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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Gatlinburg

4 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Updated May 12, 2021

Unusual Attractions in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Synchronous Fireflies of the Great Smoky Mountains

For two weeks every June, fireflies in the Smoky Mountains perform an astonishing light show.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Elkmont Historic District

An abandoned town is hidden in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Over 20,000 sets of spice shakers reveal the surprisingly telling history of our most basic spices.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Mayna Treanor Avent Studio

The art studio of an early 20th-century painter, hidden amid the Great Smoky Mountains.

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Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Titanic Museum Attraction

A recreation of the doomed ocean liner in the middle of the Smoky Mountains.

8 miles from Gatlinburg

Bryson City, North Carolina

Clingmans Dome

The highest point in Tennessee, Clingmans Dome bears witness to the ravages of one type of insect.

10 miles from Gatlinburg

Sevierville, Tennessee

Dolly Parton Statue

An ode to "The Queen of Appalachia."

11 miles from Gatlinburg

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Over 20,000 sets of spice shakers reveal the surprisingly telling history of our most basic spices.

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