August in the Smokies is bustling with events, from hot air balloons to cosplay and fishing, and also with a foretaste of changes to come, with the kids going back to school, and harvest festivals peeking around the corner (but not quite here yet). Temperatures are in the high eighties to low nineties, and the evenings are pleasant.
July is one of the best months to visit the Smoky Mountains and it’s high season in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, as well as Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding scenic area. Conventions, Fairs, music and the big July 4th Parade are among the events to watch for here in this hot summertime month.
Temperatures are generally in the high eighties to low nineties with cool nights in the sixties – perfect for every kind of mountain adventure except for snow and downhill tubing – and even in midsummer, we have that covered too!
While the towns and attractions are bustling with visitors and special events, it’s a good time to hit the higher elevations or some swimming holes to cool down, as well as knowing the back roads to avoid some of that bustle.
But read on to see just what kind of bustle is happening in July.
Images courtesy of the Craftsmen’s Fair, Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge
We’ve been nominated for the title of Best Cabin Rentals of Pigeon Forge 2023!
The voting period is going on now through July 31st – Click Here to cast your vote for the best cabin rental operation in the Smoky Mountains!
Check our Gatlinburg cabins, Pigeon Forge cabins and our Wears Valley cabins for your best place to stay in the Smokies.
The month of June in the Smoky Mountains starts the bustle of summer, and opens up countless opportunities for fun in the great outdoors – from fireflies to fishing, and from festivals to free trolleys, as well as flame azaleas in the higher elevations.
The Free Trolley? Well, all the Gatlinburg trolleys are now free. We used to announce in June each year that Gatlinburg was running a free trolley up and down Parkway through summer, and that was fun news, but it’s all turned fun now, with the city’s decision to run a free system. Pigeon Forge, which covers larger distances, still charges, but the fares are still the cheapest thing in America today. See our guide to the Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge Trolleys. And read on for the insider lowdown on what’s happening in June.
The famous synchronous fireflies of June in the Smokies
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge both host a several interactive and immersive attractions and experiences, but the Flying Theater is the latest and greatest experience, delivering a lot of WOW!
The flying theater is a big-screen experience, with movie-goers strapped into moving seats that are perfectly synchronized with the motion portrayed on the screen, offering a sensory realism that is, um, moving, to say the least! Not only that, but wind currents, mists and even scents produced within the theater offer an even greater sense of realism.
Combine all this with some of the best drone and plane aerial photography of phenomenal landscapes, and we have a winner. You feel like you’re flying through it all.
Image courtesy of SkyFly: Soar America
The month of May in the Smoky Mountains around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is alive with events, and the start of festivals from bluegrass to bagpipes! Here’s everything happening in this merry month.
May continues the display of arts and crafts that started in April, with special events and opportunities from our huge local artisan community in Gatlinburg, and plenty happening out on the Quiet Side of the Smokies too. Car shows go crazy this month, with all kinds of motors to admire, and music is in the air from multiple sources, including two big festivals later in the month.
Weather-wise, it can be a heavy month for rainfall, but the thousands of miles of waterways are flowing strongly everywhere, and it’s a great month for fishing. May is also a favorite month for Weddings in Gatlinburg and the area.
Read on for highlights of May 2023 events in the Smokies.
Images courtesy of Bloomin’ and Scottish festivals
If you’re looking for a great opportunity to relax and enjoy everything that the great outdoors has to offer, you’d be hard-pressed to find something more effective than an afternoon of fishing. It’s an especially popular activity in the Gatlinburg area, which offers everything from mile after mile of pristine waters to guided fishing tours – and in Gatlinburg itself, its own waters, and designated kid-safe fishing areas in the city parks – and more.
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offer a multitude of indoor adventures, for those days when the weather says to be inside, or simply to explore in their own right. From indoor snow tubing and skydiving to virtual reality and immersive quests, from wildlife to nightlife, from live music to magic shows and indoor sightseeing, here are some of the top indoor attractions in the Smoky Mountains.
Image courtesy of Gatlins Fun Center
Why do so many people choose Gatlinburg as the place to get married in, making it one of the country’s top destinations for a wedding? There are many reasons that Gatlinburg is one of the nation’s favorites for romance and marriage – let us count the ways.
Image courtesy of Carles-Witt Event Planners
Make sure the kids get the most out of their time in the Smoky Mountains with our quick guide to The Best Kids & Family Things To Do in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area. Here are some of the notable outdoor adventures for people with energy to spare, as well as some indoor attractions that will get the kids laughing with fun. When the kids are having fun, the whole family is happy, and that’s what a Gatlinburg vacation is for!
Image courtesy of Rowdy Bear
We are the one of largest cabin rental agencies in the Smoky Mountains and have been recognized by Southern Living as the Best Family Resort in the Smokies. We manage over 340 cabins in the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Tennessee areas. Visit us today and get over $700 of free attraction tickets with your cabin rental.
