The Smoky Mountains: How to Spend a 1 Week Family Vacation

1 Week Itinerary – The Great Smoky Mountains at the bottom of this post!

Here are some things to do and places to eat near The Great Smoky Mountains:

1. Scenic Drive – Cade’s Cove Loop
2. Scenic Drive – Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
3. Hike!
4. Dollywood’s Splash Country
5. Ripley’s Aquarium
6. Wear Farm City Park
7. The Island at Pigeon Forge
8. Explore Downtown Gatlinburg
9. Other Things to Do

Jump to the Food!

Things to Do:

1. Scenic Drive – Cade’s Cove Loop

This was one of our favorite things we did in the Smoky Mountains!

Cade’s Cove Loop Road is an 11 mile one way loop with some stunning views.

It is a very popular drive, so the earlier you get there, the less traffic there should be. Traffic drives very slow through here, so if you are in a rush, this is not the drive for you.

There are places to pull off and park every so often and also a few old houses/farmsteads that you can walk through.

On Wednesdays, only bicycle and foot traffic is allowed on Cade’s Cove Loop. Visit the National Park’s website before you go.

We also saw a black bear while driving through here! Based on the reviews from the ‘AllTrails’ app, it is common to see black bears in this area.

Here is an article from the National Park Service on what to do if you see a bear.

2. Scenic Drive – Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail was another great scenic drive. It is a 6 mile one way loop.

There are several areas to pull off and park to explore old houses/farmsteads.

More details can be found at the National Park Service website.

3. Hike!

We didn’t do as much hiking in the Smoky Mountains as we wanted to because… well.. kids. But the little bit that we did was awesome!

TIP: If it’s hot out, get on the trails early and bring lots of water plus a handheld battery powered fan. My daughter loved walking with the fan!

Metcalf Bottoms Trail

The Metcalf Bottoms Trail is an easy 1.5 mile out and back trail about 30 minutes from Gatlinburg.

There is an old school house at the furthest point on this trail which gave my daughter something to look forward to.

There is a creek at the parking lot that the kids enjoyed playing in. They also have picnic tables and restrooms.

Laurel Falls Trail

Laurel Falls Trail is an easy 2.4 mile out & back trail. We only did a small piece of this trail so we did not make it to any falls.

Parking is very limited. I recommend getting here as early as you can. We had to park and walk a decent ways just to get to the trailhead.

4. Dollywood’s Splash Country

Dollywood’s Splash Country is the largest water park that I have ever been to. They have fun things for all ages! There were 3 different areas that our 1 and 3 year old loved!

Life jackets are available to use in the various areas (included in ticket price).

We did not get here right when it opened, so we there was a decent line just to get to the parking lot. The theme park and water park share the same entrance until after you get past the ticket booths.

The food lines/wait got crazy during lunch rush, so I recommend eating early before the rush!

Here is the Dollywood waterpark website for more info. Note that towels are not provided but they have some available for purchase. Here is the FAQ’s page.

5. Ripley’s Aquarium

The Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg was a hit with the kids.

They have an underwater tunnel where we got to see sharks, sea turtles and much more! The penguin exhibit was also a favorite.

There is a kids multi level play area. And they also have a glass bottom boat tour (additional fee).

Here is the Ripley’s Aquarium website for more info.

6. Wear Farm City Park

A park with a stunning backdrop! This park in Pigeon Forge was a nice free activity for the kids.

The best part.. they have shade covers over most of the playground. It was very hot when we visited, so this was great!

They have 2 playground areas, restrooms, and shaded picnic table areas.

7. The Island in Pigeon Forge

The Island in Pigeon Forge is a destination where you can Eat, Play, and Shop in one place.

We enjoyed watching the free fountain shows that go off every 30 minutes (paired to different songs). It plays 2 songs every 30 minutes.

They have lots of activities and rides for kids. My daughter’s favorite part was the arcade!

There was plenty of free parking when we visited. The main parking is located between The Island and Le Conte Events Center.

Here is The Island in Pigeon Forge website for more info.

8. Explore Downtown Gatlinburg

We walked down the main drag on Parkway in Gatlinburg. It is a very touristy area, but you can Eat, Play, and Shop all right here.

Anakeesta Theme Park is down here which offers treetop skywalks, an observation tower with amazing views, ziplining, and more. We did not have time to visit here, but it’s on our list for next time!

Ripley’s Aquarium, the Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, and Tennessee Jed’s (sandwich shop) are in downtown Gatlinburg.

Parking was pricey, so be prepared to pay or walk a long distance.

9. Other Things to Do:

If you are looking for more ways to spend your 1 week family vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains, don’t worry.. you won’t run out of things to do!

• More Hiking Trails: Cataract Falls (easy 1.1 mile), Rainbow Falls Trail (moderate 5.1 miles), Huskey Branch Falls (moderate 4.7 mile), Riverview Quiet Walkway (easy 1 mile), Clingmans Dome Observation Tower Trail (moderate 1.2 mile) –> (use the ‘AllTrails’ app)
• Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park
• Track Family Fun Park
• Shopping at The Villages in Gatlinburg
• Dollywood Theme Park

Places to Eat:

Most mornings we ate breakfast at our cabin, but we went out for breakfast a couple times. Here was our favorite:

• Lil Black Bear Cafe (in Pigeon Forge) – This is a cute little diner (very small). The kids loved the thick pancakes and the breakfast sandwich was delicious!

We packed lunches for the days we were out on the trails. And when we ordered food from a restaurant, it was typically carry out… because toddler meltdowns.. after long busy days of exploring..

Here were our favorites places to eat for lunch and dinner near the Smoky Mountains:

• Wears Valley Food Truck Park (in Wears Valley) – So happy we stumbled upon this! They had 3 different food vendors on the day we visited. I loved the mountain backdrop and the play area for the kids!

• Tennessee Jed’s (in Gatlingburg) – This was an awesome find in the sea of tourist restaurants along the main drag in downtown Gatlinburg. It’s a small customer service forward sandwich shop.. and the sandwiches.. delicious!

• Old Mill Pottery House Cafe (in Pigeon Forge) – We ordered takeout as the kids were melting down from a long day of activities. I enjoyed the chicken stir fry, but everything was delicious.

• Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen (in Pigeon Forge) – I had to give this a try while on The Island at Pigeon Forge. Everything was good, just a lot of heavy food. Not pictured: the chocolate butter cake… it was amazing!

• Preacher’s Smokehouse (in Sevierville) – This place is out in the middle of no where, but close to where our cabin was. I enjoyed the smoked pork the most!

• Gatlinburg Brewing Company – We grabbed a quick beer and ordered pizza to go! Both were yummy!

And the best.. dessert:

• The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar (in Gatlinburg) – One the highlights of our trip.. these fun giant milkshakes! Pricy, but a fun treat for the kids (and adults)!

Where to Stay:

We rented this cabin in the woods near Sevierville on Airbnb. We loved our stay here. It had a nice big wrap around porch with a hot tub and rocking chairs to enjoy the sound of the rushing creek nearby.

We had a little drive to get into town, but it was nice to escape to the middle of nowhere.

Next time we visit the Smoky Mountains, I would like to stay in Wears Valley which is about 30 minutes west of Gatlinburg. It was a cute and quaint little community. It is far enough away from all the touristy stuff and the views from this Valley are gorgeous!

Overall, the Great Smoky Mountains makes for a great place for a family vacation. We can’t wait to go back!

Free 1 Week Itinerary:

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