{"id":10690,"date":"2020-04-13T16:21:45","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T20:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.budgetyourtrip.com\/blog\/?p=10690"},"modified":"2020-11-19T10:31:04","modified_gmt":"2020-11-19T14:31:04","slug":"things-to-do-in-gatlinburg-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.budgetyourtrip.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/things-to-do-in-gatlinburg-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Things to do in Gatlinburg with kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gatlinburg, Tennessee<\/a> is a popular vacation spot, well within driving distance from many Midwestern cities in the United States. It has an unusual balance between kid friendly tourist attractions and easily accessible nature opportunities, situated as the main gateway city to Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/a>. The National Park boasts over 600 miles of trails, waterfalls, mountains, long range views, and off-road adrenaline activities. Keep your eyes peeled; black bear sightings are common, along with elk and salamanders. Inside the city proper, there are several amusement parks, kids museums, and entertainment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gatlinburg has something to do year-round, but the main tourism season stretches from early spring to late fall. Weather tends to be mild, with frequent rain, so be sure to pack rainjackets, comfy shoes for walking, and bug spray to ward off mosquitoes! There are plenty of drug stores and supermarkets to pick up any kid essentials you\u2019ve forgotten or traveled without.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The city\u2019s main drag is full of rustic restaurants with hearty American food alongside souvenir gift shops. Most places have a kid\u2019s menu and children are welcome virtually everywhere! Two of the most popular family friendly restaurants in Gatlinburg are Log Cabin Pancake House and Big Daddy\u2019s Pizzeria. If you hire a sitter for a break from the kids, or are traveling with creative teenagers, consider checking out the thriving artist community for unique shopping and workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourism is the main industry in the area so there are lots of hotels or great cabins on Airbnb in Gatlinburg<\/a> to choose from. If you\u2019re looking for more of a relaxing vacation instead of an exploration adventure, opt for one of the family friendly resorts that have in-house activities, a water park, and restaurants like Dollywood\u2019s Dreammore Resort & Spa, Riverstone Resort & Spa, or Country Cascades Waterpark Resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you run out of things to do in Gatlinburg, consider a day trip within the area. Gatlinburg is just an hour and a half away from Asheville<\/a>, so keep exploring the mountains and find out what different things to do with kids in Asheville<\/a> there are to consider for a day trip! On the other side of the national park is Cherokee, North Carolina, which also has tourist attractions and is a fun place to spend an afternoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Things to do in Gatlinburg with kids<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This list includes things for kids to do in Gatlinburg and neighboring Pigeon Forge since they\u2019re so close together. After you\u2019ve picked a destination, double check Smoky Mountain Coupons<\/a> and print out or screenshot a coupon to save some money!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit <\/strong>Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/strong><\/a>–<\/strong> Get into the mountains and enjoy the lush greenery and beautiful wildlife of the area! Check out this list and choose one of these <\/strong>kid friendly hikes in smoky mountain national park<\/a>. You can also drive and walk up to the Clingman\u2019s Dome concrete overlook or simply cruise the Cades Cove loop in your car and look for bears! Kids will love doing the junior ranger program and earning a badge, accessible at any of the visitor\u2019s centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grotto Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ride a zip line- <\/strong>Zip lines send you soaring through the air and give kids a nice adrenaline rush while exploring the tops of the tree canopy! Teenagers especially will have fun with this exciting outdoor activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go to <\/strong>Anakeesta<\/strong><\/a>– A family theme park with a \u201cdueling\u201d side by side zipline so you can race each other! It\u2019s easy to spend a full day here with all the other activities available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out <\/strong>CLIMBworks<\/strong><\/a>– <\/strong>Spend hours zooming atop the trees in this dedicated zipline park. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See a show- <\/strong>Top off a day of exploring outside with family friendly entertainment in a show! This is a great way to relax if you spend the day hiking or swimming, especially during hot summer weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n