Gatlinburg, TN is the perfect place to take a family getaway! Located on the border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, our city offers spectacular natural beauty and some of the best family friendly attractions and entertainment in the nation. To help you make the most of your Gatlinburg family vacation, Acorn Cabin Rentals has put together a guide to six activities you definitely don’t want to miss during your trip.

1. Explore the Great Smoky Mountains

The number one reason families vacation in Gatlinburg, TN is to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Whether your family frequently spends time outdoors, or you typically enjoy indoor activities, you are guaranteed to find something you love to do in the Smokies. The national park is home to over 800 miles of hiking trails, with everything from 0.5 mile hikes to 14 mile treks. If hiking isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy the mountains by taking a scenic drive, having a picnic, or going horseback riding. Best of all, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn’t charge an admission fee!

2. Take a Family Portrait at an Old Time Photo Studio

No Gatlinburg family vacation is complete without a visit to one of the area’s old time photo places. When you visit one of these studios, you’ll have the chance to dress up in beautiful costumes that transport you back in time to another era. Popular portrait themes include the Old West, the Roaring Twenties, and the Old South. At the end of your session, you’ll have the perfect souvenir photo from your family vacation and lots of fun memories that you’ll never forget.

3. Go Out for Pancakes

Gatlinburg is famous for its pancakes. In fact, our Smoky Mountain city may just be the flapjack capital of the United States! For at least one of your breakfasts, we recommend going out to one of the area’s pancake houses to enjoy a stack of fluffy hotcakes. Our favorite restaurant for flapjacks is the Pancake Pantry, which was the first pancake house in the state of Tennessee. No matter where you go out for breakfast in Gatlinburg, you are sure to find pancakes that are worth getting out of bed for.

4. Play a Round of Mini Golf

Mini golf is another classic family vacation activity! The Gatlinburg area is home to a number of great putt-putt courses that are perfect for players of every age and ability. One of our favorite places to play mini golf is Gatlin’s Smoky Mountain Fun. This popular attraction offers two wonderful outdoor putt-putt courses and a superb indoor blacklight course, which is ideal for a rainy day.

5. See a Show

Gatlinburg and the neighboring city of Pigeon Forge are home to a great collection of family friendly theaters. Visitors to the area will find shows with magicians, hypnotists, horseback riding stunts, comedy, country music, Motown, oldies, and even more fun. The Iris Theater at the Gatlinburg Space Needle hosts some of the very best shows in the Smokies.

6.  Stay at a Cabin

A cabin provides the perfect accommodations for a vacation. Tucked away in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, our cabins put you right in the middle of Gatlinburg’s breathtaking scenery. With everything from 1 bedroom cabins to 8 bedroom cabins, we are guaranteed to have the the perfect cabin rental for your family.

To start planning your next Gatlinburg family vacation, browse our complete selection of Gatlinburg cabin rentals! We look forward to seeing you soon!