Gatlinburg walks a line between being a kitschy tourist trap (lots of putt-putt arcades and theme shows), artisan center (specialty foods and craft shops), and mountain getaway (local cabins and views). What you experience seems to depend on which area you spend most of your time in. One nice thing that won’t change is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that it sits beside where you can go for trails and hiking and mountain scenery. (2022)
A view down the town from the overlook in the National Park
“The Sinks” water fall on the Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
I have to give a special shout out to finding the perfect attraction for my mom who collects salt and pepper shakers at her home – Gatlinburg’s Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum with tens of thousands of themed salt and pepper shakers from around the world.
