5 Unique Things to Do in the Smoky Mountains

Come to the Smokies for adventures you can’t have anywhere but here. You’ll tell all your friends about these five memorable days and nights in the mountains.

1. TRY “ZORBING” – A WILD DOWNHILL ADVENTURE

Climb inside a giant, clear, inflatable ball, then roll downhill for 1,000 feet, tumbling down a grassy track. This is “zorbing,” and the only place you can do it in the United States is at Pigeon Forge’s Outdoor Gravity Park! Try the Extreme ZigZag for crazy, crooked fun, the Fast Track for speed, or the Funnel, combining high speed and exciting turns.

2. VISIT THE HOUSE OF THE FAIRIES

Just outside Gatlinburg lies the House of the Fairies. A landowner created a mountain retreat here, including this isolated little building buried in a woodland hillside. Thick with moss and mystery, the House of the Fairies is part of a hike along the Twin Creeks Trail, but the reward comes when you arrive at the cool, stone structure.

3. LET SYNCHRONOUS FIREFLIES DAZZLE YOU

For just two weeks each year, an unforgettable phenomenon sparkles in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fireflies flash in coordinated unison each night, synchronizing their lights in a rare display. But you can’t just walk into the woods and see the show. The National Park Service takes visitors to the best viewing spot. You’ll need a parking pass, distributed by lottery, to see the synchronous fireflies.

4. SPICE UP YOUR LIFE AT THE SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER MUSEUM

This one-of-a-kind museum is home to 20,000 pairs of salt and pepper shakers, 1,500 pepper mills, and countless hours of fun. See shakers in almost any theme imaginable: Landmarks, foods, cartoon characters, animals, cars, spaceships, and thousands more. History and pop culture collide in these everyday objects we take for granted.

5. STROLL ON THE LONGEST PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

If you love telling folks you visited the longest, highest, biggest, coolest anything, you need to add Gatlinburg SkyBridge to your list of personal bests! SkyBridge is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America. Longer than two football fields suspended 500 feet above the city, SkyBridge boasts spectacular views. Can you cross the clear glass center of the bridge without quaking at the long drop below you?

After your unique adventures, come home to a Smoky Mountains cabin and relax. Reserve your vacation rental cabin now!