Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary with Kids – Best Places to visit

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is ranked as the #1 national park in the USA and is also the most visited park in the country. Straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Smokies are full of lush forests, waterfalls, scenic drives, mountain overlooks, and kid-friendly hiking trails—including part of the famous Appalachian Trail.

We spent 3 days in the Smokies and fell in love with its beauty. Since it’s such a popular park, it can feel touristy and accommodations are pricey, but visiting in December gave us better deals (we found a cozy Airbnb with gorgeous mountain views).

✈️ How to Get There

• Closest airport: McGhee-Tyson Airport (Knoxville, TN)

• Other option: Asheville Regional Airport (about 1 hr drive)

• Entrances:

  • Gatlinburg, TN → via Sugarlands Visitor Center (most popular)

  • Cherokee, NC → from the south side of the park

💡 Tip: There’s no entrance fee, but you must purchase a parking tag from Recreation.gov.

You can search for flights here:

🛏️ Where to Stay

• Best base: Gatlinburg (closest to most attractions, restaurants, SkyPark, Anakeesta, etc.)

• Other options: Cherokee, Townsend, Maryville, or Asheville (1 hr away).

• We stayed in Gatlinburg Airbnb—20 minutes from the park, with all amenities and a stunning mountain view.

Here are some accommodation options:

🚗 Parking

• Daily parking tag → $5

• Weekly → $15

• Buy online in advance at Recreation.gov.

Pin it for later!

🌟 Best Things to Do in the Smokies with Kids

1. Clingmans Dome

PC: Wikimedia Commons

• Highest point in the park.

• Easy 0.5-mile paved walk to the observation tower.

• Panoramic views that wow both kids and adults.

• 🚧 Closed in December, so plan for spring–fall visits.

It is closed in December, so we had to skip this. But, it's a must-visit stop.

---

2. Laurel Falls Trail

• 2.6 miles round-trip, paved trail → leads to an 80-ft waterfall.

• Easy, family-friendly, though a bit slippery near the falls.

• Trailhead near Sugarlands Visitor Center.

• ⚠️ Closed in 2025; reopening planned for 2026 (check NPS site).

This is an easy introduction to the park. The trailhead is near the Sugarlands Visitor Center on Little River Road. Parking fills up quick, so you have to plan this hike early. We did this hike in the afternoon, so we got parking easily.

Upper Falls

This 2.6-mile hike goes along the river. It is considered easy to moderate. It is a little slippery only at the Falls. Going to Lower Falls needs a little scrambling. The waterfalls are great.  

Lower falls

---

3. Cades Cove

• Scenic 11-mile loop road with wildlife (deer, bears, turkeys).

• Explore historic cabins, churches, and fields.

• Popular but can be slow due to traffic. Allow ~1 hour.

• Bonus hike: Abrams Falls Trail (5 miles round-trip).

This is a one-way loop road and is popular, so traffic might be slow. There are some pullouts and scenic stops. It didn't impress us much, other than the historic churches. Expect this drive to take around 1 hr. 

Abraham Falls trail is a 5-mile round-trip, which can be accessed through this road. We couldn't do that trail due to the limited time. 

---

4. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

• A peaceful driving loop with historic homesteads.

• Don’t miss Grotto Falls Trail (2.6 miles round-trip), where kids can walk behind a waterfall.

• 🚧 Closed in winter (we sadly missed it).

This is on our top list to visit. We were very sad that we had to miss this. This loop was closed due to the weather conditions in winter. 

---

5. Scenic Overlooks

• Chimney Tops Overlook → Short hike (3.5 miles) with 1,400 ft elevation gain. Challenging but rewarding!

• Foothills Parkway, Overlook #3 (Mount Cammerer Overlook) → Fantastic sunset spot.

• Newfound Gap Road → 30-mile drive connecting Gatlinburg (TN) and Cherokee (NC). Don’t miss Ben Morton Overlook for sunrise or sunset.

There are plenty of scenic overlooks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Chimney Tops Overlook is one of the most scenic viewpoints. The hike to the observation point and back is 3.5 miles with an elevation gain of 1400 ft. It is a challenging, but rewarding trail. 

Overlook #3 on Foothills Parkway is a great place for Sunset. This is accessible while driving from Cosby to I-40 stretch of Foothills Parkway East. This viewpoint is also called Mount Cammerer overlook. 

New Found Gap Road is one of the most scenic drives in the Smokies, connecting Gatlinburg, TN, to Cherokee, NC. The drive is around 30 miles long with many great overlooks to stop by. Ben Morton overlook is a gorgeous spot for Sunrise / Sunset. 

---

6. Alum Cave Trail

• 4.6 miles round-trip to Alum Cave Bluffs.

• Moderate to strenuous (+1,200 ft elevation).

• Scenic bridges, stair climbs, and a natural arch.

• Can be extended to Mt. LeConte (10–11 miles total).

• We did it in winter → chilly but fewer crowds. Kids 6+ will love it!

We hiked to Alum Cave Bluffs. The trail is flat and easy initially, but gains an elevation of 1200 ft later. There are some bridge crossings and a natural arch with many stairs/ steps. There are some steep and narrow sections.

The final viewpoint was amazing. Since we hiked in winter, there is not much of a crowd. The weather was very chilly, though. It felt strenuous but not impossible. I would definitely suggest doing this trail when visiting with kids above 6 years old. It's fun.

Alum Cave Bluffs

---

7. The Sinks

• A powerful waterfall & swirling pool along Little River Road (12 miles from Gatlinburg on the way to Townsend).

• Great snack stop and photo opportunity.

• Trail to Meigs Falls (3.5 miles) starts here.

This powerful waterfall and swirling pool are along the little river road, around 12 miles from Gatlinburg on the way to Townsend. This is another great spot that we loved. The trail to Meigs Falls can be accessed from this spot, which is 3.5 miles.

---

8. Waterfall Hikes

• Cataract Falls → Easy 0.75-mile stroll, great for toddlers.

• Grotto Falls → 2.6 miles, walk behind the waterfall.

• Rainbow Falls → 5.4 miles, the tallest single-drop waterfall in the park. Best chance to see rainbows in the afternoon mist.

---

9. Gatlinburg SkyPark

• Ride the open-air chair lift to the top of Crockett Mountain.

• Walk the 680-ft SkyBridge (the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America).

• SkyTrail (0.6 mile), observation deck, and restaurant.

• Tickets: $30–40 adults, ~$25 kids.

Gatlinburg is a perfect tourist destination for all ages. Gatlinburg Sky Park is at the top of Crockett Mountain. It is famous for the Sky Bridge, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.

Tickets are $30 to $40 per adult and around $25 per kid. An open-air chair lift takes us up to the peak, where you can relax, enjoying the surrounding mountain views, and walk on the 680-ft-long sky bridge, which is an unforgettable experience. Kids will enjoy this place. 

There is also a Sky Trail - a 0.6-mile scenic walkway. The observation deck has a nice seating area. There is also a restaurant and restrooms available. 

---

10. Seasonal Lighting – Winterfest

• From mid-November to early January, streets from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg sparkle with millions of holiday lights.

• Drive through or stop for photos at light displays.

• Kids will love the festive atmosphere.

The holiday light display is wonderful, starting from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg during Winterfest. Millions of lights adorn all the streets in winter. These displays start from mid-November and stay till the First week of January.

We enjoyed driving through these light displays. There are multiple photo opportunities.

---

✨ Final Thoughts

The Smokies are packed with family-friendly adventures—from short hikes to scenic drives and magical seasonal events. Whether it’s your first time or your fifth, you’ll always discover something new.

Until next time,