Things To Do

A guest walks the TreeTop SkyWalk at sunset at Anakeesta

These Are the 12 Absolute Best Things to Do in Gatlinburg

A list of the most iconic things to do in Gatlinburg, according to a local There’s a joy that comes with being someplace like Gatlinburg with time to burn and a little money in your pocket. We recently spent a day in Gatlinburg with my kids starting with Ripley’s Aquarium, followed by some shopping at The Village and dinner at

ole smoky and the ferris wheel at the island in pigeon forge at dusk

10 Best Things To Do in Pigeon Forge According to a Local

These are the best things to do in Pigeon Forge, according to a local As someone who has lived in and around the Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge for the better part of 35 years, you can say I’ve “seen and done” it all. And that’s quite the feat because there are hundreds of restaurants and attractions packed into the

The roaring Fork motor nature trail by a stream

There’s a Trail You Can “Hike” by Car in the Smoky Mountains

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a drivable trail in the Smoky Mountains With one of the flashier names in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail can be one of the more relaxing experiences in the Smokies. The trail is named for one of the larger, faster and louder streams in the Smokies.

clingmans dome

10 Things in the Smoky Mountains Locals Say You Shouldn’t Miss

10 Best Things To Do in the Smoky Mountains, According to a Local The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is one of the true wonders of the United States. People flock from all over the country – all over the world – to take in the verdant, majestic splendor. But we live in fast times. A day or two of majestic splendor

earthquake the ride

Is Gatlinburg Worth It? Weighing the Amazing Pros and the Brutal Cons

A local gives his honest opinion on whether or not Gatlinburg is still “worth it” As someone who has been living and working around Gatlinburg for three decades, I understand that the Gatlinburg that most people see isn’t real life. Downtown Gatlinburg – most of what people think of as Gatlinburg – is Potemkin Village, a construction put on for

a man stands in a rain coat in downtown Gatlinburg

3 Things to Do in Gatlinburg on a Rainy Day, According to a Local

These are the best things to do in Gatlinburg when it rains according to a resident When people visit Gatlinburg, many will want to know what to do when it rains. Sure, most of us would love for the weather to be sunny, warm, and free from the elements that make us uncomfortable outdoors. But Mother Nature often has her

the entrance sign to the great smoky mountains national park

These Are the 3 Busiest Months in the Smoky Mountains According to NPS

These were the busiest months and most visited locations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2023 according to the National Park Service When is the best time to go to the Smokies? It depends on what you’re after. Do you want the peak colors of fall? The lush greens and warm weather of summer or the fresh renewal

downtown gatlinburg in the snow

3 Can’t-Miss Things to Do When It Snows in Gatlinburg

Get the inside scoop on things to do when it snows in Gatlinburg, Smoky Mountains There’s nothing quite like a Smoky Mountain snowfall. We’ve discovered a newfound love of snow we never knew until we became residents in East Tennessee. You see, I never cared for snow much in Ohio. Whenever the weather turned cold and snow was forecast, we

cars on the cades cove loop

13 Million People Visited the Smoky Mountains National Park in 2023

The most visited National Park in the United States continues to attract millions of visitors year after year As someone who has endured traffic around Cades Cove for 34 years, the annual announcement of park visitors intrigues me. According to NPS.gov, there were more recreation visits to the park in 2023 (13,297,648) than in 2022 (12,937,635). Although 2023 wasn’t a

a family in a utv rental in the mountains

8 Best Side by Side Rentals in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg (2025)

These are the best ATV and side-by-side rentals in the Smoky Mountains There are so many new ways to explore the mountainous roads with the wind in your hair, either on your own or with an expert tour guide. Some tours are family-friendly, and others are more of a build-your-own adventure. Below, we’ve found the best vendors for side-by-side rentals