Tips for Planning Your Return Visit to the Smoky Mountains

The Smoky Mountains are an ideal repeat destination. New attractions open all the time. The mountains change dramatically with each season, making every visit different. Festivals and holiday events mean there’s always something new to experience. Use these tips to plan your return to the Smokies!

Choose a cabin with luxurious amenities.

If you stayed in a hotel last time, try a private rental cabin. Cabins are cost-effective, especially if you share the cost with family or friends. Cabins offer incredible amenities like hot tubs, game rooms, movie theater rooms, pools and more, and they’re yours alone.

Vacation at an off-peak time.

You know the Smokies are worth visiting for their unbeatable combination of serene natural beauty and lively entertainment. But those qualities make this region popular–and crowded. Avoid the summer and October. Aim to visit in spring, September after Labor Day, or winter.

Bring someone new.

Maybe your first trip was with kids, so you’ve seen every family-friendly show and hit every arcade. Why not plan a grown-up friends’ trip? Take a winery tour or stay out late listening to live music. Haven’t seen the cousins for ages? Gather the clan in a large cabin. Need a couple’s getaway? Head to a romantic cabin. 

Find out what new attractions have opened since your last visit.

Think you already “did” Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg? No way! There’s always something opening. Plan a trip around a new attraction! Revisit Dollywood to ride the Big Bear Mountain coaster. Sample beer at the just-opened Iron Forge Brewing Co. 

Check out unique attractions.

If you missed them before, seek out experiences you can only have here. Outdoor Gravity Park is the country’s sole “zorbing” park, where you tumble downhill inside a giant, inflatable ball. Pigeon Forge Snow is America’s first indoor snow park, with year-round tubing. Take sensational selfies on the SkyBridge, the continent’s longest pedestrian cable bridge.

Dive deeper into something you loved last time.

What were your favorite moments on your last trip, and how can you get more out of them? If you discovered that hiking is your jam, sign up for a guided hike led by a naturalist. If you found Applachian crafts irresistible, try making your own in the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community. 

Let us make your repeat visit easy.

Colonial Properties gives you a stress-free stay, with fully equipped kitchens, top-notch cleaning and on-call maintenance staff. Reserve your Smokies cabin with us today.