The original idea behind this blog was to create a game plan for a 3 day weekend in Gatlinburg for whoever stumbled upon this blog. However, I quickly realized there’s about a million things to do in Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge and your preference is going to be different mainly according to the age of individuals in your party.
With that being said, let me explain who we are and what our preferences are when spending time in Gatlinburg. We’re a young couple living in Florida who frequently head to Gatlinburg for a weekend retreat in the Mountains. We want to immerse ourselves in the tranquility of the Smoky Mountains and feel secluded from the crowds, traffic and hustle of the touristy areas.
When we make the trek up to Gatlinburg we usually spend half a day and a meal downtown before heading to the mountains for the rest of the weekend. The following is our perspective of a pcturesque retreat in the Smokies!
Day One In Gatlinburg
For simplicity, let’s assume you’re arriving in Gatlinburg early afternoon. You’ll want to first head to the grocery store and get supplies + food for the weekend. Many cabins are 15 to 30 minutes away from the nearest grocery store so you’ll want to grab what you need as you come into town.
In addition to food and water for the weekend don’t for get to snag firewood, (if your cabin has a fire pit or an indoor wood burning fire place), and charcoal for the grill.
Now, head to the cabin to check out your space for the weekend and unload! Once you get there, go turn on the hot tub jets and make sure the temp is turned all the way up. After each guest the cleaners empty and refill the hot tub which takes about 5-6 hours to heat back up. Turning on the jets speeds it up so you’ll be able to sit in it tonight!
Once you’re all settled and freshen up, you’ll want to head to downtown Gatlinburg. Check out some distilleries while you’re there, try some whisky and learn a bit about the history of moonshining.
There’s a ton to do and see downtown Gatlinburg so I recommend spending the afternoon walking around exploring. You can check out the Gatlinburg Skybridge and any other attractions that peak your interest. We’re not huge on waiting in line and paying for rides and such so we skip a lot of that, however I will recommend cool attractions you may want to check out on day three, if you’re into it!
Grab dinner while you’re in Gatlinburg at one of the many restaurants.
Here are a few recommendations:
Loco Burro: Restaurant on the Gatlinburg parkway with a rooftop view offering world-famous fajitas, margaritas & sangrias!
No way Jose’s: Restaurant on the river in Gatlinburg with indoor and patio seating.
The Greenbrier Restaurant: in route heading back to our cabin, the Greenbrier Restaurant is a family friendly American meat and seafood restaurant inside a log cabin nestled in the Smoky Mountains.
The Park Grill Located off the parkway in Gatlinburg, enjoy everything from hickory-grilled steaks to a fresh salad bar.
To finish up day one in Gatlinburg, head back to the cabin for game night, a bonfire (with s’mores of course) and a soak in the hot tub!
Day Two In Gatlinburg
Your second day in Gatlinburg should begin with the sunrise. I know vacations are suppose to be for sleeping in and relaxing, but trust me when I say, you cannot miss a Smoky Mountains sunrise. Sit on the porch of the cabin with a blanket and a cup of coffee while the sun wakes up the Smokies.
Next, head into the kitchen to whip up some homemade chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries. Add some bacon and eggs on the side, you’ll need the extra calories for todays adventure!
While you finish up breakfast discuss which hike you want to conquer today. The Smoky Mountains offers a variety of hikes when it comes to level of difficulty. You can opt for a simple nature walk or if you’re feeling up for one of the more popular and a bit more strenuous hikes, they won’t disappoint.
Check out this bog for hiking recommendations in the Smokies, keeping your eye on the difficulty rating and how much time you want to spend.
Don’t forget to pack a bag with water, snacks and lunch! Plus any other hiking necessities you may need.
Following the hike, head back to cozy up in the cabin for the rest of the day. Our typical hiking adventures will be 3-4 hours of galavanting around the mountains. So by the time we’re back to the cabin it’s usually late afternoon and we’re ready to relax.
This second evening is a grill out and chill night. The Smoky Woods Lodge specifically offers board games, a pool table, yard games, a hot tub and a fire pit to enjoy. Not to forget to mention a flat screen TV in every room to watch a movie!
Day Three In Gatlinburg
Our ideal third day in the Smokies would be another mountain adventure such as Ziplining through the trees and an UTV Distillery tour. There’s a company called ClimbWorks just 15 minutes from the cabin that offers Ziplining and Adventure Smokies close by that does tours!
Another idea we highly recommend is Anakeesta Mountain which is a mountaintop “theme park” with shopping, dining, gardens ziplines, a bridge through the treetops and more!
Following our adventures we’d normally grab lunch out at a local hole in the wall diner.
For the final night we’d enjoy the rest of the time we have at the cabin. The theme of the evenings this weekend is usually grill out, bon fire, hot tub.
Before we turn in for the night, lay a blanket down in the front yard and watch the sky. On clear nights you can see nearly every star in the sky it seems. We’re outskirts Gatlinburg so the lights from town don’t dim the beautiful night sky at the cabin.
Ready to book your weekend in Gatlinburg?
Like I said at the beginning, there are SO MANY ways you can spend a 3 day weekend with endless activities in the area! Whatever you prefer to do from Downtown Gatlinburg to Dollywood, we’d love to host you at our cabin!
We have 4 bedrooms each with a king bed and it’s own attached bath. There’s a pull out couch in the main living space for two additional guests.
We have a game room, hot tub and fire pit. The kitchen is fully stocked with appliances and cutlery.
And most importantly, we’re on an acre of land with gorgeous mountain views!
Bookable on Airbnb or directly on our site to avoid the airbnb fees.
