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Stephanie J. Lima, Ohio
Travel with kids: 9, 7, and 5
Day 1
Arrived in Gatlinburg late afternoon
Checked into Country Inn and Suites on Reagan Lane <perfect location>
Swam at hotel and got settled after a lengthy drive with kids (ages 9, 7, and 5)
Ordered pizza to the hotel room
Slept like angels
What was your favorite part of the day?
Swimming with the kids and letting them burn off steam and be loud!
Tips/Wish I would have known:
Skip the chain pizza places, we’ll try a local place next time for sure.
Day 2
Breakfast at Pancake Pantry (it’s best to go early!)
Walked to Skylift Park and rode to the top, which is always fun. It’s great to see how well the mountainside has recovered from the 2016 fires.
Crossed the glass bottom bridge to the observation deck for great views of the town and mountains.
Walked the downtown area to Fannie Farkles Amusement and The Village shops. Got old time photos taken of the kids.
When it got dark we went back up to Skylift Park since the ticket you buy is good for unlimited rides during the same day. The kids rode it up and down the mountain several more times. I loved seeing the town lit up at night.
Favorite part of the day:
Crossing the glass bottom bridge at Skylift Park.
Tip/Wish I would have known:
Tip. The town “comes alive” at night especially during the busier times of the season so if you’re like us and don’t like keeping the kids out late in the crowds take dinner back to the hotel or cabin and chill! Especially this hotel with a nice pool and indoor patio area.
Day 3
Hiking in Sugarlands first thing. It’s a nice easy flat hike to a beautiful waterfall. It can be done in 30-45 minutes or we stretched it into a couple of hours of outside time with the beautiful spring weather. We then drove to Cades Cove for the beautiful scenery and additional walking and playing in the river there.
After the drive back we did some gem mining in town and the kids loved it. It seemed pricey at first but then they brought out this giant bucket of dirt/sand that kept the kids busy for quite awhile and the people running the shop were so welcoming and took a lot of time with the kids and helping them identify the gems they found.
Favorite part of the day:
The drive through the mountains and around Cades Cove is always my personal fave. This time was no exception!
Tips/Wish I would have known:
Tip. Bring extra clothes for kids if you’re going to be within a mile of a river or creek. It seems obvious for parents of young kids to do this but I thought my kids had outgrown the need for that. I was very wrong!
Day 4
Pigeon Forge Day! We started at Wonderworks which is perfect for the kids at this age. They loved it. When it was time for a break we ate at Hard Rock Cafe which is in the same parking lot so we could walk there. Then back to Wonderworks for a couple more hours.
Dinner at Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show, which was so much fun! Seriously it’s expensive but so so worth it! It is definitely worth every penny!
Favorite part of day:
Seeing my 5 year old son’s excitement watching the pirates and mermaids perform. It was amazing.
Tips/Wish I would have known:
Take ziploc bags to Pirates for leftovers 🙂
Day 5
Anakeesta! It is seriously so cool. I loved riding up in the gondola car. The kids loved the mountain coaster up there. There are great views from the top and many places for photo ops, plus a series of suspended bridges through the woods that are pretty neat. Then back to Fannie Farkles for some more arcade fun.
Favorite part of the day:
My husband taking the kids on the mountain coaster.
Tips/Wish I would have known:
Tip, buy Anakeesta tickets online and skip the ticket window!
