Smoky Mountain Travel Blog

Meet the artisans of Gatlinburg's Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community — 80+ potters, woodcarvers, glassblowers, and more along a historic 8-mile loop.

Ober Gatlinburg isn't just for skiing. Summer brings coasters, an alpine slide, ziplining, ice skating, and wildlife — with cooler air and fewer crowds.

Knoxville is under an hour from Gatlinburg — walkable Market Square, 30+ craft breweries, and the golden Sunsphere. Here's how to plan the day trip.

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are about 7 miles apart — a 15-minute drive via The Spur. Here are the routes, the trolley option, and how the two towns differ.

Gatlinburg summer weather by month — June's sunshine, July's heat and storms, August's easing. Plus how to beat the heat with elevation and what to pack.

The perfect one-day Gatlinburg itinerary, hour by hour — pancakes, Anakeesta, the Space Needle, a national park trail, quirky museums, and live country music.

The best escape rooms in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge — Gatlin's Escape Games, The Great Escape Room, Smoky Mountain Escape Games, and Trapped, with tips for each.

Hand-feed zebras, walk with llamas, touch stingrays, meet penguins, and see black bears — the best animal attractions in the Smoky Mountains for families.

11 romantic things to do in Gatlinburg for couples — the SkyBridge at sunset, waterfall hikes, distillery tours, mountaintop dinners, spa nights, and more.

Gatlinburg's elevated attractions ranked gentlest to most intense — from Kuwohi's paved summit and the enclosed Ober tramway to the SkyBridge and ziplines.

Gatlinburg SkyPark at night — the illuminated SkyBridge, SkyDeck fire pits, sunset dinner and drinks, and stargazing above the valley. Here's how to plan an evening visit.

Everything you need to know about the Gatlinburg Strip — what to see, where to park, how to use the trolley, when to go, and the best attractions from one end of the Parkway to the other.

Where to hear live music in Gatlinburg — Ole Red, Jason Aldean's, Shamrock Pub, Ole Smoky bluegrass, and more, from honky tonks to distillery back porches.

Where to taste hard cider in the Smokies — Tennessee Stud, Tennessee Cider Co., Cide Chicks, and Apple Barn Cider House, plus a self-guided cider trail across all three towns.

The 7 best mini golf courses in Gatlinburg — Hillbilly Golf's funicular railway, Gatlin's 45 holes, blacklight courses, and Ripley's Davy Crockett for young kids.

A complete guide to Anakeesta in Gatlinburg — the Crystal Express gondola, mountain coasters, Treetop Skywalk, AnaVista Tower, and the Astra Lumina night walk.

The ultimate Gatlinburg bachelor party guide — ziplining, moonshine, axe throwing, rafting, knife forging, and the large cabins that keep the whole group together.

The 8 best summer outdoor activities in Gatlinburg — hiking, ziplining, white-water rafting, horseback riding, golf, swimming holes, and wild-trout fishing.

It's Gatlinburg — with a "u," not an "e." Here's why "Gatlinberg" is such a common misspelling, the history behind the name, and what the town is known for.

The best things to do in Gatlinburg in April — the Wildflower Pilgrimage, bear cubs in Cades Cove, Dollywood's Flower & Food Festival, and peak wildflower trails.