Best Attractions In Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Because a high mountain range separates the Tennessee and North Carolina sides, sightseeing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park presents a logistical challenge. In addition to scenic vistas, historic sites and recreational activities available within the park boundaries—not to mention the sheer joy of relaxing in one of the most beautiful natural settings in the eastern United States—visitors will find a variety of things to see and do in surrounding towns. For your convenience, the following attractions and points of interest are grouped geographically, starting on the Tennessee side of the Smokies.
Gatlinburg , Tennessee, makes an ideal base camp for exploring the western Smokies. With an artisans' enclave, natural and novel attractions and lots of gift and souvenir shops, the village is particularly appealing to families and anyone who prefers concrete sidewalks and pancake parlors to dirt trails and trail mix. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies , a AAA GEM attraction, is just that sort of family-friendly attraction, as are Ripley's Believe It or Not! —a Gatlinburg classic since the 1970s—and Ripley's Haunted Adventure . The Aerial Tramway to Ober Gatlinburg and Gatlinburg Sky Lift cable chairs provide two dizzying opportunities to survey the surroundings from on high; both are boarded from stations on Parkway, Gatlinburg's main thoroughfare.
Country Western star Dolly Parton grew up just west of Gatlinburg. Remaining true to her roots after years of success in the music and movie industries, Parton chose nearby Pigeon Forge , Tennessee, as the site for Dollywood , her Appalachian-themed family amusement park. A county-fair atmosphere prevails at this AAA GEM attraction, which has thrill rides and an old-fashioned wooden roller coaster. Music ranging from gospel to bluegrass and demonstrations of mountain craftsmanship are Dollywood staples. Rumor has it that Parton occasionally performs here during special events. Dollywood's Splash Country is the place to cool off on a steamy summer day.
Dolly Parton's Stampede Dinner Attraction , a AAA GEM attraction, is within hollerin' distance of Dollywood. Parton's entertaining version of a mountain family get-together comes off larger than life—not unlike the vivacious country music diva herself— with generous portions of comfort food, foot-stomping musical numbers, exciting equestrian performances and audience participation that adds up to joyful camaraderie.
In addition to Dolly's production, a wholesome family musical and comedy show at The Comedy Barn Theater is a Pigeon Forge hallmark, as is the array of outlet malls that have made Pigeon Forge a magnet for bargain hunters.
A huge hangar at Tennessee Museum of Aviation , a AAA GEM attraction in Sevierville , Tennessee, holds a pristine collection of airworthy historic aircraft along with military vehicles and equipment. But this is not your typical display of static aerodynamic dinosaurs: Flights take off sporadically from the runway of the adjacent regional airport.
While you're in Sevierville, stop off at the Smoky Mountain Knife Works , equal parts museum and emporium. Trophy wildlife vignettes, historical exhibits and commercial and collectible cutlery elevate this knife superstore to attraction status. In addition to case after case of knives there are candy, kitchenware, giftware and souvenirs.
Tuckaleechee Caverns in Townsend , Tennessee opened for public tours in 1953. A pair of local buddies who played in the caves as kids hatched a tour plan in college, and, after working for several years to fund their dream, single-handedly built walkways by kerosene lamplight. A year after the opening of this AAA GEM attraction, speleologists discovered the cave's “Big Room,” which features 24-foot stalagmites and ceilings said to be higher than Kentucky's Mammoth Cave.
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center , also in Townsend, is an excellent cultural history museum. Through exhibits, computerized learning stations and a collection of historic buildings and vehicles, you will get a good idea of what Smoky Mountain life was like before the national park opened.
The most popular destination within Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Cades Cove . For most of the 19th century, settlers led a nearly self-sufficient existence farming this idyllic valley. Cades Cove is a hands-on experience. As you circle the cove on the 11-mile, one-way paved road, take time to explore the log homes, sheds, mills, churches and other buildings—20 structures in all—that comprised this peaceful community. To learn more about the families who lived here, pick up a self-guiding tour brochure at the cove entrance or at the visitor center in Cable Mill area, at about the halfway point on the loop road. Several hiking trails originate in the cove.
Clingmans Dome holds the record for highest viewpoint in Tennessee, third-highest peak in North Carolina. Its dual citizenship is owed to the fact that the rounded ridge, or dome, straddles the state line. From the circular observation tower you can gaze out over mountain ridges up to 100 miles in every direction on a clear day, even as far as Mount Mitchell, North Carolina's highest summit. The 7-mile spur road leading to Clingmans Dome is just south of Newfound Gap , which also lies in Tennessee and North Carolina.
Mount Mitchell is off Milepost 355 of the Blue Ridge Parkway , a AAA GEM place that can be accessed at Milepost 469, off US 441 near the North Carolina entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Note: Blue Ridge Parkway mileposts are numbered north to south. Milepost 0 is in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia; Milepost 469 is the southernmost mile marker and the end of the road.) An especially scenic 82-mile segment of the parkway links the national park with Asheville, N.C.
The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians called the Great Smokies home long before the first pioneers settled in its protected coves. In the 1830s, all but a few were moved to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. On a reservation comprising a fragment of their original homeland, the Cherokee continue to preserve their culture. Observe their ways in Oconaluftee Indian Village and at the historical drama “Unto These Hills” , two AAA GEM attractions, as well as through exhibits at the Museum of the Cherokee People . All three attractions are in Cherokee , North Carolina.
Cades Cove has a fraternal twin in a remote area on the North Carolina side of the Smokies. At one time Cataloochee was the Smokies' largest settlement; today, the valley contains only a handful of its original buildings, most of which are reached on a driving tour or from hiking trails. Cataloochee is not as approachable as Cades Cove, but those with an adventurous spirit who are willing to snake up the less traveled, winding gravel road to get there can enjoy hiking, fishing and wildlife viewing in the park's only elk habitat.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad , a AAA GEM attraction departing from Bryson City , N.C., weaves through forests, skims alongside rivers and glides across trestle bridges to such scenic destinations as Nantahala Gorge, Fontana Lake and the Tuckasegee River. Bryson City also is a popular base for white-water excursions offered by Nantahala Outdoor Center and Wildwater Nantahala in Nantahala National Forest .
See all the AAA recommended attractions for this destination.