There’s nothing like a rousing game of laser tag among friends and family. Get your blood pumping and test your stealth skills during your vacation. You’ll use muscles you forgot you had and discover a new level of appreciation for your travel buddies–and get the chance to take them out in a way that will probably still leave you, friends, at the end of the day.
In Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, you’ll find several laser tag options, each offering a slightly different twist on what is quickly becoming an iconic family fun activity. You might also want to try your hand at an escape room or a round of black-lit mini-golf while you’re at it.
Gatlin’s Escape Games
Love laser tag but want something a little different? Gatlin’s Escape Games offers a blend of adventures that combines the best of escape rooms with laser-tag-esque features. Visitors keep coming back to complete the different escape rooms here (there are five), and they consistently rank Gatlin’s Escape Games as among the best they’ve ever been to, thanks to their well-thought-out puzzles, impeccably detailed decor and atmosphere, and staff that consistently exceed expectations.
Ripley’s Super Fun Zone
Photo Credit by @sarah_e_olivo on Instagram
Part of Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Ripley’s Super Fun Zone offers laser tag, mini golf, and other indoor group-oriented arcade-style games. The theme here is Blast from the Past, and you’ll encounter retro (think: 80’s and 90’s themed) pop culture references, decor, and ethos. The entire experience is family-friendly. Though reviews of Ripley’s Super Fun Zone aren’t quite as stellar as some of the other laser tag locales on this list, it’s still a solid place to get in a good game of laser tag with your travel companions–especially if you’re already visiting Ripley’s.
LazerPort Fun Center
Photo Credit by @love_being_his_mommy on Instagram
LazerPort Fun Center is one of the best rainy-day family activities in Gatlinburg; it’ll keep you busy all day if you want it to. The laser tag arena is 7,000 square feet of well-designed fun: one of the largest in the area, and features some of the most up-to-date equipment. It’s worth a visit just to play laser tag with friends. There’s more than just laser tag here, though. Hop into a go-cart and race along the city’s tallest go-cart track which was designed with thrill-seekers in mind. Fun spirals and 40-foot drops keep things exciting as you race either single or double-passenger carts up and down around twists and curves and down steep hills. LazerPort also has a fully indoor blacklight 18-hole mini golf course and a 10,000-square-foot arcade. Expect a clean, well-maintained facility, friendly staff, and reasonable prices at this local favorite!
WonderWorks Pigeon Forge
Photo Credit by @wonderworks_tn on Instagram
Traveling with a family? This isn’t a laser tag facility, but Wonderworks does offer laser tag as one of their many thrilling activities. WonderWorks Pigeon Forge has something for kids of all ages. Visit any number of their hands-on, experiential “galleries,” where you’ll experience an array of wonder. Touch a 100,000-volt Tesla coil and conduct lightning or find just out how cold the water was when the Titanic sank in the Extreme Weather wonder zone. Lie down on a bed of nails or use pulleys to lift your own body up in the Physical Challenge area. Take still shots of your shadow or dance across an oversized piano in the light & sound gallery. There’s something to ignite the wonder in just about anyone here.
The Island’s Battleground Tactical Laser Tag
The Island’s biggest highlight is a 200-foot-high observation “wheel” that offers an overlook of the Smoky Mountains and the city below. But they’re also home to Battleground Tactical Laser Tag, a unique laser tag arena that makes you feel like you’re running through the heart of a video game, dodging and ducking and taking aim at your family and friends. Though the facility here is great, be aware that the service itself can be iffy, and the minimum age to play is 8 and up–a fact you won’t find on their website.
Looking for other rainy-day activities? You’ll find plenty in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. There’s no shortage of family activities that will bring you all together during your time in the Smokies.
