I rave all the time about how family friendly the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee are, and I still stand behind that. You already know that the Smoky Mountain Naitonal Park is the most visited national park in the U.S., but on top of that, there are several other great places in the Smokies to visit. And just in case you need a little convincing, I am sharing 7 of our favorite places in the Smokies that are great for families! Trust me, there are MANY more, but these are definitely at the top of my list that we just have to visit most every time we go back! And if you’re looking for lodging, the Margaritaville hotels are always some of our favorite hotels in the area that are super family friendly!
Anakeesta – Anakeesta is a great small amusement park that still has plenty to offer. It is bigger than Skyland Ranch, but much smaller than Dollywood. It has a safe family feel to it, but since it is much larger, you will need to stay with your kids constantly to keep an eye on them. They have tons of good food and drinks, carolers, playgrounds, a rope bridge, a mountain coaster, a huge playground, Astra Lumina and more! Leighton and I were just recently there, and it is definitely one of our absolute favorites in Gatlinburg.
Dolly Parton’s Stampede – We took all the kids here several times, and they always have such a blast! The dinner was really good and super filling. There was plenty to eat for kids and adults. They even have options for food allergies. The show completely kept the kids’ attention all night. They loved watching the horses, the performances and all the fun games they played with audience members. It is such a fun way to spend the night with your kids!
Cade’s Cove – This is one of our favorite spots! We all love driving through from the comfort of our own vehicle. There are such pretty views, and the kids love the hiking too.
Dollywood – I have brought the kids here 4 times over the last few years, and it is a yearly tradition of ours. They are the most family friendly amusement park, and it ‘s easy to see why. The park is large, but it has a small town family feel to it. All the staff is so nice, there are several playgrounds, and I love that they have a great variety of rides and coasters for small kids too. They also have several family friendly music shows and performances. Dolly always gets it right! And it’s so magical during the holidays!
Dig’N Zone – Last year was our first time here, and it is such a cool spot! They have tons of different construction equipment and rides that are fun for all ages and for adults too! Grayson could have spent all day here, and even the girls loved the rides and racing each other!
Gatlinburg SkyPark – The SkyBridge is one of the coolest spots in Gatlinburg in my opinion. Matt and I love going here, and right now the bridge is lit up with thousands of lights. The entire family would absolutely love it! It’s such a cool view of the mountains and city on the bridge.
Nascar SpeedPark – Our kids love go-carts, and Nascar SpeedPark is a great place to spend an afternoon so they can all race each other. They never tire of doing this! They also have rides, arcades and food here.
Ober Mountain – I still remember coming here as a kid! They have skiing, snow tubing, ice skating, ice bumper cars, and more! It’s iconic Gatlinburg and a tradition. Such a fun place to spend an entire day with the kids doing winter activities!
Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster – Our kids absolutely love mountain coasters, and honestly so do the adults! This is the first racing mountain coaster in the area! Such a fun way to experience a mountain coaster!
Pink Jeep Tours – Our kids are 100% obsessed with Pink Jeep Tours! We have been 3 times now in both Pigeon Forge and Branson. The trip here in the Smokies has the best views, and the off-roading portion is our kids’ favorite! You will stop and tour different waterfalls and take hikes. The views are great, and it’s fun for the entire family!
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies – We took the kids here a couple years ago and will definitely be going again next time. This aquarium was huge! They had a conveyor belt where you could ride along and look at different fish surrounding you. It was so cool, and the kids loved it! They have penguins and even put on a show while we were there. They also have a couple different playgrounds that the kids loved. Definitely worth the money; it’s a great aquarium!
Skyland Ranch – We went for the first time last year, and we loved it so much that we have been 4 times now! I love how small and family friendly it is! It is a 100 acre ranch with a chair lift, longest mountain coaster in the Southeast, animals you can feed and take pictures with, a hayride, live music and entertainment, a playground, gem mining, cornhole, Wagon Wheeler swing, a mountain overlook and tons of yummy food and drinks! I loved how the kids had plenty to do here, but it wasn’t too big. It was just the right size to sit and enjoy the music while watching the kids play. It is so magical here this time of year!
Wildside – A brand new park owned by Anakeesta, this adventure park is so cool! Leighton and I went recently and ziplined here. It is the longest zipline in the US, and it was 100% amazing! The views were just stunning! You can also rent a UTV or a bike and go off-road with the family! There is so much to do here for the entire family! Next time I plan to take all 3 of the kids to ride UTVs.
Will y0u be heading to the Smokies this holiday season? What are your favorite things to do there?
