Places to Visit/ Things to do in the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the country. The Smokies welcomed 13.3 million visitors in 2023, and for good reason. In addition to the beauty of the Smokies, there is also opportunities for hiking, camping, and viewing the wildlife. There is also an abundance of things to do in the surrounding areas (Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge). These are lists of my favorites!
Places to Visit
The Smoky Mountains National Park offers a large range of attractions and places to visit. These are a few of my favorites.
Cades Cove is a beautiful valley located in the Smoky Mountains. Visitors can drive through or bike.
Get your guide to visiting the Smokies and surrounding areas. Find favorite recommendations for restaurants, activities, and lodging.
The Sinks are geological formations with beautiful rushing water and calmer water in sink hole for swimming.
The Wye in Townsend is a river bend that leads to the small town of Townsend. It offers a great place to swim or to go tubing.
Newfound Gap is located in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and offers amazing views of surrounding peaks and valleys.
There are numerous picnicking areas in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Clingmans Dome is the highest peak in the park. It is a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers.
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Hiking
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Smoky Mountains through the magic of short hikes. These are some of the more popular day hikes.
The Alum Cave Trail is a scenic and challenging hiking trail leading to Mt. LeConte. It offers breathtaking views of the mountains, various rock formations, and cross streams.
Chimney Tops Trail is a challenging but rewarding hiking trail. It offers breathtaking views of surrounding mountains and valleys.
Andrews Bald is a scenic hike that offers beautiful mountains views, and in known for its vibrant displays of wildflowers in the spring.
Charlie's Bunion is a scenic and challenging hiking trail. It offers beautiful views of surrounding mountains and valleys.
The Grotto Falls trail is a moderate trail that leads winds through the forest and alongside a babbling creek. Trail leads to the breathtaking Grotto Falls.
Motivational hiking sweatshirt makes a great gift for the hiker in your life.
This Get Up and Go Hike sweatshirt is perfect for anyone who likes to hike.
Activities in Surrounding Area - Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge
There are several family-friendly attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. This is a list of a few of my favorite.
Gatlinburg was named Best Small Town in Tennessee by Southern Living.
Southern Living readers picked Dollywood as the best attraction in Tennessee. It was also voted the 5th Best Theme Park in the U.S. by USA Today. Dollywood is an amusement park that offers lots of thrilling rides, shows and entertainment, and good food. Perfect for young and old alike.
The Island is located in Pigeon Forge and offers rides, entertainment, and several dining options.
Tanger Outlets is just one of the outlet malls/stores in Pigeon Forge. Not only does it offer discounted name-brand stores, it also offers beautiful views of the Smokies.
Ripley's Aquarium is located in Gatlinburg, TN. It offers a beautiful underwater world filled with exotic marine life.
There are numerous mini-golf courses and race tracks in Pigeon Forge. Fun for all ages
Ober Gatlinburg is a popular ski resort located in the Smokies. It offers skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and a black bear wildlife encounter.
Anakeesta in Gatlinburg is a mountain retreat with beautiful views of the Smokies. It offers shops, zip lines, walks, a mountain coaster, and gondola.
The Gatlinburg SkyBridge offers panoramic views of the Smokies. it is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.
Soaky Mountain Waterpark (Sevierville) as voted the 8th Best Outdoor Waterpark in the U.S. by USA Today.
Dollywood's Splash Country was voted the 10th Best Outdoor Waterpark in the U.S. byUSA Today.
Restaurants
This is a short list of some of the most popular restaurants in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
The Peddler Steakhouse is an iconic fine dining restaurant in Gatlinburg. It is know for its delicious fire-grilled steaks.
The Pancake Pantry is a local favorite but this is a list of the top 5 pancake restaurants in Gatlinburg.
The Old Mill restaurant in Pigeon Forge offers a historical water mill and beautiful countryside setting.
The Smoky Mountain Brewery in Gatlinburg is a popular brewpub with delicious pub-style food.
If you're looking to grab pizza and spaghetti to take back to your cabin or room, this is the place. Also has dine-in seating.
Huck Finn's in Pigeon Forge is a popular family owned and operated restaurant. They are known for their award winning all you can eat catfish, fried chicken, and made-from-scratch hushpuppies.
Lodging/Cabins
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offers numerous lodging choices--from cozy cabins to family friendly resorts. These are a few of my personal favorites.
Black Bear Falls in Gatlinburg offers luxurious cabins of all sizes.
Gatlinburg Falls Resort offers cabins with breathtaking views. These cabins are also conveniently located near Gatlinburg's main attractions.
This rental company offers over 340 rental cabins in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley and Sevierville. They offer cabins from 1 bedroom up to 20 bedrooms.
Wears Valley is just minutes from from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. They offer cabins with hot tubs, great views, and even cabin pools. Wears Valley even has its own entrance to the National Park..
Gatlinburg Glamping offers a luxurious camping experience nestled in the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. Guest can enjoy comforts of a hotel while being surrounded by nature.
Family-owned Greystone Lodge is perfectly located between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Little Pigeon River. Its also just steps from downtown Gatlinburg ‘s best shopping, dining and entertainment
The River Edge Inn is located in downtown Gatlinburg and is walking distance to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Anakeesta, SkyLift Park, and more. It was also named as a 2021 Travelers' Choice by Tripadvisor.
Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa is just minutes from Dollywood’s award-winning theme parks. It was recently voted a Top 10 Theme Park Hotel by USA Today.
Wilderness in the Smokies is home to Tennessee's largest indoor waterpark. The resort is surrounded by picturesque landscape, lush forests, majestic mountains, and scenic views.