Want to come take in the beautiful fall colors that bring millions of people to the Smokies every year? We know you do! But, there are plenty of fun things to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall you won’t want to miss out on! From visiting Dollywood to seeing classic cars at the Fall Rod Run, you’ll love all of these activities! Check out these top 4 things to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall:
1. Smoky Mountain Fall Festival at Ober Mountain
A popular thing to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall is visit the Smoky Mountain Fall Festival at Ober Mountain. This Gatlinburg fall event runs for about a month starting in late September. The festival features specialty food items like pretzels with beer cheese, brats, schnitzel, and pumpkin spice fudge. You won’t want to miss out on tasting German beers, too! There are also musical performances and fun fall-themed activities, such as bicycling around a hay track, navigating a hay maze, and climbing up a hay mountain. Plus, you can check out all the amazing activities Ober Mountain usually offers, including the Wildlife Encounter, Tennessee Flyer Mountain Coaster, Aerial Tramway, and more!
2. Dollywood's Harvest Festival
Another one of the fun things to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall is explore Dollywood's Harvest Festival. This event runs from the beginning of September through the end of October, so you can enjoy it whenever you’re in town this fall! Access to this festival is included with general admission to the theme park. There are all kinds of fall-themed decorations lining the park, including amazing carved pumpkin sculptures. At night, these sculptures light up during Great Pumpkin LumiNights! You’ll see pumpkin bats, spiders, butterflies, owls, and more glowing bright! Plus, you can enjoy seasonal treats at several locations throughout the park. Even the merchandise at the shops and live shows are centered around the fall season!
3. Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair
If you love Appalachian culture and you’re looking for things to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall, you will definitely want to go to the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair this October! More than 200 craftspeople and artists come to Gatlinburg not only from the Smokies but all over the country to show off their skills and handmade goods. You will be able to walk around and browse through the amazing items for sale as well as see demonstrations from the artisans throughout the day. This is a great place to go and pick out a gift for a loved one to finish your holiday shopping early!
4. Fall Rod Run
One of the most popular things to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall is attend the Fall Rod Run. This car show event takes place for 3 days in September at The LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge. Hundreds of automobile enthusiasts bring their classic and show cars from all over the country to enter them in contests and win awards. If you don’t have your own car to bring, that’s okay! You can attend to just look at all the classic cars. Even if you don’t attend the official event, you can still find cool cars lining the main Pigeon Forge Parkway everywhere you turn!
Now you know about some of the fun things to do in the Smoky Mountains in the fall! Want to know what else you and your family can do when you stay with us? Check out our Adventure Power Pass to see what kinds of complimentary tickets you’ll get when you book one of our cabins!
