holiday travel to the Wilderness at Smokies

What a fun weekend we had a couple weeks ago at Wilderness at Smokies! It was our first time in Sevierville, which is a little north of Pigeon Forge. We traveled from Atlanta late afternoon so when we drove in, it was dark and my GPS took us through one lane mountains for about 35 minutes. Everyone’s eyes were on alert LOL.

the room

We stayed in a 1 Bedroom Deluxe River Lodge unit which was HUGE. You really could fit about 7-8 people in there to sleep. It consisted of two adjoining rooms- one for sleep and the other for dining, tv, and family bonding by the fireside. Both sides had a bathroom that included a sink and a shower. This was super helpful as we didn’t have to wait for each one of us to finish up. We could get ready two at a time!

The living room can be turned into a separate bedroom. It had a fold out bed from what actually looks like a closet, which the kids loved! There’s also a curtain that can be pulled to allow for privacy as if another room! The fireplace does NOT heat up, but it does turn on with a light switch and gives a homey feel to the space.

I really loved the detail in the furniture, starting with the wooden chairs. The bricked chimney with the wood mantle, and the smooth wood of the dresser drawers made the room feel so warm and cozy as if you were in a cabin. The full kitchen is especially helpful and cost effective for big families, as it allows you to make some of your meals- maybe a Christmas breakfast! Keep some leftovers in the fridge and store your drinks. Forgot the dishes and cookware? No problem, they have dishes stored in the cabinet for use, and soap to clean them after use.

the activities

Because of the season’s changing weather, most activities, apart from ice skating in the Winter Wonderland, are currently indoors. The Adventure passes are available when upon booking your room, or you can purchase passes separately. Non-Resort guests are allowed to visit Adventure Forest but is dependent on availability. For resort guests, you can expect at least 10 attractions to give the kids (and you) something to do while keeping dry.

The Tree Tower, and most all attractions, is located in the Arcade on the main floor in River Lodge and was the first stop for Jionni and even Daddy! we had seen this the night before and knew we wanted to try it out. Jionni tried the first level and DJ went all the way to the top. This attraction requires a height of at least 42” and under 48” accompanied by an adult, so Wynter was unable to climb.

Bowling was a huge hit with the kids. The balls are small enough for the littlest player. We stayed here for a bit of time. There are only about 6 lanes so you’ll want to get there at a good time when you aren’t waiting to play. We found that everyone was pretty nice though, and allowed another child to play after they’ve been on it awhile.

Mount Wild is the rock climbing wall, and is suitable for kids that are 36” and above, however you have to also meet the weight requirement of at least 40lbs. Jionni got on this twice. The first time he was scared to continue after he couldn’t find a rock under his foot. The second time he decided to brave it out and ended up at the top! We were proud of him for dusting himself off and trying again!

The Moonshine Run is a glow in the dark mini golf activity that you can do at a slower pace. These two started playing, and then when they saw all the lights they turned it into a fun house LOL. We enjoyed nonetheless, and DJ and I got to play.

The Frog Hopper was definitely Wynter’s favorite ride! She loved it so much she rode it at least 15 times! This one is so perfect for even the littlest kid, as you have to be between 36” and max 54″ to ride this one. The Frog Hopper lifts up and then descends down. I loved seeing their smiles!

We had random arcade play the rest of the time we were there. Some other attractions that we had not been able to experience during our visit include the XD Adventure Theater, Fury in the Forest laser tag, and Polka Dots Pots pottery. See a full list of activities and attractions here . We also did some ice skating, which you can read about here .

food

There are plenty of food options at the resort, including pizza, tacos, frozen yogurt, and the Candy Cabin. Our first night we quick ordered from the Snack Shack, which has burgers, tenders, chips, etc. The second night we opted for their pizza special of two Large pizzas, one 1-Liter drink, and 6 cookies for $29.99 . We stopped at the Candy Cabin for even more sweets like fudge, truffles, chocolate pretzels, gummies and more! Check out all the great dining they have to offer here .

waterpark

We spent our last day in the indoor water park. We were able to stay and use our passes for the entire day, even after check out. Washout Mountain is a favorite, as you wait for the bucket of water to pour out over everyone. The kids would run from it though every time it was getting ready to pour, but Daddy made sure it dumped on them! The Great Wave was also the kids favorite, trying to jump through them.

Jionni also went on the Surf Rider, which was also his first time. He is usually not a fan of any water sports so this was so great to see him get out of his element! He was so proud of himself! You can watch all our water play here .

Life jackets are provided on a first come first served basis if you have not brought your own. But, there is always plenty for everyone. The waterpark is currently undergoing an expansion as well, so be on the look out for more exciting water rides for the family. You can stay updated here .

Thank you to Wilderness at Smokies for having our family, it was a total blast and we can’t wait to go back! Book your stay here .

Read more about our ice skating adventure here.