Top 5 Family Friendly Downtown Gatlinburg Attractions

Gatlinburg is the perfect destination for your next family vacation! You’ll be right outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and there are plenty of fun things to do downtown! If you’re wondering what the best activities are for families, you’ll find there are plenty to choose from! Here are the top 5 family friendly downtown Gatlinburg attractions:

1. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

One of the best places to take your family while you’re in Gatlinburg is Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Everyone will have a blast walking through the rainforest exhibit, the penguin playhouse, and the coral reef exhibit, looking at all of the unique creatures of the sea! There are quite a few interactive sections of the aquarium, including Touch-A-Ray Bay where you can touch stingrays and another area where you can touch moon jellyfish and horseshoe crabs! A fan favorite is making your way underneath the shark lagoon through the tunnel where you can look overhead and see sharks swimming by. People of all ages will enjoy visiting Ripley’s Aquarium!

2. Anakeesta

If taking in the breathtaking views of the Smokies is on your family vacation bucket list, then you definitely need to visit Anakeesta! This entertainment venue sits on top of a mountain, so you’ll take a Ridge Rambler or the chairlift to the top. Once you’re in the villages, you can browse through retail shops, grab a bite to eat at a snack shop or one of the restaurants, and watch the kids play on the challenge courses and playgrounds. There’s also plenty of places where you can stop and enjoy the views from the comfort of a bench or rocking chair. Anakeesta is a downtown Gatlinburg attraction you don’t want to miss!

3. Ober Gatlinburg

Ober Gatlinburg is the perfect place to go when you have a variety of people in your family. There are kiddie mazes and mini golf for small children, while older kids will have fun playing in the arcade, climbing the rock wall, or trying their hand at ice bumper cars! Get everyone out on the ice for ice skating, or during the winter, you can take everyone on the slopes for skiing or snowboarding. Ober Gatlinburg has a ton of fun activities to offer your family!

4. Gatlinburg SkyLift Park

Another great downtown Gatlinburg attraction you can’t miss out on with your family is Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. This is where the iconic orange and yellow chairlift is located, taking you to the top of Crockett Mountain where you’ll be able to look out at the expansive Smoky Mountains. In addition to relaxing on the SkyDeck, you can grab a drink or a snack in the SkyCenter, walk and enjoy the views along the SkyTrail, or test your bravery as you walk across the SkyBridge!

5. Ripley’s Davy Crockett Mini Golf

The perfect family friendly vacation activity you can’t miss out on is mini golf! Ripley’s Davy Crockett Mini Golf is the perfect place to play a round or two with your family. Choose between two different courses, and play all 18 holes as Davy Crockett themed animal friends cheer you along. This course is great for small children, older kids, teens, and adults. Plus, you’ll love the memories you make playing together! If you are interested in more Gatlinburg golf courses check out Gatlin's Black Light Golf or Hillbilly Golf.

These family friendly downtown Gatlinburg attractions are the perfect way to spend time with each other while you’re on vacation. Since you have an idea of what you will enjoy doing when you’re here, you just need to finish planning the rest of your trip! Look through our hotel rooms in Gatlinburg, and book your vacation today!