Fun Things To Do in Gatlinburg For January 2014 ~ Gatlinburg Lodging

After all the holidays are said and done, the party streamers and paper cups are swept off the streets, and we start things over with a new year, Gatlinburg is traditionally at it's quietest, and this is a good time to enjoy some of the smaller fare employed throughout the city or explore the Smoky Mountains at their most natural.

Some good suggestions for this include:

* Arrowmont
A Gatlinburg treasure since the earliest decades of the town history's, Arrowmont is an arts and crafts center in the downtown area across from Mountain Mall. This is both an arts and crafts store and a center for those to learn the Smoky Mountains style of crafting. www.arrowmont.org

* Sugarlands Visitors Center
The National Park HQ of the Tennessee Smokies, Sugarlands is a center for nature and nature lovers in the mountains. Free and family friendly, Sugarlands offers two hiking trails, an exhibition museum, bookstore, and all the information you need about the Smoky Mountains. www.nps.gov/gsmnp

* Fort Fun
Want to find something smaller that will still entertain the kids for an afternoon and get them satisfied during the vacation? Head up to Fort Fun at the Reagan Terrace section of downtown Gatlinburg you'll have mini-golf, bumper cars, arcade, 3D theater, the Venturer motion ride and quite a bit more.

* Wilderness Wildlife Week
This is a well-loved tradition in Pigeon Forge and another good one for visitors who aren't into the high traffic party festivals in the area and want something more honest and "real". From January 25 to February 1st, the LeConte Conference Center will host this awesome event, complete with lectures, guest speakers, guided walks, hikes, and more. Free to the general public! http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events/wilderness-wildlife-week/

* Nantahala Outdoor Center
If you haven't checked out the NOC near Stoplight #10, this is a great time to do it. This is a combination major outfitter store, whitewater rafting company, canoe and kayak school, zipline adventure park and much more. www.noc.com

* Ober Gatlinburg
Well, it's not entirely true that the thrills hibernate for the season, there is one place in Gatlinburg where you can get a major adrenaline rush, and that's the ski season at Ober Gatlinburg. Ober is the only place for miles and miles around where you can come ski, snowboard, snow tube and ice skate among the many things Ober Gatlinburg offers year-round. If you've got a need for snow speed, go to Ober while it's still Winter. www.obergatlinburg.com.