Why the Smokies?

The Smoky Mountains is the MOST visited national park in the United States due to it being easily drivable (a day's drive of half of US population), famous scenic drive, 500,000 acres of majestic views, cascading waterfalls, popular hikes (including part of the Appalachian trail itself), and it's FREE! Activities here are all year round!

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has a ton of activities for everyone. This alone can fill your activities for the whole week, possibly more. For one, a part of the famous Appalachian trail (about 70 miles) goes through the park. You can choose mini hikes in this trail (or really throughout the park). A famous scenic viewpoint in the park is Clingman's Dome, probably a must see if this is your first time in the park. This will give you a majestic view of the park, and likely the state of Tennessee!

Love history? There are tens of structures from the 1800s remaining in the park from when the settlers lived there. You'll find churches, mills, barns, and a museum in the area. 

You can also go on a car tour through Cades Cove to enjoy a view of the mountains (along with some stop overs to enjoy some historic spots). 

Other activities in the park include rafting, waterfall hikes. Here's a TRIPADVISOR link for the must do's in the area : https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g143031-Activities-Great_Smoky_Mountains_National_Park_Tennessee.html. 

Wildlife also abound in the park. Familiarize yourself with rules (like don't feed wild animals!) in order to ensure a pleasant experience in the park. Don't be surprised to have black bear encounters. Here's a handy guide on what to do if you encounter black bears: What to do if you encounter a black bear?

Here's a quick 2 day itinerary of the National Park and the surrounding area : Great Smoky Mountains Travel Guide: 2 Days Exploring the National Park

Don't mistake PIGEON FORGE for any old, sleepy, rural town. You will be pleasantly surprised! The town itself is an experience, plenty of stuff to do for all ages. A must see will be Dollywood (named after--you guessed it--Dolly Parton), likely the most popular tourist attraction in the whole state. It has both an amusement park with roller coasters and a water park with pools and slides. The whole park in of itself is almost 300 acres.  

Another popular attraction is The Island in Pigeon Forge--an all around entertainment place, almost a city. Here you'll see the iconic Ferris Wheel which you a great view of the Smokies. You'll also see a lot of rides, games, restaurants, and stores here. It's like a mini Vegas in here. 

Other entertainment spots, depending on what you really want to do will be cave exploration in the Forbidden Caverns, Smoky Alpine Coaster, Hollywood Wax Museum, Titanic Museum, Wonderworks Pigeon Forge, Mountain Valley Winery, Outdoor Gravity Park, a host of shows, and frankly, a lot more!

GATLINBURG is the adjoining city with equally great attractions. Here you will see Anakeesta, a family friendly theme park where there are zip lining, gondola rides, a treetop play area. There is also the Gatlinburg Skylift park where you can experience the Skylift, Skybridge, and Skydeck. If you're looking for amazing views and photo opportunities--don't miss these! Well, it's hard to find a wrong place to take photos in the Smokies to be honest.