Looking to visit Anakeesta? I’m sharing our review below!
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I’m not going to be that person that makes you read several paragraphs just to find out my true and honest opinion on the question in today’s blog post title. So… the answer is yes! I 100% believe it is worth every penny to go to Anakeesta and take all the kids! I’ve been to Anakeesta now twice, and it was honestly so much better than I ever imagined! Whatever you do or don’t know about Anakeesta, let me start from the beginning and let you know exactly what to expect when you go!
Our Trip to Anakeesta
The entire reason I booked our first trip at Anakeesta was because I heard of their Treetop Skywalk. I saw a video about it, and it looked so cool! I then read on to learn that it is the longest tree-based skywalk in North America with 880 ft of hanging bridges suspended 50-60 ft in the air. That sounded incredible to me! But then I thought what about the kids, can they do it? I read on and learned that they could, and then I learned that they have a Treehouse Adventure Play Area and a Treeventure Challenge Course where the kids can climb through netted ropes, slide down slides and play in their own little treehouse play area. This sounded like it was perfect for the kids!
How amazing do these kids’ play areas look? I can tell you that all 3 of the kids loved them so much. They could not get enough of running around and playing for hours! And while they played, we got to take in all the sights! From the moment you arrive at Anakeesta, you park in a public parking lot or if you’re close enough to the resort, you can just walk. Get in line and you can head up on the Ridge Rambler, Chair lift or Gondola (coined the Chondola since the life has both gondolas and chair lifts on it.) The ride up is so scenic and incredible. And then you arrive up on top and you are met with gorgeous mountain views and the pretty trees that stretch up to the skyline. It is just stunning!
What I love about Anakeesta so much is just the vibe. Whether you love amusement parks or not, this is completely different than what your’e used to! There are not a TON of rides, but there is still so much for the kids to do. And there is no much for the adults to do too. There are 2 mountain coasters, zip lining, the skywalk, the Anavista observation tower with a see-through floor, gem mining and play areas for the kids. There are also 3 restaurants with options to sit indoors our out, 3 bars, an ice cream shop, and 3 food trucks and snack shops. They also have several great shops that we visited.
On top of all the amazing things to do and eat here, right now it is decorated from top to bottom for Christmas! They have an adorable little red truck set up that Grayson loved when we were back here in October. And they had everything decorate for Halloween then. It was so fun! And now they have an adorable tree farm around the truck right now. There are lights, trees, garland, bows, carolers and everything else for the most festive and magical experience!
Leighton rode the mountain coasters with me 3 times now, and Amelia rode with me once. We all loved it! And when Grayson gets just a tiny bit taller, he will be so excited to ride too! Aside from the coasters and ziplining, there was still so much for him to see and do. He didn’t get bored once. Honestly, none of us did! There was always something to see and do. No matter whether you’re in the Smokies with kids, a girls trip or your spouse, I promise you that Anakeesta is like no other place. It’s not huge; it’s not crowded; and it’s not like every other place in Gatlinburg. It is one of a kind and you will definitely want to add it to your list no matter the time of year! Have you been to Anakeesta yet? When will you be booking a trip?
WAS THERE LAST SEPTEMBER NOT TO IN PRESSED WITH IT AT ALL THEY JUST NEED TO ADD SLOT MORE STUFF YO DO!!!!
We loved it! I agree they need to add more, but I love that it’s not too big or overcrowded. It is so relaxing. We went again in December, and they already had an entire new exhibit added. They are building more this year too, but I’m sure you saw all the construction going on when you went in September.
I disagree with you completely Tammy. I was there two days ago and it was amazing! Lots to do, a few places to eat and if you go back at night astra lumina was something out of a movie . We can’t wait to back. Worth every penny and it’s suited for all
ages . You also have three choices to get the top . Which are : The open gondola, the closed red cabin gondola, and the truck ride up mountain. We saw bears on the truck ride up and enjoyed the view from the closed cabin on the way down. We had drinks and sat in the rocking chairs and enjoyed the view and also enjoyed the fires to warm up. The tree top walk was so much fun for all ages . Highly recommended to anyone who goes to Gatlinburg.
We went last fall and the wait was hours long for tickets and also to get into the attraction. It’s probably great for kids but a big waste of time for adults! Nothing to do there besides walk around! Waste of money!
All of the adults with us actually loved it more than any other place we visited in the area. We loved the gorgeous views, the amazing food, the mountain coasters, the rope bridge, the zipline, the observation tower and Oktoberfest. I actually feel like it’s better for older kids and adults than super young kids, but my 2 year old loved it too. I guess it depends on what you’re into, but there is plenty to do in Gatlinburg for sure!
Went there last June and plan on visiting again this June.Its beautiful up there.Great
views and loved the rope walk.Went with my daughter and grandsons.
I live about 10 minutes outside Gatlinburg, and my husband and I have had annual passes since it opened in September of 2017. Rainy, snowy, sunny, it doesn’t matter to us because Anakeesta can take on different vibes depending on the weather. Sunsets are beautiful. Sitting by one of the firepits in one of the rocking chairs while its snowing is peaceful. Drizzly, foggy, low visibility where you can’t see downtown gives the mountain a fairytale feel. We go just to grab dinner or take our three year old granddaughter when she’s staying with us any time of the year-she loves Willow. I understand the folks that expected more “stuff”. The owners are kind of playing catch-up because it drew bigger crowds a lot quicker than they anticipated. They purchased more property behind them and have been getting plans on developing that acreage in stages. Last I heard, there were discussions on having treehouse overnight rentals and a conference room at some point. If you weren’t impressed on your first visit, please be patient. The improvement plans I’ve heard discussed will be awesome when they are completed. If you do Facebook, follow Anakeesta on there. The manager posts some of the best pictures.