If it’s Father’s Day and you’ve brought your dad to Gatlinburg, you’re already ahead of the game. Gatlinburg, with the backdrop of the rolling Great Smoky Mountains, is a great place for a vacation, and Father’s Day is no exception. Here are a few ideas for you and your dad while you’re here enjoying Father’s Day in Gatlinburg.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors with Your Dad
Of course, the big attraction here is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can spend the day hiking along densely forested mountain trails, beside racing rivers filled with tasty trout, to cascading waterfalls like Laurel Falls, and scenic overlooks. As you hike, bike or ride horseback, hunt for the remains of old homesteads and weathered gravestones at the Little Greenbrier Cemetery and Elmont Ghost Town. A few popular spots to try are Grotto Falls, Chimney Top, and Cades Cove. If you didn’t bring your own fishing gear, rent some so you and your dad can spend the morning fly fishing for lunch.
Take a guided tour based on your dad’s favorite things, with beer, wine, food, caves, waterfalls, scavenger hunts, and more tours to choose from, or enjoy the sights on your own schedule. Of course, a helicopter tour of the beautiful Smoky Mountains is something that your dad will surely enjoy.
And while you’re in Gatlinburg, plan to walk across the SkyBridge. It’s the longest pedestrian bridge in the country, with glass floor panels in the center of the span so you can see straight down to the bottom of the gorge, over 150 feet below. The views from the bridge are amazing – whether you’re looking down or around.
If your dad is young at heart, head to one of the area’s amusement parks. NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains has go-karts, mini-golf, rock wall-climbing, bumper boats and more, while Ober Gatlinburg Amusement Park and Ski Area has mini-golf, bumper cars and a roller coaster in their amusement park. Anakeesta’s mountaintop park, right in the center of downtown, offers amazing panoramic views from the observation tower, plus ziplines, single-rail mountain roller-coaster, a tree-top skywalk and more.
Or head to one of the area’s museums. If your dad like cars, a visit to the Hollywood Star Car Museum should be on your agenda. Mayberry’s squad car, the Beverly Hillbillies old jalopy, Disney’s Herbie the Love Bug, and two Batmobiles are just a few of the vehicles on exhibit. Or, if dad’s more into planes, the Tennessee Museum of Aviation has exciting exhibits with jets, helicopters, fighters, and amphibious planes.
And there’s Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country too, in nearby Pigeon Forge. Along with a top-rated waterpark and amusement park, Dollywood also has mini-golf, arcades, traditional arts and crafts exhibits, and plenty of live music.
Take Dad Out to Eat – or Drink
There are plenty of delicious dining spots here in Gatlinburg too. Get everyone dressed up for a fancy meal at the Melting Pot, or Buckhorn Inn. For those steak-loving dads, head to Gatlinburg’s premier steakhouse, the Cherokee Grill or the Peddler Steakhouse. For something a little less formal, try Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que (in Pigeon Forge) for hickory smoked BBQ, pastries and more. Gatlinburg is a pancake lovers’ paradise, with the Log Cabin Pancake House, Crocketts Breakfast Camp, Pancake Pantry, Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin, Atrium Pancakes, Little House of Pancakes, or Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant all offering tasty, fluffy hotcakes.
Dine in at one of our local restaurants, or pick up dad’s favorite meal and local brew, bring it back to your vacation home and dine at your leisure out on the patio while enjoying the view of the mountains beyond. Or grill and dine on those fresh trout you caught earlier today.
Good or bad, Tennessee is synonymous with moonshine. There are several distilleries in town offering tours and tastings of locally made shine, whiskey, craft beers and more. A few to try are Sugarlands Distilling Company, Old Smoky Moonshine, Smoky Mountain Brewery and Old Forge Distillery.
Besides spirits and craft beer, Gatlinburg has several local wineries too. Hit the trail on your own, or take the Gatlinburg Wine Trail Tour and visit five local wineries including Cades Cove, Sugarland Cellars (try their loganberry wine, Elkmont), Bootleggers (their Homegrown Scuppernongs is a customer fav), and Little Bear Winery (their popular Black Forest Wine has been said to taste like black forest cake). All have unique wines made from local ingredients that you can sample in their tasting rooms.
Father’s Day in Gatlinburg
With plenty of amazing scenery and outdoor activities you may end up spending all your time outside, but remember, your luxurious Gatlinburg rental is waiting for you at the end of the day with comfy sofas and beds, stone fireplaces for those cool spring nights, and plenty of gathering space for celebrating. Give us a call if you need help selecting the perfect rental for your Father’s Day in Gatlinburg!
