Teen-Friendly Attractions: A Guide to the Best Spots in Gatlinburg

Keep teens busy and engaged with these incredible indoor and outdoor attractions. Thanks to Gatlinburg’s mild weather, many outdoor activities are open in every season. Let your teens pick their favorite way to spend a day in the Smoky Mountains! 

See Jaw-Dropping Exotic Cars

Speedwerkz will delight the gearhead teen (or adult!) in your family. Ride in a racing simulator, take photos in the driver’s seat of a high-end Lamborghini, and let your imagination run wild while you picture yourself racing these rare and exotic cars.

Experience Virtual Reality

Beyond the Lens bills itself as “techno-tainment,” where technology creates interactive entertainment. Play virtual reality games, snap selfies in Instagram-worthy settings (the surface of the Moon, anyone?), and hunt for Bigfoot. Hop aboard FlyRide, a breathtakingly realistic, simulated flight over American landmarks. 

Put the Pedal to the Metal

Behind the wheel of a nimble go kart, your teen can satisfy the need for speed–on a closed track, not the streets! Go karting is popular here, so you’ll find plenty of places to go for a spin. Look for elevated tracks, slick tracks, figure eights, and “coaster” tracks with roller-coaster-like hills. Check out Xtreme Racing Center, Blake Jones Racing Center, and Adventure Raceway.

Go Ziplining

Soar through the air like you’re flying without a care. At Anakeesta, teens can compete with each other, riding side by side through the treetops on Dueling Ziplines. CLIMB Works offers nighttime ziplining. At Wahoo Ziplines, guides reveal moves you can try in midair.  Legacy Mountain Ziplines features a seven-line tour on some of the highest lines in the region. 

Try Whitewater Rafting

Give your kids the ultimate outdoor experience, a thrilling trip on whitewater rapids, with no experience necessary. Guides take your family onto one of Gatlinburg’s rivers for a heart-pounding adventure. Outfitters include Nantahala Outdoor Center, SMO Rafting, and Ober Mountain Rafting.

Discover Ocean Wonders

With more than 10,000 sea creatures, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies will fascinate a nature-loving teenager. Touch a stingray, watch a penguin paint a picture, see divers feeding hungry sharks, and ride in a glass-bottomed boat. 

Enjoy Your Cabin’s Game Room or Swimming Pool

When you rent a Gatlinburg cabin with an indoor swimming pool or a well-stocked game room, your teen will love hanging out at “home” with you. Reserve your cabin rental today!