There are so many activities, restaurants and places to go in the Great Smoky Mountains and the surrounding areas. You could easily spend a week or more here and still have things to do. If you only have three days to explore this amazing place, here is what I would recommend.
Day 1:
Breakfast –
Doughnut Friar
Start your morning at the Donut Friar in the village shops. They have so many delicious donuts, pastries, and even cinnamon bread to choose from at this shop. Be aware that they are continuously making yummy treats and everything is not ready at open. This Link https://thevillageshops.com/shops/the-donut-friar/ shares the store information as well as what times each type of treat will be available.
Hillbilly mini golf
Hillbilly mini golf is a fun and unique mini golf course in downtown Gatlinburg. You will not want to miss it! There is public paid parking near this course, however I recommend taking the free public trolley if time allows as it will be considerably cheaper than paying for parking.
Some things to note are they are open from 9am until 10pm and from March through November. Check their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HillbillyGolfTN) for the most up to date information. You can also check out this article to see what we experienced when we visited here (https://suitcasesandsalt.com/experience-hillbilly-golf-in-gatlinburg-a-unique-family-adventure/)
Arts and crafts village (Opens at 10am)
While it is possible to take the trolley to the Arts and Crafts village, I recommend taking your car to this area. There is plenty of parking! The arts and crafts village is not all in one spot but instead is in multiple spots. The trolley takes at least 45 minutes between dropping you off and picking you back up so you might have a lot of wait time. There is one or two areas that may take you this long, but most stops will not. If you want to see all of the area without it taking all day, a car will help you be able to stop where you would like and leave when you are finished.
Lunch at Mama’s Fried Chicken
Your next stop will be Mama’s Fried Chicken. If you are on the trolley, there are stops near by this restaurant. If you are driving, there is plenty of parking. This restaurant is not far from the Arts and Crafts area and is a delicious place to eat. J.O.E. and Pop’s Sub Shoppe is also at this same location and can be ordered simultaneously with Mama’s Fried chicken. If you want a lighter meal, this may be a great option. Check out their menu here: https://www.mamaschickenkitchen.com/menu
Hike the Gatlinburg trail
After lunch you may want to work off all that fried chicken! You can start hiking the Gatlinburg trail in two different spots. Either at the Gatlinburg trailhead or at the Sugarlands visitors center. You can read more about this trail here: https://suitcasesandsalt.com/hiking-the-gatlinburg-trail-and-cataract-falls/
Dinner at Howard’s –
After hiking, you can make your way back downtown Gatlinburg to eat at the oldest restaurant in Gatlinburg, Howard’s! We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here and we think you will too! They have a great patio at the back of the restaurant to enjoy while dining. See their menu here (https://www.howardsrestaurantgatlinburg.com/menus/)
Day 2:
Pancake restaurant
One thing Gatlinburg has a lot of is pancake restaurants! Choose one that looks the best to you and enjoy a hearty breakfast! Also, pack snacks to enjoy in the car today or while you’re exploring Cade’s Cove.
Hike the Spruce Flats Falls Waterfall
This was one of our favorite hikes! It can be a bit of a steep decline towards the end of the hike but it is worth it. Be sure to download offline maps and know where you are going as we often had spotty cell service or none at all. At the parking lot for this hike there is a small visitors center. It has merchandise specific to this area as well as some of the items you would see at other visitors centers. There is also a public restroom that you can use inside the building.
Cade’s Cove
After you complete this hike, visit Cade’s cove! You can do several different things here at Cade’s cove. The most common thing to do is drive around the loop, marvel at the beauty of the area, and look for wildlife! We saw a family of bears when we visited and it was so cool to see! If you come during the summer, they close the loop on Wednesdays to vehicular traffic. You can either bike or walk the loop if you would prefer to immerse yourself in nature (it would be quite far to walk the whole thing as it is 11 miles!). You can also cut through the loop at two different points and not drive or bike the whole way.
Cade’s Cove also boasts several buildings from early settlers that you can explore. They have several churches, log cabins, barns and more. Several of them you can stop at during your drive, but they also have quite a few to look at next to the visitors center.
If you’re like me, you like to stop at every visitors center that you can! Cade’s cove is no exception. The visitors center is halfway through your drive and makes for a great spot to get out. They have restrooms and historic buildings to see in addition to the visitors center. We ended up buying an ornament that was a replica of one the of churches on the route. So fun! You can also choose to hike one of the trails if you would like. There are several to choose from including Abraham falls which is 5 miles round trip.
Dinner at Big Daddy’s Pizzeria
Finish your day off at Big Daddy’s Pizzeria. They have three different locations around the Smoky Mountains so find the one that is closest to your lodging and enjoy this special treat! See their menu, locations, and hours here: https://www.bigdaddyspizzeria.net/
Day 3
Breakfast
The old Mill restaurant
On day 3, you can start your day in Pigeon Forge at The Old Mill restaurant. This restaurant is so good and it can be very busy. They are very efficient though and serve guests quickly but also kindly. The nice thing is we never felt rushed while there. See why we loved the Old Mill here: https://suitcasesandsalt.com/check-out-why-i-would-go-back-to-the-old-mill-in-pigeon-forge-tn/
Explore the Old Mill shopping area
After breakfast you can explore the shops in The Old Mill area. We enjoyed walking around and looking at the different shops and what they had to offer. You can learn more about The Old Mill here: https://www.old-mill.com/
Anakeesta
After you have explored The Old Mill, make your way back to Gatlinburg and Anakeesta! There is so much to explore and see here you will probably want to spend the rest of your day in this area. There are two ways to get up to the top of the mountain. They have brand new gondola’s that opened in 2026. They are smoother and faster than the system they had previously, which makes for a better experience. They also have the ridge rambler which is a large truck that can take you to the top. Both of these are great options and give you great views! Both options are included in the cost of entering Anakeesta.
Depending on what time you make it to the top, it may be time for lunch. I suggest a lighter lunch at one of the grab and go food stands. You can check out all of the restaurant options here: https://anakeesta.com/magical-firefly-village/
After you grab something to eat, explore Anakeesta! There are many activities included in your entrance fee such as the AnaVista observation tower as well as some extra activities like the mountain coasters which will be an additional cost. See why we think you can’t miss Anakeesta here: https://suitcasesandsalt.com/14-reasons-why-you-cant-skip-anakeesta/
Dinner
Clifftop restaurant or Smokehouse restaurant
I recommend going to dinner either at the Clifftop restaurant or the Smokehouse restaurant for dinner. If you can time it right, these restaurants are great places to sit and enjoy your meal as the sun sets. Clifftop restaurant is a sit down restaurant and you will most likely have to get on the waiting list to be seated. One nice perk is the ability to get on the waiting list and then continue to explore the park until you receive a text letting you know your table is ready. Smokehouse is a bbq restaurant that you order from the counter and then can grab a seat in their open air dining room. We ate here when we visited and it was quite good!
That wraps up three days exploring the Great Smoky Mountains and the surrounding areas! If you have more time check out these other ideas for activities and restaurants:
Other ideas for activities:
Other ideas for food:
Things to consider:
If you are going in to downtown Gatlinburg you will want to consider taking the trolley. Public parking can be expensive and there can be a lot of traffic depending on the day and time of year. Parking to take the trolley is easy. They have a large parking lot just up the hill from the Gatlinburg welcome center or several other spots around the city. The biggest drawback will be the time it takes waiting on a trolley and if you have to get on another line. Some times when we traveled on the trolley, it was super quick thanks to the trolley arriving not long after we arrived. Other times unfortunately it took longer than we would have liked due to missing a trolley that had just come and having to wait for the next one.
Another thing to note is you will need to buy a pass to park at the Great Smoky Mountains if you plan on doing more than just driving around. It does not cost to enter, but if you are parked for more than 15 minutes it does require a parking pass. You can purchase them at any of the visitors centers or the Gatlinburg welcome center.
Have you been to the Smokies? What would you recommend for a three day itinerary?
Love national parks? Check out this article on Shenandoah National Park:
Hi! My name is Allison and I love all things travel! If you follow me, you will find me enjoying the outdoors, hiking, or trying new food! I love sharing the places I have been and hearing from you about new places I should go!
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