A Forest Playground Set in the Smoky Mountains
While I planned a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, known for the beautiful Smoky Mountains, I intentionally traveled there to visit a place called “Anakeesta.” While it sounds like the name of a prehistoric dinosaur in an action film, it’s actually an award-winning 70-acre mountain adventure park located 600 feet above downtown Gatlinburg.
However, Anakeesta did not attract me for the adventurous rollercoasters, ziplines, or other amusement park type rides, it was a “skywalk” that I kept seeing over and over on social media. I just had to see it for myself in person and take a walk on it.
America’s Longest Sky Tree Top Walk
Anakeesta means “place of high ground” in Cherokee. The park spans over 70 acres of pristine mountain terrain, offering spectacular views, attractions, and nature experiences. The park ticket allowed us to enjoy all day, unlimited access.
The Treetop Skywalk features 16 hanging bridges spanning 880 feet long and suspended 50 to 60 feet in the air. But first, we had to get up to the top of the mountain by taking either the “chondola,” a chairlift, or a ridge rambler open air truck. The ridge rambler truck seemed like the more comfortable option as it was more of a scenic guided tour through the forest as we drove to the summit of Anakeesta. Once up top, we started by heading up to the top of the AnaVista Tower. The 360-degree views were truly breathtaking. Next, we took a leisurely stroll among the pathways in the lush botanical Vista Gardens and arboretum.
Now for the best part, my reason for visiting Anakeesta exceeded our expectations.
We walked the Treetop Skywalk both during the day and evening, two different experiences. During the day, the green lush trees are a sight to behold. Then, after sunset, the Treetop Skywalk lights up. At the same time, the Astra Lumina Enchanted Night Walk Amongst the Stars, a laser celestial pathway, also opens to make the night visit something unique, unforgettable, and simply the highlight of Gatlinburg.
Just one note: Astra Lumina is an extra fee added to the cost of your Anakeesta entry ticket. Also, you get to pick an evening time slot for your walk on the pathway.
Where to Stay in Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg is not a big town but there is lots to do like delicious restaurants, museums, shopping, an aquarium, and live entertainment. There are also quite a few accommodations to choose from. During my research, I was immediately attracted to The Appy Lodge, located about a half mile from the downtown Gatlinburg area and near to neighboring Pigeon Forge.
The Appy Lodge in Gatlinburg
The Appy Lodge was named for the “Appalachian Trail” not an abbreviation for the word “appetizer.” It’s a locally owned and operated hotel and is set among the Smoky Mountains National Park. It underwent a $5 million renovation in 2018, so it was quite impressive.
The hotel theme is based on the Appalachian Trail along with the nostalgic red and black colors of flannel clothing. The lodge is filled with historical photos, stories, and other reference material making it feel as much as a museum as it is a lodge with guest rooms. In fact, even the guest rooms are named after shelters found along the Appalachian Trail, each name proudly featured on the room’s nameplate. Yes, I’m a history nerd so I found the story of the Appalachian Trail fascinating.
The Appy Lodge is located steps away from amazing Gatlinburg attractions and entertainment. While we chose not to, you can even hike the Appalachian Trail.
The Ultimate in Rustic Comfort: The Appy Lodge Guest Rooms
The Appy Lodge provided us with all the necessities for a relaxing getaway in Gatlinburg. We stayed in a King Balcony Room featuring the most beautiful hickory furniture and an amazing view of the mountains. The hardwood floors added a nice touch as did the fully tiled walk-in shower and granite countertops.
As we noticed in the room and around the lodge, all areas were exceptionally clean and well-maintained. The room was spacious, the bed was soft and comfortable, and the room was quiet helping us sleep well each night.
Room types:
:: King Balcony Room
:: King Fireplace Guest Room
:: King Suite
:: Executive Two Queen Room
:: Two Queen Balcony Room
:: Two Queen Guest Room
Room amenities:
:: Walk-in shower
:: Hair dryer
:: Microwave
:: Refrigerator
:: Ironing board
:: Keurig Coffee Maker
The Apply Lodge Amenities
The Appy Lodge provides a comfortable, homey atmosphere for guests. Each staff member that we encountered during our stay was extremely outgoing and friendly. It also offers a free continental breakfast, an indoor pool and hot tub, a seasonal outdoor pool with a waterslide, and more. The breakfast is not fancy, but much appreciated, and we were satisfied with a bagel, oatmeal, coffee, tea, juice, and other breakfast offerings. There were refreshments offered in the afternoon when we returned from sightseeing. Free guest parking was another nice perk as was the onsite trolley stop just steps away from the lodge, for a quick, free trolley ride to the downtown area.
Other lodge amenities include:
:: Guest laundry facility
:: Fitness center
:: 24-hour market
:: Conference room
And, while there’s a large stuffed black bear in the lobby that makes for a great souvenir photo, there are real bears and other wildlife roaming around the area. No doubt, I was a bit out of my comfort zone walking outdoors.
Things to Do Nearby The Appy Lodge
You can eat, drink, visit attractions, and shop. The Village Shops offered stores selling handmade artwork, pottery, jewelry, leather goods, and souvenirs to remember your trip to Gatlinburg. There’s even a miniature golf course right next to the lodge. We took the free trolley, so we did not have to move our parked car to go downtown.
We loved the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium.” However, as an avid television watcher, the Hollywood Star Cars Museum was my favorite. It was fun to see automobiles from famous TV shows and movies like the General Lee Dodge Charger driven on The Dukes of Hazzard.
Dining in Gatlinburg and at Anakeesta
While we walked around downtown Gatlinburg, we enjoyed delicious omelets for brunch at Crockett’s Breakfast Camp and Smoked Short Ribs and Beef Wellington for dinner at The Greenbrier Restaurant.
During our Anakeesta visit, we stopped in at the Kephart Café and the Clifftop Restaurant. The Kephart Café was a convenient, walk-up pizza restaurant so we grabbed our pizza and sodas for a quick lunch. For dinner, we enjoyed delicious gourmet burgers at the Clifftop Restaurant. Mimi’s Creamery provided us with the best afternoon snack of Bluebell hand-dipped sea salt caramel ice cream. The Cloud 9 Cafe & Bakery was an added surprise with soft, gooey, iced cinnamon rolls and large, soft chocolate chip cookies.
Vacation Bucket List Visit to Anakeesta Complete
While I would love to visit Anakeesta again for another night walk along the Treetop Skywalk and enjoy the extraordinary laser lights and stars of the Astra Lumina, I don’t think I can top the most incredibly memorable first-time experience. However, I would like to plan a trip right next to Gatlinburg, to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In that case, just possibly, I would pay another visit to Anakeesta, but we shall see.
One thing is for sure. I would stay at The Appy Lodge again. The ambiance reminded me of a warm, cozy log cabin but with modern flair. I cannot name one con about the lodge’s appearance, accommodations, amenities, or location in Gatlinburg. Well maybe there was one con; While the outdoor firepit was a nice place to sit and relax, it’s hard to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere knowing that bears are lurking around the area in the dark. Every sound I heard, made me jump up from my seat. Let’s just say that other guests were not bothered a bit by the wildlife but quite possibly bothered by my bear dramatics.