Amazing Anakeesta – A One of a Kind Experience

To call Anakeesta a theme park is to grossly understate the experience. It is a theme park, but it is so much more. It has mountain coasters, shops, several restaurants, a huge observation tower, ziplines, treetop skywalks, and the most incredible light show.

Plus, all of this is outdoors, nestled together on the top of mountains with expansive views and killer sunsets.

It has a Smoky Mountains vibe but manages to be extremely creative and artsy. It’s a bit hard to describe, so I’m posting a lot of photos to help you get an idea of this wonderful, remarkable place.

Actually, it’s more than a place – it’s an experience!

Published October 22, 2024

Where is Anakeesta?

Anakeesta is located on top of Anakeesta Mountain, 600′ above downtown Gatlinburg, TN. The entrance address is 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, at traffic light #3, at the corner of Parkway and Cherokee Orchard Road.

All Anakeesta parking is public and plentiful. It typically costs $15-$20 per day. Parking lots are located at…

• The parking lot at traffic light #3 has spaces for 390 passenger vehicles.
• The parking lot at traffic light #2 has spaces for 30 passenger vehicles.
• The parking garage at Ripley’s Aquarium, across Parkway and down Greystone Heights Road, has 380 passenger vehicle spaces.
• The Free Park and Ride, located on Highway 441 at the Welcome Center, has 90 spaces for passenger vehicles, buses, and RVs.
• The Free Park and Ride, located on Highway 321 beside the City Hall Complex, has 85 spaces for passenger vehicles, buses, and RVs.
• The Newton Lane parking lot has 80 spaces.
• The Reagan Drive parking lot has spaces for 185 vehicles, including buses and RV’s.
• Passenger vehicles only in the City Parking Garages, please.

What is Anakeesta?

Anakeesta is made up of seven unique areas or sections, each having its own unique attractions and charm. Most sections contain at least one restaurant, bar, shop, adventure feature or ride, and something especially for kids. The sections are…

• Parkway Base Station
• Firefly Village
• Forest Adventures
• Black Bear Village
• Vista Gardens
• Stone Village
• Trailhead Plaza

Let’s explore, shall we?

Parkway Base Station

The adventure begins at the Parkway Base Station, located right on Parkway in Gatlinburg.

The Ticket Booth

Start at the Ticket Booth, where you may purchase general admission tickets, which will get you…

• Unlimited Chondola and Ridge Rambler rides
• AnaVista Observation Tower
• Treetop Skywalk
• Vista Gardens
• TreeVenture Challenge Course
• Treehouse Adventure Play Area
• BirdVenture

You may also purchase “add-ons,” such as the Dueling Zipline Adventure and Astra Lumina.

Pro Tip

• Try to park in the parking lot at traffic light #3, at the corner of Parkway and Cherokee Orchard Road. It is the nearest parking to the Parkway Base Station.
• Purchasing your tickets online at least one day in advance will save you some money and time standing in line for tickets.

The Chondola

What do you get when you combine a chairlift with a gondola? Why, a Chondola, of course!

Anakeesta sits on top of a small mountain, and the Chondola is one way to get there. You can opt for the open-air chairlift or the enclosed gondola.

It’s not usual to spot bears on the side of the mountains as the Chondola makes its way up to Anakeesta.

The Ridge Rambler

For those who don’t appreciate hanging dozens of feet in the air by a cable, there’s the Ridge Rambler. We’ve always taken the Chondola, but we can hear riders on the Ridge Rambler laughing and even singing for our seat on the chairlift. It sounds like they’re having a lot of fun!

The Great Outdoor Trading Company

At the end of the day, when you come back down the mountain and step off the Chondola or the Ridge Rambler, you will have to exit through The Great Outdoor Trading Company. I was surprised by how nice this store is and the quality of the merchandise they sell here.

You had a great day at Anakeesta, right? Then go ahead and buy that tee or mug, and you’ll be reminded of the park every time you put it on or use that mug!

Firefly Village

First stop at the top of the mountain – Firefly Village! This is a great place to begin your day at Anakeesta.

Chondola Drop Off and Pick Up

This is the drop-off point for the Chondola. It’s also where you’ll get back on the Chondola to leave at the end of your visit to Anakeesta. Just like every chairlift in the United States, your photo will be taken at the end of the ride, and you will be invited to view and purchase it…for a minimal fee.

Information Booth

Questions? Stop by the Information Booth. It will be the first thing you see when you step off the Chondola.

The Smokehouse Restaurant

Do you smell that? Follow your nose to the Smokehouse, where delicious BBQ is being cooked! It’s open for lunch and dinner, and when I say “open,” I mean “OPEN”—the sides of the Smokehouse are glass garage doors, which open to allow the breeze in (unless it’s too cold outside!).

Pro Tip

• The Smokehouse is a great place for dinner because it has wonderful views of the setting sun! Good food and good views – what more can you ask for?

Mimi’s Creamery

Leave a little room for ice cream at Mimi’s Creamery, located behind The Smokehouse, on the backside of the walkway through Anakeesta.

There’s always time for ice cream, am I right?

Pro Tip

• Restrooms are located just to the left of Mimi’s Creamery.

Rail Runner Mountain Coaster

Anakeesta has two mountain coasters. The Rail Runner is the first one you will see. Look for it to the left of the restrooms mentioned above.

Mountain coasters may look like they are going to fly off the rails, but they won’t – they don’t just ride on the rails – they are attached to the rails. They are a lot of fun!

The purchase of a Coaster Pass allows you to ride twice on either of the mountain coasters!

Catching Fireflies

Time for some retail therapy! You’ll find women’s clothing, jewelry, candles, home goods, purses, wind chimes, etc. However, sadly, they do not seem to sell fireflies…

Willow’s Workshop

Time for some more retail therapy, but this time for your kids! Toys, plush animals, telescopes…everything your young explorers need!

Adventure Outpost

The Adventure Outpost offers a couple of things. First, it’s a shop where you can purchase tees, hats, hoodies, and souvenirs. Plus, you can get your Sasquatch and Willow items here!

But with a name like “Adventure Outpost,” it must be more than a store, right? It is! This is where you begin your Dueling Zipline Adventure! Get tickets, sign waiver forms, and check in for this very cool experience.

Black Bear Village

We must say “Goodbye” to Firefly Village and move on to Black Bear Village. There’s more to see and do!

Black Bear Village Stage & Seating

Bear Village is a great spot to “sit a spell.” It’s loaded with seating, some around a fire pit for chilly evenings. Plus, musical acts often perform on the stage there. The stage and seating are located just past Firefly Village on your right.

Snack Shack

Get your “apple a day” at the Snack Shack, where apple fritters are their specialty! Besides, apples taste better when they are hidden in a fritter, don’t you agree? They also serve “Walking Tacos” and “Funnel Fries”.

The Snack Shack is located on the main walkway, just a few steps past Catching Fireflies.

Tennessee Sidecar

Just a few steps past the Snack Shack is the Tennessee Sidecar, home of the authentic Tennessee Walking Taco (which is essentially a taco without a shell held in a small basket—thus, you can walk around without spilling it).

Wish I had thought of that…

Splash Pad & Waterfall

If you’re a kid, the best part of a hot summer day is finding a Splash Pad. On our last trip there, it was covered up by soaking-wet children, all wearing big grins!

The Splash Pad & Waterfall are between the Bear Village Stage and Kephart Cafe.

The Clifftop Restaurant

The Clifftop Restaurant is a classy place to enjoy a meal. It has a nice, large dining room, plus seating at the bar and outdoor seating with a view of the Smoky Mountains. The restaurant opens up into the Mercantile next door, so you can shop while you wait for your table.

Speaking of waiting for your table…

Pro Tip

• The Clifftop does not take reservations and is usually busy. However, you can put your name on their waitlist, and they will text you when your table is available. You have about 10 minutes to get back to the restaurant before they give your table away.
• And they will give your table away if you’re late…
• The staff was kind enough to find seats for us at the bar. Kudos for great customer service!

Tap House

Bars are “a dime a dozen,” but bars (or any other establishment, for that matter) with a view like the Tap House are rare. Sit around the outdoor fire pit, or snag a seat at their “infinity bar” with its spectacular views of the Smokies.

And I love their motto – “Good Brews; Good Views”!

The Tap House is just to the right of the Clifftop Restaurant.

Mercantile

On the other side of the Clifftop Restaurant is the Mercantile, a small, fun shop with tees, mugs, kitchen accessories, jams, towels, etc. It is a small version of the old general stores -with a little bit of everything!

Kephart Cafe

If you worked up an appetite while shopping in the Mercantile, and you’re thinking, “I want a pizza, and I want it now!” then you should get yourself to the Kephart Cafe, located next door to the Mercantile. It serves fresh-baked, flatbread pizza straight straight from the oven.

Not in the mood for pizza? No worries – they also serve gourmet hotdogs.

Ridge Rambler Drop Off and Pick Up

If you rode the Ridge Rambler up to Anakeesta, you’ll be dropped off behind the building that houses Kephart Cafe, the Mercantile, The Clifftop, and the Tap House. This is also where you will be picked up when you’re ready to return to the parking lot.

Forest Adventures

Continue to follow the main walkway past Black Bear Village, and you will quickly arrive at Forest Adventures, where a variety of adventures for you and your kids await!

Gem Mine Sluice & Gem Mining Company

“There’s gold in them thar hills!”

The sluice and gem mining are the first thing you’ll see in the Forest Adventures section of the park. Search for gems and fossils the way the old prospectors used to. Who knows – you might strike it rich!

TreeHouse Village Adventure

Kids love treehouses, so how about multiple treehouses connected by rope bridges, each with its own kid-sized obstacles to conquer? That’s what you’ll find at the TreeHouse Village Adventure.

(We may have sneaked into it ourselves…)

TreeTop SkyWalk Entrance

The entrance to the TreeTop SkyWalk is hard to miss…especially at night!

The TreeTop Skywalk is the longest tree-based skywalk in North America. It consists of 880′ of hanging bridges suspended 50-60′ in the air, surrounded by the tree canopy. 

Keep your eyes open for all sorts of birds, especially the pileated woodpecker, the largest of its species. And don’t forget to look down – there’s a good chance you’ll see a black bear or two!don’t

Dueling Zipline Adventure

Okay, adrenaline junkies – this one’s for you! Zipline over 2,600′ through the tree tops side-by-side with family and friends.  There’s also a guided tour with multiple rappels that you won’t soon forget! Reservations are not required but are encouraged.

Vista Gardens

It’s easy to know when you’ve come to the Vista Gardens section of Anakeesta—the colorful flowers give it away immediately! Plus, the gardens are at the foot of AnaVista Tower, which makes them really easy to find!

AnaVista Tower

Ascend the 86 stairsteps to the highest point in Gatlinburg! AnaVista Tower, which already sits 600′ above downtown Gatlinburg, is itself another 60′ high, so the views from up here are spectacular in every direction. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Kentucky!

The Tower Bar

Stop at The Tower Bar, aka The Watering Can, for a cold beverage. The bar is located at the base of AnaVista Tower, but the view is still amazing. After all, it’s the highest bar in downtown Gatlinburg!

Cloud 9 Cafe

I’ve never met a bakery I didn’t like!

Stop off at Cloud 9 to satisfy your sweet tooth with a cinnamon roll, cookies, and a big slice of cake. Wash it all down with a cup of coffee, and you’ll be set for the rest of the day!

Cloud 9 is on the backside of the base of AnaVista Tower, near the Tower Bar.

Willow

Meet Willow!

Willow is Anakeesta’s “Keeper of the Forest”. He (or she – not sure) is 20′ tall, always smiling, and more than happy to pose with you for a unique selfie.

You’ll find Willow between AnaVista Tower and Stone Village.

Stone Village

Stone Village is in the back corner of Anakeesta, but you’ll want to check it out – several very cool adventures are waiting for you there!

TreeVenture

Not to be confused with the TreeHouse Adventure Village you read about above, TreeVenture is for the whole family – kids and adults! You’ll test your skill and balance on six netted bridges. You’ll explore three different treehouses. And you can take the slide to the bottom of TreeVenture and then do it all again!

Fur Trader

Just across the walkway from TreeVenture is the Fur Trader. This may be my favorite shop at Anakeesta. It’s a very cool place, selling very cool merchandise – shirts, mugs, hats, and souvenirs.

Very cool.

The Hellbender Mountain Coaster

“Hellbender” – A large salamander found in streams in the Smoky Mountains.

“Hellbender” – A fun mountain coaster in Stone Village at Anakeesta that has nothing in common with a large salamander.
This coaster will get your heart pumping! But don’t worry – the coaster comes with a brake, so you get to control the speed – but why would you want to?

Here’s a photo of Mary Ellen, smiling because she survived the Hellbender.

Stone Village Stage & Seating

This is the second stage and large(ish) seating area in Anakeesta – the other is in Black Bear Village. Both feature musical acts at various times or can be used for seating while you enjoy a rest.

Rocky Top Tacos

Anakeesta advertises Rocky Top Canteen as “a fiesta for your tastebuds”! Tacos, nachos, Pollo Rojo, Pork Carnitas, plus a kid’s menu make this a great place to take a lunch break.

There’s plenty of seating with great views right in front of this food truck

The Bear Can Bar

The Bear Can Bar is another food truck that sits next to the Rocky Top Canteen.

With a name like “Bear Can Bar”, can you guess what they serve?

BirdVenture

Except for Astra Lumina (see below), BirdVenture is the most creative attraction in the park. It consists of three human-sized birdhouses with giant birds perched on them. There are also “…a dozen interactive adventure zones and seven giant serpentine slides with light features that will wind more than 50 feet down the mountain!”

Pro Tip

• If at all possible, stay at the park until after the sun sets. BirdVenture looks amazing at night!

Trailhead Plaza/Astra Lumina

Trailhead Plaza is our last stop. This is where Astra Lumina is located.

It’s really hard to explain Astra Lumina to someone who hasn’t seen it. We’ve seen it twice, and I’m not sure I understand it – but I sure do enjoy it.

Astra Lumina is a sound, light, and projection “show” that takes place after the sun sets every day. It happens outside, along a wide path on the side of the mountain. (The first time we visited, it was delayed for 20 minutes while some workers chased a bear and her cubs off the path.)

The production “tells” the story of stars coming down to Earth and then returning to outer space. There are several stops along the path, each using light and sound to tell a part of the story.

Astra Lumina Ticket Booth

The Astra Lumina Ticket Booth is at the far end of Ankeesta, just to the right of the entrance to the TreeTops SkyWalk. While tickets may be purchased here, we recommend buying your tickets in advance.

Astra Lumina Entrance

At your reserved time, your group will walk down a sloping, paved walkway lined with unusual tin-punch lanterns that introduce you to what you are about to experience. There are several of these lanterns – I encourage you to take time to read them all – it will help you understand and enjoy the experience more.

Trailhead Pavilion

At the bottom of the walkway is a “holding area” where you will wait until the experience begins. There is a pavilion with seating, a small gift shop, a few tables and chairs, and restrooms.

Pro Tip

• Use the restroom before the walk begins. Trust me.

Astra Lumina Portal

At the appointed time, the portal (gate) will open, and you and your group will be ushered in. At each stop, you will be treated to a most creative production of light and sound. For example…

Even though the experience is very different, it is also very creative and mesmerizing. Get your camera ready. I took a LOT of photos here, and I’ll bet you will, too!

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much does it cost to visit Anakeesta?
  • General Admission:
    • Adult (Ages 12-59): $36.99
    • Children (Ages 4-11): $24.99
    • Seniors (Ages 60 +): $29.99
    • 3 and Under: FREE
  • Add Ons
    • Astra Lumina: $15.99
    • Zipline: $59.99
    • Coaster Pass: $16.99
  • Purchase your tickets here!
• What are Anakeesta’s hours? Anakeesta’s operating hours change frequently. Click here for a calendar that includes continually updated daily opening and closing times.
• Is Anakeesta worth the cost? Oh, yes!
• When is the best time to visit Anakeesta? Anytime is good, but we prefer night, because…
  • The temperature is cooler – Anakeesta gets HOT on a summer day
  • The park is even more beautiful and night when the lights are on
  • Astra Lumina only takes place after sunset
• How long will it take us to go through Anakeesta? You can walk through the park in 2-3 hours, but if you take advantage of everything Anakeesta has to offer, it will probably take up to 5 hours.
• Where does the name Anakeesta come from? Anakeesta is a Cherokee word. It means “Place of the Balsams” or “A Place of High Ground”.

The Wrap-Up – Amazing Anakeesta – A One of a Kind Experience

We have visited Anakeesta twice and will do so again. It’s just so creative, beautiful, and fun! Kids love it, families love it, solo travelers love it, and retirees love it. Make it part of your next trip to the Smoky Mountains. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Click here to view a map of Anakeesta!

Related Posts

• Gatlinburg SkyPark – A Great Place to Get Above It All
• Anakeesta at Night – Let the Magic Begin
• Astra Lumina – A Unique Experience of Light and Sound