Last month we went back to Wilderness at the Smokies, and we all had an absolute blast!
If you’re looking for a family getaway that keeps everyone entertained without constantly getting back in the car, Wilderness at the Smokies is one of our favorite resorts in Tennessee. Located in Sevierville, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it has become a destination we find ourselves returning to again and again. We recently visited for a short 2 day trip and honestly never ran out of things to do.
Between the indoor and outdoor waterparks, Adventure Forest, arcade, bowling, restaurants, and nearby Soaky Mountain Waterpark, the kids were entertained from morning until bedtime. The best part? Everything was within walking distance of our room. The kids ranked this trip right up there with some of their favorite vacations, and after spending a few days here, I completely understand why. And it’s only 6 hours from Memphis!
Where We Stayed
We stayed in a One-Bedroom Deluxe Condo Suite in River Lodge. The suite sleeps up to ten guests and was a great fit for our family. It included a full kitchen, two bathrooms, multiple sleeping areas, and plenty of room to spread out after long days of swimming and playing. What I loved most was the location. River Lodge is conveniently located near Wild WaterDome Indoor Waterpark, the outdoor waterpark, and Adventure Forest. With three kids, being able to walk just a few minutes to every activity made our trip so much easier.
Our Room at Wilderness at the Smokies
One of the first things I look at before booking any hotel, cabin, or resort is the room layout. With a family of five, I always want to make sure everyone has enough space to sleep comfortably and that we won’t feel cramped after a full day of exploring. We stayed in the River Lodge Suites One Bedroom Deluxe Condo, and it worked out so well for our family. The separate bedroom included two queen beds and a set of bunk beds, while the living room had a queen Murphy bed and a sleeper sofa. With two full bathrooms and a fully equipped kitchen, we had plenty of room to spread out, prepare breakfast before heading to the waterpark, and relax together at the end of the day.
One of my favorite parts was that it felt more like a vacation condo than a standard hotel room. Having separate sleeping areas gave everyone a little extra space, and the kitchen made it easy to keep snacks, drinks, and quick meals on hand throughout our stay. If you’re traveling with kids or grandparents, I highly recommend looking at the suite options because they make family travel so much easier.
Take a Look Inside Our Suite
It includes 2 separate rooms that include:
- Living room
- Bedroom with 2 queens and one bunk
- Full Kitchen
- Queen Murphy bed pull down in living room
- Sofa bed in living room
- Sofa bed in bedroom
- 2 full bathrooms
- Balcony
Wild WaterDome Indoor Waterpark
One of the biggest reasons we love Wilderness at the Smokies is that the weather never has to ruin your plans. During our visit, we had a rainy morning, but it didn’t matter because Wild WaterDome gave us an entire day of indoor fun. The indoor waterpark features a wave pool, lazy river, water coaster, tube slides, splash areas, and attractions for a wide range of ages.
Kaleidoscope Kaverns Lazy River
This lazy river is so cool! It is lit up like a kaleidoscope, and all the kids loved it! It has cool music and colors, and you can just relax and float down the river and relax.
Ridge Runner Water Coaster
This was one of our favorites! It was so unique and cool. This is a cross between a waterpark and roller coaster. Both of the girls were able to ride it with us, and they loved it so much!
Storm Chaser
This was another one of our favorites! In this one, you plummet 55 feet down a dark tunnel before ending up in the dome. I could have ridden this one over and over and over! On this one, you had to be 48 inches tall, so Leighton got to ride it with us.
Trail Twisters
We probably rode this one the most! Both of the girls loved it, and we rode it over and over. You ride on a double tube on this one with lots of twists and turns.
Runaway Canyon
This one fits several people, and we could all ride it except for Grayson. He still has 2 more inches to grow, and then he can ride everything that Amelia can ride. We will have to come back next year! This one has lots of twists and turns too and is fun for the entire family!
Washout Mountain
Grayson could have played here all day long! It is multi-level with 2 slides, a water bucket and several other water features that the kids can splash around in.
The Great Wave
This was another favorite, especially for the girls. They loved the wave pool!
Smokies Surf Rider
Leighton had a blast on this one! She loved trying to surf and did amazing! Check out my instagram highlight to see more! After a full day inside at the waterpark, it was time to visit Lake Wilderness Outdoor Waterpark the next day!
Lake Wilderness Outdoor Waterpark
When the sun came out, we headed to Lake Wilderness Outdoor Waterpark. This area is packed with waterslides, splash zones, pools, and plenty of space for families to spread out and relax.
The Wall
This was Leighton’s hands down favorite waterslide, and I don’t blame her! It was so fun! You would go down a twisty slide and then shoot out and fly up “the wall” to then come back down. It was so fun!
Cataloochee Creek Adventure River
This was their outdoor lazy river, and it was awesome! It was long, and you could do down it with or without a tube. Near the end, you would go through the wave pool area too, so that made for a really fun experience! The kids all loved it!
Treehouse Springs
This was Grayson’s favorite area outside. It had a frog shaped slide that Grayson loved along with other slides, buckets, sprinklers and more. It was like a huge splash pad for the kids!
Don’t Miss the Rooftop Pool
One of the newer additions at Wilderness at the Smokies is the rooftop pool, and it quickly became one of our favorite places to relax. Located on top of River Lodge, the rooftop area offers beautiful views of the Smokies along with a pool, hot tub, lounge seating, and plenty of space to unwind. While the kids were excited to swim, I loved having a quieter spot to sit and enjoy the scenery. It felt like a little escape from the excitement of the waterparks below and was the perfect place to end the day after hours of slides and activities.
Later in the afternoon, we visited Wilderness Adventure Forest which is the indoor play area right beside the waterpark. They have so much to do here, and you can purchase multiple pass options. They have Rocky Top Glide (and indoor roller coaster me and the girls loved!), frog hopper, a ropes course, a rock climbing wall, bowling, miniature glow in the dark golf and more! Additionally, they even have some virtual reality rides and tons of arcade games. This was perfect to do after the kids were exhausted from being in the water all day and when it started raining.
Dining and Sweet Treats
Another thing we appreciated about Wilderness at the Smokies was how many dining options were available right at the resort. Whether we needed a quick breakfast before heading to the waterpark, pizza for dinner, or snacks throughout the day, it was easy to find something for everyone. The kids especially loved stopping by the candy shop and frozen yogurt shop for a sweet treat after a long day of swimming. There are also several restaurants, snack bars, coffee options, and grab-and-go locations throughout the property, so you never have to venture far when hunger strikes. Having so many convenient options on-site made our stay even more relaxing and family-friendly.
Spend a Day at Soaky Mountain Waterpark
The next morning, we hopped on the shuttle over to Soaky Mountain Waterpark, located just across the street from the resort. One of the perks of staying at Wilderness at the Smokies is receiving discounted admission, making it an easy addition to your vacation. Soaky Mountain is huge and has something for every age, from thrilling waterslides and family raft rides to large splash areas for younger kids and a massive wave pool.
Boomers Bay
We spent the majority of our time here at Boomers Bay. It had multiple slides, and the water was only a couple feet deep. It was perfect for all 3 of my kids, and they spent the first couple hours just right here!
The Hive
This was another really cool spot that all the kids loved! It was multi-level and had several slides and sprinklers and things to play on. This splash pad area was so big and had so much to do!
Slippery Salamanders
This was such a fun spot! It was a double lane inflatable water obstacle course where you race to complete the course. Leighton loved it!
Since it was a holiday weekend, it started getting busy pretty quickly at the waterpark. That, and school was out, woohoo! We spent half a day at Soaky Mountain, but there was enough to do that we could have spent an entire week! We will have to come back again when it’s not a holiday weekend and spend even more time here!
Why We Love Wilderness at the Smokies
What keeps bringing us back to Wilderness at the Smokies is how easy the entire experience is for families. Once you arrive, everything is right there. You can spend your days swimming, riding waterslides, exploring Adventure Forest, playing arcade games, and making memories together without constantly driving from place to place. The combination of indoor attractions, outdoor attractions, spacious accommodations, and family-friendly activities makes it a destination that works well in almost any season. Whether you’re planning a summer vacation, a spring break trip, or a long weekend getaway, Wilderness at the Smokies is one of the most fun family resorts we’ve visited within driving distance of Memphis. We have a feeling we’ll be back again soon.
