On your whirlwind trip through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, you can always count on the local arcades for fun and excitement. The pinball machines, arcade cabinets, and carnival games are the star of the show, for sure, but the entertainment doesn’t end there. Go-karts, laser tag, and mini golf promise to keep you on your toes as well. Ready to have a great time? Here are some ideas on just where to go.
Blog Archive
What’s The Best Time To Visit Gatlinburg?
When is the best time to visit Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to enjoy the Smoky Mountains? Here are the times of year with the seasonal activities and events, changes with weather and temperatures, changes in nature in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding area – and how to avoid the crowds that mark this most popular place.
The Best Outdoor Activities in the Gatlinburg Area
Gatlinburg’s diverse climate and landscape offers visitors a variety of activities to enjoy. While there are numerous things to do indoors, Gatlinburg’s menu of outdoor activities offers exciting excursions and adventures suitable for adults, teens, and children.
The Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival 2021
The Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival opens this year with a stellar lineup of talent playing in several venues around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The 4-day festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, August 19-22, 2021.
The festival features a myriad of hit songwriters performing tunes you know, and also explaining the intricacies of songwriting in workshops throughout the event.
Best Italian in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge
Here are some of the best Italian restaurants and pizzas in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area. With hundreds of great restaurants in the area there are lots of great pizzas too. But whether you want a tasty slice to keep you going through the day’s adventures, or an Italian dining experience with specialty dishes, here are some of the notable places to keep on your radar.
Best Scenic Attractions Near Gatlinburg
As the gateway town to the country’s most popular national park, Gatlinburg is a great place to start exploring the area in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The ancient Smoky Mountains are endlessly rolling and captivating to the gaze, and whether you’re looking for some beautiful creations of nature or some human-made entertainment, you’ll find some of the best scenic attractions in the area listed here to help you get started in finding some great sights.
Top Attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge
When it comes to family-friendly attractions and entertainment, the neighboring East Tennessee towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have plenty of options available for active families. With Great Smoky Mountains National Park right next to the two towns, deciding which of these attractions are the best can be difficult, based on your personal tastes and interests, but we’ve come up with a list of five top-rated attractions in the area to help you plan your next vacation.

Special Areas of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Here is a brief guide to several distinct areas in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, useful for the new visitor to get oriented to some of the special places and scenic natural features. Visitors to the Smoky Mountains return year after year, and discover their favorite places, gradually learning many of the countless things to do and to see in the Gatlinburg area. Here are some of the more notable.
Craftsmen’s Fair 2021 – 46 Years and Unique as Ever
Celebrating its forty-sixth year in Gatlinburg, the annual Spring Craftsmen’s Fair happens July 9-18. 2021, in the Convention Center at traffic light #8.
For these 10 days, the Fair is open 10 am to 5 pm each day, with one ticket price of $10 that can extend through all the days if you want – and kids 17 and younger get in FREE with an adult.
Independence Day Parade 2021
Gatlinburg is back in 2021 with the nation’s first Independence Day celebration, starting one minute after midnight of the 3rd, for the 46th Annual Fourth of July Midnight Parade. This mile-long stream of parade entrants will work its way along Parkway this year led by the most perfect Grand Marshal, Gatlinburg’s favorite singer and musician, Miss Emi Sunshine.