Gatlinburg covered in snow during the winter.

4 Fun Activities to Enjoy During Your Winter Tournament at Rocky Top Sports World

October 19, 2017

Winter will be here before you know it, and we couldn’t be more excited! In the coming months, Rocky Top Sports World will host a variety of awesome tournaments and events. When you visit Gatlinburg, TN with your team, you’ll have the chance to enjoy all of the fun seasonal activities in the Smoky Mountains. To help you make the most of your time in Gatlinburg, we have put together a guide to four of our favorite wintertime traditions.

1. See the Beautiful Holiday Lights

From early November through the end of January, the city of Gatlinburg is decked out with breathtaking holiday lights. These popular LED displays depict joyful Christmas scenes, friendly snowmen, and animals that are native to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The best way to see these gorgeous displays is by taking the Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights. For just $5 per person, one of Gatlinburg’s iconic trolleys will take you past all of the beautiful lights in the downtown area. Holiday lights depicting The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge.

The neighboring city of Pigeon Forge also boasts five million twinkling holiday lights from November through the end of February. Instead of trolleys, Pigeon Forge offers a self-guided Winterfest Driving Tour of Lights. For a free map of all the light displays in town, you can stop by the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center or the Pigeon Forge Trolley Office.

2. Attend Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival

The Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival is one of the most beloved annual events at Dollywood. From the beginning of November through the end of the year, the Pigeon Forge theme park is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with four million dazzling lights. Each evening at 8 p.m., Dollywood hosts the Parade of Many Colors, which features incredible floats, holiday characters, and Christmas music. Other highlights of the Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival include appearances by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Land, and a fantastic production of It’s a Wonderful Life.

3. Watch Amazing Christmas Shows

If you’re looking for another fun way to get in the holiday spirit, you’ll love the Christmas shows in Pigeon Forge! Starting in November, virtually all of the theaters in town host amazing Christmas-themed shows that are fun for the whole family. Some of the most popular shows in Pigeon Forge include:

• Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry: a musical variety show featuring dancing elves, live animals, and a beautiful nativity scene.

• The Hatfield & McCoy Christmas Disaster Dinner Show: the world’s most famous feuding families try to settle their differences for the holidays.

• A Comedy Barn Christmas: a hilarious show with Christmas themed costumes, jokes, and music.

4. Visit Indoor Attractions

The winter is a great time to visit the wonderful indoor attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge! Here are a few places where you can stay warm and have some fun:

• Fannie Farkle’s is home to an awesome arcade and mouthwatering corn dogs, sausage subs, and cheesesteaks.

• Headcase Escape Adventures offers a variety of themed missions in which guests have 60 minutes to solve a puzzle or mystery.

• Arcadia features over 100 arcade games in a convenient location at the base of the Gatlinburg Space Needle.

• TopJump is a great trampoline park with a gladiator pit, ninja course, ball pit, and even more thrilling features.

About Rocky Top Sports World

Located 10 minutes away from downtown Gatlinburg, Rocky Top Sports World is the best tournament destination in the Southeast. With seven fields, six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, team rooms, and an onsite grill, our complex has everything you need for an unforgettable sports event. To see all of our upcoming tournaments, visit our Events page!