The Great Smoky Mountains Holidays

The Great Smoky Mountains takes the title as the USA’s most popular national park, so you know it’s going to be quite spectacular. Renowned for lush forests, ancient mountains and the diversity of its plant and animal life. Learn about southern Appalachian Mountain culture and visit historic buildings, hike verdant forest trails, go wildlife watching or discover cascading waterfalls whilst you picnic in a scenic setting.
We love getting the blood pumping on hikes across this mountainous terrain. The hills may sometimes be steep but the incredible vistas are well worth it. Otherwise take a drive along some of the 384 miles of roads winding through the park and experience stunning panoramic views.

Essential Information
Things To Do

Time Zone

GMT -5 hours

Flight Time

Approx 9 hours; direct flights from the UK to Nashville are available

Currency

USD - US Dollar

Visa Information

British Passport holders require an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) to visit Memphis. You can obtain an ESTA from www.cbp.gov/esta

Language

English

Health Information

No vaccinations are required for travel to The Great Smoky Mountains. All travellers should be up to date with routine immunisations. It’s important to contact your GP to check for the latest recommendations.

Take a drive along some of the 384 miles of road within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to experience the panoramic views, tumbling mountain streams, historic buildings and hardwood forests or hire a bike and pedal through the 11 miles Cades Cove Loop for a truly memorable way to experience the park. Join a Ranger program and learn about natural landscape, wildlife and history of the park.

Motorhome

One of the best ways to experience the Great Smoky Mountains scenic landscape is from the comfort of a motorhome enjoying the freedom to roam with plenty of space for your whole party. Spend the night in one of the fantastic campgrounds within the national park, then hit the road to continue your adventure. This is a great way to see the many different facets to the Great Smoky Mountains in one trip.
Wildlife viewing

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to a range of animals such as elk, white-tailed deer and black bear. Viewing wildlife in the Smokies can be challenging due to the dense forest which covers much of the park, so we recommend heading to open areas like Cataloochee and Cades Cove for a better chance to see white-tailed deer, black bear, raccoon, turkeys, woodchucks, and other animals.
Clingmans Dome

This is one of the most popular spots in the Smokies. A verdant valley in East Tennessee, beyond the yellow and green fields and pockets of woodland, the snow-capped Thunderhead Mountains rise majestically in the distance. The scenery is spectacular but it’s equally the abundant display of wildlife that attracts over two million tourists here each year. You’re near guaranteed to spot white-tailed deer grazing and there are frequent sightings of black bear, ground hog, raccoon and coyote too. Take a leisurely drive along the one-way, eleven-mile loop road to best appreciate the area’s beauty, perhaps stopping for a picnic on the way.
Explore outside of the Park

Visit the historic homes of Knoxville, tour the Ole Smoky Moonshine distillery in Gatlinburg or spend a day at Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park, jam packed with rides, live entertainment and a water park, sure to provide fun for the whole family.