Best Ways To Save Money in the Smoky Mountains

Top five tips for getting the most bang for your buck in the Smokies

Vacations are expensive. We’re not breaking new ground here by saying it. Just about any getaway to a popular vacation destination is going to put a sizeable hole in your wallet.

What can you do about it? Some people will tell you go in the off-season; I’ve probably given that advice myself. But as someone who has traveled in the off-season to save money. It kind of sucks. There’s a reason, after all, that it’s the off-season.

But what can you do? You can sit at home with your family watching Little House on the Prairie reruns on Peacock. Or, you can bite the bullet and get out there and make some memories. 

Luckily, in the Smokies there are quite a few ways you can build a great vacation and find some ways to keep your expenses relatively low.

Get to the Mountains

Over the years, Tennesseans have caught a lot of guff from the rest of the country on a variety of levels. I’m not here to tell you some of it wasn’t earned. We’re a particular people. But, if there’s one thing the entire country – and beyond – should be thankful to Tennesseans, it’s that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is free to visit.

Do I think all National Parks should be free to visit? Reader, I do. I think our collective tax dollars should be used to make sure the public can visit. However, only the state of Tennessee had the foresight to make that happen.

Back when they were building the National Park, before it donated its part of Newfound Gap Road, Tennessee stipulated that the federal government could not charge any tolls. Now, the NPS recently created a parking fee. The fee essentially makes it illegal for anyone who entered the GSMNP for free to park their car and get out and explore the park. Yes, we know.

Still, if you plan on multiple days in the park you’ll save significantly against other activities in the mountains that will cost you. And there is plenty in the park to do to keep you and your family entertained.

Long scenic drives like Cades Cove or the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail can each take up half a day easily. The drive from Gatlinburg to Cherokee along Newfound Gap Road is also a beautiful way to see the mountains and spend a good part of the day. However, that road goes in and out of service depending on the weather. In August of 2025, for instance, it closed after heavy rains led to a washout near a creek. 

You can hike the park’s many trails, have a Creekside picnic or spend the day wading in a mountain stream. You can also go fishing, but keep in mind licenses are required. Historic places like Elkmont or the Oconaluftee Visitor’s Center offer glimpses into the history of the mountains in the days before the park.

The mountains are the chief reason that Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are among the most popular destinations in the world. Go, enjoy them. 

Bundle, Young Man, Bundle

Many of the attractions in the Smokies have sister attractions owned by the same people. A lot of times, these attractions will offer bundled rates to help you “save” money. Ripley’s does this. You can go to the Ripley’s Aquarium and 10 other attractions for $100 per person. This represents more than $100 of “savings” for adults if you’d bought tickets to each of those attractions one at a time. 

But you have to do more than simply purchase the bundle to actually realize savings. You have to use that bundle to replace other activities that you were legitimately going to do. Otherwise, you’ve really just spent more money than you would’ve otherwise.

Is the Ripley’s big bundle worth it? You get three rounds of mini golf – one of which is indoors and kind of sucks – that are good values. The Crockett and Old MacDonald’s Farm courses are pretty good.

You also get admission to Believe it or Not! which takes up a fair amount of time and is fun. You get an hour at the Super Fun Park and Laser Tag. One ride on the Mountain Coaster, all good fun. The Motion Blaster and Mirror Maze are skips for me under normal conditions. But when included in the bundle, why not? 

Just doing some quick math in my head, you got roughly two days of entertainment for roughly $100 per person. If you had mini golf and mountain courses and anything else on your agenda, the Ripley Combo probably saves you some cash.

Consider Ober Mountain

Formerly Ober Gatlinburg, Ober Mountain is a local institution that is under something of a renaissance under new management. If you have kids, the Ober Mountain Fun Pass is a good value. It includes the Gatlinburg Tram from the strip to the park. It costs less than $30 to ride up if you don’t get a wrist band so factor that in.

The Fun Pass – which is good for two days – includes summer tubing, access to the Sky Village Express Chairlift and observation deck, rock climbing wall, chair swings, one Spider (using bungees) jump session, access to the jump pillow, the Smoky Mountain bobsled, ice skating, ice bumpers cars and more. Those are a lot of activities for $50 bucks.

If you have older kids or young adults, consider upgrading them to the Adventure Pass for $89 which adds mountain bike rentals – Thursday through Sunday – unlimited rides on the Tennessee Flyer Mountain Coaster and a single zipline ride. 

The downside? If you’re a parent not interested in ALL those activities, you’re going to have to pay to ride the tram up or take your car. Also, dining options have been underwhelming. They’re working to get better. However, you might want to consider eating at a place on the strip and then taking the tram back up. 

Choose a Hotel or a Rental Wisely

There are a lot of hotel and rental options in the mountains – a lot. The temptation when trying to save money is choosing the cheapest acceptable option. However, if you consider a hotel or rental that you’d actually like to spend time in – say with a nice pool and lots of activities, you might save money in the long run by spending a little more at booking. Also, a room with a kitchenette where you can prepare a meal or two – and keep leftovers – can be a money-saver as well. 

If you’re open to a rental experience, you might want to consider traveling in a group.  We have shared an Airbnb booking for a large cabin with two other families before. We all got access to a better class of amenities. So, were able to save money versus what we’d spend at a traditional hotel. 

A couple of caveats, however, make sure you read the fine print. Rental properties can eat you up with hidden fees or costs associated with things like running the air conditioner too cold or using an unapproved appliance. Just be diligent. 

Also, you need to make sure, if you’re traveling with other families your travel preferences are compatible. You don’t want to save money but add drama to your trip.

Brunch is Your Friend

There are a lot of places in the Smokies that functionally as brunch establishments. They’re open through lunch, sometimes later into the afternoon, serving breakfast options. Lean on that. Breakfast meals like a pile of pancakes or a good omelet tend to run on the cheaper side of your dining options. 

You could start the day at a place like Crockett’s where a Western Omelet runs $11 and then get a late lunch at that Pancake Pantry which stays open until 3 p.m. At the pantry, an order of buttermilk pancakes is $9 as is a plain waffle. You’re two meals into the day for $20 plus drinks. That leaves you a little room to splurge for a nice dinner. 

Do you have money saving tips when visiting the Smokies? Let us know in the comments!