Smoky Mountain Getaways You'll Want to Experience

Escape to the Smoky Mountains! There’s a perfect getaway here whether you want to spend time alone with your sweetheart, or together with all the kids, or with your best friends for some grown-up time. Here are some Smoky Mountain getaways you’ll love.

1. Girlfriends' Getaway or Bachelortte Weekend

The Smokies’ traditional handcrafts make beautiful gifts and treasured additions to your own home. Spend a day driving Gatlinburg’s “Arts and Crafts loop,” eight miles of road packed with more than 100 local artisans’ workshops. The variety is huge—browse works by weavers, silversmiths, potters, woodcarvers, painters, jewelers, glass artists, soap makers and more.

Book a massage or yoga class that comes to your cabin, for ultimate relaxation. Massages, hot stone treatments, facials, and spa treatments are extra luxurious when they take place in your own private space.

Want to stay inside? Five local wineries throw open their doors (both real and virtual) on the Rocky Top Wine Trail. Get an itinerary for visiting these wineries at your own pace and sampling their delicious local vintages. For a limited time, take a virtual tour by purchasing wines and getting free glasses and gifts so your posse can “tour” without leaving your cozy cabin.

Want to get out? Nature refreshes you in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hike to a spectacular waterfall for photos. Walk wooded trails into the past at rustic communities like Cades Cove.

2. Bachelor Weekend or Guys' Getaway

Hit a sports bar or brewery. Watch some games, enjoy local craft beers, play darts and billiards, and chow on great bar food. Sample Tennessee moonshine and choose your favorites to sip on your cabin’s deck. Take a behind-the-scenes distillery tour and learn how modern moonshiners craft this once-illegal drink.

Friendly competition adds fun to a guys’ weekend. Race your buddies on mountain coasters and ziplines, or tee off and see who wins at golf. 

Channel your teenage self as you play old-school video games and classic pinball at Red Rocket Retro Arcade or the newest games at Arcade City.

Drive through the Smokies on legendary roads like the Foothills Parkway and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. If your crew is bold enough, take on the 300-degree pivots along the twisting Tail of the Dragon, a challenging stretch of road through the national park.

3. Golfing Getaway

Whether you’re a regular golfer or you hit the links only occasionally, you’ll find a wide range of courses to play here, with more than a dozen courses within 20 miles of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Some notable courses include these:

Sevierville Golf Club’s two courses and driving range lie tucked against the foothills of the Smokies. Gatlinburg Golf Course is a local legend for dramatic holes you’ll want to try.

Located along the French Broad River, Island Pointe Golf Club features beautiful holes on river islands. You might spy eagles or otters while you play. Bent Creek Golf Course in Gatlinburg offers a front nine on the valley floor and a challenging, mountainous back nine.

4. Family Fun

For kids and teens, there’s no end of things to do. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies features a shark lagoon, sting ray bay, penguins, and a tropical rainforest. Kids who love the outdoors will want to become Junior Rangers at the national park—just drop in at a park visitor center and find out how.

Ride the Ober Mountain aerial tram to give the kids breathtaking views and point out the sights. Take them on the ziplines at Anakeesta, the mountaintop theme park in the treetops.

Need an indoor activity? WonderWorks provides more than 100 hands-on activities for kids in an upside-down building.

5. Romantic Escape

Couples getaways create memories the two of you will share for years to come, with outings like these:

Take in a show you can talk about together! Country music fans will love the country, gospel and patriotic songs at Country Tonite. Or listen to iconic Motor City hits at the Soul of Motown show. Want a variety show with plenty of laughs? Check out the Comedy Barn.

Treat yourselves to a special dinner at Pigeon Forge’s only Brazilian steakhouse, Gaucho Urbano. If you want a side of humor with your food, try the sarcastic service at Dick’s Last Resort or travel to the past at Mel’s Diner

Hold hands as you take in spectacular views from your chairlift at SkyLift Park. Preserve memories with photos on the mountaintop, then stroll the SkyBridge, walking 140 feet over the valley. For a downhill rush, take your honey to ride mountain coasters or go snow tubing indoors, year-round.

Savor traditional wines made from locally grown fruit. At Tennessee Homemade Wines you can sample unique tastes like Proper Peach and Blueberry Bammer. Pick your favorites to share, just the two of you, at your romantic cabin.

There’s plenty more for two to do here—dancing, ice skating, skiing or just cuddling by the fire.

Book a cabin today for your Smoky Mountain getaway. You’ll get great amenities and relaxing, private space.