fannie farkle's in gatlinburg
August 2, 2024

When you bring your family to the Smoky Mountains, you want to find activities everyone will enjoy! Gatlinburg is full of kid friendly attractions you won’t want to miss out on, including the aquarium, arcades, and thrill rides! Check out these 6 kid friendly things to do in Gatlinburg you can’t miss:

1. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

One of the best places to take your kids when you visit Gatlinburg is Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies! Watch their eyes widen with wonder as you walk through and see sea creatures you’ve never encountered before. Take advantage of the interactive portions, such as Touch A-Ray Bay and Discovery Center where you can touch moon jellies. Glide beneath Shark Lagoon through a tunnel surrounded by sharks and ocean fish. It doesn’t matter how old you are – everyone will enjoy this incredible attraction!

2. Fannie Farkle’s

Another one of the best kid friendly things to do in Gatlinburg is visit Fannie Farkle’s! Kids of all ages will love playing redemption games, jackpot games, claw machines, and racing games in this huge arcade! You can spend time together and compete against one another in a variety of games, then you can trade in your points for prizes at the end of the day! Fannie Farkle’s is also known for delicious food, including smoked sausage, frozen drinks, and the legendary Ogle Dog!

3. Gatlin’s

Gatlin's Escape Games and Mini Golf

Want to do a variety of different activities? Gatlin’s has a little bit of everything for you and your kids to enjoy! Play blacklight mini golf or outdoor mini golf as a family, or test your bravery through the challenges of the ropes course. Everyone will have a blast knocking into each other on the bumper cars, and see who can win the most points during a game of laser tag. There’s a variety of kid friendly things to do in Gatlinburg at Gatlin’s!

4. Ripley’s Mountain Coaster

Looking for an activity that will get your heart racing? Ripley’s Mountain Coaster is a thrilling alpine coaster that you won’t want to miss! The mountain coaster has levers on the carts that allow you to control your own speed, so fly along the track at top speed or take it easy as you enjoy the views. Buckle up into a double cart so you and your kid can enjoy the ride together!

5. Anakeesta

Anakeesta Chondola

Anakeesta is one of the best kid friendly things to do in Gatlinburg because there’s an activity that’s perfect for every kid, no matter the age! Small children will have fun playing on the Treehouse Adventure Play Area and the challenge courses, while older kids will love going ziplining and riding the mountain coasters. Plus, the whole family can grab a bite to eat and relax as you all look out at beautiful views of the Smokies!

These are just some of the many kid friendly things to do in Gatlinburg that you won’t want to miss! Wondering what else you can do during your Smoky Mountain vacation? Check out these other fun attractions in Pigeon Forge!