If this is your group's first trip to the Smokies, these five places are worth building the week around. Three are inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which charges no entrance fee: the historic valley, the highest summit and a slow mountain drive with a waterfall you can walk behind. The other two are Pigeon Forge's theme park and a mountaintop above downtown Gatlinburg.

Park stops need a parking tag for any stay over 15 minutes, one per vehicle ($5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual). With a big group in several cars, start early, because parking at Kuwohi and along Roaring Fork often fills.

In This Guide

  1. Cades Cove Loop Road
  2. Kuwohi
  3. Dollywood
  4. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
  5. Anakeesta
1
Cades Cove Loop Road, National Park, Cades Cove

Cades Cove Loop Road

place National Park, Cades Cove

The 11-mile, one-way loop around Cades Cove is the drive every first trip should include. It passes three churches, a working gristmill, barns and log houses restored from the 1700s and 1800s, with open fields made for wildlife watching. Plan on at least two to four hours, longer if the hikers peel off for Abrams Falls, a 5-mile round trip.

Good to know: Open sunrise to sunset; closed to cars Wednesdays, typically May through September.

Closest Vantage cabins: Amazing View Lodge (40-50 min), Bears Britches (40-50 min)

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2
Kuwohi, National Park, Kuwohi Road

Kuwohi

place National Park, Kuwohi Road

At 6,643 feet, Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) is the highest point in the park and in Tennessee. A paved but steep half-mile trail leads to an observation tower with 360-degree views that can reach past 100 miles on clear days. On the way up, stop at Newfound Gap on the state line, where President Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940 and the Appalachian Trail crosses the road.

Good to know: Road closes in winter (early December to late March); parking tag required.

Closest Vantage cabins: Four Bears Den (65-75 min), Greystone (65-75 min)

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3
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge

Dollywood

place Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge's 160-acre theme park pairs more than 50 rides, including the Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle and Big Bear Mountain coasters, with shows and daily craft demonstrations by master artisans, so there is something for every age in the group. Seasonal festivals change the park through the year, from the fall Harvest Festival to Smoky Mountain Christmas, which runs into early January.

Good to know: Group rates start at 15 guests; multi-day tickets are available.

Closest Vantage cabins: Smoky Bear Lodge with Guest House (20-25 min), The Bungalow (20-25 min)

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4
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, National Park, Gatlinburg side

Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

place National Park, Gatlinburg side

This narrow, 5.5-mile one-way road winds past log cabins and gristmills through deep forest. About 2 miles in, the Trillium Gap Trail leads 1.3 miles through an old-growth hemlock grove to Grotto Falls, a 30-foot waterfall the trail passes behind. Near the end of the drive, the Place of a Thousand Drips is visible right from the road, so everyone gets a waterfall.

Good to know: Closed in winter; no buses, trailers or motor homes allowed.

Closest Vantage cabins: Gatlinburg Heights (5-10 min), Great Smoky View (10-15 min)

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5
Anakeesta, Gatlinburg

Anakeesta

place Gatlinburg

Right on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg, Anakeesta carries you 600 feet up by gondola or the Ridge Rambler to a mountaintop park of more than 90 acres. Walk the Treetop Skywalk's 16 hanging bridges, climb the 86 steps of AnaVista Tower for 360-degree views, or ride the coasters and dueling zipline. It pairs easily with an evening on the Parkway below.

Good to know: Group rates are available; check the pricing page before you go.

Closest Vantage cabins: Greystone (5-10 min), Four Bears Den (5-10 min)

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Drive times to the closest Vantage cabins are measured by road without traffic; allow extra time on the Parkway in peak season.

Tips for Groups

  • Pair Kuwohi with Newfound Gap in one drive. Kuwohi Road branches off Newfound Gap Road, and the summit runs 10-20 degrees cooler than the valleys, so pack jackets even in summer.
  • Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to cars on Wednesdays, typically May through September, which makes those mornings a good time to walk or bike part of the loop.
  • Consolidate cars where you can. Each vehicle needs its own parking tag, and Roaring Fork does not allow buses, trailers or motor homes.

Staying with a big group? Browse Vantage cabins by bedrooms, pools, theater rooms and more, or see our large group cabins.