Meeting and event planners considering Gatlinburg, Tennessee as a destination might also want to add the following venues and activities to their agenda…
Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tram
One of America’s Largest Aerial Tramways departs regularly from downtown Gatlinburg, going directly to the Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort and Amusement Park. The two 120-passenger counter-balanced cars provide an experience for any type of group. The tramway has transported over 18 million passengers since opening, with service from downtown Gatlinburg available approximately every 20 minutes. The ride covers a distance of 2.1 miles to the resort and park. Along the way, riders enjoy a magnificent panorama of Gatlinburg and the Smokies, taking in the changing seasons and splendor of the mountains. Prices: Adults - $10.00; Children (7-11) - $8.50; Children ages 6 and under – free. For more information, go to: www.obergatlinburg.com/tram.htm
Space Needle
The Gatlinburg Space Needle features two glass elevators with a capacity of 20 persons each that whisk visitors over 400 feet to the observation deck for a 360° view of the Great Smoky Mountains and the resort city of Gatlinburg. The view is a panorama of beauty without equal year-round. Enjoy Higher Learning, an educational experience from the Space Needle’s perspective, with free view finders! Enjoy Lazer Runner, Hurricane Simulator, Old Tyme Photos, Hypnotized Comedy Show, OH! Zone, an Italian Restaurant, Souvenir Gift Store and more. Open 365 days a year.
Tickets include elevator ride and observation deck: Adults - $7.50; Seniors - $5.00; Children (5-12) - $3.50; Children 4 and under free. Group rates are also available. Go to: www.gatlinburgspaceneedle.com/
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected land areas east of the Rocky Mountains. With over 500,000 acres of forest, the Smoky Mountains contain an enormous variety of plants and animals. In terms of biological diversity, a walk from mountain base to peak is often compared to the 2,000 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Smoky Mountains National Park is designated as an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations. The park is also a unit of the Southern Appalachian Man and Biosphere Reserve cluster. This membership enhances Smokey Mountain National Park’s commitment to cooperative efforts in environmental education, research, resource management and public involvement. The park’s designation as a World Heritage Site and a State Natural Heritage Area by Tennessee and North Carolina reinforces the value of its natural and cultural resources. Information at: www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
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Unique Shopping in Gatlinburg
All along the Parkway and downtown streets, you’ll find Gatlinburg shopping treasures in rustic-style stores reminiscent of old-style villages and stores that you simply can’t find anywhere else. Want to paint your own ceramics and pottery? Looking for a store full of over 100,000 magnets? How about more than 1,000 different hot sauces? You can even take home jams and jellies made right here in the heart of the Smokies! Hit popular shopping outlets in Gatlinburg like the Mountain Mall or Smoky Mountain Outfitters, or find several specialty stores in Gatlinburg featuring one-of-a-kind pieces to add to your collection. Numerous Gatlinburg shops are filled with handmade arts and crafts, unique clothing and accessories, from handbags to jewelry and memorable keepsakes of your vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains. More info at: www.gatlinburg.com/things-to-do/shopping/
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Historic Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
In the early 1900s, Gatlinburg was still a remote mountain village located in an even more remote Appalachian region where public schools didn’t exist. In 1910, the alumni of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity voted to commemorate their 50th anniversary and honor the founders by providing education to a community where no formal schooling had been available. E. E. Ogle, with persuasion from the community, sold 35 acres of land to Pi Beta Phi for the establishment of Arrowmont. Many area residents were educated here, and the school’s focus on reestablishing and promoting local craft skills helped establish Gatlinburg as a prominent arts and crafts center. Many of its original buildings have been refurbished and are still used today. In 1945, Pi Beta Phi, in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, established a summer program of craft workshops for emerging Tennessee artists. This program eventually became the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts located on the old Pi Beta Phi Settlement School grounds. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a nationally renowned center of contemporary arts and crafts education. Workshops are offered for one and two weeks in the spring and summer, as well as one week and weekends in the fall. The public is welcome year-round to visit the school’s five galleries, resource center and book and supply store. For more information, go to: www.arrowmont.org/
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