Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
5 Great Lesser-Known Attractions In The Smokies, Part Three: Gatlinburg
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on December 19, 2017
For the past couple of weeks, we've been sharing suggestions for cool, fun places to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains. Specifically, we've been focusing on some of the lesser-known attractions in the cities of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. This week, we're shifting our focus to Gatlinburg. Yes, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Ober Gatlinburg are among the family destinations that most folks have heard of, but this week, we want to steer you toward a few other places that may not have the same name recognition but are worthy of a visit nonetheless.
We're winding our season down here at Smoky Mountain Ziplines, so the attractions that follow are just a few places to consider when planning a trip to the Smokies this winter. So until this spring when we re-open our ziplines, Gatlinburg is one place to visit that will offer you and your family a lot of attraction options. Note that all of these are indoor attractions, so even if the weather outside is frightful during the next few months, you'll still be able to enjoy yourselves.
Christ in the Smokies
Showcasing more than 100 life-size wax figures, this River Rd. attraction takes guests back 2,000 years to witness the life of Christ. The self-guided tour is underscored by lighting and special effects as well as music and dramatic narration. Each realistic scene depicts a different chapter in the story of Jesus, from birth to resurrection. The attraction's rotunda houses a priceless collection of Biblical coins and precious gems as well as a video presentation on the Old Testament, and the outdoor gardens feature a unique relief sculpture of the face of Christ.
Guinness World Records Adventure
If you've always been fascinated by the Guinness Book of World Records, you'll love this museum attraction on the Parkway. It features hundreds of exhibits from the pages of the book as well as from the prime-time TV show. Dramatic re-creations from the record books come to life through incredible displays, interactive games, trivia, themed galleries and videos. This hands-on attraction lets you do things like compare your height to that of the tallest man on record or even attempt to break a world record yourself.
Impossibilities
There's only a handful of live theater shows in Gatlinburg, and one of them is on hiatus during January and February, so we thought we'd tell you about this unique live show, which is staged at the Iris Theater, located at the base of the Gatlinburg Space Needle on the Parkway. Magician-comedian Chris Collins and mentalist Erik Dobell present an evening of stunning magic, reality-shattering mind reading and hilarious mayhem. The duo has more than 40 years of combined experience in the magic biz, and they have performed all over the world. The show runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in January and February.
Ripley's Believe it or Not!
In addition to its aquarium, the Ripley company has a lot going on in Gatlinburg in the way of family entertainment. One of the other Parkway attractions worth investigating is the Believe It or Not! Odditorium, which is actually the longest-running Ripley attraction in town. And it's the franchise that brought the Ripley name to worldwide prominence in the 1930s and '40s. In Gatlinburg, guests can explore the world of the odd and the weird, as discovered by legendary adventurer and cartoonist Robert Ripley. Thirteen different galleries house some 500 unusual and incredible artifacts from around the world, from shrunken heads to a real-life vampire-killing kit. It's an interactive experience all ages will enjoy.
Hollywood Star Cars Museum
This Parkway attraction is home to some 40 authentic vehicles showcased in well-known films and TV shows throughout the past 50 years. Many of the cars on display were created by the late Hollywood custom-car designer George Barris, who was responsible for the likes of the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, The Dragula from The Munsters and the Beverly Hillbillies' jalopy. One of the crown jewels of the Star Cars collection is the Batmobile from the 1960s TV show starring Adam West. You'll also see cars from blockbuster movies like Gone in 60 Seconds, Charlie's Angels and The Fast and the Furious.
