If you’ve been to Gatlinburg enough times you know that the best way to answer the question “What should we do in Gatlinburg?” is with the follow up question of “when are you going?” While Gatlinburg is truly a year-round vacation destination, the Smoky Mountain town shows off in different ways each season. And just like the changing seasons, Anakeesta, Gatlinburg’s award-winning mountaintop adventure park, offers seasonal events and activities to enhance your mountain experience.
Spring in the Smokies
Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains are in bloom in the spring! Many of the more than 1,500 flowering plants in the Smokies reach full bloom between March and June making it the premier art show you don’t want to miss.
Dollywood reopens from its winter break in March with a brand new spring festival, the I Will Always Love You Festival which commemorates the art of songwriting. A little later in the spring is their Flower and Food Festival featuring art installations with more than a half-a-million flowers and garden-fresh flavors from a variety of local chefs.
Speaking of flowers, Anakeesta celebrates spring with their event “Blooms and Tunes.”
The mountain explodes with color with its larger-than-life spring-themed art installations, daily live music and entertainment, chef-inspired seasonal menu items and thousands of new blooms in Vista Gardens. Spring is also a great time to experience Astra Lumina, a night time experience of walking among the stars that combines lights, music and storytelling set in the beauty of nature.
Summer in the Smokies
Summer goals are to get outside and cool off whenever you can. The Smoky Mountains boasts beautiful waterfall hikes including the popular Laurel Falls Trail and Ramsey Cascades, the highest waterfall in the park. If you’re more interested in the views than the hike to get there, then take a scenic drive through Roaring Fork Nature Trail or Cades Cove Loop Road, both of which have plenty of spots to park and enjoy a picnic lunch with a view.
A summer trip to Gatlinburg isn’t complete without a visit to Anakeesta. This year’s new summer event, United Tastes of America, a one-of-a-kind food and drink festival, will feature different regional favorites from across the country. There will also be themed-entertainment to accompany the different “tastes” of the country.
Another summer favorite is Anakeesta’s splash pad located in Black Bear Village where kids of all ages can splash around in the Tennessee-themed waterspouts and fountains.
Fall in the Smokies
People travel from all over the world to experience the majestic fall foliage in the Smoky Mountains so it is an absolute must to take in as much of it as you can. Mountain hikes like Little Greenbriar Trail, a relatively short trail that offers numerous lookouts, or the famous Clingman’s Dome that takes you to the highest vantage point in the park, are great options to take in the autumn colors.
Enjoy all the fall colors atop Anakeesta Mountain without having to slip on your hiking shoes. For an even higher view, head to the top of Anavista Tower where you can see three states at once! Anakeesta’s Bear-varian Fall Festival celebrates all things autumn with Halloween decor, pumpkin carvings and spooky lights at night as well as tastes from local and regional craft breweries.
Winter in the Smokies
Colder weather doesn’t slow anything down in Gatlinburg. The city lights up for Christmas as it puts on its big Fantasy of Lights Parade.
In the winter months, Ober Mountain, Tennessee’s #1 skiing destination, offers skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice skating and other ways to play in the snow in their Family Snow Zone. There are also plenty of places to warm up inside or grab a delicious hot chocolate!
Anakeesta sparkles during their Christmas Experience event! Enjoy live holiday music by a fire in Black Bear Village, stroll through the Arctic Alley with tens of thousands of winter lights programmed to festive seasonal soundtracks, and follow the glimmering lights in the forest as you stroll along our iconic TreeTop Skywalk at night.
There you have it. Whatever the season, Gatlinburg is ready for you with pristine nature, great entertainment, and festivals that fill the whole calendar!
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