At Cabins for YOU, we live for the Smokies. We love all things Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Great Smoky Mountains related. We love snow-covered mountains in winter, trails dotted with spring wildflowers, and the changing leaves in fall. We also love summer in the Smokies. Summer in Gatlinburg means a busy community calendar of events, water sports, waterpark fun, sunny days along the Parkway, summer sales, and taking a break from the summer sun at the indoor attractions.
There is always something going on in Gatlinburg, especially in summer, which is why it’s so popular for summer vacations. Fourth of July weekend is packed with events, Dollywood puts on events all season, and family fun at attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is in full swing.
Splashing Around
One of our favorite things about summer in Gatlinburg is the lineup of ways to keep cool. Summer in Tennessee gets hot, so fun in the water is a must. As our Cabins for YOU family grows, we add more cabins with private indoor pools to the list. Swimming in your cabin’s private indoor pool may arguably be the best way to keep cool during summer in Gatlinburg!
Firefly Meadow even has a private outdoor pool, so you can splash around in the summer sun. Or you can book a cabin with community pool access or check out the community pool at the Pigeon Forge Community Center. Dollywood’s Splash Country is another must-stop, with rides, slides, and water features for all ages. Splash Country has 23 water rides, snacks and drinks, restaurants, and shops with all the summertime gear you’ll need. They even have retreats and canopies you can rent to cool off, order food, and relax.
4th of July weekend
Gatlinburg celebrates the 4th of July in a big way, with fireworks, food, tributes to America, and more. The First Independence Day Parade in the nation kicks off at midnight on July 3 and honors the men and women of our military, present and past. At the River Raft Regatta, kids (and kids at heart) can enter their trash (not handmade) or treasure (handmade) rafts for some fun competition. This year’s 4th of July celebration at Patriot Park – the Patriot Festival – will even feature a FREE concert by country music group Thompson Square.
Cooling Off at Indoor Attractions
When the summer sun starts bearing down a bit too much, we head inside to play. There are dozens of great attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, but we’ve teamed up with a few favorites to offer our guests discounts on tickets! From shows to hands-on fun, these indoor attractions (all Cabins for YOU partners) are fun for all ages.
- Amazing Animals Exotic Animal & Pet Show
- The Comedy Barn
- Country Tonite Theatre
- Darren Romeo – Magic Beyond Belief
- Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show
- Ober Gatlinburg
- The Smoky Mountain Opry
- Smith Morning Variety Show
- Titanic Museum Attraction
- Guinness World of Records Museum
- Ripley’s Moving Theater
- Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
- Ripley’s Haunted Adventure
- Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium
- Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze
- The Escape Game at The Island
Fun in the Summer Sun
While we love the indoor attractions on extra-hot summer days, we also love playing outside in the warm summer sun. The Smokies offers plenty of outdoor fun – with awesome views to boot. When summertime rolls around, some of our favorite activities are in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The national park, the most visited in the U.S., has more than 800 miles of hiking trails, along with easy walks to waterfalls, scenic drives through Cades Cove, horseback riding, fishing, swimming holes, picnicking, and plenty of scenic overlooks.
Beyond the national park, there are plenty of fun outdoor attractions in Gatlinburg. Spend a day at Bent Creek Golf Course, ride the alpine slide at Ober Gatlinburg, fly through the trees at Smoky Mountain Ziplines, or putt around at Ripley’s Davy Crockett Mini-Golf and Ripley’s Old MacDonald’s Farm Mini Golf! (all Cabins for YOU partners) You can also drive go karts (head to Pigeon Forge), do some shopping at the Tanger Outlets, take a scenic helicopter tour over the Smokies, or spend the day walking around at the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community.
Fun Summer Events
Summertime is a great time to head to the Smokies. There is always something on the community calendar! Here are a few of our favorite summertime events in the Smokies.
Gatlinburg Farmers Market | May 13 – mid-October
Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales | June 9 – July 29
FREE Parkway Trolley | June 17 – August 12
8th Annual Smoky Mountain Cornhole Tournament | August 5
Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair | July 14 – 23