CLIMB Works

Family Friendly Activities on Oahu: Top Picks for Every Age

O’ahu has this way of surprising families. You land in Waikīkī, settle into the hotel, walk down to the beach – and for a day or two, that feels like enough. Then someone in the group (usually the ten-year-old) starts asking, “What else can we do?” The honest answer: a lot more than most families realize, and the best of it isn’t on the resort strip.

Finding the right family friendly activities on O’ahu means looking beyond the obvious. The North Shore alone could fill several days with outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and beach stops that feel nothing like the Waikīkī scene. And with a little planning, you can build days that keep every generation happy without anyone melting down in the back seat.

Here’s what we’d recommend if you’re traveling with kids and want to make the most of your time on the island.

Family Friendly Activities on O’ahu: The Short Answer

If you’re scanning for a quick list before diving into details, here are the top family activities on O’ahu worth building your trip around:

CLIMB Works Keana Farms Zipline Tour (Kahuku, North Shore): 8 dual side-by-side ziplines on a working farm, ages 5+, tandem options for small kids
Polynesian Cultural Center (Lā’ie, North Shore): Full-day cultural immersion with interactive villages, buffet dinner, and evening show
Horseback Riding at Gunstock Ranch (Lā’ie, North Shore): Scenic trail rides through forest and pasture, ages 7+
Waimea Bay (Hale’iwa, North Shore): Calm summer swimming, dramatic winter wave-watching
Sharks Cove (Pupukea, North Shore): Family snorkeling in summer when conditions are calm
Hale’iwa Town (Hale’iwa, North Shore): Shave ice, local shops, and a laid-back lunch stop
Diamond Head State Monument (Honolulu): Short family hike with a payoff view, best for kids 6+
Honolulu Zoo and Waikīkī Aquarium: Lower-key options for younger children or rainy mornings

Ziplining on the North Shore at Keana Farms

The CLIMB Works Keana Farms zipline tour in Kahuku isn’t your standard “clip in and slide down a cable” experience. It’s multiple unique adventures packed into a single guided tour: 8 dual side-by-side ziplines (O’ahu’s longest dual zipline tour, with lines stretching up to nearly half a mile each), sky bridges, elevated boardwalks, 2 controlled rappels, and an educational UTV ride through the Ko’olau Mountains. The whole experience runs about 2.5 to 3 hours, and it takes place on a working tropical farm.

Why this works specifically for families:

The dual side-by-side format is different from single-file zipline tours you’ll find elsewhere. Parents and kids zip simultaneously on parallel lines, which means you can look over and see your kid’s face the entire time. Kids ages 5 and up are welcome, making it a great activity for families with young kids. For little ones under 70 lbs, there’s a tandem option where they ride with a guide, so even your smaller adventurer doesn’t have to sit this one out. And there’s no hand braking required on any line, which removes the “what if my kid panics and forgets what to do” worry entirely.

Logistics parents actually need to know:

Closed-toe shoes are required. Skip the dangling jewelry, backpacks, and baggy clothing. Bring a camera with a strap. Free lockers are available at check-in for keys and small items. One thing that catches families off guard: bathrooms are only at the check-in area, not along the course. With young kids, plan accordingly and make a stop before you gear up.

If you’re staying in Waikīkī and don’t have a rental car, roundtrip transportation from Waikiki is available Monday through Saturday. The ride is about 1 hour 10 minutes each way, and it takes the stress out of navigating O’ahu’s roads with a van full of antsy kids.

Reservations are strongly encouraged. Walk-ins aren’t guaranteed, especially during peak travel months, and families who show up without booking sometimes get turned away. You can book online 24/7 or call (808) 200-7906. Tours run rain or shine (those quick Hawaiian rain bursts are honestly part of the charm), and the only weather that shuts things down is a thunderstorm. If that happens, you’ll get a reschedule, voucher, or full refund.

Polynesian Cultural Center: A Full-Day Cultural Immersion

The Polynesian Cultural Center in Lā’ie is one of those places that could easily eat an entire day. It’s located just minutes from CLIMB Works Keana Farms, which makes the two a natural same-day pairing that we see families pull off all the time.

PCC is structured around Island Villages, each representing a different Polynesian culture: Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Hawai’i, Tahiti, and Aotearoa (New Zealand), among others. Kids don’t just walk through exhibits; they’re throwing spears, learning to husk coconuts, watching fire knife demonstrations, and getting pulled into dances. For the 8-to-12 age range especially, it hits a sweet spot between education and entertainment that’s hard to find elsewhere on O’ahu. The Gateway Buffet gives everyone a proper dinner (which is welcome after an active morning), and the evening caps off with HĀ: Breath of Life, a large-scale theatrical show with fire, water, music, and storytelling that even the most screen-addicted kid will put the phone down for.

Here’s where planning ahead really pays off: a combo package with the Polynesian Cultural Center bundles the CLIMB Works Zipline Tour with PCC’s all-day access, including Island Villages, the Gateway Buffet, the HĀ show, a free 3-day pass, and a photo pass. The savings run up to $47 per person. For a family of four, that’s close to $190 back in your pocket. We’ll get into the ideal scheduling for this combo in the day trip planning section below, but the short version: zipline in the morning, PCC in the afternoon and evening. It makes for a long but memorable North Shore day.

Horseback Riding at Gunstock Ranch

For families with older kids who want another layer of North Shore adventure, Gunstock Ranch runs scenic horseback rides through forest trails and open pastures with Ko’olau Mountain views in the background. Rides last 1.5 to 2 hours, which is a solid amount of saddle time, long enough to really get into the rhythm of the ride without smaller attention spans completely checking out.

The age minimum here is 7, so this one works best for families with elementary-age kids and up. It’s worth noting that horseback riding on the North Shore feels very different from pony rides at a county fair. These are real trails through working ranch land, with ocean glimpses through the trees and the kind of quiet that makes everyone slow down for a minute.

A horseback riding at Gunstock Ranch combo package with CLIMB Works saves up to $35 per person. If your group is splitting the day between activities, this is another way to keep costs in check while stacking experiences. Gunstock Ranch is a nice complement to ziplining because the energy is completely different. It’s calm, grounding, and the pace is set by the horse, not by gravity. For families trying to balance adrenaline with serenity over the course of a trip, this pairing works really well.

North Shore Beach Stops for Families

No North Shore day trip is complete without at least one beach stop, but which beach depends entirely on when you’re visiting and the ages of your kids. The North Shore’s surf conditions change dramatically between summer and winter, and what’s a perfect family swimming beach in June can be a dangerous shorebreak in January.

Photo by Jess Loiterton

Waimea Bay
Waimea Bay is the classic. In summer (roughly May through September), the water calms down to a near-pool-like state, and the bay becomes one of the best spots on the island for family swimming. The sand is wide, the water is clear, and kids can wade in gradually. The famous rock jump on the left side of the bay is a rite of passage for older kids and teens who want a little thrill; the jump is about 25 feet, so gauge your child’s comfort level accordingly.

Sharks Cove
Don’t let the name scare the kids off — Sharks Cove is one of O’ahu’s best snorkeling spots and a fantastic family stop when conditions are right. “When conditions are right” is the key phrase here: visit in summer when the water is calm and you’ll find tide pools, reef fish, sea turtles, and easy-entry rock pools. Winter swells make it unsafe, so check conditions before heading out. Sharks Cove is about 20 minutes from Kahuku and doesn’t have a lot of shade, so bring reef-safe sunscreen and maybe a pop-up tent if you’ve got little ones who need a break from the sun.

The Ideal Day Trip Itinerary

Here’s what we’d suggest for a packed but paced North Shore family day:

Morning: Start with the Keana Farms Zipline Tour. Book a morning time slot. You’ll beat the afternoon heat, and the farm is gorgeous in early light with dew still on the fruit trees and the Ko’olau Mountains sharp against the sky. The tour runs about 2.5 to 3 hours, which puts you wrapping up around late morning or early lunch depending on your start time.

Midday: Head to Hale’iwa (about 30 minutes from Kahuku) for lunch and shave ice. This is your decompression window. Let everyone eat, browse the shops, and shake off the zipline adrenaline. If you have time and the conditions are right, stop at Sharks Cove or Waimea Bay on your way to or from Hale’iwa.

Afternoon and Evening: Drive to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Lā’ie (just 7 minutes from Keana Farms, or about 30 minutes from Hale’iwa). Explore the Island Villages in the afternoon, eat at the Gateway Buffet, and stay for the HĀ: Breath of Life evening show. You’ll roll back to Waikīkī late, with exhausted, happy kids asleep in the back seat.

Making the Most of Your O’ahu Family Trip

The best family friendly activities on O’ahu aren’t all in one place, and that’s part of what makes this island special. Waikīkī gives you the beach-and-hotel convenience, but the North Shore delivers the kinds of experiences your kids will actually tell their friends about when they get home.

The move that ties it all together is committing to at least one full North Shore day. Book a morning CLIMB Works Keana Farms Zipline Tour, let the afternoon unfold at PCC or on the beach, and give your family the version of Hawai’i that goes deeper than the tourist strip. That’s the day everyone remembers.

Best Hikes in Gatlinburg Without the Crowds

If you’ve ever pulled into the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot on a Saturday in June and thought, “Well, this was a mistake,” you’re not alone. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws over 12 million visitors a year, making it the most visited national park in the country by a wide margin.

Here’s the thing: finding the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains isn’t really about finding secret trails nobody knows about. (Those don’t really exist anymore, thanks to Instagram.) It’s about knowing which trails thin out quickly, which trailheads to hit at the right time, and which overlooked routes deliver the same jaw-dropping views without the conga line.

We’ve spent years on this mountain, and we have opinions. Some of them might surprise you.

Why Are the Popular Trails So Crowded?

Before we send you off the beaten path, it’s worth understanding what makes a trail crowded in the first place. The usual suspects, like Laurel Falls, Alum Cave, Clingmans Dome, are popular for good reasons. They’re well-maintained, relatively accessible, and they deliver dramatic payoffs.

But the Smokies contain over 800 miles of maintained trails. Eight hundred. Most visitors stick to the same 10 or 15 of them, which means the vast majority of the park is significantly quieter than what you see on the main arteries.

The trick is being willing to drive a little farther, start a little earlier, or accept a trail that’s “just” beautiful instead of bucket-list famous.

Practical Tips for Avoiding Crowds on Any Trail

Even the popular trails have windows of relative quiet. A few strategies that consistently work:

Start Early

Most visitors don’t hit the trailhead before 10AM. If you’re parked and walking by 7:30, you’ll have one to two hours of relative peace on even the busiest trails. Yes, this means setting an alarm on vacation. We know. It’s worth it.

Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday

Weekend traffic in the Smokies is roughly double weekday traffic. If your schedule allows any flexibility at all, save the hiking for midweek and do your Gatlinburg downtown exploring on the weekend.

Embrace the “Bad” Weather Days

A forecast of light rain keeps a remarkable number of people indoors. If you’ve packed a decent rain jacket and don’t mind getting a little damp, an overcast drizzly day in the Smokies is actually gorgeous. You’ll see the fog settles into the valleys, the creeks are more full, and the forest smelling just like it’s supposed to.

(Just keep an eye on conditions. Heavy rain means slippery rocks and potentially dangerous creek crossings.)

Use the Park’s Traffic Maps

The National Park Service has real-time traffic data on their website and app. Check it before you leave your cabin. If Sugarlands looks packed, reroute to Greenbrier or Cosby. Flexibility is your best friend.

Our Favorite (Low-Traffic) Hikes:

1. Porters Creek Trail

One of our favorites trails in the park, Porter’s Creek Trail, will take you on a journey through some of the parks’ oldest infrastructure. The first mile passes old stone walls, a historic cantilever barn, and the Smoky Mountains History Association cabin.

In spring (late March through April), the wildflower display along this trail is legitimately one of the best in the entire park, with trillium, phacelia, violets, and dozens of others carpeting the forest floor.

Keep going and you’ll reach Fern Branch Falls at about 2 miles in, a delicate 40-foot cascade that most people have entirely to themselves on weekday mornings.

Distance: 7.6 miles round trip (or just 2 miles to the old homestead)

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Trailhead: Greenbrier area, about 20 minutes east of Gatlinburg on US-321

Parking note: The Greenbrier road is narrow and gravel. It’s not rough, but it’s not a highway either. Get there before 10 AM on weekends, or go on a weekday and you’ll practically have it to yourself.

2. Hen Wallow Falls Trail

Hen Wallow Falls is a 90-foot waterfall at the end of a 2.2-mile trail that climbs about 900 feet through a gorgeous hardwood forest. The trail is well-maintained and straightforward; just a solid walk in the woods with a real reward at the end.

It’s located in Cosby, which is the “quiet side” of the Smokies. The 45-minute drive from Gatlinburg keeps the day-tripper crowd away, but if you’re looking for one of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains that actually feels like wilderness, the drive is absolutely worth it.

Distance: 4.4 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate (steady uphill on the way in, which means easy on the way back)

Trailhead: Gabes Mountain Trail, starting from the Cosby Campground area, about 45 minutes from Gatlinburg

3. Brushy Mountain Trail

Okay, this one earns its solitude the honest way — it’s long, it climbs over 2,800 feet, and the summit isn’t a bald with panoramic views. It’s a heath bald with limited but unique vistas and the kind of deep-woods quiet that makes you realize you haven’t heard a human voice in two hours.

You’ll pass through Porters Creek first (see above), so you get the wildflowers and the waterfall as a bonus on the way in.

Distance: 11.2 miles round trip (via Porters Creek Trail and the Brushy Mountain spur)

Difficulty: Strenuous

Trailhead: Same Greenbrier entrance as Porters Creek

The Laurel Falls Question

We should address this because you’re probably wondering. Laurel Falls is the most popular trail in the entire park, and after a two-year renovation, it reopened in spring 2026 with a fully paved walkway and a new viewing platform. At 2.6 miles round trip, it’s a genuinely beautiful and now more accessible hike.

Is it crowded? Yes, especially midday from May through October. Is it still worth doing? Also yes — particularly if you go early (before 8:30 AM) or late (after 4 PM). The new improvements have made the experience better, even with the crowds.

But if you’re specifically looking for solitude, the trails above will serve you better.

A Note on Trail Etiquette

The reason these quieter trails stay nice is because the people who seek them out tend to be the ones who pack out their trash, stay on the trail, and let other hikers pass with a nod and a “morning.” Be that person. The Smokies are loved almost to death in some spots, the quiet corners stay quiet partly because the people who find them treat them well.

The Best Way to See the Forest From Above

After spending a day on the trails, there’s something to be said for seeing the Smokies from a completely different perspective. Our Mountaintop Zipline tour at CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains takes you across six ziplines, three sky bridges, and finishes with a rappel — all while looking down at the same forest canopy you just hiked through. It’s a different kind of connection with these mountains, and at 150 feet up, you’ll notice how the ridgelines stack up in a way you can’t appreciate from the trail.

We run rain or shine (we only pause for lightning or high winds), so it pairs well with just about any hiking itinerary. Plus, after a long day on the trail, there’s something deeply satisfying about letting gravity do the work for a change.

A Look at CLIMB Works’ Sustainable Practices

The Great Smoky Mountains see more visitors than any other national park in the country, with over 13 million a year. That means every business operating near the park has a choice: treat the landscape as a backdrop for ticket sales, or treat it as something worth protecting because it’s literally in your backyard. At CLIMB Works, we don’t have to think about eco tourism in abstract terms. Our address is 155 Branam Hollow Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, and we’re surrounded on three sides by national park land. The forest isn’t a marketing asset for us, it’s across the street. It’s the air our guests breathe on the Mountaintop Zipline Tour, the view from every platform, and the reason any of this works in the first place.

This guide breaks down what eco tourism actually means, why the Smokies demand it, how our operations are designed around it, and what you can do as a visitor to make your trip a little lighter on the land.

What Is Eco Tourism And Why Does It Matter in the Smokies?

Eco tourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, supports local communities, and prioritizes low-impact experiences over high-volume consumption. It’s not a trendy label, it’s a framework for making sure the places people love to visit still exist for the next generation.

Now, why does this matter here specifically? Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. That’s not a casual distinction. Yellowstone gets roughly 4.5 million visitors a year. The Smokies triple that. And unlike parks out west with vast, spread-out acreage, much of the Smokies’ visitor traffic funnels through a relatively compact set of roads, trailheads, and gateway towns, Gatlinburg being the primary one.

Photo by Denil Dominic

That concentrated traffic creates real tension. Adventure tourism and conservation aren’t natural enemies, but they’re not automatic allies either. Every ATV trail, every souvenir shop parking lot, every tour operation that doesn’t think about runoff, noise, waste, or habitat disruption makes the problem a little worse. Multiply that across hundreds of businesses in a single corridor, and you’ve got a situation where the thing that draws people here, the wildness, the old-growth forest, the elk, the salamanders, the quiet, gets eroded by the very act of showing up to enjoy it.

But here’s the thing: they can coexist. Sustainable tourism in the Smoky Mountains isn’t about telling people to stay home. It’s about designing experiences that bring people into nature without chewing up the landscape in the process. It means small groups instead of mass tourism. Shared transportation instead of individual vehicles crawling up mountain roads. Guided formats where trained staff manage the visitor footprint. And it means businesses choosing to build with the land rather than on top of it.

That’s the lens we operate through at CLIMB Works. Not because it sounds good on a website, but because we can literally see the national park boundary from our property. If we mess up, we don’t just lose a marketing angle. We lose the thing that makes this place worth being in.

CLIMB Works’ Location: A Neighbor to the National Park

The proximity we have to the National Park shapes every operational decision we make, from how we manage stormwater to how we route our UTV trails. When your neighbor is one of the most biodiverse temperate forests on Earth — home to over 19,000 documented species, including more tree varieties than all of northern Europe combined — you don’t get to be careless. The black bears, wild turkeys, and red-tailed hawks that guests spot from our zipline platforms don’t know where our property line ends and the park begins. The watersheds certainly don’t.

Being open year-round means our team doesn’t just experience the mountain during peak tourist season. Our guides are out there in January ice, April wildflower blooms, August humidity, and October leaf-turn. They watch the same ridgeline change across twelve months. They know which platforms get the first morning frost. They know when the tulip poplars go gold before the oaks even start to think about turning. That kind of daily, seasonal familiarity builds something you can’t get from a sustainability consultant’s report. When a staff member notices unusual erosion on a trail section or a shift in where water pools after a heavy rain, they flag it because they’ve been watching that spot for years.

This isn’t theoretical environmental stewardship. It’s the kind of ground-level awareness that comes from working on a mountain, in a forest, next to a national park, 365 days a year. The geography doesn’t let us be anything other than careful.

How the Mountaintop Zipline Tour Is Designed With the Land in Mind

Our Mountaintop Zipline Tour includes 11 adventures in a single guided experience: dual side-by-side ziplines, three aerial bridges, a controlled rappel, and a scenic UTV ride that gains over 400 vertical feet. It runs about two hours, and almost every design choice behind it connects back to minimizing our footprint while maximizing what guests get to see and feel.

Shared Transportation That Reduces Individual Impact

The UTV ride to the upper platforms isn’t just fun, it’s a deliberate logistical choice. Instead of guests driving personal vehicles up a narrow mountain road (more exhaust, more road wear, more parking infrastructure needed at the top), a single shared vehicle carries the group along a maintained route. One trip up, one trip down, controlled speed, controlled path. Compare that to a scenario where every family drives their own car to a mountaintop overlook: the difference in fuel consumption, road erosion, and habitat disturbance adds up fast, especially across thousands of tours a year.

The route itself was designed to follow existing terrain contours rather than cutting new switchbacks into the mountainside. That matters for soil stability and for the root systems of the hardwoods that hold the slope together. You might not notice it as a guest, but the path you’re riding was planned with the mountain’s drainage patterns and tree canopy in mind.

An Innovative Braking System That Reduces Wear and Waste

Here’s a detail most people don’t think about: traditional zipline setups often require hand braking, which means more physical intervention, more friction on cables, more frequent cable replacement, and more wear on gloves and gear that eventually end up as waste. Our system doesn’t require hand braking for guests at all. The innovative braking technology handles deceleration automatically, which extends the life of our cables, reduces the volume of consumable gear, and (as a bonus), makes the experience accessible to people who might not have the grip strength or confidence for manual braking.

Less equipment turnover means less material heading to a landfill. It’s a small thing that scales up when you’re running tours six days a week, year-round.

Small Groups and Guided Format

We run small-group guided tours rather than high-volume, self-directed experiences. That means a trained guide is with your group the entire time, managing transitions, hooking up all safety equipment, and keeping the group on designated paths and platforms. This concentrated, supervised format means we’re not spreading visitor impact across a wide area. Guests don’t wander off-trail. They don’t leave gear behind on platforms. They don’t accidentally trample sensitive vegetation because they missed a sign.

Our expert staff handles every equipment hookup and transfer, which means there’s no fumbling with gear, no dropped hardware on the forest floor, and no need for the kind of sprawling instructional infrastructure (massive signage, paved walkways between every station) that a self-guided operation would require.

Rain-or-Shine Operations Cut Waste From Cancellations

CLIMB Works operates rain or shine. We only pause for lightning or sustained winds over 35 mph — conditions our staff monitors in real time from the mountain, not from a weather app. This isn’t just a convenience for guests; it’s an environmental consideration. When tours cancel frequently due to light rain, you get a cascade of waste: rescheduled trips mean extra driving, idling vehicles, duplicated logistics, and the frustration-driven tendency to fill the gap with some other, potentially less sustainable activity. By running through normal weather, we keep the schedule tight and the waste low.

If a weather closure does happen, guests get a reschedule or full refund — no arguments, no fine print. You can read the full booking and cancellation policy for details.

Visiting Responsibly: What Guests Can Do

Eco tourism isn’t just about what operators do, it’s also about the choices visitors make. Here’s how you can keep your Smokies trip as low-impact as possible, starting with your CLIMB Works tour.

Pack Light and Use the Free Lockers

No backpacks are allowed on the tour (except for essential medications), and we provide free lockers for keys and small items. This isn’t just a safety rule, it’s a leave-no-trace practice. Fewer personal items on the course means nothing gets dropped off a platform or blown into the canopy. It means guides aren’t searching for water bottles among the brush after a tour, keeping our activity as low-waste, low-litter as possible.

Book Ahead to Reduce Operational Waste

This one’s practical and environmental: booking at least five days ahead during peak season (especially October) isn’t just smart for availability, it helps us manage our tour capacity efficiently. Last-minute no-shows and cancellations create waste in the form of unused capacity, staff and vehicle time that can’t be recovered, and the downstream effect of guests scrambling to rebook at less-than-ideal times. When our tours run at planned capacity, everything operates more efficiently, meaning less idling, less redundancy, less waste across the board.

You can book online 24/7 or call (865) 325-8116. Our cancellation policy is straightforward: 48+ hours out gets you a full refund or reschedule. Within 48 hours, it’s final.

How to Plan Your Eco-Friendly Smokies Trip with CLIMB Works

Putting together a low-impact Smokies itinerary doesn’t require a spreadsheet. A few practical decisions go a long way.

Arrive 40 minutes early for your tour. This is required — late arrivals forfeit the tour with no refund — but it’s also good eco practice. When guests arrive on time, we avoid idling vehicles, rushed logistics, and the cascade of small inefficiencies that come from running behind. You’ll check in, get your gear, use the restrooms (there are none on the tour itself), and stash your stuff in a free locker. It’s a smooth, low-stress start.

Bring the whole family. The Mountaintop Zipline Tour welcomes ages 5 and up, and kids under 70 lbs can ride tandem with a guide or sibling. That means one experience, one group, one trip — rather than splitting up and doubling your logistics. Kids ages 5–14 need an adult on the tour; ages 15+ can go independently. There are height requirements (42 inches minimum, 6’8″ max) and weight limits (270 lbs, or 250 lbs if under 5’10”), so check those when you book.

Combine with rafting for a full day. Our Smoky Mountain Outdoors combo packages pair ziplining with whitewater rafting — two eco-friendly activities, one day, minimal driving. It’s genuinely the best way to fill a full adventure day without adding to Gatlinburg’s traffic congestion or expanding your environmental footprint across multiple locations.

Stay in the corridor. If you’re lodging in Gatlinburg or the surrounding area, try to cluster your activities geographically. CLIMB Works, the park, Laurel Falls, downtown Gatlinburg — all within a short drive of each other. You don’t need to crisscross three counties to have a great trip. And every mile you don’t drive is a little less exhaust drifting into the hollows.

Making Eco Tourism Real, Not Just Aspirational

The phrase “eco tourism” gets thrown around a lot, sometimes by businesses that slap a green label on the same old operation. We’d rather let the details speak: a location bordered on three sides by the national park, a tour designed to move with the mountain instead of reshaping it, a braking system that extends equipment life, a partnership network that keeps visitors exploring deeply instead of driving endlessly, and a team that’s been watching this particular stretch of the Smokies through every season for years.

If you’re planning a Smokies trip and want it to feel good in more ways than one, our Mountaintop Zipline Tour is a solid place to start – not because we’re telling you it is, but because you’ll be 400 feet up a mountain, looking out at one of the most biodiverse forests in the world, and knowing the experience was built with conservation and protection in mind.

CLIMB Works

Gatlinburg Vacation Ideas: Top Things to Do in 2026

Gatlinburg sits in a narrow valley at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains, and it punches way above its weight for a town of about 4,000 year-round residents. If you’re gathering Gatlinburg vacation ideas for 2026, you’re in the right place — we’ve spent years showing people these mountains from 150 feet up, and we’ve picked up a few opinions about what’s worth your time on the ground, too. This guide covers the outdoor adventures, family attractions, scenic drives, restaurants, and practical planning details you actually need to build a trip that doesn’t feel like a checklist.

Why Gatlinburg Is the Ultimate Smoky Mountain Vacation Destination

Here’s what makes Gatlinburg different from other mountain tourist towns: you can walk out of a candy shop, drive eight minutes, and be standing in genuine wilderness inside the most visited national park in America. That combination of small-town walkability and direct national park access is hard to find anywhere else in the eastern U.S.

Photo by Denil Dominic

The town works for basically everyone. Families with young kids can fill a week without running out of things to do. Couples looking for a slower pace can build a trip around scenic drives, craft distilleries, and long dinners. And if your group wants to spend every waking hour outside — hiking, ziplining, rafting — Gatlinburg is happy to oblige. The Smoky Mountains don’t care whether you’re a hardcore hiker or someone who just wants to sit on a cabin porch and watch fog roll through the valley. There’s room for all of it.

One thing worth knowing up front: Gatlinburg is a gateway town, not just a destination. The best things to do here involve the mountains around it as much as the town itself. Plan accordingly.

Outdoor Adventures That Define a Gatlinburg Vacation

Let’s be honest, if you come to Gatlinburg and don’t spend time outside, you’re missing the point. The town is charming, sure, but the Smoky Mountain outdoor activities are what make this place special. And here’s a tip that surprises a lot of first-time visitors: most outdoor adventures here operate in conditions that would cancel activities in other destinations. Rain? Overcast? A little chilly? That’s just Tuesday in the Smokies. Don’t let a imperfect forecast keep you indoors.

Ziplining Through the Smoky Mountain Canopy

We run a Mountaintop tour at CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains that we’re (understandably) biased about, but here are the facts and you can decide for yourself: 6 ziplines, 3 sky bridges, and a rappel finish, with the highest line reaching 200 feet above the forest floor. The whole experience takes about 2 hours, which makes it a natural half-day anchor for your itinerary. Do it in the morning and you’ve still got a full afternoon ahead.

A few practical details for planning purposes:

– Requirements: Maximum 270lbs if you’re over 5’10, 250lbs if you’re 5’9 or below. You must be at least 5 years old and 42 inches tall to participate. If you weigh under 70 lbs, you may be required to ride tandem with a guide or a lightweight sibling.
– Weather policy: We operate rain or shine. The only things that shut us down are lightning and sustained winds above 35 mph, which is rare. A misty morning ziplining through cloud-wrapped forest canopy? That’s honestly one of the best versions of the experience.
– Plan Ahead: Book early in your trip. If you schedule it for day one or two, you’ve got flexibility to shift if you happen to hit one of those rare lightning days. Plus, it sets the tone. There’s something about starting a vacation 150 feet above the trees that recalibrates your whole week. Everything afterward feels a little more vivid.

Hiking the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The park has over 800 miles of trails, which can feel paralyzing when you’re trying to pick one. Here’s how we’d break it down:

For families and casual hikers: The Laurel Falls trail just reopened in Spring 2026 after a two-year renovation, and it’s better than ever. The 2.6-mile round trip now features a fully paved walkway and a new viewing platform at the falls. It’s the most accessible waterfall hike in the park, and the upgrade means strollers and folks with mobility concerns can enjoy it too. Get there before 9 AM if you’re visiting June through October – it’s popular for good reason.

For moderate hikers: Alum Cave Trail (4.4 miles round trip to the bluffs) offers dramatic rock formations and arch bridges without requiring a full-day commitment. Grotto Falls (2.6 miles round trip) lets you walk behind the waterfall, which kids absolutely lose their minds over.

For the ambitious: Charlies Bunion via the Appalachian Trail is a 8-mile round trip with elevation gain that’ll remind you what your legs are for, but the payoff is worth every step.

Photo by: Beth Fitzpatrick

Pro tips that actually matter:

– Arrive at trailheads before 8 AM during summer and fall. Parking fills up and doesn’t turn over quickly.
– Pack layers regardless of the forecast. Elevation changes of 2,000+ feet mean the temperature at a summit can be 10–15°F cooler than the trailhead.
– Check the NPS website or call the Sugarlands Visitor Center for current trail conditions. Closures happen, especially after heavy rain.

Whitewater Rafting, Horseback Riding, and More

The Smokies’ outdoor adventure menu goes well beyond hiking and ziplining:

Whitewater rafting on the Pigeon River is a half-day commitment (plan 3–4 hours including transport). Our rafting partner, Smoky Mountain Outdoors (SMO), runs trips on both the Upper and Lower Pigeon. The Upper section has Class III and IV rapids for thrill-seekers, while the Lower section is a gentler float suitable for families with younger kids. We actually offer package deals with SMO, which is worth looking into if you want to stack a ziplining morning with a rafting afternoon.

Horseback riding through Cades Cove gives you the pastoral, wide-valley version of the Smokies. Think open meadows, historic cabins, and the chance to spot deer and wild turkeys. Several outfitters run guided rides lasting 45 minutes to a couple hours.

River tubing on the Little Pigeon River runs right through the edge of town and works best in summer when water levels cooperate. It’s low-key, low-cost, and takes about 1–2 hours.

Fishing in the park’s streams is excellent for smallmouth bass and rainbow trout. You don’t need a Tennessee state fishing license inside park boundaries, just a valid park fishing permit, which is free. (Yes, really.)

Family-Friendly Gatlinburg Attractions

When you need a break from the trails, or the weather turns ugly, Gatlinburg’s indoor attractions are better than they have any right to be for a town this size.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies consistently ranks among the top aquariums in the country, and it’s not just hype. The shark tunnel and penguin exhibit will hold kids’ attention for 2–3 hours easily. It’s right on the Parkway, so you can walk to lunch afterward.

Anakeesta is a mountaintop theme park accessible by gondola, with treetop walks, a mountain coaster, and genuinely good views. Budget 3–4 hours. It’s pricey (check their site for current rates), but the kids-to-entertainment ratio is strong.

Gatlinburg SkyLift Park takes you 1,800 feet up via chairlift to SkyBridge, one of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in North America. The glass floor panels in the middle section are a fun litmus test for who in your family handles heights well. (It’s always the person you least expect.)

For rainy-day backup plans, the Gatlinburg Space Needle observation deck and the mirror maze attractions along the Parkway are solid 1–2 hour fills. The key is not over-scheduling these. Group two or three walkable downtown attractions into a single afternoon and save your main days for the mountains.

Scenic Drives and Sightseeing

Not every great Gatlinburg experience requires hiking boots or an adventure booking. Some of the best moments happen through a car window (or standing at an overlook catching your breath).

Kuwohi in the fog

Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a one-way, 5.5-mile loop that starts right at the edge of Gatlinburg. It winds past old-growth forest, hist

oric homesteads, and several trailheads. No RVs or buses allowed, which keeps it feeling intimate. Budget 45 minutes if you’re just driving; longer if you stop to explore.

Newfound Gap Road (US-441) crosses the park from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC, climbing to 5,046 feet at Newfound Gap. The overlooks along the way are stunning, and on clear days you can see for 100 miles. The drive takes about an hour one-way without stops, but you’ll want to stop.

Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) is the highest point in the Smokies at 6,643 feet. The half-mile walk from the parking area to the observation tower is steep but paved, and the 360-degree views from the top are the kind you remember. Keep in mind, the road to Kuwohi closes December through March, so plan accordingly if you’re visiting in winter.

Traffic tips: During peak season (June–August and October), avoid driving Newfound Gap Road between 10 AM and 3 PM. Early morning departures, we’re talking 7:30 AM, reward you with lighter traffic, better light for photos, and a higher chance of wildlife sightings.

Where to Eat and Shop in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg’s food scene isn’t going to win any James Beard awards, but it has genuine personality. And the shopping, particularly once you get off the main drag, is better than you’d expect.

Eating: Pancake houses are a Gatlinburg institution. The Pancake Pantry on the Parkway has been open since 1960 and there’s usually a line, but it moves fast and the buckwheat pancakes are the real deal. For dinner, The Peddler Steakhouse sits right on the river and lets you pick your own cut from a salad-bar-style meat display (trust us, it works). If you want something more casual, Smoky Mountain Brewery has solid pub food and locally brewed beer.

Drinking: Don’t sleep on the craft distilleries. Sugarlands Distilling Company and Ole Smoky Moonshine both offer cheap tastings on the Parkway. Even if moonshine isn’t your thing, it’s worth ducking in for the experience.

Shopping: Skip the generic souvenir shops (or don’t — no judgment) and head to The Village Shops, a European-style shopping area tucked off the Parkway with about 27 boutiques. For something truly unique, drive the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, an 8-mile loop east of town where over 100 artisans sell handmade pottery, leather goods, brooms, candles, and woodwork from their own studios. It’s the largest independent artisan community in North America, and it feels nothing like a tourist trap.

Photo by Denil Dominic

The natural move: pair dinner and a downtown stroll after a full day outdoors. The Parkway at dusk has a different energy than it does at noon. It’s mellower, more atmospheric, and slightly less crowded.

How to Plan Your Gatlinburg Vacation Itinerary

Most visitors stay 3–5 days, and three full days hits the sweet spot for a first trip. Here’s a sample itinerary that balances adventure, sightseeing, and downtime:

Day 1: Adventure Day

– Morning: CLIMB Works canopy tour (book the earliest time slot; you’ll beat the heat and have the rest of the day open). Plan for about2.5 hours start to finish.
– Afternoon: Laurel Falls hike (2.6 miles round trip, 1.5–2 hours with photo stops). Drive time from CLIMB Works to the trailhead is about 20 minutes.
– Evening: Dinner at The Peddler, then walk the Parkway for ice cream or a moonshine tasting.

Day 2: Park Exploration Day

– Morning: Drive Newfound Gap Road to Kuwohi. Leave by 7:30 AM. Plan 3–4 hours round trip including the summit walk.
– Afternoon: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail on the way back into town (~45 min), then a late lunch downtown.
– Evening: Explore the Arts & Crafts Community loop (shops close around 5–6 PM, so time it right) or relax at your cabin.

Day 3: Family Fun Day

– Morning: Ripley’s Aquarium (2–3 hours) or Anakeesta (3–4 hours).
– Afternoon: River tubing if it’s summer, or Gatlinburg SkyLift Park for the bridge walk.
– Evening: The Village Shops, dinner at Smoky Mountain Brewery, and whatever strikes your fancy on the Parkway.

Planning tips that save headaches:

– Book adventure activities and popular restaurants as early as possible, especially during peak fall foliage (mid-October) and summer weekends. Things sell out.
– Schedule your must-do outdoor activities early in the trip. Since things like ziplining run in almost all weather, you’re likely fine, but having a buffer day means nothing gets missed if plans shift.
– Save indoor attractions as backup options, not scheduled activities. You probably won’t need them, but knowing they’re there takes the stress out of a rainy morning.

Best Time to Visit Gatlinburg

There’s really no bad time to visit, but each season delivers a different trip:

Spring (April–May): Wildflowers, waterfalls at peak flow, mild temps (50s–70s). Moderate Synchronous fireflies event in late May/early June requires a lottery; make sure to plan way ahead

Summer (June–August): Full activity menu, long days, swimming holes. Make sure to arrive at trailheads before 8 AM or expect parking headaches.

Fall (September–November): Foliage peaks mid-October, crisp air, harvest festivals. Book accommodations months in advance for October; it’s one of Gatlinburg’s busiest months.

Winter (December–February): Holiday lights, smaller crowds, lower prices, occasional snow. Some seasonal attractions close, but winter hiking is peaceful.

The insider move: Late September and late April are the shoulder-season sweet spots. Comfortable temperatures, manageable crowds, and full access to outdoor activities. Most adventure experiences, including ziplining, operate year-round, so you’re not giving up much by avoiding peak dates.

However you build your Gatlinburg trip, the thing we’d encourage most is leaving room in your schedule for the unplanned stuff — the overlook you didn’t know about, the trail that catches your eye, the extra hour on the cabin porch because the sunset is doing something ridiculous over the ridgeline. The mountains have been here for 300 million years. They’re not in a hurry, and your vacation shouldn’t be either.

And if you want to see all of it from 200 feet up, we know a place.

CLIMB Works

Best Unique Outdoor Activities Near Pigeon Forge

Planning a family trip to Pigeon Forge? With so many attractions packed into one destination, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the usual lineup of crowded mountain coasters, busy museums, and high-traffic tourist spots. While the area is known for its high-energy entertainment, it also offers some unique, family-friendly outdoor experiences that feel a little more off the radar.

These hidden gems give families the chance to slow down, spread out, and take in the natural beauty of the Smokies without the crowds. Whether you’re traveling with young kids, teens, or a mix of both, these outdoor adventures near Pigeon Forge are perfect for creating meaningful, lasting memories together.

Zipline at CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains

If your family is looking for a little adrenaline paired with incredible mountain views, ziplining is a must-do activity. At CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains, families can experience the thrill of soaring through the treetops in a safe, guided environment designed for all experience levels.

Expert guides lead you through every step of the adventure, making it easy for first-timers to feel comfortable and confident. Along the way, you’ll cross rope bridges, take in panoramic views, and share a one-of-a-kind experience that stands out from the more crowded attractions in the area. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, nature, and quality time together.

Whitewater Rafting on the Pigeon River with Smoky Mountain Outdoors

For families with older kids or teens, whitewater rafting is an unforgettable way to bond and add some excitement to your trip. Guided rafting trips with Smoky Mountain Outdoors make the experience approachable and safe, even for beginners.

These guided trips offer the perfect mix of fun and adventure, all while giving you a unique perspective of the Smoky Mountains from the water. It’s a refreshing break from traditional sightseeing and a great way to experience the outdoors together.

Easy Scenic Hikes in the National Park

Not every adventure needs to be high-speed. The Smokies are filled with easy, family-friendly hiking trails where you can slow down and explore at your own pace.

Some great options include:

Cosby Nature Trail – An easy, one-mile loop in the quieter Cosby area of the park

Laurel Falls Trail – A short, paved hike leading to one of the park’s most popular waterfalls

Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome) – A paved path that rewards you with incredible panoramic mountain views

These trails are perfect for kids to spot wildlife, splash in streams, and connect with nature in a hands-on way.

Biking Through Scenic Spots Like Cades Cove

Looking for a more laid-back outdoor activity? Biking is a great way to explore the Smokies at your own pace. The loop at Cades Cove is especially popular with families thanks to its relatively flat terrain and breathtaking scenery.

As you ride, keep an eye out for deer, wild turkeys, and even black bears (from a safe distance, of course). It’s a peaceful, immersive way to experience the natural side of the Smoky Mountains.

Make the Most of Your Family Trip to Pigeon Forge

One of the best things about visiting Pigeon Forge is the variety of experiences available for every type of traveler. By mixing in these unique outdoor activities, you can step away from the crowds and create more meaningful moments together.

Whether you’re ziplining through the treetops, hiking to waterfalls, or navigating the river as a team, these are the kinds of experiences your family will be talking about long after the trip ends.

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Why CLIMB Works Keana Farms Is the Best Zipline Experience for Families on Oahu

If you’re planning a family adventure on Oahu’s North Shore, ziplining is likely at the top of your list. With several options available, it can be tough to decide which experience is truly worth your time (and money).

The truth is, all zipline tours provide a similar experience, but only one company tops the list when it comes to safety, variety, and overall experience. CLIMB Works Keana Farms has consistently stood out as the best choice for families, and here’s why.

More Than Just Ziplining

Many zipline tours offer a few lines and call it a day. At CLIMB Works Keana Farms, your family gets a 2.5 hour experience that goes far beyond just zipping from platform to platform.

This experience includes 8 dual ziplines (so you can ride side-by-side), 3 sky bridges, 2 controlled rappels, and an off-road UTV ride through the lush jungle terrain. Instead of feeling rushed, families get a variety-packed experience that keeps kids, teens, and adults engaged the entire time.

Designed Specifically for Families

One of the biggest differences between CLIMB Works and other North Shore zipline companies is how family-focused the experience is. At CLIMB Works, the side-by-side ziplines let parents and kids ride next to each other at the same time, reducing fear and increasing fun. The tour is fully guided, meaning trained staff are with you every step of the way. Guides are known for being encouraging, educational, and entertaining, helping even nervous first-timers feel confident.

Industry-Leading Safety You Can Trust

Safety is often the #1 concern for families, and this is where CLIMB Works truly shines. Unlike many zipline operators that rely on manual braking, CLIMB Works uses an advanced, automatic braking system that reduces the risk of user error and injury. On top of that, all of the tours are professionally guided and supervised, and safety gear is provided and properly fitted to each individual.

The experience is designed to be 100% safe and easy, even for beginners. Because of this, parents can relax and enjoy the tour knowing that their family is in good hands.

Unmatched Views of Oahu’s North Shore

While other zipline tours may offer forest views or short runs, CLIMB Works delivers panoramic views of Oahu’s most beautiful scenery.

From over 400 feet above sea level, you’ll see:

The North Shore coastline
The Koʻolau Mountains
Lush tropical farmland

This elevated perspective gives families a completely unique view of Oahu, far beyond what you’d see from the road.

Consistently Top-Rated by Guests

With thousands of glowing reviews, CLIMB Works has built a reputation as one of the top-rated zipline experiences on Oahu.

Guests frequently highlight the friendly, supportive guides that stick with you for the entirety of the tour, and the perfect mix of thrill and comfort that CLIMB Works provides. Many families even describe it as the highlight of their Hawaii trip.

The Verdict: The Best Zipline Tour for Families on Oahu

If you’re looking for a zipline adventure that’s thrilling, beginner-friendly, packed with variety, and fun for the entire family, then CLIMB Works Keana Farms is the clear choice.

Book today for the experience of a lifetime.

CLIMB Works

How to Prepare for Your Winter Zipline Tour in Gatlinburg

Ziplining in Gatlinburg is one of the best ways to experience the beauty of the Smoky Mountains, regardless of season. Every season has its own unique reasons for being special, especially winter. While the brisk weather might deter some from choosing to zipline, there are a few easy ways to prepare so your experience is not only comfortable, but unforgettable. Here are a few ways to prepare for your CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains zipline tour this winter:

Check the Weather Prior to Coming

The first thing that you should do when planning your trip to CLIMB Works is check the weather. About a week before the day you want to zipline, check the weather so you know how to prepare. Temperatures in Gatlinburg during the winter can be unpredictable, varying from low 20°s to as high as 60°. You’ll also want to check for wind chill and precipitation, as the temperature can feel drastically different with high winds or precipitation. Keep in mind that the temperature will feel colder as you’re zipping, so you may want to bring an extra layer to ensure your comfort throughout the tour. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare for your tour is the best way to ensure that you have the best, most comfortable zipline experience.

Book Your Tour Ahead of Time

We highly recommend planning ahead and booking your zipline tour in advance either online or over the phone. While CLIMB Works welcomes walk-ins, we are ultimately reservation-based. In the winter, our Smoky Mountain location operates on fewer days compared to our busier seasons, so reserving your spots on a tour ahead of time is the best way to ensure that you can book for the day and time that you prefer.

What to Wear

The most important thing to consider when deciding what to wear for your zipline tour is how comfortable you will be in the clothing. There are parts of the tour that require climbing staircases and crossing floating bridges, so make sure you’re wearing clothes that allow for moderate levels of activity.

Rather than wearing jeans, opt for leggings or sweatpants to allow you to be mobile while staying warm. With the colder winter temperatures, long sleeves and/or insulated jackets are highly recommended. Zipping through the air tends to feel colder than standing still because of the wind, so wearing a windbreaker is also a good idea to counteract some of the windchill. Accessories such as beanies, gloves, and scarves are also recommended to keep warm. All participants are required to wear closed-toed shoes, and this is especially important during the winter season, not only for safety reasons, but also to keep you warm. Thick or double layered socks to keep the warmth in your feet will keep you insulated.

At CLIMB Works, we will do everything we can to ensure that you have the most comfortable, exciting experience from the minute you walk through the door to when you leave. We keep spare gloves, socks, and hand warmers to loan to participants who need them. We also have a stock of sweatshirts, hoodies, rain jackets, winter gloves, beanies, and neck gators available for purchase in the lobby.

So, are you ready for the most exhilarating winter experience of your life? Book with us today and create memories that will last a lifetime!

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More Than a Zipline: How CLIMB Works Keana Farms Connects You to Oahu’s Culture and Land

The North Shore of O’ahu is saturated with rich Polynesian history, vibrant culture, and a sense of community unlike any other place. CLIMB Works Keana Farms calls O’ahu home, and our zipline tours are more than just a thrilling experience; they’re an opportunity to celebrate and preserve the land and immerse our guests in Hawaiian culture. Our goal is to spread aloha with every person that zips with us, and we hope that each guest leaves with a newfound sense of respect and appreciation for the land. Here’s a few ways that we connect each of our tours with Oahu’s abundant culture and history.

Witness a Fully-Functioning Farm From a New Perspective

CLIMB Works Keana Farms is located on a fully-operational, 450 acre farm that produces over a million pounds of produce every year. Throughout the zipline tour, you’ll see crops like Vietnamese curry leaf, papayas, taro, apple bananas, ti leaf, cherry tomatoes, and more. The majority of these crops stay on the island, keeping the practice of self sustainability that the native Hawaiians once had. When available, samples of the farm’s produce are stationed throughout the course for visitors to try. As you zip over the farm, take a moment to appreciate the farmers that work long hours every day to sustain the people of O’ahu.

Learn All About Hawaiian History and Culture

Our zipline tours are structured to be not only a fun and exciting experience, but an opportunity to educate visitors about Hawaii’s rich history. Our guides are knowledgeable in Hawaiian history and are happy to answer any questions that may come up during the tour. Located throughout the course are a number of different plaques that explain important facts about the land, such as the ahupua’a system, which is the traditional Hawaiian system of land division that runs from the mountain to the sea. There’s also information about the native Hawaiian language, the origin of the Shaka, and important people in Hawaii’s history. After your tour, you’ll have gained so much knowledge about O’ahu and its incredible history.

CLIMB Works Keana Farms is committed to preserving and appreciating Hawaiian culture in every way possible. Our goal is to ensure that everyone who zips with us will leave with a newfound understanding and respect for the land and people. If you’re looking for an exciting and educational experience on the North Shore, book a tour today at CLIMB Works Keana Farms!

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Is Ziplining in Gatlinburg Safe? How CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains Keeps You Secure

Ziplining in Gatlinburg is one of the most thrilling ways to experience the Great Smoky Mountains’ incredible scenery, but it’s natural to wonder, “Is ziplining safe?” The short answer is yes, absolutely, especially when you choose CLIMB Works. CLIMB Works is the area’s top-rated zipline experience, and for a good reason. Known for its state-of-the-art braking system, professional and knowledgeable guides, and top-notch equipment, CLIMB Works prides itself on being the safest zipline experience in the Gatlinburg area without sacrificing fun. Here are some of the ways the CLIMB Works prioritizes safety throughout the two hour experience.

Every tour is accompanied by three trained guides

At no point during your tour will you be expected to attach or detach your own equipment. Each tour group will have three guides assigned to the tour; two Receiver guides and one Sender guide. Your Receivers will be responsible for utilizing the braking system to bring you to a stop and disconnecting your equipment from the line after your zips. Your Sender will safely hook you up to the lines and let you know when you are good to zip. Our experienced guides will ensure that you are properly attached to the course at all times throughout your tour.

All equipment is industry-recognized and regularly maintained

At CLIMB Works, safety begins long before you begin your zipline experience. All of the gear, including the harnesses, helmets, and trolleys are inspected before every tour. This goes for the on-course equipment as well, including the zipline cables, braking systems, safety tethers, and carabiners. Any equipment that shows signs of wear is promptly either fixed or retired. Every morning, guides perform a safety inspection by zipping through the course and thoroughly checking all equipment. In addition to daily safety inspections, a certified third-party inspector for Tennessee inspects the course annually, ensuring that all equipment is up to the safety standards of the industry.

Every tour starts with a comprehensive safety briefing

Prior to beginning your zipline tour, your guides will go over a thorough safety briefing with the group. They will give you all the information you need to stay safe and secure throughout the experience, including describing the equipment being used and what you can do to ensure your safety and comfort throughout the experience. Because your guides are with you during all parts of the tour, they are prepared to answer any and all questions that you may have about safety on course.

Overall, CLIMB Works prioritizes safety while ensuring that the thrill isn’t sacrificed. Between our experienced guides, top-notch equipment, regular maintenance, and thorough safety protocols, CLIMB Works tops the list of safe and exciting zipline tours in the Gatlinburg area. So, if you’re ready for the adventure of a lifetime, book a tour today!

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Smoky Mountains

A Weekend In The Smokies

Planning a vacation can be very exciting. What are we going to do? Where are we going to stay? What are the top-rated sites and where are the hidden gems? Here at CLIMB Works, we would like to simplify that process for you and suggest the perfect weekend getaway for you.

Limited to one weekend?

If you only have a weekend to spend here, you don’t want to wear yourself out with too many activities, but also want to spend your time wisely. Although you might not be able to do it all in one weekend, you can hit the top attractions easily in one weekend.

Vacationing in the Mountains

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are without a doubt, worth visiting (or at least passing through). But if you are like us, you really just want to escape to one of the world’s most iconic mountain ranges, the Appalachians. Here we will show you the ideal trip for a weekend in the Smokies.

Where to stay

You’re in the mountains, get a cozy cabin! Airbnb and Vrbo offer a variety of homes and experiences that will be unique to you. This allows you to customize your location, needs, and amenities. It is the best way to find the right fit for you and your crew. Looking at a map you can see where the stay will be in comparison to where you are going. We suggest browsing along the Great Smoky Mountains National Park border between Cosby and Townsend.

What to do

For a weekend trip arriving on Friday, we suggest getting settled in the cabin, playing some games, and going to get some delicious food! Some of our favorites from Pigeon Forge include The Local Goat, Smoky Mountain Brewery, and The Blue Moose. The Blue Moose’s Big Daddy Mac ‘N Cheese Burger is worth trying.

Start Saturday morning bright and early with CLIMB Works Mountain Top Zipline Tour. Early morning views of the sun rising and birds peacefully chirping are hard to beat. After the 2-hour guided tour, head over to Hartford Tennessee for some afternoon rafting. Stop at 321 Doc’s Café for a unique Tennessee BBQ experience or The Bean Trees restaurant just off the river. Smoky Mountain Outdoors offers the longest rafting along the river for an afternoon rafting experience.

On Sunday, we suggest taking a day to drive through the park and visiting Clingman’s Dome along Newfound Gap. If you’re looking for more, head to Cades Cove, taking a stop to hike into Abram’s falls. This combines the park’s most iconic vista with 360 degree views, a wonderful scenic drive with lush forests, bear sightings, and our favorite waterfall to finish the day off.

Book your zipline and rafting package by clicking the link below for our package discount!

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