March 14, 2025
Family Friendly Activities Near Grandview Cabin
Family Friendly Activities Near Grandview Cabin
Last October we stayed at our cabin (Grandview Cabin) with our 12, 17 and 22 year-olds. Besides basking in the cabin family time, we also enjoyed nearby activities. All of them within around 30 minutes.
Moonshine Mountain Coaster, Gatlinburg - quick fun
Moonshine Mountain Coaster is a “roller coaster through forest terrain, featuring individual cars with brakes & night-ride options.” (Google Maps) The coaster ride is located at the entrance of Gatlinburg from the cabin, so it was our first stop as we headed into town to have lunch. Be sure to not use your brakes too much and you’ll have an exciting time! The ride is the exact same each time, so our kids felt like 2 rides (not more) was about right.
Luigi’s Pizzeria & Pasta, Gatlinburg - would go back in a heartbeat
We had lunch at Luigi’s Pizzeria & Pasta in Gatlinburg. We’re not adventurous eaters, and went with a cheese pizza and meatlovers pizza. We’d go back. The pizza was just right, which for us means not greasy (we’re not hard to please). The ambience was nice and service was good.
Family Hike Near Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - don’t recommend
We searched online for a family friendly hike in the park (Great Smoky Mountains Natioal Park) that was easy and yet helped us experience the park. So we chose a trail that started at Sugarlands Visitor Center (unfortunately, we can’t remember the trail name). We walked around 1.5 miles in and then back. While it was nice to experience the trees and creek, we would not use this trail again. It went along a road so we could hear vehicles nearly the entire time. And the trailhead (the visitor center) was very crowded. So overall the experience was not the super natury one we were hoping for. Next time we’ll definitely look for a more remote and yet still not too difficult trail.
Alcatraz East Crime Museum, Pigeon Forge - exceeded expectations
We wanted to have a museum experience in the area, just to change things up a bit from nature and physical activities. So we went with the Alcatraz museum. We paid for an audio tour and were able to go at our own pace. The tour went through a timeline of crimes in the U.S. and was more informative, entertaining and interesting than we expected. It was also really interactive which was helpful. We’re glad we went. Plus, we got to see the actual O.J. Simpson white Ford Bronco.
Gatlin’s Escape Games - a great time in town
On our kids’ list of things they wanted to do was an escape room. We chose Gatlin’s Escape Games because it was right in town which we wanted to experience (we hadn’t yet visited downtown Gatlinburg). The game last around an hour, was supported by a tour guide and was challenging. We were paired up with another mother and son. The game was a perfect level of challenge and the kids were engaged the entire time. It was a perfect activity in town. Afterwards we walked through downtown, ate candy apple, stopped by the Trump store and the exotic car museum. Heads-up, there is lots of traffic on the main strip in Gatlingburg, even on weekdays. Just expect it and it won’t be as frustrating.
Dollywood - a must-do for the family
On past trips, we’ve also gone to Dollywood. Dollywood is an all-day must-do for families. To us, it’s better than larger parks like Disneyworld because the rides are just as fun, it’s less crowded and the food is much better. And we love the music theme and hanging out at small, outdoor concerts that scatter the day and go into the night.
