4 Things You May Not Know About Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN
If you haven’t been to Anakeesta in Gatlinburg yet, you definitely need to go the next time you’re in the Smoky Mountains! You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains, shop around Firefly Village, and enjoy delicious food. While you probably know all of that, we want to share some things you may not know about Anakeesta. Here are 4 things you may not know about Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN:
1. 2 Ways to Get to the Top
Anakeesta is at the top of a mountain in downtown Gatlinburg. What you may not know is you have multiple options when it comes to how you’re going to get to the top! The most popular way to get to Firefly Village is to ride the chair lift and chondolas. Hop aboard the chair lift, with as many as 3 people to a seat. If you or someone in your group is in a wheelchair or you have a stroller for children, you can wait until one of the red chondolas comes around on the lift to ride to the top. Want a little more adventure getting to the top? You can hitch a ride on one of their Ridge Rambler military vehicle rides. While you’re riding in one of these vehicles, you’ll get a 20-minute tour that includes fun facts about animals, plants, and the mountains. Each one will accommodate 45 passengers.
2. Offer an Annual Pass
Do you visit the Smoky Mountains often and love Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN? It may be worth it to you to purchase an annual pass! This is a great option for guests who frequently visit the area and want to be able to go to Anakeesta as many times as they want throughout the year. The price of an annual pass is worth about the same it would cost to visit Anakeesta 2 times. You are able to purchase an annual pass online and then redeem the barcode emailed to you at the ticket booth when you are at Anakeesta. If you want to wait until you’re at Anakeesta, you can purchase your annual pass at the ticket booth or any of the retail spaces at the top of the mountain. Your annual pass provides you access to all of the fun things you can do at Anakeesta except the Dueling Zipline, gem mining, and the mountain coaster.
3. Pay Separate for Some Activities
While the main price provides you access to most of the great things Anakeesta has to offer, there are a few activities you’ll have to pay a separate fee in order to do. If you want to be adventurous and fly through the trees, you’ll have to pay to ride the Dueling Ziplines. You will race someone on the side-by-side lines that are 150 feet off the ground. You’ll even have a pretty good view of the mountains and the forest as you race down the mountain! If you want to ride the Rail Runner all over the mountain, you’ll have to pay a separate fee for that as well. On this mountain coaster, you get to control the speed, so you can fly as fast as the car will take you or take a leisurely ride and enjoy the forest views. You and your kids can also have fun sifting through sand to find treasures when you pay extra to go gem mining!
4. Have an Arborist on Staff
To ensure the trees at Anakeesta are healthy and maintained properly, there’s an arborist on staff named Daniel Laine. He studied forestry at VA Tech and has 20 years of experience in the forest industry. To ensure tree removals are done properly and safely, he uses advanced tree felling techniques. Laine uses his knowledge of insect and disease issues to care for the trees that have been damaged and all the other trees on the property.
You probably didn’t even know there were so many things you didn’t know about Anakeesta in Gatlinburg TN! Thinking about what else you should do while you’re in the Smokies? Check out these other great attractions you’ll want to try!
