner shows) is 6 miles north. Together they form the gateway to the Smokies.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Free admission — no entrance fee, one of the few national parks that doesn’t charge. The park spans 522,000 acres across the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
Clingmans Dome — The highest point in the Smokies (6,643 feet) with a 360-degree observation tower. The half-mile walk to the top is steep but paved. On clear days you can see 100 miles. Closed December through March.
Cades Cove — An 11-mile one-way loop road through a historic valley with preserved log cabins, churches, and mills from the 1800s. Wildlife is common — black bears, deer, turkeys. Go early morning to avoid the traffic (the loop can take 3+ hours on busy days).
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail — A 5.5-mile one-way loop that starts right in Gatlinburg. Old-growth forest, historic buildings, and Grotto Falls (the only waterfall in the park you can walk behind).
Hiking — The park has 800+ miles of trails. Popular picks: Alum Cave Trail (5 miles round trip, leads to the LeConte Lodge), Chimney Tops (4 miles round trip, steep but rewarding), Laurel Falls (2.6 miles round trip, paved, easy), Rainbow Falls (5.4 miles round trip).
Elk Viewing — Elk were reintroduced to the park in 2001. The Cataloochee Valley (eastern side of the park) is the best viewing area, especially at dawn and dusk in autumn.
Downtown Gatlinburg
The main strip (Parkway) is a half-mile of wall-to-wall attractions:
Gatlinburg SkyLift Park — A chairlift to the top of Crockett Mountain with the SkyBridge, North America’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge (680 feet). The glass floor panels in the middle are not for the faint of heart.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies — Walk-through shark tunnel, penguin exhibit, stingray touch pool. Consistently rated one of the top aquariums in the country.
The Space Needle — A 407-foot observation tower with panoramic views of the Smokies and downtown. The Arcadia at the base has classic arcade games.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not / Haunted Adventure / Mirror Maze — The Ripley’s franchise has multiple attractions along the strip. The moving theater and haunted house are the most popular.
Moonshine & Distilleries
Gatlinburg is moonshine country. The Tennessee mountains have been producing corn whiskey since the 1700s, and now it’s legal and everywhere.
Ole Smoky Moonshine — The original Gatlinburg distillery. Free tastings at the Holler on the main strip. Flavors range from original corn whiskey to apple pie to pickle-flavored.
Sugarlands Distilling — Premium spirits and craft cocktails. The tasting room is lively and the seasonal flavors rotate.
Tennessee Homemade Wines — Wine tasting on the main strip. Fruit wines, meads, and traditional grape wines.
Walk the strip and you can hit 6-8 tasting rooms in an afternoon. Most tastings are free or $5.
Pigeon Forge (6 miles north)
Dollywood — Dolly Parton’s theme park. Genuine roller coasters (Wild Eagle, Lightning Rod, the new Big Bear Mountain), Appalachian craft demonstrations, and Dolly’s personal touch everywhere. The festivals (Smoky Mountain Christmas, Harvest Festival) are exceptional. Easily a full day.
The Island in Pigeon Forge — Outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex with the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel (200-foot observation wheel), fountain show, and Island Ropes Course.
Dinner Shows — Pigeon Forge has a half-dozen dinner theater productions. Dolly Parton’s Stampede, Pirates Voyage, Lumberjack Feud, Hatfield & McCoy. Family-friendly and unapologetically cheesy.
Go-Karts & Attractions — The Parkway through Pigeon Forge is lined with go-kart tracks, mini golf, escape rooms, and mirror mazes. The Track is the biggest — multi-level elevated go-kart tracks.
Where to Eat
The Peddler Steakhouse — On the river in Gatlinburg. One of the best steaks in town. Salad bar you build yourself from a literal wheelbarrow.
Pancake Pantry — Gatlinburg’s legendary breakfast spot. 24 varieties of pancakes. Lines on weekends but worth it.
Local Goat — Newer restaurant with a rooftop bar and mountain views. Elevated comfort food.
Three Jimmy’s — Good burgers and craft beer on the strip.
Calhoun’s — BBQ and ribs on the Pigeon Forge parkway.
Vacation Deals
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