A Gatlinburg Christmas
By Leif Palmer
Posted on December 9, 2021
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is the kind of town that's made for a good Christmas celebration. It's wedged snugly into the crevices of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains, and it's alpine atmosphere actually hearkens back to the spirit of Old World Christmases of yesteryear. Not to mention the fact that the city and its merchants and residents really know how to make the season come alive for visitors who decide to travel to this unique city in the heart of the holiday season. While you're in Gatlinburg, we have a few suggestions for where and how to spend your days and nights.
Winter Smoky Mountain Tunes And Tales
As you roam the streets of downtown, you'll encounter live street performances featuring costumed musicians, dancers and storytellers portraying characters from time periods as far back as the 1800s. Daily performances run from 6 to 11 p.m.
Anakeesta
This mountaintop outdoor adventure park sparkles this season with its Enchanted Winter event that runs through February 14. Guests will be enchanted by winter decorations, including a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree at its Parkway access location. That just sets the stage for your gondola ride to the top of the mountain and all the holiday décor up at the attraction itself. These include the Arctic Alley of Lights as well as holiday décor throughout the Firefly Village and Black Bear Village sections. There's also a new lighting experience in the Vista Gardens and a Hot Chocolate Trail.
Gatlinburg SkyLift Park
This is another mountaintop attraction overlooking downtown Gatlinburg, accessible by riding the Gatlinburg SkyLift from the Parkway up to the top of the mountain. SkyLift Park has added 20,000 more holiday lights this year as well as 10 new dancing trees along the new SkyTrail feature of the park. There's a 30-foot-tall, multicolored Christmas tree and a 200-foot-long tunnel of lights on the SkyBridge attraction. All of this is included in the regular admission price, and the daytime views are pretty spectacular too.
Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort
Here's yet another popular mountain attraction, and like Anakeesta and SkyLift Park, you can access it from the downtown Parkway without having to drive up to the top of the mountain. In this case, you'll take the Aerial Tramway to Gatlinburg's longtime year-round attraction, which offers as much in winter as it does in summer. In fact, it first became popular as a ski resort, and it still offers opportunities for skiers and snowboarders as well as a 10-lane snow tubing course, indoor ice skating and lots of shops and a restaurant.
Of course, there's also much to see and do in the downtown area itself, especially during the holidays. This includes even more attractions, shops, restaurants and much more. We can hook you up with any of our downtown Gatlinburg parking garages, which means the last thing you'll need to worry about during visit is where you're going to park your vehicle for the day. Just one stop, one low price, and you're free to spend the rest of your time celebrating Christmas in the Smokies.
About Leif Palmer
Leif Palmer loves residing in Gatlinburg. He is an avid outdoorsman: rowing for exercise on the lake, trail hiking, and free climbing rocks in the mountains. He indulges his arty side by periodically beating up pieces of marble by sculpting. He is always frustrated by his inability to sink long putts, and hates his curly hair (but his wife loves it). Leif has been known to muster enough courage to change a diaper, and hopes his son will become a chip off the old block.