Gatlinburg has been a long-time favorite vacation destination for people looking to spend a few days unwinding from their everyday life. Not only is this city known for it's delicious restaurants and quaint shops, but there are a ton of fun things to do in Gatlinburg. The best part about these activities is that a lot of them are free, read on...
1. People watch on the Gatlinburg Parkway
With millions of visitors each year, it is hard to find a reason why you shouldn't go people watching on the Gatlinburg Parkway. Not to mention, downtown Gatlinburg is a great city to park your car and just walk around and explore.
There are several benches and resting spots if you want to take a break, or you can duck into The Village and sit by the water fountain on a pleasant sunny day.
2. Take a walk along the Little Pigeon River
We have already told you how walking on the sidewalk along the Gatlinburg Parkway is one of our favorite free things to do in Gatlinburg. However, for people looking to enjoy a more scenic view as they stroll around the city, we suggest walking along the city's riverwalk path that takes you by the Little Pigeon River.
Not only is this a great way to catch a glimpse of some of the natural beauty of the area, but is is also a great way to cool down on a warm day. There are also benches and gazebos along the path if you want to sit down and take in he sights for a moment or two.
3. Visit a Gatlinburg Moonshine Distillery
Moonshining has been a long standing tradition in the Smoky Mountains, and today guests to the area can witness this tradition by visiting one of the many new exciting Gatlinburg moonshine distilleries. The best part is that tours are free! There is a small charge for moonshine sampling, but you can explore the distillery at no charge!
Hours: 10 am - 10 pm, daily. Moonshine sales on Sundays from 12-7pm
Click here for the website.
Sugarlands Shine
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am - 11pm, Sundays 12-7pm
Click here for the website.
Doc Collier Moonshine
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am - 11pm, Sundays 11am - 7pm
Click here for the website.
4. Drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Do you want to explore the area, but you don't feel like walking? You can enjoy a relaxing drive along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail from the comfort of your own vehicle.
The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a 6-mile, one-way, loop road. Along the trail, guests will pass several historic home sites including the Noah 'Bud' Ogle cabin, the Roaring Fork Cemetery, and the remains of one of the early settler's villages that was home to nearly two dozen families over 150 years ago.
There are stops along the way where guests can pull over and snap a picture or tow, or just enjoy the scenery for a little while.
If you do decide you want to walk around for a little bit, there are also several Smoky Mountain hiking trail heads that are located near the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. These trails include:
Baskins Creek Falls
3 miles round trip
Easy difficulty rating
Features waterfalls
Brushy Mountain
6.8 miles round trip
Easy-moderate difficulty rating
Features wildflowers and scenic views
Bullhead Trail
5.9 miles round trip
Easy-moderate difficulty rating
Features interesting geology
Grotto Falls
2.6 miles round trip
Easy difficulty rating
Features waterfalls
Rainbow Falls
5.4 miles round trip
Easy-moderate difficulty rating
Features waterfalls
Trillium Gap
13.9 miles round trip
Hard difficulty rating
Features panoramic views
See our post on the Roaring Fork Motor Trial under the "Drives" tab.
5. Visit Cades Cove
Cades Cove hosts over 2 million visitors a year. That accounts for nearly a quarter of the total traffic that visits the Great Smoky Mountains National Park every year.
The major draw for guests to this area of the national park is the abundance of the breathtaking scenic views that surround you when you are in Cades Cove. Words can barely do the natural beauty of this area justice.
With all of the pretty scenery and thing to do, it is no wonder why visiting Cades Cove is one of our favorite free things to do in Gatlinburg.
See our post on "Cades Cove", also under the "Drives" tab.
6. Stroll through the Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts Community
For over 70 years, there is a small section of downtown Gatlinburg that has been home to a wide variety of talented artisans and craftsmen. Known as the Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts community, this section of town is where guests can find tons of hand-made goods to bring back home after their Smoky Mountain vacation.
The talents found in the Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts community include glass workers, sculptors, painters, broom makers, leatherworkers and more!
See our post on the Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts Community under the "Gatlinburg" or "Shopping" tabs.
7. Tour Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
Speaking of art, the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts is another exciting free thing to do in Gatlinburg that will help you discover much of the artistic talent that calls the Smoky Mountains home.
The Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts was originally founded in 1912. Back then it was called the Phi Beta Phi Settlement School, and it provided the first form of formal education to all the early settlers of the Gatlinburg community.
It wasn't until 1926 that the school began to sell crafts and art made by members of the community, and in 1945 the school offered its first art class. In 1967, the school officially changed its name to the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts.
Over the years, the school has gained international recognition for its continued dedication and education in the art community.
Today, guests can tour one of the many galleries located on the school's 14-acre campus. They can also pick up their new favorite craft or art piece for the school's gift shop. Hours for the school and galleries are Monday-Friday from 8:30am - 5pm. For weekend and holiday hours, the school asks that guests give them a call at (865)436-5860.
Check out their website here.
8. Listen to Music at Gatlinburg Tunes & Tales (Seasonal)
Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales is easily one of the most entertaining activities included on the list of free things to do in Gatlinburg. Here, you can sit back and enjoy as a variety of local musicians, storytellers, and artisans demonstrate their skills.
In addition to the music, the performers that are part of the Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales will also entertain the crowd with their costumes that pay tribute to times gone by, including as early as the 1800s.
The Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales event in downtown Gatlinburg runs daily from mid-June through the end of July. Performances begin at 6pm.
If you are unable to visit for the summer Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales, be sure to plan a trip to come back to the area in a couple of months for the winter Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales.
The winter Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales takes place on the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
9. Ride the Gatlinburg Trolley on the Parkway (Seasonal)
If you happen to plan your visit after the free Gatlinburg Trolley rides end, you can still tour around the city for the low cost of $2 for unlimited rides on five of the trolley's routes. You can find out more about the Gatlinburg Trolley routes, fares and schedules on its website here.
10. Have a Picnic
Going for a picnic is a great way to take in the scenery of the Smoky Mountain area. There's many places for picnic in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so it's easy to pack up a picnic basket and head out to enjoy the Smokies. There are also a few picnic areas in Gatlinburg, including Mynatt Park and Mills Park.
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