A few weeks ago, my family took a last minute, brief getaway to Gatlinburg, TN. It was just the thing we needed to relax after the busy holiday season. Just a short drive of less than three hours from Hickory, Gatlinburg makes for a great weekend destination with lots to do!
We were treated to a Ripley's U-Pick combo ticket that includes admission to the aquarium and the seven other Ripley's attractions right in downtown Gatlinburg. The nice thing about this ticket is that it is good for a year from the date of issue so if you don't get to visit all the places in one trip, you can save it for the next time. You save 36% by purchasing online ahead of time and you can skip the ticket lines that way too.
Parking is an issue in Gatlinburg so we got a hotel within walking distance to all the happenings but off the busy strip and along the Little Pigeon River. With the sound of the water out our window and the fire in our in-room fireplace, we felt like we were on the perfect mountain getaway, yet just a short walk from our hotel brought us into the heart of the town with lots of food options, stores to browse through and of course, Ripley's fun attractions.
Our favorite, by far, was the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. With more fish in this aquarium than residents in the town of Gatlinburg, the place is teeming with life. The aquarium is very well laid out with lots of things to do and explore. There are plenty of signs with information about the marine animals plus hands-on opportunities the kids will especially love. Have them pet the stingrays in Touch-A-Ray Bay, view the underside of horseshoe crabs in the Discovery Center and climb through the tunnel to pop into the Penguin Playhouse. The highlight was the underwater tunnel that let you view 12 foot sharks and lots of exotic sea creatures up close and all around you. The aquarium was a great place to escape the cold and a fun, educational experience for the whole family. We spent about 3 hours here, doing a few things more than once. This is a not-to-miss attraction during your visit to Gatlinburg.
We also spent quite a bit of time in the Guinness World Records Museum. Here you will find lots of incredible displays, interesting facts and trivia, fun interactive games and unbelievable exhibits. It kept the attention of our 8 year old for over an hour and a half, mainly due to the hands-on activities within. Plus it was educational as well with information about space, weather, animals, literature and more. 
Simiar to the Guinness World Records Museum is the Believe It or Not! Odditorium where you will find lots of strange and bizzare facts, stories, and displays. View over 500 incredible artifacts from around the world and learn about some pretty unusual things, some of them rather creepy for small kids. So breeze past those right to the interactive games toward the end, where my 8 year old had the best time, especially watching the images of herself dancing on the huge laser wall.
Another unique attraction we enjoyed was The Marvelous Mirror Maze, where you navigate a maze with walls lined with mirrors. The infinite reflections in every direction make it challenging to figure out the path and for a bigger challenge, put on the special glasses! It does not take long to go through the entire maze so take your time and do it more than once.
At my daughter's request, we went after dark through the Haunted Adventure where she ended up going through the entire attraction with her face pressed against us, her hands covering her ears. Young children and those that scare/startle easily may not be cut out for this one, but overall there are frights and fun to be had here. Next door is the 5D Moving Theater which lets you experience two short movies in a motion simulator and digital surround sound. The snow ride was pretty awesome! We passed on the two mini-golf outdoor attractions due to the weather so we'll have to hit those next time we visit the area.
All of the Ripley's attractions in Gatlinburg are open 365 days a year (except for mini-golf which is weather-permitting) so you can visit anytime. Be sure to check them out during your next family getaway in Gatlinburg! For more information, visit http://www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg/.
Disclosure: I received complimentary passes for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
