Top 4 Tips for Your First Smoky Mountain Vacation
When planning your first vacation to the Smokies, you might feel overwhelmed by all the exciting things that there are to see and do! Just remember that whether you spend a weekend or a full month in the Smoky Mountains, it is impossible to experience everything in just one trip! Therefore, we suggest enjoying focusing on a few highlights during your first visit to the area! To make the most of your time, here are the top 4 tips for your first Smoky Mountain vacation:
1. Experience the Outdoor Adventures of White Water Rafting
A vacation to the Smoky Mountains is all about the great outdoors, and the best way to experience the outdoors is with a white water rafting adventure! We offer several fun white water rafting trips in the Smokies where you’ll enjoy a thrilling ride down the Pigeon River with our professional guides! Our most popular trip is the Upper River Rafting trip, which features a 6.5-mile ride through about 70 rapids ranging from class 1 to class 4! If you have younger children in your family, consider our Lower River Rafting trip for a more leisurely experience!
2. Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park
When planning your first Smoky Mountain vacation, you’ll definitely want to have Great Smoky Mountains National Park on your itinerary! As the most visited National Park in the United States, this incredible destination features 150 official hiking trails, fascinating historic structures, an abundance of wildlife, and much more! Whether you prefer to hit the hiking trails or take a scenic drive through the mountains, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy in the park! Start your visit at one of the many excellent park visitor centers to plan your day!
3. Go Camping to Enjoy the Beauty of Nature
Another one of the top tips for your first Smoky Mountain vacation is to go camping to enjoy the beauty of nature! While the Smokies have plenty of accommodations, including hotels, condos, and cabin rentals, there is nothing quite like camping under the stars! The Pigeon River Campground is the area’s premier camping destination as it not only features a spectacular location along the river, but also fun amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool, recreational equipment, and a playground! As a bonus, it’s right next door to our white water rafting outpost!
4. Take a Scenic Drive to Gatlinburg
You won’t want to miss Gatlinburg during your first Smoky Mountain vacation, and half the fun is getting there! You’ll find a number of scenic drives that lead to this iconic Tennessee town, many of which feature stops where you can enjoy hiking opportunities and scenic overlooks! Once you reach downtown Gatlinburg, you’ll find all kinds of activities including mountain coasters, miniature golf, chairlift rides, arcades, escape rooms, and much more! This is also the perfect place to do some souvenir shopping and have a delicious meal!
Looking for more tips for your Smoky Mountain vacation? Check out these top 4 ways to save money while you’re here!
