40 Ways to Stay Cool this Summer in Gatlinburg
Summer in Tennessee is hot and humid, with lots of sunny days for outdoor fun. But when it gets a little too warm and you want a break from the heat, you’ll want some great ways to cool off this summer. Thankfully, Gatlinburg has plenty of great options for cooling off, from indoor attractions and community pools to private indoor pools at cabins and arcades. If you need a few ideas for staying cool on your summer getaway to the Smokies, read on. We have plenty of great cool-as-a-cucumber picks!
- Picnic by the Little Pigeon River with easy foods like fresh fruit, string cheese, veggies with hummus or ranch, or the Smoky Mountain Picnic basket from Cabins for YOU.
- Find a swimming hole in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Townsend Y is always a favorite, and there are plenty of grassy spots for soaking up the summer sun.
- Rent a cabin with a private indoor pool or outdoor pool!
- Explore the rooms and touch an iceberg at the Titanic Museum Attraction.
- Take a scenic drive through Cades Cove loop.
- Enjoy the cool mist of a waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where you’ll find 16 waterfalls to check out!
- Grab a scoop and a donut at Mad Dog’s Creamery & Donuts.
- Race go karts on the indoor track at Fun Stop Family Action Park.
- Get a scoop of Oat Mill Cream Pie, Whiskey Ribbon, or Black Lantern Chocolate from The Old Mill Creamery.
- Spend the day fishing in the cool streams of the Smokies this summer in Gatlinburg.
- Watch a dive show and play with the penguins at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
- Stay cool watching shows at Dollywood.
- Play indoor blacklight mini golf at LazerPort Fun Center.
- Have some high-flying fun at Top Jump in Pigeon Forge.
- Spend the day touring the wineries on the Rocky Top Wine Trail.
- Sit down for a hearty meal and a fun show at a show downtown.
- Play arcade games – and maybe grab a foot-long Ogle dog – at Fannie Farkle’s.
- Listen to live music while enjoying a beer at Smoky Mountain Brewery.
- Ride the glass elevators at the Gatlinburg Space Needle for 360-degree views of the city.
- Hook up with Smoky Mountain Outdoors for a whitewater rafting tour on a hot summer day!
- Go ice skating – indoors – at Ober Gatlinburg.
- Browse the booths in the Gatlinburg Convention Center at the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair in July.
- Have a movie night in your cabin’s home theater! (Ask your Vacation Planner which cabins have their own movie rooms.)
- Let the breeze keep you cool as you fly through the trees at Smoky Mountain Ziplines.
- Book a cabin with game tables – pool, foosball, shuffleboard, air hockey, and arcade games – and spend a hot day hanging out in the cabin.
- Catch a show at Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre.
- Buy a day pass to swim at the Gatlinburg Community Center.
- Try to break out of prison or stop an art thief at The Escape Game at The Island in Pigeon Forge.
- See how you stack up against the record holders at Ripley’s Guinness World of Records Museum.
- Plan family game night in the cabin, where you’ll stay cool while you play board games, dominoes, and cards.
- Skip the walking downtown and enjoy a summer breeze – while exploring the area – via a FREE open-air trolley this summer in Gatlinburg!
- Spend the day playing at Dollywood’s Splash Country.
- Pick up some gear and shop a while at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Gatlinburg.
- Check out views of the city with a ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel.
- Book a cabin with community pool access so you can splash around in the summer sun.
- Do some shopping at the Mountain Mall in Gatlinburg.
- Stop in for a fresh chocolate-dipped strawberry at Kilwin’s in downtown Gatlinburg.
- Have some fun at the Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum – just $3 for adults and FREE for kids 12 and under. Plus, price of admission goes towards any purchase!
- Get your adrenaline pumping at Flyaway Indoor Skydiving in Pigeon Forge.
- Catch a great show at the Smoky Mountain Opry.