Springtime in Gatlinburg? Yes, please. Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Eastern Tennessee, the town is jam-packed with food, bevies, music, artisans, gardens, outdoor activities, and history. Really, it’s a wonder anyone can stand to leave once they visit!
If you’re planning a spring break trip, you’re going to have to work hard to make the most of your time, but this post is here to help. Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting events, activities, and greenways to explore on your vacation.
Events
If you’re someone who likes to feast and fete, then you’ll find no shortage of events in Gatlinburg, which is a hoppin’ place any time of year, but especially when everyone’s got spring fever. Here are a few favorites.
Gatlinburg St. Patrick’s Week Celebration
March 10-17, 2025
Celebrate all things shamrock with the Gatlinburg St. Patrick’s Week Celebration. From March 10 to 17, you’ll enjoy an entire week dedicated to the Irish, with green decorations everywhere and Emerald Isle music emanating from many a doorway. Concerts, food, and drinks will abound.
Family Arts & Crafts Workshops
March 18, 22, 31 + April 1, 2025
Looking for something that will entertain the whole family for an afternoon? The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts has you covered with a wide range of kid-friendly workshops: origami, beading, clay building and pottery, painting and printmaking … and more.
Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show
March 18-23, 2025
Love beautiful handmade soaps? Beautiful jewelry? One-of-a-kind art? You’ll find all that and more at the Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts show. Running from March 18 to March 23, you’ll have plenty of time to get to the event whether you’re staying in town for two days or two weeks.
Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
April 23-26, 2025
Who doesn’t love ogling wildflowers? Their ephemeral beauty is always breathtaking, and nowhere is this truer than in the mountains of Tennessee. The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Gatlinburg goes from April 23 to April 26, a town-wide collection of exhibits, talks, walks, and more.
Trails
Gatlinburg is known for its proximity to the gorgeous and sweeping wilderness known as Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which blankets more than half a million acres in Tennessee and North Carolina. With hundreds of trails and gobs of day hike or backcountry destinations, the Smokies are an attraction that draws people from all over the world.
Some fan favorite trails include:
- Appalachian Trail
- Gatlinburg Trail
- Sugarland Valley Nature Trail
- Cataract Falls Trail
- Kuwohi, the highest point
- Rainbow Falls
- Grotto Falls Trail
- Alum Cave
- Ramsey Cascades
- Abrams Falls
- Baskins Creek
- Laurel Falls
Each of these trails explores different stretches of the Great Smoky Mountain wilderness. They’re all within relatively easy reach of Gatlinburg (some are an hour or so away), so you can easily hike them as a day trip.
Many of these are only a few miles long and thus are quite family-friendly, but you should always check the details of any trail before heading out. Important information includes the length and difficulty of the trail, any stream crossings, weather-related changes — such as closed paths or downed trees — and cell phone coverage, which is poor to nonexistent on most of these trails.
Also remember that springtime in the mountains of Tennessee, as well as in nearby North Carolina, is quite variable. It’s normal for a warm and sunny morning to turn into a cold and rainy afternoon, or vice versa. Always dress in layers, bring plenty of snacks, and have a plan for getting home in bad weather.
Do that, and you’ll be fine.
Other Activities
These are any-time activities you might enjoy in Gatlinburg on spring break.
Tastings and Tours
The adult set might enjoy a little bit of non-kid-friendly time during spring break, and if that’s you, then check out one of Gatlinburg’s many wineries. Enjoy a tour, do a wine tasting, or stroll romantically through gorgeous vineyards.
If breweries or distilleries are more your thing, you’ll find plenty of those too. Following a delightful Appalachian tradition of good beer brewing, Gatlinburg has tons of venues for the discerning drinker.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
If you’ve got an aquarium-loving crowd, then Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is a great choice for how to spend a day. There’s no shortage of amazing animals at which to marvel: a giant sea turtle, penguins, jellyfish, crabs, and even 12-foot sharks.
As if that’s not cool enough, you can explore all of them as you walk through awe-inspiring underwater tunnels. The shimmering blue light and fantastic array of sea life are absolutely worth the price of admission.
TITANIC Museum Attraction
Speaking of the sea, you might want to consider putting the TITANIC Museum Attraction on your itinerary. If you’re fascinated with this tragedy from a century ago, or if you just want to admire the opulence with which this cutting-edge ship was adorned, this is the place to come.
Built to half scale, the ship is still absolutely enormous. It contains more than 400 artifacts from before the wreck was actually discovered in 1985 off the coast of Newfoundland. Science buffs: unite!
Spring break does happen at different times around the country, so it’s worth noting that if none of the above dates work for you, you can always check the Gatlinburg city website, which is full of events and information for any time of year.
Weather
Gatlinburg is renowned for its lovely climes. Temperature, with its share of rain in the springtime, it’s typically not too frigid. Although the lows can hit the 30s earlier in the season — so bring your jackets, hats, and gloves — things warm up substantially as Tennessee approaches its humid summers.
By April, the lows are in the 40s, and in the 50s in May. By June, even the “cold” days are mild, so if you care about ditching that coat, you might want to come later in the year. Most spring break visitors, however, find that the sometimes-chilly weather is well worth it for the gorgeous flowers and fun activities!
