Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge

This is such a fun town for families! There is SO much to do in this area (so hang with me, this one is a long post!), but we definitely had some favorites (like how our 5-year-old still talks about the mountain coasters!). Here are our top recommendations for a visit to the area with young kids. We also loved it here during the fall and would absolutely recommend late October/early November for a visit to the Smokies.

Top 9 Things To Do with Kids Near Gatlinburg, Tennessee:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While there are a TON of touristy activities to catch your eye in Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg, a visit to the famous Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to be added to the list. This park is one of the most visited national parks every year for a reason, after all! Our daughter learned to walk one hiking trail at a time here, so it will definitely always be a favorite of ours for that reason and for the breathtaking landscape and incredible wildlife. And did I mention the waterfalls?! So many amazing waterfall hikes. It feels like we barely scratched the surface of all that this national park has to offer - it’s HUGE - but, here is a list of our favorite hikes that were also enjoyable for the kids:

Clingman’s Dome - this is only a ½ mile paved trail but whew, it’s steep! Our 5-year-old had to stop for several breaks and to be honest, it was a struggle with the baby hiking backpack and we consider ourselves to be in mostly good shape! BUT the views at the top are pretty spectacular. Clingman’s dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains AND the highest point in Tennessee! So, it’s worth the trek for the 360 degree views, but be ready for a tough ½ mile uphill. *technically, this one is stroller friendly if your into pushing a stroller straight uphill
Laurel Falls - this is a 2.6 mile round trip trail that is easy to moderate. The 80-foot falls at the end is worth the hike and the kids did this one without difficulty. This is a popular trail that can get pretty crowded, so arrive early for parking because it’s limited at the trailhead.
Grotto Falls - another beautiful waterfall trail! Round trip hike is 2.6 miles and we found this to be a pretty manageable trail to hike. We even packed a lunch and ate on the rocks at the waterfall!
Abrams Falls - this was our longest hike in the Smokies at 5 miles round trip, which is pretty much our max with the littles in tow, but the payout is a pretty awesome waterfall! So again, for this hike, we packed a lunch and ate on the rocks at the waterfall, which is just the best view for a picnic lunch!
Deep Creek Trail - this easy 1.6 mile round trip trail will take you to two waterfalls - Indian Creek Falls and Tom Branch Falls. This hike is on the North Carolina side of GSMNP near Cherokee, NC, so it’s a great trail to experience the North Carolina side of this national park!
Juney Whank Falls - this is another easy to moderate 0.8 mile round trip hike on the North Carolina side of the national park. It’s very close to Deep Creek Trail, so both are doable in one day.
Visit Newfound Gap and be in two places at once at the North Carolina/Tennessee state line! As a bonus, the views from Newfound Gap are also amazing - don’t miss it!
And, as always, don’t forget to stop at one of the park’s visitor centers to pick up a Junior Ranger book so your kiddos can earn those badges! The Junior Ranger book from GSMNP might be my favorite, the illustration is just so beautiful.

Anakeesta. This is another place our 5 year old still talks about! The chondola ride to the top starts this adventure off in a super fun way and it just gets better from there! Once at the top, you feel like you are in an actual treehouse to play for the day, and it just brings out the kid in everyone. With life-sized birdhouses to play in, a treetop skywalk, zip-lining, two mountain coasters, treehouse play areas, gem mining, and Smoky Mountain observation tower, there really is a full day of fun waiting for everyone at Anakeesta. There are several restaurants with amazing views, shops with unique gifts, local beers & sweet treats to be found as well. We loved our day here and can’t wait to visit again! *stroller friendly
Dollywood. I know, I know, this is a touristy one, but hear me out! Dollywood was actually a blast for our family. Plenty of rides for the little kiddos to enjoy and mama even got to escape for a bit to ride the big thrill roller coasters (no one else in my family is a thrill seeker…yet!). The park itself is so clean and well-kept, the food was surprisingly delicious for a theme park and of course there are yummy sweet treats around every corner (DO NOT MISS THE CINNAMON BREAD!). We were also there in November when it was already decorated for Christmas and it felt just a little bit extra magical. Initially we weren’t sure if it was going to be worth the price, but it definitely was and we all agreed it was an incredibly fun family day. *stroller friendly
Mountain coasters, mountain coasters, and more mountain coasters! They are everywhere in this area and all seem to be quite similar, but they are super fun and definitely an activity to add to your list. Our 5-year-old still talks about how much he loved them. And he is NOT a thrill ride kid, so even if you have a kiddo who is a little hesitant, the great thing about the mountain coasters is that you can control the speed as you go, which was perfect for our little dude!
The Island. While we did have fun here, I would say if you are on a budget or only have a few days to enjoy the area, this one can be skipped. Each ride/arcade game/etc. has a separate cost here, so it can add up quickly. Our kiddo walked away a bit disappointed when he wasn’t able to do every single ride and game he saw, but he did really enjoy the arcade and the water show. We ate at Paula Deen’s restaurant which actually ended up being quite tasty, especially if you are craving a good old fashioned southern meal. *stroller friendly
Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee, North Carolina. After our morning hikes of Deep Creek Trail & Juney Whank Falls, we headed into Cherokee, North Carolina. The Museum of the Cherokee People is an inexpensive way to learn about Cherokee culture that our family really enjoyed. There were a few interactive exhibits for the kids and another great way for us to use this experience as a homeschool history education day! There is also a great bookstore on site with beautiful handmade items by Cherokee artists. *stroller friendly
Walking downtown Gatlinburg - I’ll be honest, this seemed like a fun idea in theory, but it just didn’t pan out. Gatlinburg’s main street is very cute with tons of shops, but it’s also VERY crowded because it’s quite small. We waited in traffic for an hour, the kids were cranky and we ultimately decided not to pay $20 to park and fight the crowds with a stroller in tow. But maybe if you went at a less crowded time of year, it wouldn’t be as bad! *stroller friendly, but beware of the crowds
Eat at The Old Mill Restaurant - This restaurant is situated on the Little Pigeon River in The Old Mill Square. The picturesque gristmill, built in 1830, is one of the oldest operating gristmills in the country and is the center of this unique location. The Old Mill Square has multiple dining locations, including The Old Mill Restaurant (delicious Southern cooking!), The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe, and The Old Mill Creamery. Shopping is also available at The Old Mill Square, including The Old Mill General Store, The Old Mill Pigeon River Pottery, The Old Mill Candy Kitchen, The Old Forge Distillery, The Old Mill Farmhouse Kitchen, and Sassafras. This is a unique location to explore a piece of Pigeon Forge’s history and also get a delicious bite to eat! Get there early - the wait for dinner can get pretty long.
Mountain Brothers General Store - this store is packed full of unique local goods, food, treats and more. They also have a cool selection of “old school” kids toys, as well as local wood-carvers on site that you can watch making their creations! There is also a pie shop next door (yum!) and local pottery.