Magnificent Views of the Smokies via Ober Gatlinburg’s Aerial Tramway

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the gateway to the beautiful Smoky Mountains, is a fun touristy vacation destination with lots of activities to enjoy all year round. During a recent winter trip (there is still plenty to do this time of year), we rode the Ober Mountain Aerial Tramway. This cable car ride takes you on a scenic ride 2 miles above the mountains.

According to their website, it’s one of the longest tram rides in America. At the top of the 2813 foot summit, you can enjoy a range of mountain top activities. Views will vary based on when you visit, from beautiful foliage in autumn to majestic snow capped mountains after a winter storm. Winter is a great time to plan a ride as it’s usually a bit too cold to do much exploring in the national park. We took our first ride here during a winter trip. While the trees were barren, we still enjoyed the experience, and most important, the lack of crowds.

Mountainside activities to enjoy after your ride include: snow tubing, indoor ice skating, skiing, wildlife encounters, restaurants, and shopping. There is a lot of terrain for newbies, so this is a great place to ski for the first time.

Mike and I took the ride mainly to enjoy the views and check out the ice rink. The views were decent enough, however, I think this ride would be so much more scenic in the summer with the lush green trees or during the fall with the amazing leaf peeping. That being said, I would still recommend a ride during any winter vacation.

Ice skating

There is a huge indoor rink to enjoy if skiing is not your thing (don’t worry – I am scared of falling too!). A 3 hour session is just 10 bucks and includes skate rentals. The nice thing about this rink is that it is open year-round. Skating not only burns a ton of calories, but makes for a nice cool escape on a hot, humid summer afternoon.

This region can get pretty hot, so this is a great activity pick on a really hot day. Personally, I love skating all winter, but there is nothing more festive than skating right before the holidays.

Update: Skating is now available as part of an all day wristband packages (which includes the tram) for $49 per person. This is a great deal for families who want to enjoy a range of activities for one low price.

Skiing

Here you will find Tennessee’s only ski resort. For this reason alone, the resort can get pretty busy each winter season. The resort offers 100% snowmaking on all their slopes. There are 10 trails available including 2 beginner options. I would love to ski one of these days, but I am honestly a bit scared to go tumbling down the hill with no control. I’ll stick to cross country skiing and ice skating for the time being.

Directions & Additional Info

This attraction is located at 1001 Parkway #2. It’s basically located in the center of all the tourism on the Parkway. A round trip ride is $29 per person (check travel brochures for a $1 off coupon). A special wristband which includes all activities plus the tram can also be purchased for an extra 20 bucks.

The tram operates year-round from 9:40am-9:00pm, 7 days a week. Ticket sales end a half hour prior to closing. Check the website for current pricing and deals.

Where to stay

Consider booking a stay at Timber Tops which offers a number of rustic cabin rentals. After dealing with the hustle and bustle of the tourists, it’s nice to come back to a quiet place in the mountains. These cozy cabins offer all sorts of amenities – some include hot tubs, pool tables, game rooms, a deck overlooking the mountains, etc.

We stayed in a Life’s a Bear – a 1 bedroom located in a semi secluded area. Our amenities included a small game room with a pool table, a beautiful deck with amazing mountain views, and a hot tub. The best part of our vacation was taking in the incredible mountain views while soaking in the jacuzzi. I was in town running a half marathon (the wonderful Santa Hustle) and nothing felt better than relaxing in a hot tub after running 13 miles in the cold. Yes, it gets pretty cold here during the winter months. Snow is rare but temps are quite brisk, so bundle up.