Welcome to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You’ve successfully navigated the traffic, you’ve bought an airbrushed t-shirt featuring a wolf howling at the moon, and you’ve consumed your body weight in fudge.
Now, you look up.
And you see the reason you traveled to this adorable mountain town. Making memories while your human feet & eyes enjoy above sea-level terrain.
But now you face the ultimate tourist dilemma. There are three main mountaintop attractions that test your nerve to dangle hundreds of feet in the air: Gatlinburg SkyPark, Anakeesta, and Ober Mountain.
To the untrained eye, they all look like “expensive elevator rides to a gift shop with a gorgeous view.” But they are wildly different distinct ecosystems. Which one should you choose depends on who’s in your party and what type of experience you are wanting to have!
Below are quick highlights & descriptions of each!
1. Gatlinburg SkyPark: “It’s all about the Heights & the Views”
https://www.gatlinburgskypark.com
Go Here If: You want to enjoy the views, views & more views, but not as interested in taking all day doing it.
The Vibe: This is the OG. If your parents visited Gatlinburg in 1982, they rode this yellow chairlift. In recent years they’ve remodeled the property & really accentuated the “If you’re scared of heights” factor. You may encounter wildlife if you take the only hiking trail in downtown Gatlinburg!
How You Get Up: The iconic yellow “SkyLift.” It’s a classic three-seater chairlift. Simple. Quick. Efficient. And comparatively has the least amount of height between you and the ground.
The Main Attraction: The SkyBridge. It’s the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America. It stretches across a deep valley with a glass floor section in the middle and wobbles just enough to make you question every life choice leading up to this moment. The property is beautiful with many places to take in the panoramic views. And for those who cant cross the SkyBridge there is a path along the mountain so most of the property & views can be enjoyed. Just check the weather because this attraction is mostly uncovered & outdoors.
Food: Skycenter (indoors)-Convenience store style fare. Smoky Mountain Smash (quick service, outdoors)-Burgers, Chicken Sandwich & Chicken Tenders.
Time Frame: With the majority of time spent walking the bridge & climbing the tower or enjoying a beverage or snack while taking in the views being the only activities, expect an average of 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
Cost: $39.95+
Accessibility: “The SkyLift is accessible to guests with disabilities if the guests are able to stand to load onto and off of the lift’s chair. Upon request, the chairlift can be slowed down or stopped for loading and unloading. Wheelchairs and other mobility equipment are not permitted on the chairlift; those items may be checked at the base of the lift. Wheelchairs are available without charge near the load/unload area at the top of the lift.” It seems the least accessible of the three.
Bonus: Sky Park is the only dog friendly option but since the chair lift is the only way up, make sure you know your pups phobias and check the details with SkyPark. **Bucket List- If you can visit a little before sunset while taking in the gorgeous views, the sunset over the city with all the lights turning on is something special!
2. Anakeesta: “The Instagram Influencer’s Aesthetic Dream”
Go Here If: You are wanting high end food & aesthetic with your views. With a variety of themed playgrounds & treehouses, snack options, daily entertainment, places to take in the views and “add on” adventures, you could spend most of your day/evening here.
The Vibe: It’s the new kid on the block and looks like it! Expect “Mountain Chic”, Whimsical Enchanted Forest & a Pinterest dream!
How You Get Up: You have a choice! You can take the ridge rambler (like an open-air bus) , a standard open-air chairlift or an enclosed gondola cabin (which will both be changing to all glass enclosed cabins in 2026).
The Main Attraction: It’s not just one thing; it’s a whole “village” in the clouds. There are botanical gardens, neat little shops, a tower with great views, tree top walk, live entertainment and restaurants serving food that is shockingly better than standard theme-park fare. For Kids of all ages who love to climb & explore or those who just want to keep it casual and take their time enjoying a luxurious mountain experience.
Food: Quick Service-Smokehouse(BBQ), Kephart Cafe (flatbreads or hotdogs), Mimis Creamery (Ice cream), Cloud 9 Cafe & Bakery (coffee & baked goods) & Rocky Top Tacos. They also have several bars to grab a beverage and the CliffTop Restaurant which is an elevated sit down dining restaurant, indoors.
Time Frame: With so many options to enjoy or add on, you can do a quick trip up or enjoy hours of memory making! 1.5 to 6 hours.
Cost: General Admission- $22.99-$34.99 ; Annual Pass- $57.99-$69.99; Astra Lumina – $16.99-$39.99 ; Mountain Coaster Pass $16.99 ; Dueling Zipline- $59.99
Accessibility: “While many parts of Anakeesta are wheelchair accessible like our Firefly Village shops, dining pavilion, Black Bear Village, and scenic viewing platforms, there are some areas that are not accessible by wheelchair or stroller such as the Treetop Skywalk, Astra Lumina and AnaVista Tower. However, our Gondola cabins are 32″ wide and 49″ deep to accommodate both wheelchairs and strollers for your ride to the summit.” It seems the most medium accessible of the three.
Bonus: You can add on adventures- Anakeesta has 2 Mountain Coasters, A dueling zipline & Astra Lumina (a night time light & sound walking experience). And during their seasonal festivals there are festival food & beverage tasting passes available **Bucket List- If you can visit a little before sunset while taking in the gorgeous views, the sunset over the city with all the lights turning on is something special!
3. Ober Mountain: “The Retro Throw Back”
Go here if: You and your group want to spend all day doing a lot of activities for one price. With both indoor & outdoor activities the weather isn’t as much of a factor and those in your group who do not want to participate can people watch, for free! (Watching ice skaters & skiers is always a good time.) *Note- Ober is a bit tucked away and does not have sweeping mountain views from every area but they do exist on the Aerial Tram & the Sky Village Lift & Observation Deck & Mountain parking lot.
The Vibe: It used to be a delightful 1980s time warp but what was once Ober Gatlinburg, is now being slowly updated. Thus making the variety of activities feel like a nostalgic ski lodge with many sweet photo ops.
How You Get Up: The only one you can drive to! So if you are the kind of adventurer who likes to be able to leave when you are ready, Ober has a paid parking lot at the top of the mountain (if its ski season, arrive at opening, it fills up quickly!) They also offer the iconic Aerial Tramway, with its two massive cable cars that hold about 120 people packed in like sardines. It’s a beautiful way up & down the mountain but wait times can take up to 1-2 hours on busy days (both ways).
The Main Attraction: Variety. Ober Offers a Fun Pass which includes different activities in the Winter or Summer seasons (check their website for details.). There’s indoor ice skating, ice bumper cars & a carousel! They also have an outdoor alpine slide, a mountain coaster, mountain biking, rock climbing wall, hiking trails & a wildlife habitat with actual bears. There’s skiing & snow tubing & ziplining (make reservations.).
Food: Quick Service-Mountain Bites (Chicken & Hotdogs), Alpine Slice (Pizza, Drinks & Beer), Slopeside (Hotdogs, Sandwiches, Chips), Ober Mountain Cafe (Burgers, Chicken Sandwiches), Tram Car Snack Bar (Funnel Cake &Pretzels), The Fudge Shop (Sweet treats & Dippin Dot). Fiddle & Pick (BBQ fare & Bluegrass music).
Time Frame: Ober tends to usually be a half day with so many activities and food options but with the ability to park directly outside of the Ober Mountain Park you could make it a quicker visit. 2 to 7 hours.
Cost: Admission at the top of the mountain is free (paid parking)! Activities Prices: Winter Fun Pass, Day Snow Tubing & Day Ski passes starting at $48. Zipline-$99, Tram Ticket (round trip)-$29, Mountain Coaster (1 ride)- $18. They also offer ski/snowboard rentals, lessons & a season pass.
Accessibility: “The Gatlinburg Tram (aerial tramway) and most of our Mountaintop Park are wheelchair/scooter accessible unless limited by individual Ride Restrictions. Attendant help is always readily available in all areas.” It seems the most accessible of the three.
Bonus: Ober offers a wide range of activities and is a great place to satisfy everyone in your group! For those who just like to take in the surroundings there are plenty of places to sit & relax. There is even a huge tv screen outdoors that usually airs sports games or movies.
We thoroughly enjoy all three of these attractions and would recommend them for different reasons depending on what you are looking to experience. If crowds are a big concern for you, we recommend calling the attraction and see what crowd levels look like and when slower times tend to be.
Whichever you choose, you will choose right if you remember, “ A good time is the one you choose to have!”
