5 Reasons To Put Gatlinburg On Your Family Holiday List

This is a collaborative post.

Deciding where to go for your vacation can be a difficult task. You must consider many vital factors before choosing any place — places to visit, what is close by, and whether it is a safe environment with comfortable accommodations. Most of us also prefer a place where we can have lots of fun activities and see breathtaking sights and scenery.

If these are the factors you are considering and looking for in your family vacation, then folks, Gatlinburg is the right choice. It is a city that falls in Eastern Tennessee and is the doorway to none other than the tremendous Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The city is known for its scenic landscapes, incredible shopping, and rich history. It also offers delicious food and has various entertaining activities for families.

The ideal time to visit Gatlinburg is between September and October. In the fall, temperatures moderate between 60°F and 85°F, which attracts tourists and visitors from all over the world. If that isn’t enough, the following reasons will make Gatlinburg the top of your family vacation list.

Lodging

When travelling to any new place, the major concern is whether the area has accessible hotels and lodges. A lack of high-quality hotels can be an undesirable feature of any place. However, in Gatlinburg, you do not have to worry about that, as the city offers unique lodging and hotels. You can find excellent hotels in downtown Gatlinburg that will provide a comfortable and satisfying experience.

For example, you can explore Sydney James mountain lodge, which has an excellent rating of 4.9 stars and is within walking distance of the Great Smoky Mountains national park. It focuses on affordable accommodation and offers fantastic deals and discounts, especially for veterans and AAA/ AARP Members.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

One of the most impressive attractions of Gatlinburg is its magnificent National Park, which is full of natural beauty and breathtaking views. The national park’s site is between Tennessee and the North Carolina border and covers an area of about 520,000 acres. It is one of the most visited parks in the United States, with 14.1 million visitors yearly.

Mists on top of the forest hills gave the park its interesting name. These trees emit hydrocarbons and water, giving the mountains their Smoky appearance. The rare blue mist drifts over the mountains and draws visitors from all over the world. Several waterfalls can also be found in the park, including Mingo, Abrams, and Rainbow, attracting 20,000 visitors every year.

The park has many exciting and fun activities, such as climbing the Clingman’s dome, picnics right by the waterfall, swimming, and wading in the midnight hole in the big creek. Moreover, you can raft in the Pigeon River and experience tubing with your family in the deep creek. Similarly, boating in Fontana and Cheoah Lake is a popular family activity. Lastly, the parks have the most popular places to do canoeing and kayaking, such as the Oconaluftee River and Nantahala Gorge.

Anakeesta

If you want something adventurous and exciting with your family on your vacation, you must take a trip to Anakeetsa. It is a critically acclaimed and award-winning family amusement park. The outdoor family park offers majestic views of the Smoky Mountains, delicious food, dining areas, and a fantastic shopping experience. It also offers thrilling activities like mountain coasters and zipline tours.

Every season in Anakeetsa offers something new to families. You can enjoy live musical performances in the Black Bear Village and access chondola rides and Ridge Rambler adventure truck rides all day. Furthermore, every theme park ticket includes a trip to AnaVista Tower, Vear Venture, Treetop Skywalk, and TreeVenture challenge course.

After spending the day doing exciting activities, visit the fantastic dining area of Anakeesta. You can feast at Clifftop restaurants and try delicious BBQ and fast food. Finally, after a satisfying meal, you can get comfortable with your family around the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and look at the starry night.

Ripley’s Aquarium

One of the places in Gatlinburg that deserves a visit is Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokys. The aquarium is located in downtown Gatlinburg. It offers various species of fish and marine life. In addition, the aquarium has a stingray exhibition, a shark lagoon, a live penguin habitat, and tropical rainforest. The penguin encounter is one of the most fun things you can do, as you will have a chance to meet the adorable penguins face to face.

Furthermore, the aquarium offers special packages that include sleepovers, camps, and informative sessions and discussions, thus making it the perfect place for children. In addition, it has thrilling glass-bottom boating rides that go over the shark-infested lagoon, giving you an exciting experience.

Southern Food

The South will treat you right if you and your family are big on food. Here in Gatlinburg, you can enjoy a wide variety of southern delicacies. A famous saying says you haven’t had real chicken and haven’t had southern chicken. Every food lover’s dream is to eat crispy fried chicken with waffles and mashed potatoes with gravy. You can also enjoy a variety of seafood, such as crab soup, crappie fish, and shrimp.

The South is also known for its corn chowder, a rich soup that has vegetables and protein of your choice, like pork or fish. Finally, it would help if you did not leave the city without trying its fluffiest and soft pancakes. Gatlinburg has a variety of places to try pancakes from, such as the pancake pantry that offers Swiss chocolate chip pancakes and wild blueberry pancakes. Hence, Gatlinburg will give you the perfect sweet and savoury food experience.

Conclusion

When planning a family trip, choosing a destination with something for everyone is important. Gatlinburg is an idyllic family-friendly city with various places to visit. The most attractive part of the city is that it provides affordable lodging and a wide selection of affordable accommodations.

It is also home to the United States’ most famous park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The scenic park offers a variety of fun activities like tubing and rafting. Moreover, visiting Ripley’s aquarium is a must if you’re interested in seeing some marine life.

Lastly, a trip to the Ankeesta family theme park should undoubtedly be on your list, as it is the ideal place for children and adults. There you can enjoy rides, tempting food, and amusing scenery. Thus all these features and places make Gatlinburg your next destination for a fun family trip.

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