Explore Gatlinburg
What to Do
Dining
Gatlinburg’s restaurant scene ranges from mountain-view fine dining to old-fashioned candy shops and pancake houses that have been local staples for decades. Downtown is easy to explore on foot, with plenty of options for a quick bite between outdoor adventures.
Play
As the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park — the most-visited national park in the country — Gatlinburg offers immediate access to more than 800 miles of hiking trails, including popular waterfall hikes like Laurel Falls and Grotto Falls. In town, the Gatlinburg SkyLift takes visitors up to the SkyBridge, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.
Learn
The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, an 8-mile loop of working studios just outside downtown, offers visitors a chance to watch — and learn from — artisans practicing traditional Appalachian crafts like glassblowing, woodworking, and pottery.
Art
Gatlinburg’s Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is one of the largest organized groups of craftspeople in North America, keeping traditional Appalachian mountain craft alive through more than 100 working studios and shops. Downtown also supports a lively mix of folk art, photography, and mountain-themed galleries.
Events
Gatlinburg’s event calendar leans into its mountain setting, with fall foliage festivals, winter light displays like Winterfest, and craft fairs tied to the Arts & Crafts Community throughout the year. Black bear sightings are common even within city limits, since Gatlinburg is surrounded on three sides by national park land.
Plan your escape
Get ready for your trip to Gatlinburg at https://www.gatlinburg.com/