The Great Smoky Mountains have so much to offer – from serenity to adventure, food and drink to world-class and unique entertainment, the reasons to visit are endless. Here are our top 10 reasons to visit:
1 Mountain Views
Of all the national parks in the United States, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited. In 2016 alone, over 11.3 million people visited the park.
The park itself is centered around the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, which is a component of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This area is also part of the greater Appalachian Mountain Range.
The park is rich with natural beauty and features elevations ranging from 876 feet near Abrams Falls to about 6,600 feet at the peak of Clingmans Dome.
Interestingly, the park’s climate is typically high in humidity, as well as precipitation. In fact, rainfall in the park is higher than many places in the U.S. It isn’t uncommon to see 80 inches of rain in the high elevations every year!
High precipitation levels and the largest patch of old growth forest left on the east coast have created a park which is rich with life. As such, the park is home to an estimated 10,000 different species of plants and animals. However, there could be many, many more undocumented.
Check out our blog on the best places to see sunsets and sunrises.
And the Best Views in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
2 Hiking in the Smoky Mountains
Once you know how to have the best experience on our hiking trails, explore some of the best trails and hiking destinations the park has to offer.
Nestled in the woods across the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains is a park blooming with outdoor fun and adventure.
Hiking in the Smoky Mountains is one of the most popular activities in the park.
It features over 150 hiking trails, snaking their way through the park for over 800 miles within park limits. The trails also feature a 70-mile segment of the fabled Appalachian Trail.
Along the way, you’re sure to see wildflowers, wild animals, waterfalls and tremendous views.
With so many miles of trail available, it’s sometimes difficult deciding where to begin.
Check out our hiking-specific blog posts to help you choose your trail:
3 Adventures – zip line, skydiving, helicopter ride, whitewater rafting
Zipline, hike, ride horses, ride roller coasters, play – there are so many adventures and activities in the Smokies
Places to find adventures: Anakeesta, Dollywood amusement park and Splash Country, Skylift Park
A mountain playground for all ages, Anakeesta has zip lines, personal roller coaster, treehouses, garden walks, incredible scenery, fresh-made foods, and music!
Read more about Anakeesta in our blog post. Check out Anakeesta’s live webcam.
Gatlinburg Sky Trail, a scenic walkway connecting each end of the Gatlinburg SkyBridge that gives visitors the opportunity to take a leisurely hike in the mountains while enjoying new views of the now famous bridge. “At just over one-third of a mile in length, the SkyTrail is an enjoyable walk for adults, kids, and even dogs, offering three distinct sections.
The Tulip Tower is a 70′ steel tower set in the back of the ravine accessed by two rope bridges and features four elevated viewing platforms. Also, there is a special story behind the theme and story of this tower, with information on each level. At the top of the tower, enjoy a very unique view of the Smokies and the iconic SkyBridge. This is an adventure for all ages! The SkyBridge, billed as North America’s largest pedestrian suspension bridge, is 680 feet from tower to tower.
Adventures Up High
To get to the Sky Bridge, take the Skylift up to Skylift park. The lift takes visitors up and down the mountain for spectacular 360-degree views. Visitors get off at the new Skydeck, where they can sit outside, play outside. The SkyCenter at the SkyDeck overlooking Gatlinburg offers up “sweeping panoramic views” of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Ziplining has become big business in the Smokies with Zipline establishments popping up all over the area. So, if you haven’t been ziplining yet, it is a must for all ages. Other Zipline companies include, Wahoo Ziplines, Smoky Mountain Ziplines & Canopy Tours, FoxFire Mountain and Climbworks Smoky Mountains.
Also, Outdoor Adventures of the Smokies in Sevierville is a one stop shop. After all, they’ll be providing monster truck rides, helicopter rides, ATV rides, horseback rides, Jeep tours, whitewater rafting, river tubing, guided fishing trips and plane rides.
Check out our blog post Outdoor adventures for families
4 Food
People come to the Smoky Mountains for the beauty and serenity and the food! From pancakes to hoe cakes, trout to catfish, hushpuppies and fried green tomatoes to pizza and barbecue, there is something for everyone.
Gatlinburg is the pancake capital of the south – find out where you should go in our blog post.
Check out our favorite barbecue joints here.
Read about outdoor dining.
Check out the newest restaurants in our blog post.
5 Drink
Throughout the area, you can find locally made moonshine, wine and spirits. There are many options for tastings.
Among them is the oldest winery in East Tennessee, Smoky Mountain Winery, for a taste of award-winning wines that keep customers coming back year after year.
The Smoky Mountain Winery is located at 450 Cherry St Ste 2, Gatlinburg.
Check out our blog post on fun things for adults to do in the Smokies.
6 Music
There’s nothing like live music. And the Great Smoky Mountains has venues for every genre.
Whether it’s the best Bluegrass in front of Ole Smoky Moonshine, some Jimmy Buffet tunes at Margaritaville, or your favorite rock covers at Mellow Mushroom, The Island in Pigeon Forge has a wide range of live music offerings for you to enjoy. Check out our events calendar to find out who is playing when and where.
Anakeesta has a park band this year - Brad Hudson Band.
The band has recorded with the likes of country music star Dolly Parton and Jeff and Sheri Easter, as well as being a well-known entertainment group around East Tennessee.
Visitors can enjoy the band’s musical talents Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Black Bear Village.
See our blog on live music for more!
7 Dollywood
Dollywood is a must stop, both the amusement park and Splash Country, both in Pigeon Forge, are worth your time.
In case you didn’t know, Dolly Parton grew up in Smoky Mountains. The theme park is an apt depiction of her local heritage.
There are fairground rides for the whole family. You won’t want to miss some amazing performances, including from Dolly’s family members.
Big Bear Mountain is the longest coaster at Dollywood, taking guests of all ages on a family-friendly expedition in search of the Big Bear. Circling Wildwood Grove for nearly two minutes on 3,990 ft. of track, this gigantic coaster is a first of its kind at Dollywood with onboard audio, including music and announcements from Ned Oakley himself.
Dollywood’s Splash Country is a great place when the temperature is up. Explore towering slides, sparkling pools, and family-friendly splash zones. Enjoy fun foods and treats too!
8 Dinner Theaters
Among the fabulous fun in the Great Smoky Mountains towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg: dinner theaters. Singing, dancing, pirates, fights, comedy, and live animals of all sorts including buffalo, long-horn cows, piglets and horses. All while you and your family enjoy marvelous, tasty southern, home-cookin’-style meals.
Dinner theaters are some of the most family fun you can have during your mountain cabin vacation, and among the favorites are those operated by the Dolly Parton family of businesses. American Patriot Getaways has discount tickets and amazing cabins nearby for your trip.
Check out our blog post on dinner theaters
9 Titanic Museum
Step inside the 30,000 Titanic museum for a trip you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry. There’s a reason why this is the first item on our list of popular Smoky Mountains attractions.
This exquisite building offers a full-scale replica of the famous Grand Staircase. Not to mention hundreds of artifacts and a flooded stairway simulator. You’ll find the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge. It’s just five miles away from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountain’s entrance.
Talk to the captain on the bridge and dip your hands into the water that is as cold as the Atlantic that tragic night. Adding to the drama and fun are the costumed crew members. They will tell the stories of many passengers. Each museum visitor will also receive a pass at the start of the tour. Once the tour is over, you can check to see if your passenger alter ego survived or tragically passed away.
It’s a great place to teach the kids about the ill-fated ship, while having a little family fun.
We recommend booking in advance, as the museum tour is known to sell out quickly.
10 Fishing
The main fishing attraction in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the Appalachian brook trout, the only native species of trout in the Southeastern United States. But you’ll also find wild stream-bred rainbow and brown trout and small mouth bass.
Year-round fly fishing is permitted in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can start fishing thirty minutes before official sunrise but must finish up no later than thirty minutes after official sunset.
Read our blog post on top 5 things to know about fishing the Smokies.
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