Gatlinburg Attractions

The winter months are some of the best times to visit the Smoky Mountains! The area is decorated with millions of twinkling lights and holiday displays, and snow-covered mountaintops aren’t hard to find. It’s a magical time of year to plan your vacation! Whether you want to end the year on a good note or kick off the new year right, we invite you to spend your winter vacation in the Smokies with us. When you visit, there are a few activities you can’t afford to miss! For help planning your trip, we’ve come up with 5 suggestions for what to do in Gatlinburg in the winter:

Ole Smoky Distillery has released a special edition of its famous blackberry moonshine! The new, commemorative Ole Smoky ‘Friends of the Smokies’ Blackberry Moonshine is part of the distillery’s partnership with the Friends of the Smokies organization. A portion of the sales of each moonshine jar benefits Friends of the Smokies. Learn more about this special blackberry moonshine and where you can find it!

Are you looking for a way to escape all the crowds in downtown Gatlinburg? We can help! While there are so many great attractions, restaurants and shops along the main Gatlinburg Parkway, you can have just as much fun away from all the hustle and bustle. Take a break from all the action on the Gatlinburg Strip to explore some of the other places in the Gatlinburg area! Here are 5 things to do in Gatlinburg TN off the beaten path:

It’s no secret that the Smoky Mountains come alive with vibrant colors during the fall season. Millions of visitors travel to the area to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous fall foliage. While the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is, of course, one of the best places to see the fall colors, you’ll also have great views at the attractions in Gatlinburg! Gatlinburg attractions provide hours of fun for the whole family while allowing you to take in the beautiful scenery. Here are 4 of the best attractions to see the fall colors in Gatlinburg TN:

We have exciting news! The Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association just named the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park the 2019 Attraction of the Year in Tennessee. With everything this attraction has to offer, it’s no surprise why it’s so popular! We’ve got all the details on this award and what you can expect when you visit the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park.

One Anakeesta visitor had the ride of a lifetime on the attraction’s Rail Runner Mountain Coaster. As he was coming over the hill, a family of black bears came out of the woods, crossing the tracks as he started toward them! The whole thing was caught on video and shared on TikTok for everyone to see. We’ve got the video of the black bears at Anakeesta for you below, as well as information on what to do if you see a black bear in the Smoky Mountains!

Anakeesta is undergoing a $6.5 million expansion that will create more fun for everyone! The 70+ acre family adventure park is continuing to grow, with plans to add new dining options, a new shop, new activities, and more. We’ve got all the details on what the expansion has had and will have in store for Anakeesta in Gatlinburg.

The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the country is getting an upgrade! Now, visitors will have 30 feet of glass panels to walk across. This new addition will make the experience even more incredible because you’ll be able to see the ground below you for a longer stretch on the bridge! We’ve got all the details on the Gatlinburg SkyBridge upgrades!

Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg has added a new event for families to enjoy! Ripley’s Curious Campout is a sleepover experience made just for families with young children. If you’ve been wanting to spend a night underneath the sharks with your little ones, now is your chance. We’ve gathered all the details on the Curious Campout at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies!

When the sun is shining and the temperatures are rising, it’s time to get outside and explore the beautiful Smoky Mountain area! Of course, some of the best things to do outdoors are go for a hike, go horseback riding and visit popular outdoor attractions like Anakeesta. But, if you want to try something new on your vacation, we can help! We’ve made a list of 7 unique outdoor activities in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains that you have to try.

TripAdvisor just released their 2019 Travelers’ Choice Awards for the Top 10 Experiences in the United States, and one of our favorite Smoky Mountain activities made the list! An Upper Pigeon River Rafting Trip with Smoky Mountain Outdoors came in spot number 9 on the list. We’ve got all the details on the Travelers' Choice Awards and Smoky Mountain white water rafting!

Once again, your favorite Gatlinburg aquarium was nominated for USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards! The votes are in, and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies earned the title of second-best aquarium in the country. The popular attraction won the category in 2019 and 2017, and got second place in 2018. Find out more about what makes Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies one of the best aquariums in the country.

Are you long overdue for a trip to the Smoky Mountains? If it’s been a while since you’ve had the chance to visit, you may notice some new additions to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge that weren’t around when you were last here! Check out these 6 new things to do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge on your next visit:

Ober Gatlinburg is one of the most popular attractions in the Smoky Mountains! It’s a top winter destination, offering skiing, snowboarding and tubing, and it has water slides and other fun activities in the summer. Whether you’ve never been to Ober or you make sure to visit every time you’re in town, there are some interesting facts you might not know about the attraction! Check out our list of the top 5 things you might not know about Ober Gatlinburg:

With all the crowds gone, Anakeesta has a new visitor exploring the adventure park: Sasquatch. The Gatlinburg attraction has caught Bigfoot’s adventures on camera and is sharing them on its Facebook page for everyone to see! Watch the first two episodes of Sasquatch at Anakeesta below and learn more about Anakeesta in Gatlinburg.