While the first day on the beach is exciting because you are out of school and away from work, it gets repetitive. You paid for an overpriced, cookie-cutter hotel and you are crammed on the over-populated beaches with college kids who have brought their loud speakers and drinking. The kids are over the sandcastles, seafood, and sunscreen, and you are, too. However, you don’t have to stay home or spend tons of money flying somewhere outrageous to get the most out of spring break week. Plan an adventurous and family-friendly spring break with your kids and teenagers to the Smoky Mountains!
There is something new to do every day, and you won’t need to get the sand out of your swimsuit for these relaxing views. Book the perfect budget-friendly cabin just for your family or split the cost and travel with another family for a 3-6 bedroom cabin. A cabin with another family means the kids have their friends – so less work keeping them entertained! The Smokies are the perfect balance of lazy time and adventure.
Here are 7 full days of fun that are much more exciting than sharing the beach with college kids and a sure-fire way to return to school and work relaxed and rejuvenated rather than zapped by the sun!
Monday: A Day in Anakeesta
Even the ride to Anakeesta is an experience! Ride the Chondola, an open air 4-person chairlift or enclosed 6 passenger gondola cabin, up 600’ to the summit of Anakeesta Mountain and enter the Smoky Mountain fairytale of Firefly Village! Tickets include the Chondola ride, entrance into Firefly Village, the walking Tree Canopy Tour, the Forest Memorial Interpretive Trail, and the Treehouse Village Playground – all while surrounded by breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains! Anakeesta also offers Dueling Ziplining, Gem Mining, and new in the spring of 2018, the Single Rail Mountain Coaster!
Tuesday: A Day in Wild Bear Falls Water Park
Spring does not always promise warm weather, but you can still have a blast at this 60,000-square-foot indoor waterpark! Float around the Cades Cove Lazy River, wade through Moonshine Hollow, or speed down the Clingmans Dome waterslide! Visit the Roaring Fork Snack Bar to hold you and the kids over until dinner while hanging out all day in this cool mountain-themed waterpark!
Wednesday: A Day of Exploring
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to hundreds of hiking trails through pristine forestry ready to be explored! After months of being inside during the winter and sitting behind desks for work and school, the fresh air and the great outdoors are the best kind of therapy for your soul! Pack your hiking gear and take on the heights of Andrews Bald; trek past giant rock formations and jaw-dropping views before returning to the cabin for the best nap ever! Don’t think your younger ones can fair the moderate trails? Hike the paved trail to Laurel Falls, the 80-foot cascading waterfall known as one of the most picture-worthy spots in the area. Best part of this memorable day: it’s FREE!
Thursday: A Day in Dollywood
Dollywood is a long-standing staple of the Smoky Mountain area: over 40 rides, 15 theatrical and musical shows, and some good ‘ole Southern hospitality and savory dining! You can easily spend an entire day at Dollywood! Get up-close encounters with the national bird in the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, the country’s largest exposition of non-releasable bald eagles. Experience thrilling rides like the Fire Chaser Express, America’s first dual-launch coaster, and the scariest logging expedition ride, Daredevil Falls!
Friday: A Day in Foxfire Mountain
Get in touch with your adventurous side while flying through the trees and sending the kids down, too! The Goliath takes explorers over rivers and forests on the longest and highest zipline course in the Smoky Mountains! Walk the swinging bridge, The Bridge To Prosperity, 70 feet above the east prong of the Little Pigeon River for incredible views of rock formations, forestry, and the rushing river waters. Foxfire Mountain has plenty of budget-friendly fun, too! Challenge the kids to a game of giant Jenga before tossing bean bags in a friendly Cornhole competition. Whether it’s hiking the scenic trails or plowing across the river in an 8-wheel ATV, another exciting day spent outside awaits in Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park!
Saturday: A Day at Ripley’s Aquarium
Experience the ocean in the middle of mountains at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, voted the top aquarium of the U.S. in 2017! 9 unique exhibits, from Shark Lagoon to Tropical Rainforest, Ripley’s Aquarium is home to over 350 specimens of exotic animals. Make it the most memorable aquarium visit yet and swim with the stingrays or hang out with the penguins!
Sunday: A Day on the Pigeon River
Indulge your wild side and splash down the Class III and IV rapids of the Pigeon River in a whitewater rafting tour through the Smokies. Wind down the river past some incredible views of the mountainsides, rock formations, and lush forestry, but hold on tight because the river is known to buck the rafts as they take on some water from the waves! A group whitewater rafting trip is great for big groups, too, when visiting the Smokies with multiple families! Rapids not really your thing? Take yourself and the smaller explorers on a lazy trip down the river with River Rage Tubing to splash along the calmer Little River while soaking up some sunshine in the inner tube.
Budget-friendly Substitute: A Day in the Cabin
While every one of these adventurous days sound exciting, your wallet may not be as excited. Sub in relaxing cabin days watching movies, playing board games, soaking in the hot tub, and swimming in your cabin’s community or indoor pool. It can be just as fun staying in the cabin because you are not stuck in your usual home! Save more money on your cabin by splitting the cost with a few other families and stay in our large cabins with tons of amenities for the best spring break to date!
