Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Best Things to Do in the Smoky Mountains With Teenagers
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on August 4, 2026
Quick Answer: Some of the best things to do in the Smoky Mountains with teenagers include ziplining, hiking to waterfalls and mountain viewpoints, exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visiting Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, shopping, taking scenic drives, and giving teens some input into the family itinerary. A good Smoky Mountain trip for teenagers combines adventure, exploration, downtime, and activities they help choose.
Planning a family vacation becomes a little different once the kids become teenagers. Younger children may be happy simply going wherever the family takes them, while teenagers are often much more interested in having a say in what everyone does.
Fortunately, the Smoky Mountains are particularly well suited to families traveling with teens.
The region combines outdoor adventure, mountain scenery, hiking, attractions, shopping, restaurants, and interesting places to explore. Instead of trying to entertain teenagers every minute of the trip, families can create a vacation that gives them a mixture of active experiences and time to relax.
Here are some of the best ways to build a Smoky Mountain vacation that teenagers and parents can enjoy together.
Start With an Outdoor Adventure
Teenagers are often looking for something more memorable than simply sightseeing from the back seat of the car. An outdoor adventure can give the vacation an experience everyone talks about afterward.
That's one reason a canopy tour at Smoky Mountain Ziplines can work especially well for families traveling with teens.
Instead of watching an attraction from the sidelines, participants become part of the experience. Ziplining combines mountain surroundings with an activity that feels exciting and different from an ordinary day at home.
It can also be a shared family experience. Parents and teenagers get to take on the same adventure, encourage each other, and experience something new together.
If anyone in your family has never been ziplining before, our guide to what to expect when ziplining for the first time can help everyone know what the experience is like before arriving.
Let Your Teenager Choose Part of the Vacation
One of the easiest ways to make a family vacation more enjoyable for teenagers is to involve them in the planning.
Instead of parents choosing every activity, ask each teenager to select something they genuinely want to do.
That might be:
- A zipline adventure
- A particular hiking trail
- A shopping stop
- A restaurant they want to try
- A place they want to photograph
- A scenic location
- An attraction in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg
Giving teenagers some control over the itinerary changes the vacation from something they are being taken on into something they helped plan.
Parents can still establish the budget and overall schedule, but everyone gets a voice in how some of the vacation time is spent.
Find a Hiking Trail With a Destination
Some teenagers may not be enthusiastic if you simply announce that the family is going for a long walk in the woods.
A hike becomes much more interesting when there is a destination.
Waterfalls, mountain views, historic structures, streams, and unusual natural features can give everyone something to look forward to along the trail.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has hiking opportunities ranging from short walks to challenging mountain trails. The right choice depends on your family's experience, available time, weather, and fitness level.
For a family that does not hike regularly, starting with something manageable is usually better than selecting a difficult trail simply because it is famous.
Our guide to the best short hikes in the Smoky Mountains is a useful starting point for families who want an outdoor experience without committing most of the day to one trail.
Make Photography Part of the Adventure
Teenagers who enjoy taking pictures or creating videos can experience the Smoky Mountains differently when photography becomes part of the day's activity.
Instead of simply stopping at an overlook, challenge everyone to capture their favorite mountain view. On a hike, look for streams, wildflowers, historic structures, unusual trees, and changing light through the forest.
Even family photographs can become more interesting when everyone is actively looking for good locations.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park provides an enormous variety of backgrounds, from distant mountain ridges to rushing streams and historic cabins.
If photography is important to someone in your family, see our guide to the best photo spots in the Smoky Mountains.
Explore Gatlinburg on Foot
Gatlinburg can be a good choice for families with teenagers because so much is concentrated in a relatively compact area.
Once you are parked, the family can spend time walking, browsing shops, stopping for food, and exploring different parts of town without constantly getting back into the vehicle.
This also provides an opportunity to give older teenagers a little independence when appropriate for your family. Parents might browse one shop while teens look through another nearby store, then everyone meets again at an agreed location.
For families visiting Gatlinburg for the first time, our guide to exploring downtown Gatlinburg can help with planning.
Spend Time in Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge offers a different experience from Gatlinburg. The Parkway stretches through town with attractions, shops, entertainment, and restaurants spread along the route.
Rather than trying to stop everywhere, let your teenagers help identify the places that interest them most.
This works particularly well if you are already planning an adventure at Smoky Mountain Ziplines. Build part of the day around the zipline experience, then choose one or two additional Pigeon Forge stops instead of trying to fill every available hour.
A smaller number of well-chosen activities often makes for a better family day than rushing from one attraction to another.
Give Them a Chance to Shop
Shopping may not sound like an outdoor Smoky Mountain adventure, but teenagers often appreciate having some vacation time to browse for clothes, souvenirs, gifts, or something that reminds them of the trip.
Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville all offer shopping opportunities, so this is an easy activity to work into a larger vacation plan.
Parents can establish a spending amount beforehand and let teenagers decide how they want to use it.
That can also become a useful exercise in budgeting. A teen may decide that one item they really want is more important than several smaller purchases.
Our guide to the best shopping spots in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge provides several ideas.
Look for Wildlife in the National Park
Seeing a black bear, elk, deer, wild turkey, or other animal in its natural environment can quickly become one of the most memorable moments of a Smoky Mountain vacation.
Wildlife viewing also gives teenagers a reason to pay attention to their surroundings instead of simply looking out the window as the family drives through the park.
Make it a family challenge to see how many different species everyone can safely observe during the trip.
Wild animals should always be viewed from a safe distance, and visitors should never approach or feed them. The National Park Service provides current information about park regulations, wildlife safety, road conditions, and other important visitor information.
For additional ideas, read our wildlife viewing tips for families in the Smoky Mountains.
Do Not Schedule Every Minute
This can be one of the most important parts of traveling with teenagers.
Adults sometimes plan vacations as if every available hour needs an activity. Teenagers may enjoy the activities but still want time to sleep a little later, use their phones, relax at the cabin, watch a movie, or simply have an afternoon without a schedule.
That downtime is not wasted vacation time.
It can make the activities you do plan more enjoyable because no one feels like the family is constantly racing toward the next reservation.
A morning adventure followed by a relaxed afternoon can sometimes work better than scheduling three major attractions in the same day.
Use Scenic Drives Strategically
The Smoky Mountains offer some remarkable scenic roads, but teenagers may not want to spend every vacation day sitting in a vehicle.
Instead of making the drive itself the entire activity, combine it with destinations along the way.
Stop at overlooks. Take a short walk. Have a picnic. Look for wildlife. Visit a historic area. Let everyone get out and experience the surroundings.
That turns a scenic drive into a series of smaller experiences rather than several uninterrupted hours in the car.
If you want ideas for routes, see our guide to easy scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains.
Plan an Early Morning or Sunset Experience
Teenagers who enjoy photography, nature, or simply seeing something different may appreciate experiencing the mountains when the light and atmosphere change.
An early morning overlook can reveal layers of mist between the ridges. Later in the day, mountain views can take on a completely different appearance as the sun gets lower.
You do not have to schedule these experiences every day. Choosing one special morning or evening can make it feel more memorable.
If your family is willing to get up early during vacation, our guide to where to watch a Smoky Mountain sunrise can help you plan.
Choose Experiences the Whole Family Can Share
One challenge when traveling with teenagers is finding activities that genuinely interest different generations.
The best family vacation experiences often are not exclusively designed for children or adults.
Hiking, wildlife viewing, exploring mountain towns, photography, scenic overlooks, and outdoor adventures can give everyone something to enjoy.
Ziplining is another example. Instead of parents watching while teenagers participate, eligible family members can share the experience together.
That shared element is important. Years later, family members may not remember every restaurant or store they visited, but they are much more likely to remember the day everyone stepped onto a platform and went ziplining through the Smoky Mountains.
Consider the Personality of Your Teenager
There is no single perfect Smoky Mountain itinerary for every teenager.
One teen may want as much outdoor adventure as possible. Another may prefer shopping and exploring town. Someone interested in photography might want scenic overlooks and waterfalls, while a teenager interested in history may enjoy historic structures and communities in the national park.
Instead of asking, "What do teenagers like to do in the Smoky Mountains?" it can be more useful to ask, "What does my teenager already enjoy, and how can we connect that interest to the Smokies?"
That small change in planning can make a significant difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Smoky Mountains a good vacation destination for teenagers?
Yes. The area offers outdoor adventures, hiking, shopping, attractions, restaurants, scenic areas, photography opportunities, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The variety makes it easier to build a trip around different interests.
What outdoor activities can teenagers do in the Smoky Mountains?
Depending on age, physical requirements, weather, and individual interests, possibilities include ziplining, hiking, wildlife viewing, photography, picnicking, exploring streams and waterfalls, and visiting scenic areas throughout the national park.
Is ziplining a good family activity with teenagers?
For families who meet the participation requirements and enjoy outdoor adventure, ziplining can provide a memorable shared experience. Review the current participation requirements directly with Smoky Mountain Ziplines when planning your visit.
How many activities should we plan each day?
There is no perfect number, but families with teenagers may enjoy the trip more when every hour is not scheduled. One primary activity combined with sightseeing, shopping, meals, or downtime can create a more relaxed day.
How can I get my teenager interested in a Smoky Mountain vacation?
Include teenagers in the planning process. Let them research and choose some activities, restaurants, trails, or places they want to visit. Having input gives them more ownership of the vacation.
Build a Vacation Your Teenagers Help Create
A successful Smoky Mountain vacation with teenagers does not require finding a long list of activities marketed specifically to teens.
Instead, combine the things the Smokies already do exceptionally well: outdoor adventure, beautiful scenery, interesting mountain towns, hiking, wildlife, shopping, and time together.
Most importantly, give teenagers a role in deciding what the family does.
If your family is looking for an outdoor experience to make part of the trip, consider adding a canopy tour at Smoky Mountain Ziplines. It can provide the kind of shared adventure that gives parents and teenagers a vacation story they can remember together.
