Great Smoky Mountains National Park: A Long Weekend in the Smokies

We recently spent Labor Day weekend exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it was the perfect combination of outdoor adventure and relaxation. We spent our days hiking, driving through some of the park’s most scenic areas, and exploring the towns around the park, then came back to our glamping tent in the evenings to relax and take in the mountain views.

The Great Smoky Mountains are incredibly expansive, so you could easily spend a week—or much longer—exploring everything the area has to offer. But even with just a long weekend, we were able to experience quite a bit.

If you’re planning your own trip to the Smokies, here’s what we did, where we stayed, what we ate, and a few things we learned along the way.

Where to Stay: Townsend, Tennessee

There are several popular places to stay when visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including Townsend, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge.

We chose to stay in Townsend, Tennessee, which is often referred to as the “peaceful side” of the Smokies. It has a much quieter, more relaxed atmosphere than Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, while still being conveniently located for exploring the park.

Townsend felt more local and less commercial, which was exactly what we were looking for. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are much more tourist-focused, with lots of restaurants, attractions, entertainment, and highly decorated hotels. If you’ve ever seen the Las Vegas-style hotels that are packed with elaborate themes and attractions—just without the gambling—you’ll have an idea of the general feel.

Townsend, on the other hand, felt like a place where we could slow down a little.

Our Glamping Stay

One of our favorite parts of the trip was actually where we stayed.

We rented a glamping tent through Thunder Ridge Mountain Getaways, and it ended up being a great fit for our trip. The tent had a beautiful mountain view from the back deck, and the deck also had a hot tub that was the perfect size for two.

After spending the morning hiking or driving around the park, it was so nice to come back, sit outside, and enjoy the scenery without having to go anywhere.

For us, the glamping experience was part of the vacation itself rather than simply a place to sleep. We got to spend plenty of time outside and feel immersed in nature, while still having a comfortable place to relax at the end of the day.

Getting to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Getting to the Smokies takes a little planning because there isn’t one major airport that’s right next to the park.

Some of the airports you can consider include Knoxville and Asheville, which are both substantially closer to the park than Charlotte. However, the best airport really depends on where you’re flying from and which flights are available.

For us, I always prioritize direct flights when I can, and Charlotte had the best option for our schedule. We flew into Charlotte and then rented a car and drove to the Smokies.

It was a longer drive, but it worked well for us.

And speaking of the rental car: you’ll definitely want one for this trip.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is huge, and you’ll likely want to explore several different areas rather than staying in one section of the park. You’ll also need transportation to get between your accommodations, trailheads, scenic drives, and the surrounding towns.

What to Know Before Visiting the Park

You Don’t Pay an Entrance Fee, But You Do Need a Parking Pass

One thing we appreciated about Great Smoky Mountains National Park is that there isn’t an entrance fee.

However, you’ll need a parking tag if you’re parking within the park. Since we were visiting for several days, we purchased a weekly parking tag rather than buying a daily one.

It made the most sense for us since we knew we’d be spending multiple days exploring the park.

Bring Food and Snacks

There aren’t many places inside the park to stop for food, and the options that do exist are fairly limited.

Because of that, we’d recommend bringing your own snacks and food with you for the day, or planning your itinerary so that you can leave the park for meals.

This is especially important if you’re planning a longer hike. We always made sure we had plenty of water and snacks with us before heading out.

Fill Up on Gas Before Entering the Park

There are also no gas stations within the park, so make sure you have plenty of gas before you head in.

With the amount of driving you’ll likely be doing, this is something you don’t want to forget.

Things to Do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There are countless things to do in the park, but these were some of the highlights from our trip.

Drive the Cades Cove Loop

One of the most popular things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is drive the Cades Cove Loop.

The loop allows you to drive your own vehicle through the area while stopping at different points along the way. There are historic buildings, old churches, open fields, and plenty of opportunities to take in the scenery.

It’s also a popular area for spotting wildlife, including bears.

There are several hikes in the Cades Cove area as well, although we didn’t have a chance to do any of them during our trip. So while we can recommend the scenic drive based on our experience, we can’t personally speak to the hikes.

Hike the Alum Cave Trail

We also spent some time hiking, including the Alum Cave Trail.

We made it all the way to Alum Cave, and the hike was beautiful along the way. The trail takes you alongside streams and past small waterfalls, which made the journey itself just as enjoyable as reaching the destination.

One thing to know, though, is that this is a very popular trail.

The parking lot is relatively small, and it fills up quickly. We would recommend arriving early in the morning so that you have a better chance of finding a parking spot. Starting early also means you’ll have a little more breathing room on the trail before it gets crowded.

Bring plenty of water and snacks, too. Hiking in the Smokies can be more strenuous than it initially appears, and you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for the conditions.

During our hike, we unfortunately saw someone get hurt, which was a good reminder that even on a popular trail, you need to take your time, stay hydrated, and be prepared.

Hike to Spruce Flats Falls

Another hike we did was Spruce Flats Falls, and we really enjoyed this one.

We went early in the morning, which worked out really well. We were able to find parking, and there were very few people on the trail while we were there.

You park at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute Visitor Center before beginning the hike.

Compared with some of the more crowded areas we visited, this felt like a quieter way to experience the park. If you’re looking for a hike where you can enjoy some peace and quiet, this was one of our favorites from the trip.

Drive the Foothills Parkway

If you’re looking for beautiful mountain scenery without spending the entire day on a hiking trail, the Foothills Parkway is another great option.

We drove the section near Townsend and stopped at several of the pull-offs along the way.

The viewpoints make it easy to take in the scenery without committing to a long hike, and it was a relaxing way to spend part of the day.

Visit Kuwohi Observation Deck

We also drove up to Kuwohi Observation Deck (formerly Clingmans Dome).

We went early in the morning, and unfortunately, there was still quite a bit of fog covering the top of the mountain. Because of that, we weren’t able to get the sweeping views we had hoped for from the observation tower.

The historic observation tower itself was still interesting to see, and we were able to get a bit of a view from the parking area.

If we were doing it again, we’d probably try going a little later in the morning and hope that the fog had cleared before making the hike to the observation deck.

Sometimes, though, the mountains have other plans!

Things to Do Outside the Park

While the national park was the main focus of our trip, there are plenty of things to do in the surrounding towns.

Since we stayed in Townsend, we focused most of our time there.

Whiskey Tasting at Company Distilling

We stopped at Company Distilling for a whiskey tasting, which was a fun way to spend some time outside the park.

There were also several other activities we didn’t have time to fit into our trip.

Rafting on the river that runs through Townsend is one of the things we’d consider doing on a future visit. With more time, it would be fun to explore more of what Townsend has to offer rather than spending nearly all of our time hiking and driving through the park.

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg

If you’re looking for more entertainment and tourist attractions, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg offer plenty.

Both towns have a huge variety of restaurants, attractions, amusement-park-style activities, and entertainment. They’re much more developed and commercial than Townsend, so where you choose to stay really depends on the type of trip you’re looking for.

For us, Townsend was a better fit because we wanted the trip to feel a little slower and more connected to the outdoors.

Where to Eat in Townsend

We ate most of our meals around Townsend, and there were several places that stood out.

Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

Our favorite—and probably most memorable—meal of the trip was at Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro.

The restaurant focuses on locally sourced, farm-to-table ingredients and puts an elevated spin on Appalachian cuisine.

We really enjoyed the experience, and it felt like a special meal without feeling disconnected from the area we were visiting. If you’re looking for a nicer dinner during your trip, this was a standout for us.

Peaceful Side Social

For something more casual, we also ate at Peaceful Side Social.

It had a much more relaxed and lively atmosphere, with plenty of people around. They serve American-style food inside, but there was also a taco truck on-site.

We opted for the tacos and really enjoyed them.

It was a nice contrast to our dinner at Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro and a good option when you want something casual after a day of exploring.

The Abbey

We also stopped at The Abbey for lunch.

The restaurant is located in an old church-style building, which gives it a unique atmosphere. One of our favorite parts was being able to sit outside near the river and watch rafters go by while we ate.

They also had a large selection of beer, making it a nice place to sit and relax for a while.

Final Thoughts on Our Smoky Mountains Trip

Our long weekend in Great Smoky Mountains National Park gave us a little bit of everything we were looking for: hiking, scenic drives, mountain views, good food, and plenty of time to relax.

We especially enjoyed staying in Townsend. Being on the quieter side of the park made it easy to spend our days exploring and then come back to a peaceful place in the evening.

Our glamping tent was also a highlight. Having a mountain view and a hot tub waiting for us after a day of hiking made the trip feel like a true getaway rather than just a weekend spent checking things off a list.

There’s obviously much more to see in the Smokies than we could fit into one long weekend, so we’d love to return someday and explore some of the trails and areas we missed.

If you’re planning a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, our biggest advice would be to give yourself plenty of time, start your days early, bring food and water into the park, and don’t underestimate how much driving there is to do.

And if you’re looking for a quieter home base, we’d definitely consider Townsend.