What is there to do in Gatlinburg, Tennessee?

Are you going to be in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a quick trip? Here are some wonderful ideas on what to do if your visit is 3 days or less.

If you know me by now, you know that I am a huge fan of short trips. This allows me to have multiple trips throughout the year. The key is to make the most out of the short time that you have at each location. I understand that it can be overwhelming, so I’m hoping that through my articles you will find helpful tips on places to visit (and maybe even places to avoid) to make the most of your time.

In October 2021, my little family and I were making a quick trip to Tennessee in order to see my stepsister get married in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains. Although we were only going to be there for a short time, we wanted to make the most of our trip. After all, this would be the first time my son and boyfriend had ever been to the Smokys.

Day One

Our trip began on Thursday afternoon. We live in Indianapolis, so the drive was only a 6 hour trek. We stocked up on our favorite snacks (Haribo Gummy Bears, of course) and headed south. The trip included multiple bathroom breaks and many episodes of the true crime podcast, Morbid. 6 hours later, we finally arrived to Pigeon Forge, our first stop of the night.

We decided to stay in Pigeon Forge because the rest of the trip we would be staying in a lodge with the wedding party. Pigeon Forge seemed to be more affordable than Gatlinburg but is basically next door and have plenty of things to do.

We unloaded the car and, although it was late and getting dark, we decided to make the most of our first night and experience something that only Pigeon Forge had to offer: The Old Mill Restaurant. The restaurant is a beautiful mill built in the 1900s. It’s quite the popular place in Pigeon Forge. Our wait time was 2 hours. So, if you’re wanting to visit the Mill, make sure you leave plenty of time in your schedule. If you’re a foodie, my opinion of the food was less than impressive. It had a “Cracker Barrell” feel to it, good but not impressive. However, my son really enjoyed it so I think it’s a great family place.

There are several shops that surround the mill. If the wait time is excessive, feel free to mosey around the small shops where you can find handmade goods and delicious Tennessee treats and sauces. We ended up going to a small shop and purchasing some popcorn seasoning and jams. After dinner, we went back to our hotel room for the night.

Day Two

Day two was the first full day we’d get to spend in Tennessee. We packed our things (we’d be staying in the lodge tonight) and packed the car and decided to head to Gatlinburg.

There is a big difference between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and depending on what you’re looking for will depend on which town you’d prefer. Pigeon Forge is almost a midwestern version of Vegas. It has a main strip with a lot of kitschy tourist attractions and dinner shows. It’s also home to Dollywood, which we were unable to visit due to time constraints.

Gatlinburg is a little more of what I expected when visiting Tennessee. The town is very quaint, rustic and slower-paced. The main strip is packed with shopping, moonshine tastings and restaurants. The first thing on our list was the Gatlinburg Skybridge.

I had seen pictures of the Skybridge since they built it a few years back and knew that I wanted to visit whenever I was in southern Tennessee. I will say, however, it was not what I had expected. For some reason, when I envisioned it, I thought that it would be up in the mountains as part of a trail but it’s simply a ski lift park in the middle of Gatlinburg. That being said, I still recommend the visit.

The middle of the bridge sits 140 feet off the ground. You receive an amazing panoramic view of the Smoky Mountains. There is a section of the bridge that has a glass bottom (if you’re brave enough to stand on it). There is a restaurant and souvenir shop on top. We ended up getting a Christmas ornament.

It did look like they were adding on some trails to the back side of the park. So, I will be looking forward to seeing how this park develops over the next few years.

After the SkyBridge, we decided to hit up another hot spot in Gatlinburg, Anakeesta. At the time of this blog being written (January), it does look like Anakeesta is closed during the week so make sure you check their hours and days of operation if you’re wanting to visit.

We, fortunately, visited Anakeesta in October during their fall festival. You have the choice to either ride the ski lift or ride a bus to the top of the mountain where Anakeesta sits. There you get off and enter this enchanting world!

I would say that Anakeesta is more geared towards families, but they do have some things for adults to do along with getting some fresh hard cider or beer throughout the park. They offer attractions like ziplining, a sky coaster and a treetop adventure. The ticket gets you into the park but it does seem that all of the attractions are an extra cost so be prepared to spend while you’re there.

I think my favorite part of the Anakeesta visit was the trip down the mountain. Since we had taken the ski lift up to the park, we decided to take the bus route back down to the parking lot. And, I’m so thankful we did. We ended up seeing a black bear on the side of the road! The bus driver stopped so that we could take pictures. The bear was so close to the bus and was busy sniffing around for something to eat. What a neat experience!

By the time we left Anakeesta, it was getting late and we needed to go check into the lodge and see what the plan was for the wedding. We headed up the mountain to the lodge. The lodge was located at the top of one of the mountains. The roads were winding and tight but we made it and nestled in for the night.

Day Three

The next morning, while the wedding party was preparing for the big day, we decided to make the most of our last full day in Gatlinburg. I really wanted to go hiking, so thankfully my crew was on board and we headed to our first trail of the day. We decided to start with something fairly easy so we chose the Laurel Falls trail. The whole trail is a little over 2 miles long. Its paved for the most part so we did see some strollers along the hike. I’d say it’s a pretty safe trail for little ones. The higher you get, there are some steep drop offs so just be sure to keep an eye on everyone!

At the end of the trail, you come to a giant waterfall where it gets pretty congested with tourists. It’s a little bit of a pity for photographers like myself, but it’s still very enjoyable for the average person. Who doesn’t love a waterfall?

There is a spot that you can climb down to in order to climb on rocks and have a neat view of the falls away from the paved trail, however it is quite difficult to navigate. I wouldn’t recommend trying it if you have small children. I did see some grown men slip and fall.

After Laurel Falls, we headed back into Gatlinburg to grab some lunch. We decided to grab a quick something to eat at a restaurant that was located upstairs. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant, but alas I cannot. However, I will say that the food wasn’t impressive so it doesn’t matter anyway!

After lunch, we decided to squeeze in one more hike before we headed back to the lodge to get dressed for the wedding. This time we went with a trail that my mom and stepdad had recommended called Bud Ogle Nature Trail. This…trail…is…beautiful. We drove through a heavily wooded area on our way to the trailhead and we spotted FOUR black bears on the side of a mountain. We tried to go back for pictures but the bears had scurried off by then.

This particular trail isn’t as touristy as Laurel Falls. It’s a little more difficult with lots of rocks and dirt trails. It’s also not as populated. The greenery is absolutely stunning and I recommend visiting in the fall when all of the leaves are changing colors. We walked for close to 45 minutes without seeing another person. We couldn’t see all of the trail because we were on a time crunch but we were able to walk alongside the river and get some cool photos.

After we left the trail, it was time to get back to the lodge and get ready for the wedding festivities! My stepsister got married in the mountains and it was absolutely stunning. I’m so thankful that I got to witness one of the happiest days of her life and also spend time with my son and boyfriend in the mountains.

If you ever find yourself in the Gatlinburg, Tennessee area and you’re on a time crunch, I hope these suggestions make the limited time worthwhile!