Each year, families descend upon the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee for holidays together. Spending Thanksgiving cozied up in a log Gatlinburg cabin in the mountains is a family tradition we can get behind! Imagine yourself gathering around a large dining table with your family’s favorite recipes made fresh in the cabin’s fully equipped kitchen for a Thanksgiving feast you won’t soon forget.
You’re carving the turkey, whipping the mashed potatoes, simmering the cranberries on the stovetop, and baking pumpkin pie in the oven. Whether coming from near or far, cooking in the cabin or enjoying Thanksgiving dinner downtown, the family has gathered to spend time together – and be thankful for each memory. Thanksgiving in the Smokies is a time to reconnect, relax, and rejuvenate during a busy holiday season – and before gearing up for Christmas.
There are so many great reasons to spend Thanksgiving in the Smoky Mountains, but we’ll share just a few of our favorites. From fantastic fall views to delicious food, read on for our Top 3 Reasons to Spend Thanksgiving in the Smoky Mountains!
Our famous Southern restaurants will do the cooking for YOU.
The restaurants of Gatlinburg and eating places in Pigeon Forge are filled with restaurants that are renowned for their dining experiences. On your Thanksgiving getaway, you can find some down-home cooking that will delight your taste buds and make you feel at home! If you don’t love cooking, let the professionals do the hard work for you.
The Seasons Of Ober restaurant at Ober Gatlinburg serves up Thanksgiving dinner where you can overlook the beautiful Smoky Mountains. The local Applewood Farmhouse in Sevierville also serves up an impressive home-cooked Thanksgiving spread all day long. Even better, you can order your Thanksgiving dinner to go, complete with a 12-pound turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potato casserole, gravy, and stuffing. Topped with dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and a gallon of sweet tea, you can’t go wrong!
Other local favorites open for Thanksgiving (check with the restaurant for annual details) include Alamo Steakhouse, Calhoun’s, Mama’s Farmhouse, JT Hannah’s Kitchen, The Old Mill, Smoky Mountain Brewery, and Timberwood Grill. Just head to the Parkway for some fantastic food on Thanksgiving Day!
Our cozy cabin rentals feel like home.
As you arrive and unpack your bags and begin to settle into your Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge cabin rental, you will feel right at home. Our cabin rentals feature amenities such as inviting log interiors, crackling fireplaces, and covered decks with stunning views of the Smoky Mountains. A stay in our cabin rentals over Thanksgiving may make you forget that the holidays are often stressful!
Curl up with your family in front of the fireplace, clutch a mug of apple cider, and reminisce about your favorite family memories. Spend an evening in the hot tub, warm despite the chilly mountain air under the expansive Smoky Mountain sky. All of our cabin rentals come complete with full kitchens as well, providing you with all that you need to prepare your traditional Thanksgiving meal. Just bring along the groceries or buy them in town! Many of our cabins also have game rooms, so you can spend days playing pool, air hockey, foosball, shuffleboard, Skee ball, and more.
Nearby activities make for the perfect holiday weekend fun.
A Thanksgiving in the Great Smoky Mountains can never be dull! Nearby downtown is filled with attractions and fun things for the whole family. There are arcades, mini golf courses, laser tag arenas, and mazes for the children, and plenty of shopping, breweries, and wineries for the adults. No matter what you’d like to do, the towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have it all. Dollywood is a favorite in the fall, with seasonal foods, festive decor, and gorgeous autumnal backdrops.
Consider packing your hiking boots and spending an afternoon exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are more than 800 miles of hiking trails, many of which are the ideal length and intensity for a pleasant day hike. Explore waterfalls, sweeping valleys, historic homesteads, and incredible mountain views, all within a short drive from your Smoky Mountain cabin rental.
More Ideas for In-Cabin Fun this Thanksgiving
- Make a Thankful tree, writing down all the things you’re thankful for on leaves you’ve cut out.
- Cozy up with cocoa and put together a puzzle.
- Create a fall treasure hunt, sending the kids around the cabin to look for colorful leaves, wildlife, sweet treats you’ve hidden, and more.
- Bring your favorite board games and snack on leftover turkey.
Already dreaming of Christmas…?
If you’re already imagining glittering Christmas lights, Winterfest fun in the Smokies, Christmas shopping, and holiday crafts shows, start planning your winter vacation with family members to the Smoky Mountains! Ride the trolley around downtown Gatlinburg, stroll through Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies on a cold day, watch Christmas movies in your cabin’s theater room, and hike through a winter wonderland in the national park – during the most wonderful time of year!