New in the Smokies: Everything You Need to Know About Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN
Gatlinburg’s most eagerly anticipated new attraction is finally open! Anakeesta is a one-of-a-kind destination located atop a mountain overlooking the downtown Parkway. Offering outdoor adventures, shopping, dining, and even more fun, Anakeesta is quickly establishing itself as one of the can’t-miss attractions in the Smokies. To help you make the most of your next vacation, we have put together a convenient guide with everything you need to know about visiting Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN.
The Chondola: Your Ride to Anakeesta
Due to its unique mountaintop location, Anakeesta isn’t accessible by car. Instead, guests can visit the attraction by taking a fun Chondola ride from downtown Gatlinburg to the mountain’s summit. The word “Chondola” is derived from the two ways that guests can make the trip to Anakeesta: a chairlift or a gondola.
The open-air chairlift can sit up to four guests and offers beautiful views of The Strip and the mountains from 600 feet in the air. Guests who may be uneasy about riding the chairlift can choose to travel in an enclosed gondola, which has room for six people.
The Chondola departs from 576 Parkway in Gatlinburg, right across from Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Before you board the chairlift or the gondola, be sure to check out the new Savannah Bee Company shop located next to the Chondola station. This awesome store offers gourmet honey and honey-based products from around the world!
Firefly Village: Fantastic Shopping and Dining
When the Chondola arrives at Anakeesta, it lets guests off at Firefly Village, a wonderful shopping and dining area with a treehouse theme. Here are a few places you can visit at the Village:
- Summit Smokehouse: a BBQ restaurant that serves mouthwatering brisket, pork, turkey, melts, wraps, salads, and more.
- Pearl’s Pie in the Sky: a bakery and sweet shop that is famous for its homemade pies and Bluebell sundaes.
- Great Outdoors Trading Company: a store with outdoor apparel and locally made crafts.
- Catching Fireflies: a boutique shop with children’s clothing and toys along with home goods, jewelry, and women’s fashion.
Fun in the Trees
Visitors to Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN will find a variety of outdoor adventures to enjoy. Here is a quick look at Anakeesta’s awesome activities:
- Treehouse Village Playground: a fun children’s playground with treehouses that are connected by bridges.
- Dueling Ziplines: a 1,000 ft. zipline course that allows friends or family members to race to the finish line.
- Gem Mining: an attraction where kids can search for gemstones and fossils.
- Tree Canopy Walk: a network of 16 connected sky bridges that are 40 – 60 feet above the forest floor.
- Forest Memorial Interpretive Trail: a walking path commemorating the Smoky Mountain wildfires of November 2016.
- Mountain Coaster: a single rail alpine coaster that will debut in the winter of 2017-18.
Admission Prices for Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN
Standard admission includes the Chondola ride, Treehouse Village Playground, Forest Memorial Walk, and Tree Canopy Walk. Prices are as follows:
- Adults: $19.99
- Children: $15.99
- Seniors: $17.99
The pricing for the Dueling Ziplines add-on package is as follows:
- Adults: $29.99
- Children: $25.99
- Seniors: $27.99
- Zip-Again: $14.99
There is also an extra fee for the Gem Mine and the Mountain Coaster (when it opens). For more information, visit the official Anakeesta website: https://www.anakeesta.com/
Final Thoughts
What are you most excited to try at Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN? Let us know in the comments below!
too expensive
My daughter and I went to Anakeesta! We have the sunburn to prove it! LOL We had a wonderful time! I knew that it was going to be great, but, it was better than I had even dreamed of! We will be going back and taking family and friends!
I am just super excited to try all of it! We’ve been coming to the Smokies for 20 yrs, and love everything. This will be a new refreshing adventure!
My wife and I will be going back to Gatlinbug in October and one of the things we have on our list to do is ride up to Anakeesta.
So let me get this straight, i will have to pay to get to shop or eat at this place because you can not get there by car. no thanks
Tree Canopy Walk now & the single rail alpine coaster when it opens
Beautiful I can’t wait to visit. I wish you had treehouse cabins to sleep in I would so be in there!
We were just in Gatlinburg over the weekend until today so Dec 1 thru 4 and we are 32 year visitors of the area! A much welcomed addition to the area and the $20 chondola is a very fair price. You pay only slightly less for the other lift in town only to view and come back down, this price gets you an all day pass, and there is so much to do , and only the beginning!!! We will go back again every trip. Restaurant is very good, and the shops are adequate for now, hopefully more will be coming , along with cabin rentals in the future and an ampitheatre and more! Will be a destination for all in time!!!