Gatlinburg, Tennessee is one of my most favorite places in the United States. It even made it onto my 23 Favorite Places article! Sitting in the peaks of the Smokey Mountains, Gatlinburg is full of amazing hikes, fun activities, and incredible shopping. Here are some of the best things to do in one of my favorite cities, Gatlinburg!
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Cabins, Cabins, Cabins
Gatlinburg is famous for its mountain cabins. Some are rugged, and some are downright luxurious! Hello, glamping! I prefer mid-range cabins, especially with a great view and an outdoor hot tub for those chilly mountain nights. You can find a huge range of cabins on Airbnb.
Smoky Mountain National Park
My all-time favorite thing to do while in Gatlinburg is to go hiking. The views are stunning through the mountains, and wildlife is abundant. Check out the Smoky Mountain National Park for some of the best trails and the best chances to see some wildlife! On my last visit during my southeastern US road trip, I even saw a bear cub climbing down a tree. I heard mama bear close by, so I quickly walked away from the area, but it was one of the best moments of my life!
The national park is also full of trails leading to waterfalls. These trails are typically more crowded and less overgrown than other nature trails. This makes it more difficult to see black bears on the hike, but the waterfalls and views are stellar!
If hiking isn’t your thing, the park also has areas to park your car at overlooks. I met multiple people who were simply there to take in views at overlooks of the mountain peaks and surrounding nature. Just be careful driving here; the roads are incredibly steep and narrow and can become dangerously slick in the rain or snow.
Mountain Coasters, Ziplines, and Sky Lifts
For the best views of the mountains, why not zip through them? Mountain coasters are one of my favorite activities in Gatlinburg! There are multiple coasters throughout the city, and most of them are fairly affordable at $12 to $20 per ride. Mountain coasters are exactly as they sound: a roller coaster built into the mountain hills! I highly recommend it, if you’ve got the guts!
Ziplining is a great middle-ground for adventure seekers. There are dozens of different ziplines throughout Gatlinburg and neighboring Pigeon Forge, and most hotels and cabins will offer you discounts for specific companies. It’s a great way to experience the mountains and surrounding nature!
For those who shy away from the speeds of coasters or ziplines, there are a few sky lifts throughout the city to still experience scenic mountain views. The ski lifts run up the side of the mountain, some in seats, others in capsules, all with astounding views.
The Gatlinburg Sky Bridge
The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the US is actually located in Gatlinburg! At over 680 feet long, this bridge offers stunning views of the mountains and forests surrounding the city. Unfortunately, I have not been able to visit this attraction as it was opened in May 2019, but I will definitely be back to this incredible city to visit it soon!
Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Aquarium
Ripley’s Believe it or Not! is known to have tourist attractions throughout the country, sometimes getting a bad reputation for them. However you feel about the Ripley’s museums, I encourage you to visit the aquarium in Gatlinburg.
The Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokeys is one of the largest aquariums in the country, with 10,000 sea creatures and over 350 individual species. My favorite part of the aquarium: the penguins! They have a large exhibit and research facility dedicated to emperor penguins. You can pay a little extra to help create “finger” paintings with the penguins, which are sold and help donate towards penguin research and conservation.
Shopping
Downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are both full of some incredible shopping. Hand-made crafts are sold everywhere, as well as homemade candies. Some of the best candies, chocolates, and fudge I’ve ever had have been from Gatlinburg! You may want to Uber or Lyft down to the shopping centers: there are often free wine, whisky, and moonshine tastings! I bought some of the most delicious homemade fruit wine in Gatlinburg, but it is incredibly sweet!
*Please drink responsibly, and NEVER drink and drive!
Gatlinburg has some amazing food as well. Interestingly, there are seemingly hundreds of pizza places and pancake joints around the city, all decorated with bear carvings. The city sure does love pancakes!
Dinner Shows and Dollywood
Gatlinburg is chock full of fun dinner shows. My favorite is Dolly Parton’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge, just outside of Gatlinburg. The food is fantastic and the show is great! There are dozens of dinner shows in the area, but Gatlinburg sure does love Dolly Parton! The city is also home to Dollywood, Dolly’s theme park.
Tip: If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, Dolly Parton’s Stampede offers special menu items for you. Be sure to ask and make a special request so you can join in on the fun!
Whatever your travel style, Gatlinburg has it. Glamorous cabin? Hilarious dinner show? Tiny, secluded tent in the middle of the forest? Check.
Find flights to Gatlinburg here, or check out how to road trip to Tennessee here!
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Gatlinburg looks really cool! I think I actually went when I was younger (I remember going to Dolly Parton’s Stampede), but I was too young to remember much. Riding a mountain coaster seems like it would be a blast!
The mountain coaster is definitely a terrifyingly fun experience! I went to Dolly Parton’s Stampede when I was younger (we didn’t go on our last trip), but I loved it!
This place looks INCREDIBLE!! I’d never even think of visiting this state as Tennessee seems to be overlooked but wow!! I think it may of made it onto my travel bucket list. Such a great read x
Thanks so much! It’s definitely worth the trip
They teach you to love Dolly Parton early on in Tennessee. I agree about the aquarium! It is amazing! I always liked touching the horseshoe crabs. I need to go back for some ziplining!
You should try the mountain coasters too!
Gatlinburg looks amazing! I was saying to someone at work today that I want to go to America and stay somewhere with a lot of woodland and this looks like the perfect place I had in mind.
I like my sweet wine so I think I would get on well with that part and who wouldn’t want a hot tub with their room?
It’s a great way to see a beautiful part of the United States! You should definitely come!
You should also visit the arts and crafts community up 321 only a short drive to the loop
Great idea! I did visit quite a few local art shops while visiting. There are so many of them in Gatlinburg!