A local offers advice on mistakes to avoid to make the most out of your next trip to Ober Gatlinburg
I had given up on Ober Gatlinburg in the autumn a couple of years ago. In the days after Halloween, the park hadn’t transitioned from fall to winter. It was understaffed and underfunded.
Then Joe Baker and his partners stepped in. Baker is a local guy who believes in the area. He started as a lawyer educated at Georgetown – the one in D.C. not Kentucky – and then made his fortune with Yee Haw Brewery and Ole Smoky Moonshine. He was at the forefront of the legal distillery wave in Sevier County and the mountains. He’s also on the board of Mountain Ways, the charity organization that worked with Dolly Parton to support the area in the wake of the 2016 wildfires and again after the massive flooding earlier this year.
I don’t know Baker well enough to vouch for him, but every organization I’ve seen that he is connected with has been first-class. As a local, I knew he would properly appreciate the Ober legacy and have the financial backing to bring Ober back. There have been noticeable improvements since Baker and his partners got involved. But it’s a process. If you elect to take your family to Ober Mountain – and I think you should – there are some mistakes you can plan to avoid:
1. Don’t plan to eat more than a snack
In years past, there was a full sit-down restaurant at Ober Mountain. And if Ober wants to truly compete with Anakeesta and SkyPark, the park could use one. But as of now, the only dining options up on the mountain are snack-type stuff. There’s a snack bar, a little café, a hot dog shop and a place that sells fudge. I’m not saying the available food is bad – I’m always up for a hot dog – it’s just not what you’d get at a place like Anakeesta or down on the strip. If it was my family, we’d snack at Ober – maybe even have a light lunch – but we’d have dinner down below.
2. Don’t plan to shop much
This is another area in which Ober trails Anakeesta and really, the rest of Gatlinburg. It’s not that you can’t find good deals or some cool items. But to me, the whole thing has a fading mall vibe – down to the snack bars and ice rink. What Ober has going for it over Anakeesta is there’s a lot for families to do and the wristband is quite a good value. For the price of about $50 you get multiple activities that are fun for families. But you don’t go to Ober to shop. I know some people will look through the shops while the kids ice skate or sled or ski. But if you really want to shop, I think there are dozens of better options in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
3. Don’t skip the Aerial Tramway
Maybe the best ride in the park, the Aerial Tramway runs from the strip up to the park, offering spectacular views. In years gone by, as a local, I bypassed the tramway and drove directly up to the park. However, now that it’s included in the price of the wristband, there’s good value in parking on the strip, or walking over from your hotel, and riding the tramway.
4. Don’t get a massage
Look, I don’t want to cast aspersions on a local business. But one of the shops at Ober is called Spa to Go. It offers Aqua Massage, a “totally dry, therapeutic water massage by machine!”. You essentially take off your shoes, keep your clothes on and get a full body massage from the bottom of your feet to your neck. It’s a hard pass for me, personally.
5. Don’t forget to check is (and not) included in the purchase of the wristband
The wristband provides access to a ton of activities at Ober, but not everything.
For the winter season, the activities included with your wristband purchase include:
- The Snow Zone
- Rock Wall
- Carousel
- Tramway
- Tennessee Flyer mountain coaster
- Wildlife area
- Ice skating
- Ice bumper cars
- Chairlift
The activities not included with the wristband include:
- Cloud Catcher Zipline
- Snow tubing
- Skiing
Generally speaking, as a father of three, I think Ober Mountain as currently constructed is a solid value. If it’s just my wife and me, we’d probably go to Anakeesta. But for the family? The best plan is to spend the day at Ober and then come down for dinner. However, Ober Mountain is not yet what it will become. Things are continuously getting better. Between Ober, Anakeesta and SkyPark, consumers are in for a three-way arms race between Gatlinburg mountaintop attractions. We should all come out as winners. Ober Mountain’s Tramway Mall is located at 1001 Parkway. The park is located at 1339 Ski Mountain Road, in Gatlinburg.
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