What’s New in Gatlinburg in 2025

Gatlinburg Sweet Week, February 7-14, a weeklong tribute all things sugary and decadent. In its inaugural year, Gatlinburg Sweet Week will take place every February leading up to Valentine’s Day. For seven days, our mountain town’s bakeries, candy shops and dessert destinations will serve up their sweetest confections. Bring those you love, eat your weight in treats – and check in on the app at seven or more locations to win delightful prizes!

On March 8, 12-5 p.m., join us for the Smoky Mountain Wine Fest at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Surrounded by the beauty of the Smokies, relax and savor pairings of regional wines with food from local restaurants. Artists and artisans from Arrowmont and the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community will elevate the experience with behind-the-scenes displays of creativity and handcrafted wares for sale. Peruse items for sale from local wineries, while Appalachian music from Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales will set the dreamy scene.

Sweet dreams await at Embassy Suites by Hilton Gatlinburg Resort, on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Check into this luxurious retreat and check out the resort-style pool, complete with slide and lazy river. With onsite restaurant The Roaring Fork featuring Appalachian flair and favorites, you’ll find plenty of reasons to settle in and enjoy your stay.

Up the Ante on your Gatlinburg getaway by booking this newly upgraded modern farmhouse cabin. Comfortably sleeping 12, this three-story 2500-square-foot abode features four bedrooms, a game room, a theater, and a hot tub. Minutes from downtown yet boasting breathtaking views of the Smokies, don’t sleep on this booking!

The Historic Rocky Waters Inn, A Small Luxury Hotel, pays homage to vintage Gatlinburg hospitality with an entirely new spin. You’ll find nostalgia at its finest, where modern amenities share space with timeless travel adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This 36-room property is the perfect destination for your next mountain vacation, beckoning you to relax and leave your baggage behind.

The Heirloom Room: Creekside Restaurant & Bar, onsite at The Historic Rocky Waters Inn, brings next-level sophistication to regional cooking. Featuring Appalachian culinary traditions, the menu and dining experience is a feast for the imagination and the senses. The Heirloom Room marries a chef-forward approach with sustainable local sourcing. An impressive bourbon and whiskey celebration is also worth toasting.

PizzaRio, with its incredible Brazilian-style dining experience, serves up a fresh slice of goodness on the Gatlinburg food scene. Expect a menu filled with high-quality ingredients, delicious meals and scrumptious sips of sangria and wine. Bring your appetite and feast “The Brazilian Way” in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains!

After a devastating fire in 2022 shuttered Pucker’s Sports Grill, it’s back in business with Gatlinburg’s biggest TVs for game-watching. Don’t miss seeing your favorite teams play while you’re on vacation – head to the newly rebuilt Pucker’s on the Parkway to enjoy sports, cold beverages and a chef-driven menu.

Also emerging after a blaze, Dick’s Last Resort – while self-described as “the shame o’ the Smokies”— is back by popular demand. The remodeled establishment serves up tasty food and drinks with a heavy dose of humor. Come for a meal, leave with some cheeky merch!

After a three-year renovation project, the Ramsey Cascades Trail has reopened for hikers, seven days a week. This eight-mile round trip hike leads to the largest waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, at 105 feet. The rehabilitated trail begins on an old roadbed and winds through a cove hardwood forest, narrowing and becoming rockier on the 2,000-foot ascent. Be prepared to navigate over multiple footlog bridges and streams!

Award-winning adventure park Anakeesta brings elevated fun to the heart of Gatlinburg all year long. All February, Anakeesta is offering a Sweethearts Package, featuring two general admission tickets, two tickets for “enchanted nightwalk amongst the stars” AstraLumina, and an adorable stuffed souvenir black bear. Your choice of two desserts and half-off select wine bottles at Clifftop sweeten the deal!

Gatlinburg SkyPark is always a mountaintop experience, and the dining scene there just got a major upgrade. You’ll want to make your way to the new smash burger restaurant Smoky Mountain Smash. This unique restaurant features delicious burgers hand-crafted from locally sourced meats, fresh produce and house-made sauces. The park also recently opened a new gift store, SkyPark Shop, featuring t-shirts and other souvenirs.

Ober Mountain may be a timeworn treasure to Gatlinburg locals and visitors alike, but there’s plenty of new to enjoy! This ski area and amusement park has added several updated amenities to its roster. Ober recently installed a new chairlift system for this season, replacing the main ski lift for an improved guest experience. Atop Mt. Harrison, where the longest chairlift of its kind in the U.S. summits, take in the majestic views from a new elevated observation deck.  This is also the starting point for Ober’s new Cloud Catcher Zipline Experience. It’s never all uphill at Ober, where new downhill mountain biking challenges riders to conquer the descent!

Don’t be a stranger! Use #TheMountainsAreCalling on social and share your favorite Gatlinburg vacation photo and story for the chance to win the Ultimate Gatlinburg Getaway. This prize pack includes a three-night stay for up to four people, a Gatlinburg attractions family pass, restaurant gift certificates and more!