Enjoying the View & Exploring at Anakeesta (Gatlinburg, TN)

I received tickets in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

When I was researching things to do in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, one thing that kept coming up is Anakeesta. It is located right off downtown Gatlinburg and up the hill, way up the hill. So far up that to actually get to Anakeesta you take a Chodola ride (like a ski lift) or a Ridge Rambler truck ride (perfect if you are nervous about heights.)

What do you then do at Anakeesta?

Included in General Admission is unlimited scenic Chondola or Ridge Rambler rides, AnaVista Observation Tower, Treetop Skywalk, TreeVenture Challenge Course, Bearventure Challenge Course, Treehouse Village Play Area and Splash Pad.

Included in your admission:

UNLIMITED Chondola and Ridge Rambler Adventure truck rides

Treetop Skywalk- 14 bridges suspended in the trees for a forest experience you will never forget

Vista Gardens- lush plantings, interpretive signage, Willow, and twigloos

AnaVista Tower: 360 degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains from the tallest point in Downtown Gatlinburg

Children’s Treehouse Adventure- a series of educational and physical elements to delight your inner child.

BearVenture- ropes and log adventure course

TreeVenture- Interactive challenge course for guests of all ages. Climb, crawl and slide through multi-level treehouses

Firefly Village- a whimsical town in the sky with access to quaint shopping and dining, fire pit and breathtaking views

Cliff Top Restaurant- Elevated dining with breathtaking mountain views.

Kephart Cafe: Serving quick bites for guests on the go. Enjoy gourmet hot dogs, frozen yogurt and flatbread pizza

Smokehouse- Mouth watering southern BBQ, salads, appetizers and more! Full Service Bar with panoramic mountain views

Splash Pad- Tennessee themed waterfall with woodland creatures spouting water and jetted elements. Open seasonally.

Black Bear Village: gather here for live music and entertainment while enjoying scenic views of the great smoky mountains

Memorial Forest Walk- a dedication to the community and tribute to the wildfires in 2016

Available for purchase upon arrival is Astra Lumina, the only single rail mountain coaster in the U.S. , Gatlinburg’s fastest duel racing zipline, and Anakeesta Gem Mining.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what were going to do at Anakeesta but we spent half the day there and it flew by. I could have just sit up there for hours and enjoy the view with a nice meal and drink, my kids, on the other hand, wanted to go-go-go.

My kids are ages 11-15 years old and they loved just climbing around, younger kids especially would love this. There are a few different climbing courses and yes even adults can use them.

We really enjoyed the Treetop Skywalk and going from bridge to bridge. We did it in the daylight but I bet it is amazing after dusk with everything lit up.

My kids wanted to do the zip line but the weather was turning so they decided on Anakeesta’s single-rail mountain coaster which is the first of its kind in the United States. It is a single rail track with 1,600 feet of downhill twists and turns at speeds up to 25 mph and a 400 ft elevation change.

Honestly, there is a lot more to do at Anakeesta than I thought and the views are priceless. We spent half a day but could have easily spent the whole day especially if we planned it right and took advantage of everything.

The best part though of Anakeesta was that we saw black bears! This was totally a right place at the right time but they do saw there is chances of seeing them in the area. We saw them below us as we rode up the mountain on the chodola.