For some reason, we had never visited Ober Gatlinburg during our family vacations.  With a little research, we realized this may be a perfect, kid-friendly activity for the whole family that Nolan would enjoy as well.

In addition to the children’s rides, we were excited about the  Alpine Slide, the Ski Mountain Coaster, the Wildlife Encounter, the Amaze ‘n Maze, the Cyclone Rapids ride, Mini Golf and an indoor ice skating rink.

Our first step was to take the Aerial Tramway to Mountaintop Park.  Reaching heights of 2813 feet above sea level, each tram’s capacity is 120 guests.

 

Waiting for the next Tramway, we were the next to board the tram which worked to our advantage offering a place near the window to enjoy the stunning views.   Standing towards the front, we had an amazing view of the mountains as well as the other trams making their way, a little over two miles, towards the top.

The Tramway was completed in August of 1972 transporting millions of people to the Adventure Park to date.

Nolan was the most excited of all.  Pointing out trees, houses and other sights, his commentary proved to be quite entertaining.

As we passed over the Animal Habitat, we knew we would need to make a stop to see the black bears – BJ, Chief and Holly, river otters and their adorable bobcats, all animals native to Tennessee.

We tried to talk Nolan into going down the side of the mountain on the Alpine Slide, but he was just a little too nervous.  We thought that we would let him ride a few other games so that he would see how much fun the rides were and agree to take the slide. Lucky for us it worked.

Nolan was happy and content to ride the children’s rides.  Animated and enjoying every minute of making us laugh, he was finally ready to ride the Alpine Slide with his mom, with a bit of hesitation.  By the time they reached the end of the slide, he was ready to go back and do it all again.

With so many activities for young children, Ober Gatlinburg kept Nolan entertained.  We were happy to see his enthusiasm to make friends on each of the rides.  After a couple of hours, we moved on to the Scenic Chairlift,

The Chairlift reaches Mt. Harrison with a rise of nearly 800 feet.  This is my favorite ride in the park with scenic mountain and bird’s eye views.  On a clear day, riders can see as far as Douglas Lake and the views of Mt. LeConte are spectacular.

At the top of Mt. Harrison, we were entertained with bluegrass music….

…and met with an overlook that continued for miles.

Ober Gatlinburg is Tennessee’s only Ski and Snowboard park making winter its peak season, open all year around.  We thoroughly enjoyed visiting during our summer vacation and thought it would be fun to visit in the winter during ski season.  What a beautiful place no matter what time of year it is.

Have you visited Ober Gatlinburg?  Which season did you explore the park?  I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Ober Gatlinburg
1001 Parkway Suite 2
Gatlinburg, TN  37738
Telephone:  865 436 5423

• Admission Fee: $29 for ages 5 and older for the tram only; $49 for the wristband, ages 5 – 59 and $39 for the wristband ages 60+; ages 4 and under may enter at no charge with an adult admission
• Hours:  The park opens from 10AM to 6PM daily but parking is open at 9:40 and the tramway begins its operation at 9:40AM.
• Length of Visit: 4+ hours
• Amenities:  Aerial Tramway, Tennessee Flyer, Wildlife Habitat, Ice Skating, Ice Bumper Cars, Scenic Chairlift, Carousel, Rock Wall, Family Snow Zone, Snow Tubing
• Tips for Your Visit:   The Ober Mountain Wristband is valid for unlimited use of the Aerial Tramway and all other activities on the mountain for the day in which it was purchased. Activities such as snow tubing, snow sports, white water rafting and ziplining are not included with the wristband. Check their website for activities available based on the season.

Where to Stay:

The Firefly Chalet booked through VRBO.

Where to Eat:

The Best Italian Restaurant
968 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Telephone: 865 436 4345

What to Eat: 

Everything on the menu and I highly recommend the Garlic Knots.