Anakeesta Reviews

The two of us visited and were a little underwhelmed . We aren't as youn as we used to be, and we did not have our kids or grandkids. If they were with us, it probably would have been great. We rode the chairlift up, and my wife was petrified, so we took the bus back down. The tram ride is way longer than the other lift in town. We really did not do much but walk around and look at the sights. We did climb the AnaVista tower, but the Treetop skywalk was closed when we were there. The tower had great views but wasn't worth the price of admission. We did not eat anything, although we considered getting a pretzel, but it was $14 , a little expensive for a pretzel.

We took three kids, two six year olds and a four year old. We got there when it opened and avoided a long line. The gondola takes longer if you choose a closed in one. They loved the decorations, bridges and especially playing in the bird houses. We had to pry them out of there. There is not an exit below them so we were able to rock and listen to the band. We ate at the restaurant with amazing views and were surprised at how good the food and service were. We are openly food snobs. We came down the mountain on the truck instead of the gondolas. When we got to the bottom, it was closer to 5pm, and the line was very long to get in. I guess people come later so they can drink and maybe Astra Lumina. I'm glad we went early. We liked it so much, we are going again at the end of the week for Thanksgiving break.

I was not sure if we should go from reading the reviews, but we had a good experience, we used the rambler instead of the lift.
It would be good to take the lift down, if you have time, it takes longer.
Lots of photo spots.

Do not go. This place is run by amateurs. They lack a very basic level of customer service and are almost certainly violating the ADA. Certainly do not go if you are in a wheelchair or if you have young children who require a stroller. My husband and 2 older children were able to wait in line for 1 hour to ride the chair lift down; however, my 6 month old and one of my younger children were stuck waiting for an additional 2 hours because we had a stroller and either had to wait on a Gondola or the truck. We didn't get down the mountain until 11 PM. I was also threatened by someone who worked there, Ashley, that if I tried to leave by walking down the mountain I would be arrested and they would take my 6 month old into custody. Private security also pretended to call the police department, when they in fact just called another member of private society. This business is a threat to public safety. Do not go unless you are prepared to be stuck there for more than 3 hours.

We enjoyed this family friendly attraction. It was nice to walk the rope bridges and view mountains. We rode the Hellbender mountain coaster and it was fun. We had lunch at Clifftop and I liked that you give your phone number and they text you when your table is ready. We also enjoyed the chairlift up the mountain. Great place to visit.

Place is a lot of fun. Especially the dueling zip line. Thank you Madi at Dueling Zipline for being such a great person, for helping my daughter Madi with zip lining, and the funny cow jokes. Would definitely recommend it.

Our whole family had a blast at Anakeesta's Dueling Zipline today! None of our 8 family members (3 generations) had ever Ziplined before. What a fantastic place for a first Zipline experience! Taylor, Peach, Nick and Garrett were phenomenal guides on our 2.5 hour trip! They kept everyone entertained, reassured and feeling extremely safe in their capable hands. It was an absolutely wonderful trip that we'll all remember forever! Thank you for an awesome time! Highly recommended for anyone!

I’d best describe this place as a tourist trap. The activities are not worth the cost of admission. The views are pretty, but just a short drive to the national park yields even better views for free. Perhaps this may be worthwhile for families with young children, but with teenagers this was a disappointing and expensive addition to our vacation. My family did enjoy the mountain coasters (which were an additional fee each), but the wait was 30/45 minutes for a 3-5 minute ride.

We went in the morning and more than one ride had a wait time of more than an hour. We came back after lunch, took an hour to get transportation up to the place, then waited in long lines at every ride. Then at closing time we waited for hours because they oversold tickets and the 2 means of transportation out of this place were completely overwhelmed. Oversold because of what, greed? Then creates a safety issue by trapping us onsite for hours after closing time. Try doing that with 2 kids under 10 years old. One guy literally held his little girl asleep in his arms the whole time waiting to leave. This place is clearly all about money and doesn't consider how their actions affects their customers after they get our money.

The amazing mountain park, beautiful area Smoky Mountains views, Great food, drinks, attraction’s ,shops and relaxing. Family friendly!!

We went in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and lights. We paid over $130. What did that get us, you ask...a trip up the mountain and a walk. That's basically it for my husband, myself and our 14 year old. We walked through all the kids stuff, took some pictures, spend around $20 extra on hot chocolate. Al the rides cost extra... but we're closed anyway cause it was wet. (Had rained earlier). Because of this, there was 0 dry spots to sit in. Literally, there is no covered seats... or any covering so it would stink to be up there in the rain. And the food... seriously nothing of any reasonable amount. Did I mention we got 2 hot chocolates. They advertise the hot chocolate crawl and, yay!, you could get a cute ornament at the end! What they fail to say is this requires you to purchase a bunch of hot chocolate (i tin 7) so that's like $60 for an ornament. Completely insane. It's not even much of a walk by the way... maybe a mile. And some of the lights didn't work. I can't fathom spending another $20-60 to do a coaster or zipline. Right before we left there was a quartet singing... so that's something. The website makes it seem like there is more fun things included than there are. This place is just robbing people blind and o genuinely don't understand the high ratings. You could get better views at a lower cost in the Great Smoky National Park. If you like to burn money, go to Anakeesta. If not, go to dollywood... you still spend a lot on tickets, but there are rides and shows.

ARRIVE when they open! (Or maybe late afternoon) We got there 9:15am (they opened at 9am) and had bought our tickets ahead of time, which helped some. Line for chairlift was super short, but most people had wheelchairs/strollers/little kids, and needed an enclosed gondola. (They need more gondolas!!!) The wait for a gondola is SO LONG. After 30+ min waiting for gondola (we had stroller) we remembered the Ridge Rambler (truck) and exited the line to ride that up. Honestly in our opinion, the Ridge Rambler is the best way to get up and down. In July, the chairlift was so hot, and we were told the enclosed gondola was even hotter. The truck took about 8 minutes to get up. There was no line for the Hellbender coaster at 10am so we rode that and it was great. We WOULD NOT RIDE the other coaster (I think it’s called the Rail Runner). No one enjoyed it and line was long and hot around noon. (Waited an hour) Our favorite part of Anakeesta was dining at the Clifftop restaurant. 10 of us got seated with no wait at 11:30am on a Wednesday. The food was very good! It was air conditioned and the view was spectacular. We ran out of time and didn’t get to check out the treetop walk, but it looked neat. There were some play areas for kids, but honestly not as many as we thought. (We had people in our group ranging from 3 to 73). The shops were ok. The toy store and Catching Fireflies were cute, but nothing unique to Anakeesta really. There were better Anakeesta souvenirs in the gift shop by the Hellbender ride. We enjoyed Blue Bell ice cream at Mimi’s Creamery. We have mixed feelings on if it was worth the money. It was beautiful, high up, and we enjoyed the many chairs to enjoy the views. On a nice day, with low crowds, it might be better. (Things that looked maybe cool that we didn’t do: zip lining, Astra Lumina night light show)

The sky lift chair ride up is beautiful including the views of the city and mountains. They are more things for small children to do at the top with lots of food options.

Amazing experience from the Chodola Ride to Astra Lumina.

We spent 5 hours in the park. Taking in the spectacular views from multiple areas including the tower. We also tried the Mountain coasters which were great, the one on two rails was personally better for us.

The park was very well maintained and decorated for Halloween.

Astra Lumina is a must it took us 45 minutes to walk around, it was beautiful and took you on a journey.

Would recommend this to anyone visiting Gatlinburg, we stayed across the road at Margaritaville which was an ideal location.

We traveled on a hot day in August.
We traveled on the bus up
To the top of the village bc the lines were too long for the lift.
Buy tickets in advance!
Pros: a lot of good choices, platings and blue grass music playing all over. Views are pretty.
Cons: crowds. Not that much to do with older teens. Better for younger kids. I think about 3 to 4 hours spent here would be enough. It was just ok,

We enjoyed our visit to Anakeesta. The park is clean and has many beautiful plantings. It would be a great place for children to stretch their legs, also, as there were many activities geared to them. We enjoyed the panoramic views of the Smokies.

This is a very fun place. It's colorful, it has a lot of fun and safe things to do. Walking high in the trees may seem scary but it seems so safe the way they have done it. Playing in the big bird houses and in the tree houses is so fun. The chondolas were fun but I prefer the close cabin to ride in. There were just so many fun things to do and I am 66 and felt right at home with the kind of activities they had. Even if you go to just walk around it is a beautiful area with great scenery.

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary in the Smokies and our most fun day was at Anakeesta! The park is stunningly beautiful with lush flowers and roses and decor that was so remarkable! The mountain coaster was a fun rush of excitement. But, the zip line experience (extra fee) was one of the best adventures - we are 68 & 66 and even though we love a challenge this one was definitely a fun one. Sam and Nick and Michael were excellent guides and they made sure we were safe and provided some comic relief for me (I was nervous)! I would recommend this experience to anyone who likes a challenge. We stayed all day and walked through the Astra Lumina exhibit (extra fee)-we loved the presentation and lights - it was very interesting!

We are a family of four adults and have enjoyed annual passes for the past three years. We have thoroughly enjoyed all previous visits throughout the years and have spent quite a bit of cash in the park purchasing food, alcohol, merchandise and enjoying other ticket rides. We have spoken highly of the park and have brought out of town guests to visit. This latest visit was a bust due to poor guest service/customer service!!! We lost a cell phone on the chair lift just after we left the park. The phone flipped out of the pocket vest before we got to the first tower. After exiting the lift, we arrived at guest services and was instructed to complete a lost item report and attached a Live360 photo of the phone location. We got no adequate information from guest services on the park's process of when they may dispatch a search for the phone. Nor have we been given consistent information during discussions with guest services, since. Everyone has a different scenario or line they use. No one seems to have real charge of the situation. We have had no updates from Anakeesta. Essentially, you'll hear from us when we find it attitude. We will not be renewing for the 2026 year.

Anakeesta Gatlinburg is a really unique experience.From the chair lift ride to the mountain coasters views are amazing. We spent the entire day because we wanted to see everything they had to offer.It has lots of shopping dining ,bars plenty of seating areas with fire pits just a great atmosphere. Our favorite was definitely the zip lining we had a blast the guides were great they were funny, professional and really seemed to enjoy what they do we can't say enough about them and cant wait to do that again. Astra lumina their nighttime light and sound show was worth waiting for it really is something you won't see anywhere else. The only disappointing thing we did was Cliffttop restaurant were really looking forward to having dinner there.The views are incredible from the outdoor seating area very romantic we even watched a bear playing below while we ate the problem was the service was just plain bad the hostess was rude the waitresses got every tables orders confused and it took forever to get served. The food was just ok not bad just ok. It wasn't too busy so we got seated fast also the menu is limited.The atmosphere at this restaurant is great so with a few improvements it could be a gem. All in all we had a great time at Anakeesta it's a must do if you visit Gatlinburg.

Plan on staying the whole day. So much to do and there are no words to describe the views. The food is soo good and so many little shops .

My family and I were held captive by management at Anakeesta on December 27, 2024 and feared for our safety. The park was shutdown with no reasonable plan to get guests down. Anakeesta seems unsafe. Based on a google search, at least one death has already occurred there.

My family and I were guests at Anakeesta on December 27, 2024. There are only two ways up and down from the attraction: chair lift or truck. We were there for only an hour or so before attractions were shut down due to high winds. There were thousands of guests on the mountain. The chair lifts were shut down. The only way down the mountain was via the trucks ("Ridge Rambler") .

Once the rides were shut down, Anakeesta continued to bring guests up in the trucks even though no attractions were open. All this did was contribute to the growing line, thousands of people long, of guests waiting to get on trucks to go back down. Anakeesta continued to profit by selling food, water, and trinkets to the growing number of angry and scared people that had nothing to do since all attractions were shut down.

Many guests asked to be allowed to walk down the mountain since the line for the trucks was going to be several hours long. Anakeesta employees refused to allow people to walk down the mountain, originally, stating that it is unsafe due to vehicular traffic and wildlife including bears. Some guests asked to go anyway and security threatened them that Anakeesta would contact Gatlinburg PD to arrest them when they got to the bottom.

It was getting dark and rain clouds were looming. Thousands were in line waiting to get on the trucks. The line was barely moving and it was clear that it was going to take at least 4 hours to get on a truck. I asked staff what the plan was if it started raining. The response: "There is no plan."

Finally, at approximately 1500, Anakeesta changed its mind and allowed guests to leave the premises and walk down if they wanted to. It took our family, with 2 children, 30 minutes to get down the steep mountain road to safety. According to other online reviews, there were several injuries during the chaos and mayhem that occurred on the mountaintop and perhaps during the descent.

It is frightening, and shocking, that management knew, or should have known, that gusty winds were coming, that the park would be shut down, and that Anakeesta lacked a reasonable number of vehicles to safely get everyone down in a timely manner. Why would Anakeesta keep the park open as long as it did if it knew from weather forecasts that it was going to need to shut down? Was it due to incompetence, greed, or both?

This was a terrible experience for our family and thousands of others who were stranded, frightened, and angry in the dangerous chaos at Ankeesta.

Anakeesta is an amazing place. I did Zip Line on the 7th May and it was a great experience. Taylor and Nick were my guides and did amazing job. They were professional and fun. Made me feel very safe but also encourage me to do fun stuff on the line. They also shared interesting facts about nature and Smokey Mountains. Thank You so much guys.

If you’re looking for the best place to go for your first zip lining adventure, look no further. Today (4/7) was my first time zip lining and I had a wonderful experience. The guides. (Case, Terry, Elliot, and Chad) were amazing and made the experience so easy and full of laughs. They went above and beyond to make sure we were all having a safe and great time and truly treated everyone in our small group feel like family/friends! Roy these guys deserve a pizza party! Thanks guys for making my solo travel experience amazing!

Bought our tickets online ahead of time so we should have been able to use the express lane to bypass the ticket line that was over an hour long. No the old lady with grey hair working by the start of the lines said we have to go to the ticket booth and not the express lane yet she was letting other people who already bought tickets to go into the express lane. Not worth it too long of lines and it seems like their employees have no idea what they are doing.

We went during the first week of December and the Christmas decor and outdoor play performance were beautiful. The views are amazing and I recommend that you go when you can see both the day and the night view.

This place has no conscious. We bought a season pass so we could use the express lanes. We paid the extra money for the light show. For no apparent reason they shut the place down and we can’t get our money back for the season pass.

Never expected to find what we did when we got to the top of this mountain. There are several ways to get to the top...chair lift and road ranger. It was brutally hot the day we sent...97 degrees! But we took the chair lift to see the views of Gatlinburg. When we arrived at the top there are a number of eateries, bridge walks, gardens and the best of all...the Tower! We went during an event called "United Tastes of America:...discount ticket to taste small meals! Truly delightful! The views are amazing!

My husband, 17 year old daughter, and I visited Anakeesta for the first time this past week. We traveled about 5 hours from our home directly to Anakeesta. There was a large (paid) parking lot on the site, but probably not so large that it would accommodate everyone wanting to visit Anakeesta by car. We arrived around noon and there was a long line at the ticket counter. The line moved relatively quickly (about 20 minutes) at which time we were in line to ride the Chondola to the top of the mountain where all the attractions were located. The ride took about 15-20 minutes, only stopping periodically to allow those in the "cabins" to exit and load. Once at the top of the mountain, there was shops, quick snack trailers, and attractions to be found. The zip line and alpine coasters are an additional fee. We wanted to do the alpine coasters, but of the two they had, one had a 45 minute wait and the other 1.5 hr wait. Unfortunately, we had dinner reservations and didn't have that kind of time to wait to ride. We did enjoy typical festival style food and walked around the observatory area, the gardens, and watched a few short shows, and walked the Treetop Skywalk. The talent in the shows were very good. The park was lush with flowers & greenery. Fans/cooling stations scattered around were ideal since it was very, very hot. Water bottle refill station was also available. There was shade available; however, finding a table in the shade for lunch was a bit of a challenge. Rocking chairs could be found throughout the area as well to take in the gorgeous views of the mountains. Overall, we found the attraction to be more suitable for families with smaller children (preschool to middle school), but enjoyed the views and the atmosphere.

First of all, the views were amazing. We bought tickets for the zip line and the Astra Lumina. Zip line was in the late afternoon, so we went early enough not to be late. The lines were horrible. There was no place to get out of the heat. And it was hot! Nowhere. They did have umbrellas in places, but not enough. Then we had to climb the mountain to the top to smoke. In the broiling sun. Only one umbrella, and boy that was prime real estate. And guess what else? Kids. In the hot, broiling smoking area. There were water fans at the bottom, but we never saw an empty seat. We finally made it to the zip line. It was fun. But not what I expected. The zip lines were short and we had to wait till everyone zipped. Waiting again. When we got back up the mountain, we got on the chondala and came straight back down. Couldn't wait to get out of there. Just happened to ask the lady at the ticket booth if I could give the light show tickets to someone, she gave us a rerefund. Too expensive and too hot! Get some air conditioning @

An awesome place to explore. They have so much to do, it’s definitely worth a visit. Make sure you have 3 hours or more to take your time and really enjoy the experience! We did the beer tasting and the astra lumina night walk. We had a fantastic time. The views are spectacular!

We’ve been here a few times since 2019 and it has always been improving. We love the gondola ride, the beautiful gardens, and the tree walk. This is definitely one of the must-do tourist attractions in the Gatlinburg area. One small thing I loved was the addition of padding to the gondola seats.

However, there are a few things I don’t like. I cannot stand the refund policy. Bad weather? No refund, but an option to use the tickets within the next 365 days. This is not good enough for those of us who might not be back within a year. Look at Ober for an example of a better policy. This trip we had rude service from the cashier in the ticket line and the guy taking photos at the top of the ride. Neither one said a single word to us. I pre-purchased my tickets through ticket master so it shouldn’t have been a hassle for the cashier. The guy taking photos didn’t even look up, just pressed the camera when we were close. He was too busy playing on his phone. It was in the 30-40’s today with occasional rain and snow, but they had all of the heaters off and only one fire pit opened.

Lots of walking 🚶‍♀️ for older folks like us. We didn't stay up there very long but the chair rides up and down were worth it.

Be careful booking here. Gondolas were down all day yesterday. Waited over an hour and then told to get a refund. They only gave me a partial refund blaming banks and that it was “out of their control”. Disappointing. We come every year. Don’t like being scammed.

Anakeesta was a wonderful trip. I was with my sister in law and we tried zip line for the first time. Was excited and extremely nervous to do so. Also afraid of heights. Our guides, Cass, Maggie and Walter, were extremely wonderful. So patient with beginners. They made it a most amazing experience. I was so glad I decided to experience it.

We brought our family of five to Anakeesta after visiting as a couple last year. It was as beautiful and fun as we remembered and we highly recommend visiting!

This review is specifically a shout out for the Anakeesta team who went the extra mile for our family on this trip - starting with the guest services at the Dueling Ziplines. When Grandma (age 70) decided Dueling Ziplines was in the cards, naturally, the whole family agreed! Unfortunately, our oldest son became ill before our scheduled reservation - disappointed doesn't even begin to describe it! We expected to chalk it up to bad luck and zip line one family member short. But rather than our son miss out entirely, the guest services team at Dueling Ziplines immediately helped adjust our reservation and accommodate our schedule to make sure we could experience this adventure as a family when he was well. Everyone from the top of the mountain team to the team on the ground making sure we got through the ticket entry and up the mountain on time for the rescheduled date were understanding, helpful and kind.

This was the first time zip lining for Grandma and our two boys (15 and 9) and the guides were fantastic! Phil, Nye, and Cardell made everyone laugh and feel safe. They made sure we had fun while making sure we understood what to expect. Rappelling from one platform down to the next lower was a new experience for all of us - feeling a bit like Spiderman for a few seconds was pretty cool!

Thank you to the Anakeesta team for helping make lasting memories for our family! We appreciate you!

We had our two kids and three adults. We were wanting to try some things we hadn’t done in the area, and this was a perfect evening! We really enjoyed the amenities, the views, and the playground areas (even for adults!). We were really impressed with this trip. The parking lot close by was perfect, getting up and down the mountain on the lifts worked out well, and we just really enjoyed it all! It’s well worth a visit.

Anakeesta turned out to be a wonderful place. It starts with a ski lift ride to the top and then the exploring begins. We loved the tree top walk and the views. We did the two coaster rides, and they were a blast. Out of the two, Hellbender was our favorite. You must climb the tower to see an amazing view of the area. There are so many areas to explore and beautiful places to walk. I highly suggest you get there a little before they open because it gets really busy later in the day. Also, get your tickets online, but still expect to wait in line for the ski lift.

It’s wasn’t a terrible time just not what we expected. First we found out that a lot of the attractions we closed down leaving like three things to do besides shopping. The Amtrak was fun and I liked the interesting information on the way up. The bumper cars were a hit with our family and my cousin actually went several times. The carousel was quite tiny. We thought it would be big enough for adults to enjoy too due to the pictures on the website. but that wasn’t the case. The animal enclosures were really quite tiny and the animals looked…bored. And didn’t move much. It also looked like the Bee exhibit was open and there were tons flying around it. Unfortunately I’m allergic and stayed away from that part. Actually after that I just went back inside. It looked like the skating was open but no one was on the ice.

What they say first: Anakeesta, Tennessee’s award-winning outdoor family theme park is known for its panoramic smoky mountain views, thrilling treetop adventures including zipline tours and mountain coaster, dining and shopping.
What you actually get: Rain was in the forecast on and off on the day we visited. We already knew that apart from paying for the Mountain Coaster ride, (you pay for all kinds that are NOT included in the entrance fee), there was nothing for adults.
Because of the rain, most stalls closed, not that there was much to begin with. All the kiddies areas closed. Just three stalls/shops open, somewhere to buy a drink and a hot dog (and seating extremely limited if you want to keep out of the rain). ONLY GOOD FOR CHILDREN, AND ONLY IF THE WEATHER IS GREAT. I guess the views on a good day are nice, however you can see better in the Smoky Mountains themselves for free. A truly disappointing place to visit!

My husband and I were pleasantly surprised. We especially loved the zip line. Our guides were Jacob, Garrett and Roy. They were the best. All were knowledgeable and made the experience really wonderful. They had a great sense of humor.

Everything at this attraction was amazing! Views, food, shops & events were all great with no complaints. The price was great for all you get to do. There are some things that cost more once you are at the top but we were very happy with what we could do without the extra costs. I would plan to spend at least 4 hours for just walking around & seeing everything. There is a lot to see that you don't know is there unless you walk around & just take your time. The chair lift ride up is not for the faint of heart. It was very scary & the breeze made it rock. I would not dream of putting a child under 12 years old on it unless you really have a hold onto them. We rode the truck back down & was glad we did because we encountered some bears on the mountain & got some great pictures & video. The cost is for unlimited visits all day, so don't lose your wristband if you leave. Even if you are afraid of heights (like I am) it is still worth the price to go up & see everything. Just don't find yourself on the Canopy Walk accidentally & not be able to turn back. I got through it but it was scary for me!

Had a great time here. Arrived around 2pm, long line for gondola lifts, so took the open air bus-the rambler. Daughter did zip line, I enjoyed the Bear-varian sampler and had delicious German meatballs with rye toast (omg, delicious 5 🌟) She loved the zip line. Explored some more until time for the night time lights, Astra Lumina. Watch out for leaving at night- waaay too many people and not enough ways down. Took about half an hour to leave on Monday. Definitely want to go back before the fall decor is gone. Cool place.

We ended up spending about $170 for the three of us (with a discount). I would rank Anakeesta 1/5 on its own however the Astra Lumina is a 5/5. Astra Lumina is absolutely amazing especially if you're into space or astrogeology. I knew it was going to cost a lot to get up there and I saw the reviews about there not being much to do that's included in the price and those reviews are accurate. There were a couple of small kids areas (the slides were closed for us). Unless you do the tree walk, there's nothing besides the observation tower and the ride up the mountain that are included in the price for adults. There's dining, drinking, shopping and the mountain coasters which all cost extra. Again, Astra Lumina is amazing but the rest of Anakeesta is extremely overpriced.

Anakeesta was beautifully landscaped, nice cafes, restaurants and gift shops but the best part is the outdoor experience of the tree top walk and the zip line! The zip line is more reasonable than others in the area and the team of AJ, Hunter and Chad kept us safe and entertained through the entire experience

The park is beautiful, clean and has breathtaking views. The restaurants have great tasting food (somewhat overpriced). The restrooms, play area, and trails are clean. Employees were friendly and efficient. However, we waited over an hour for a gondola because some of our party could not stomach the ride up in a chair lift. The problem with the wait is that they don't warn you that there are only a couple gondolas every ten to fifteen minutes so the wait is super long in the super hot sun. If there was a wait time listed, I would have chosen to either not go up OR I would have ridden the "rambler" truck. Some of our party did choose to ride the chair lift, but that was even a long line and time spent just getting to the mountain top. Once there, we did enjoy the views and the food. However, one of the mountain coasters took 30 minutes and the other took over an hour to ride. For the amount we spent, I would not go again. Also, if you are not in tip top physical shape, it is a hard park to enjoy. Half of us left the park early to go walk around downtown Gatlinburg while we waited on the others to join us.

To be fair I do not feel like I got to fully experience this place because there was a massive thunderstorm and heavy down pours within an hour of arriving there. The downside is there was really no place to take shelter we got drenched and the thunder and lightning without a place to hide was pretty scary. When it is storming there is only one way to get down & the capacity is limited essentially leaving us stranded at the top.

That aside we did get to climb the tower & the gardens that we were able to see were beautiful.

Very little to do for the cost of the tickets. Ski lift ride to the attractions is the best part. The treetop stuff is short and anything else is an additional fee. Total tourist trap . I will say the views are nice but save your money and do something else.

Overpriced and nothing of substance there…

My daughter had a cast on and we paid and waited in line…after a while to get on the coaster… not allowed, fair enough but should of said something earlier… then I said I wanted my money back and tried to act like I was a problem and guy running it said do you want me to call security and I said call whoever you want. They called security and then to get my money I literally had to go to the very top of the hill and not the place I paid for the excursion at… then security I believe was following me… got my kids and left the worst place on earth. It’s shopping food and walking , only two attractions are zip lining (unknown) and coaster ride which other said sucked compared to the ones up the road. Don’t go to this place. I will never return.

Nice mix of activities, beautiful scenery. We went in July & it was pretty hot. It would be great in the spring or fall. I wish we had gone in the evening but it was supposed to storm so we went earlier in the day

The food is good, the drinks are quality, the shopping is decent. The tree bridge walk-through is cool and the zip line adventure is very fun. Highly recommend.

It was expensive but was beautiful. We saw some of the most majestic views, I’ve haven’t seen in many years. My granddaughters 9 & 8 loved it as did mom & dad. But if you are handicapped or have heart, lung & asthma, plan to go slow and take rest breaks. Do not attempt to the luminary show. I was told it was flat but you wind down a hill and there are gentle elevations. By the end of the day you are tired and at 70 it was too much. Then to get out you have to come back up the hill you went down. It was raining so everywhere there was to sit was wet.

This is a pricey joke. It is basically a pricey giant playground for kids under 7. We wasted time and money. We purchased the tickets to ride the rambler. We also purchased tickets to see the Astra Lumina. The light show started at 8:45pm. We headed to the mountains at 3:30pm. We thought we would have things to do in the mountains until our show time. No there wasn’t anything to do so we sat and waited. We attempted to eat dinner at the Cliff Top!! The food was horrible we did not eat at all sent everything back. Our fries was cold after we waited 2 hours to be seated. The bread on our burgers we old and cold. Tried to cut the burger the bread just crumple. Our waitress however was very nice we tipped her because it wasn’t her fault the food was bad.

So upset we waisted over $350 on tickets to seat and look at little children play.
The light show was just ok wasn’t worth the extra money. Please don’t waist your time. If you want to see the mountains do not do this unless you have small children and want to pay to play in a playground.

The place is very expensive, very long lines to get up to the tourist area. The food trailers and locations are slow and understaffed. Gatlinburg can’t handle the volume of people.

My husband and I did the zipline at Anakeesta today. Gabe, Victor & David made the experience so much fun! They had a great sense of humor & were wonderful tour guides! There were 3 long zip lines & 2 ropes that you had to repel. It was a fun experience! We were glad we did it!

We arrived after noon, took the lift up instead of riding the truck. It was a nice relaxing ride. Once there we did everything we could and added on the mountain coaster and zip lining. The folks running these were very personable. Shout out to Victor running the comedy on the zipline. The mountain coaster was much steeper than others we’ve done so the boys loved that! The other coaster was shut down at the time. For the price the ziplines were good compared to others we have done in Highlands, NC. This is not a high adventure zip, so a great way to start. I would recommend getting there earlier and come and go when you get hot or tired but come back for the light show, which we didn’t have time to do. The landscaping and design is Disney quality. For the money, it’s probably just a Once in a lifetime opportunity for our family. It would be hard to justify spending that much money again.

Enjoyed our visit to Anakeesta. We went in mid May at 6:00 pm and there were no crowds. The area is so clean and well kept- the grounds are beautiful! We climbed the tower which affords a beautiful view! We walked through the tree top walk which we enjoyed. Stayed for the night light show walk which was okay but not sure it was worth it. Overall I would recommend it- just can get a bit pricey.

While the line was very long and the ticket sellers seemed very confused, once we got out of ticketing, we had a great experience. The views were spectacular, and we took the opportunity to go ziplining. We had Austin, Michael, and Jackson as our guides for the zipline experience.

They were incredibly warm, kind, and patient with anxious participants, and overall, they gave us a safe and enjoyable outing. They displayed a sense of humor that helped to lighten up fearful moments and were a credit to their organization. If we are back for another zipline experience, we will ask for these three. They were terrific!

Anakeesta is a must if visiting Gatlinburg area. Beautiful views of the smoky mountains and very nice landscape. There is a lot of things for kids to do but many require an up charge. Many little shops and places to eat. Once you pay admission you can leave and enter Anakeesta as many times as you want for the duration of that day. One side note to consider. After paying twenty dollars to park in the lot by Anakeesta you can leave your car in that lot and walk the Gatlinburg strip without having to pay again if you leave this lot to park somewhere else in Gatlinburg.

A good half day experience. Some great pictures and views from the top. You can spend all day if you want to do the night time activities. I didn’t do all the activities, but there are a lot of upsell items up top.

Nice views, good tree bridge. Some stuff for younger kids. Clean and well maintained.

Not a lot of other stuff to do unless you want to pay extra to go on a coaster or zip line ride.

The line to go up on the chondola was super long. We were told it was a 90 minute wait but it ended up only being half that long. We must be living right!

It was nice but I,would not make an entire day out of it. We took the ride up on the chondala and at the top there are shops and places to eat. The tower has an amazing view and the gardens are very pretty. There's also an area for children (we are past that age and we're in a couple getaway). My favorite was the suspended bridges, especially after it finally got dark. We also did the lumination tour in the evening; it was nice I'm not sure it was worth what they charge but hey, we were on a get away. Over all it's a bit pricey, the food was OK the scenery was beautiful not sure I need to go back again but I'm glad I did it and enjoyed it. I've always wanted to go on the suspended bridges here so now it's off my list - which they had more of them.

It was great to stroll around. Loved sitting in the chairs, chilling and admiring the beautiful colors of the mountains. Rollercoaster was pretty fun. Tree top bridges were quite fun. If you have bad knees or a bad back, prepare for a workout. A lot of steps and inclines. The biggest fun was zip lining. At 55 I’m not as fearless as I use to be. I was having trouble rappelling. Hunter, Bell and Matthew were so funny, so entertaining and so kind to me. I appreciate that more than they’ll ever know. Saying these 3 are amazing is an understatement. We highly recommend Astro lumina. It’s stunning and so serene. Take your time walking through it. It was a great day and evening.

Sure, Anakeesta seems like nothing more than another Gatlinburg tourist trap. But I found it to be a great way to spend the day. Plenty to do and amazing views. Especially in the Fall.

I'm afraid of heights so the chairlift to the top was a challenge. Not a deal breaker for me. I did it four time. Went up in the late morning and had lunch, then returned to watch the sunset. Same with the Treetop Skywalk - scary but so worth it.

I bought the "Bear-Varian" beer tasting card and enjoyed six, six-ounce pours of different beers. I also rode the two Coasters. So much fun! As other reviewers have noted, some of the staff up there seem like they do not want to be there and aren't very nice. But many were terrific. That's something to be aware of.

Astra Lumia is spectacular and well worth the added cost. For me Anakeesta is a fine way to spend a few hours when in Gatlinburg. I suspect if it's during the very busy season it could be less enjoyable. The line to the chairlift going up was about 10 minutes - going down at the end of the night it was about 25 minutes.

I recommend going early in the morning. They open at nine to beat the crowds. You can ride a ski lift, enclosed gondola, or bus to the top. Once is there our daughters roller coaster and the zip line. They had a blast on both of them. We have drinks at the cliff top bar that were great. I would not go here after 10 as it will be very crowded

Definitely a place that is probably more fun for kids. My mom and I went during our stay in Gatlinburg. We had tickets to the light show, and headed up the lift around 4:00. We were very tired by 9:30 and spent a lot time trying to find stuff to do.

There are a few gift shops that primarily sell clothing and jewelry. I was about to buy some earrings that I liked, but luckily I didn't. I found the same ones in Townsend later for half the price. There are a few food stalls and places to buy drinks to cool off. There is a restaurant that was full-service that was very nice.

We didn't do the mountain coaster because you can't do it together and the seats were more for kids. The tree-walk was fine but a bit short. If you get tired on inclines, be prepared on this. We chose not to climb to the top of the observation tower after hours of hiking, but the views from the rest of the place were probably just as nice. There are chairs all along the edge if you are lucky to get some. We walked around the trails and found some cute side-spots to enjoy the plants. The end of the trail leads to a major play area for kids. Would have been cool with the little ones.

Astra Lumina was a pleasant end to our day. Make sure to take your time. We couldn't believe how many people blasted past and probably missed half of it. You have to wait to see the full cycle of each station.

You have options on how to get to the park. You can take the Rambler, which drives you there, or you can take the ski lift. If you want the enclosed cars they advertise, be prepared for a long wait.

We just got back from a visit to Anakeesta and had a lovely time as whole. (NOTE: If you have a fear of heights or vertigo, this park probably won’t be nearly as fun for you as it was for us and you might be better off going elsewhere.) The views were great. The food and drinks we had were good. Staff was friendly, helpful, and made us laugh. The park was well-kept and while some of the activities were geared toward younger audiences, they had some fun experiences available for adults as well. We went on the zip lines and our instructors were great about safety and also keeping the atmosphere light when some members of the group got nervous. I’m a pretty small girl at 5’2” and around 100-120 lbs, so they ended up having to use a child-sized harness for me. I am not sure if this harness was the issue or what, but I will say to the ladies with similar body size, you may want to wear a very thick sanitary pad just be safe because once they cinched me up and I got on the line it HURT. I actually ended up with a straddle injury so just…be careful with that. I don’t blame the staff. They were just trying to keep me safe and I’d rather be uncomfortable than fall out of my harness but I will be more cautious in the future! We also did the Treetop Skywalk at night and the Astra Lumina show. They were both GORGEOUS. Absolutely would go see them again. However, it should be noted that those with epilepsy may not want to try the Astra Lumina show, as there were strobing lights that might trigger a seizure in some.

If you go to Anakeesta the zipline is FABULOUS! SO much fun!!!! Our Guides, Victor, Gabe, and Davey were the BEST! They were funny, interactive, and made the entire experience even more fun!

We loved the area but were extremely disappointed the tree top bridges/walks were closed the entire time view were there due to bears. This was the main reason we attended. The BBQ restaurant was good!

Anakeesta is beautiful! We went in about 5 pm, but wished we had went earlier. This is truly is an all day place. The sights, views and gardens are stunning! Once the sun starts to go down and the lights come on, it's magical. The Astra Lumina is incredible! Lots of walking, lots of seating. I went up the tower and snapped some pics, my knee wishes I hadn't. I do think it's an oversight that they don't have an elevator for disabled individuals who may want to enjoy the views off the tower. Everywhere to eat is pricey! Maybe check with them to see if you can bring some water bottles & snacks. Over all a good deal, but give yourself a large chunk of the day for it. Grab a park map because we got a bit turned around a bunch. We rode the red enclosed chondalas up the mtn, its ok but made us a bit nervous. We took the Ridge Rambler back down (a truck with lots of seating) and we liked it much better!

The parking was twenty dollars for a day, Tickets are 35 dollars per person. The views once at the top are awesome if the weather is clear, several choices for eating, lunch for two was almost 40 dollars (no alcohol). Bring good shoes lots of walking.

It was our first time to Anakeesta. We enjoyed Chondola and Ridge Rambler rides, the view from AnaVista Observation Tower was spectacular, Treetop Skywalk was cool our son loved it, Vista Gardens is decorated beautifully loved the colors, our son loved the Treehouse Adventure Play Area, BirdVenture was the cutest thing, our son loved to climb top of the owl house. We couldn’t do the coaster adventure rides because the wait time was 1 hr and it’s not included with the general admission.

Everyone working here foreign so good luck with that. Too much money for what you get to do. Not worth $180 for a family of 5 ….long waits for ok coasters EVERYBODY MOVES AT A SNAILS PACE

Excellent viewpoint of the city of Gatlinburg, buy a ticket and get on a cable car that can be closed or open, the climb is about 10' and you get an excellent view, once above you arrive and you can appreciate different attractions and kiosks with different products for sale t if you are lucky you can see a live black bear as was my case, but then comes security and just in case without any rugged as you can see in the following photos

Had an absolute blast. Enjoyed the treetop skywalk. Went during Tase of America and truly enjoyed the experience. Staff is absolutely phenomenal, very helpful and kind. Well worth it. Will visit again.

My girlfriend and I visited Anakeesta whilst on holiday in Pigeon Forge from the UK and were pleasantly surprised. We had seen a few videos online about it so knew what to expect and were not disappointed, however some of the staff were far from happy or friendly whilst we were there.

Firstly the chairs up the mountain to Anakeesta are great, slow and steady with two types available (the normal chairs) or the enclosed (Disney skyliner style).

If you don't like either of these they have the bus transport to take you up to the top and back down and you can use any of these any time you are visiting so we went up and down the mountain a few times trying them all out. The only issue with the normal chairs is if it's hot then you are very exposed and will get burned fast if you are caught out, we were visiting on a very hot day and it stopped a number of times in a prime sunspot.

The views from Anakeesta are great, the venue is well layed out and decorated with plenty to do for children mainly and a few nice additions for adults. Overall it's quite expensive for what it is, but it is still an overall good day out.

We ate lunch in the Clifftop restaurant where the staff were accommodating and welcoming and we found the food to be better than expected.

We did both mountain coasters and the staff on both were brilliant, the Hellbender (newest one) although faster at 35mph felt a lot less intense as it's a twin rail coaster, whereas the original Rail Runner was superb. Rail runners lower 25mph speed should not out you off as it's far more thrilling with much steeper drops and harsh cornering where it feels like you will be thrown from the seat.

Both are worth doing imo, however both are over very quickly and felt a little short :-(

Annoyingly we didn't get to do the skybridge (I believe is what it's called) as it was closed.

AMppalled at the lack of ADA resources. Using my walker; couldn't navigate the extreme steep ramps to go any where other than the first level.

Using a walker was not possible or safe to go over the moving bridges, and see the gardens, I'd come to admire.

This all made me feel more disabled and was a sad experience.

We waited almost 40 minutes for a Manager on Duty to come speak to us to help decide how to accomplish this. Three employees tried brainstorming and tried reaching out for assistance.

There was another family with an elderly relative not able to tolerate the inclines or swaying bridges.

There was at least an additional 20 minutes in line to and from the attraction because we required the enclosed Gondola's. There seem to be two for every dozen open air lift chairs.

If a Manager would like to reach out I could discuss more, Your current systems are a disservice to disabled visitors as well as your marketing of available attractions.

The “New” Gatlinburg! Easily spent three hours enjoying this mountain top Village Theme Park. Yes it costs but could be your best Gatlinburg experience! We will go again! The tree walk after dark is great!

Beautiful. Really fun to walk around - incredible views with many places to sit, relax, and enjoy the view. Lots of fun shops. The rope bridges were fun. We didn't have kids, but the kid's area looked fun.
Make sure to watch the sunset. Unbelievable view!

Avoid at all costs. Overpriced food, overpriced coaster add-on, long lines, boring. I don’t see the appeal at all. No care for the customer experience. Want my $325 for a family of 4 back.

My husband and I got tickets in advance and walked right on to the Ski Lift, which was great. However, when we reached the top, it was overcrowded and was basically nothing but shops, food and kids play areas... which is fine but was not what we went for. We did go on the tree bridges, they were okay, again over crowded and couldn't see anything but trees. We also decided to go through the botanical gardens, this too was a let down. This was not a botanical garden, it was more like spiffy landscaping. We ate at the Cliff Top Cafe for lunch. The food was mediocre, but the service was great! Overall, our visit to Anakeesta was underwhelming and would not recommend it unless you had small children.

I would not recommend wasting your money on a ticket. If you had young children it might be worth it as there are many climbing things for them to do. We went with two 12 year olds and a 10 year old and they were very bored. Coasters cost extra which wasn't a big deal but the wait to go on them was 1 hour. The tree top skywalk was cool not worth the price of admission.

My family visited Anakeesta on a late Friday afternoon (lines were very short) and stayed until closing. We took the chair lift up the mountain (not for those afraid of heights). During our visit, we climbed all the ropes options, went down the slides, explored the structures and the skywalk, rode both mountain coasters, walked AstraLumina, and sat around a campfire with some ice cream. All of us loved everything we did!
The park is beautifully designed and decorated, along with being spotless, and has stunning views of the mountains. The staff was kind, friendly, and helpful.
Elementary and pre-teens will get the most from this park. I could see families with little ones spending all day there exploring. It is pricy (especially when you factor in all the add-ons), so make sure to read the website regarding the various activities and if they cost extra. For us, it was worth it! I would absolutely recommend a visit!

My brother and I went to do the Zipline ,I was nervous at first but our guides Victor, gabe,and David was awesome they cut up and laugh with us made sure everyone knew the safety rules and all that. I gotta give extra shout out to Victor for giving me a gentle push and encouraging me on during the whole thing definitely will recommend the Zipline tour. We also did the hellbender mountain coaster it was great . We even slid down the slides at the bird adventure .

We did the zip line tour and the guides were absolutely amazing, I cannot say enough good things about them! 5 stars is not high enough! It was my first time ever (I'm terrified of heights), they were so patient and encouraging even if I didn't want to hear it at times lol. I cried for sure but Jess (?) and Connor were angels, I don't know what they get paid but it's not enough! I definitely didn't enjoy the repel portions and probably wouldn't have booked for myself if I had known, but that was my fault for not actually reading what was included in the tour when I bought the tickets. Again, the guides were absolute angels and so great. My husband had an amazing time and honestly, if I had the same guides, I would do it again! I highly recommend eating BEFORE doing the zip line, it's about an hour/hour and a half in the sun with adrenaline pumping. If you don't, you run the risk of almost passing at the end (like me :)). One thing I really didn't like was that there were no fans or anything on any of the decks where you wait for the rest of your party. It was so hot and you're in direct sunlight the whole time but the rest of the park has fans every 3 feet, it doesn't make any sense.

The food and drink card was misleading. The picture shows the $ 8.50-14 (16 ounce) beers and cocktail, but you actually only get a small 10 Ounce drink (in small print on card after purchase). Might even be smaller than 10 ounces. Food was good but tiny portions except the apple fritter was good and decent size. Way too crowded. Drink stations/water fountains had warm
Water. You also had to pay extra for the luminary walk.

The zip line was my first and the guides were amazing! They were funny, encouraging and totally professional and knew their stuff! Two young men and a young lady. Great team!

Bought tickets for day after thanksgiving online weeks before. Day of experienced MASS crowds in my life of coming to gatilinburg never seen! Was unmanageable, people obviously from other places , up top we experienced rude employees zERO vendors had hot chocolate or told us “ machine wasn’t working “ . Even bartender was rude. So many crowded around fire no one,else could access heat. Astra lumina which was beautiful and only adult interaction was allowing hordes of people in at a time , no respect for others trying to enjoy the peace and intentions of the activities, kids were running making dangerous for others. No staff in sight . If anakeesta is marketing for this , verse lifelong visitors with roots in Appalachia, good luck . Over 230$ for 4 adults , for next to nothing up top

I cannot express to you how disappointed and embarrassed I am that I took my handicapped family member here.

We travel often to many places. Gatlinburg is something we have been familiar with for decades and never had an issue.

The staff at the bottom of the chair lift were friendly, kind and accommodating. The waitress we had was friendly and rapid. Food was moderate in taste and price.

The ramps were so intense we could not get our handicapped family member up to enjoy the park. The gardens and other experiences are past a wobbly bridge or up two steep hills. We asked these questions and researched before purchasing and we wasted $140+ because the employees were not honest or clarified enough or not familiar enough for ADA needs

I asked 4 male employees to please get us a manager to speak to as we couldn’t go anywhere in the park, my family member was overheated and over worked. They said they would be back that no manager was responding to their walkie page. They never returned. I then spoke to a male security officer who was kind and said he would be back. After 37 minutes no one remembered to come back to speak with us. I wanted to share we are willing to pay for the remainder of us even if we leave but can we have a refund for our handicapped visitor this isn’t fair to her. We did nothing in the park besides eat and struggle/fail to get her up a ramp. No one assisted us or followed up. When we were going back down we were told no one was available to speak to us.

We researched ahead of time and were told the park will be fine to navigate for our needs. False advertisement, misleading that we could access everything. I have never been embarrassed or disappointed in a Gatlinburg attraction before but always room for a first. This is a place good for young children, able bodied adults and teens. Shops geared for younger children. Beautiful views and very clean establishment. The bathrooms were well maintained. The misting fans were helpful.

We left after spending over $200 there for less than an hour and went to the aquarium where they had a people mover for an attraction and much more ADA friendly features.

I would definitely be interested in management calling to speak to me since they didn’t want to speak to me in person.

This park is a nice place to visit but the stuff is horrible.
My son is a handicap with only one leg. On the way back we had to wait for the cable cart going down for an hour. They have only 6 of them and the rest are ski benches. My son has a service dog to help him walking when he need. He had to sit on the floor as there is nowhere to sit next to the line to go down in the cable center. When we got i front of thei line. The 2 people infrot of us did not want to to ride with my son and the dog so Santiago, the guy in charge asked from other people behind us to go with them and leaving my handicap son to wait another 20 min for the next gondola. I asked him how can you put my son back to the end of the line and take regular people that where after us in line. Santiago was just laughing in our face. We finally we sat down in the gondola my son took a picture of him with his phone. Santiago started yelling at us that its not allowed an stopped the cable cary from moving. He called security guard and we all where waiting for them as the cable stopped and all the people on it where just seating. I tooled him that what he is doing its illegal, to hold us against our will in a confined place. He did not care. When the security arrived and heard the story the explained the law to Santiago that in a public place you give up you right for privacy that way you can take pictures of anyone and every thing. AFTER another 15 min hSantiago had no choice and started again the cable lift. He was very rude to us and did not care about handicap. My advise if you have some disability done go there. No where to seat next to the lift and no special arrangement for handicap. And you Santiago have to be shame as how you treat disabled people.

Chair lift provided gorgeous mountain views. Staff was friendly and helpful. We preordered tickets online prior day & it was seamless. Went when they first opened and enjoyed looking around. Went back after dark to enjoy the lights. Highly recommend going during day and night.

This is a very good place to visit whether young or not. Booked admission plus zip lining and Astra Lumina. Spent about 9 hours there. Took the chair lift up and back down. Honestly a fun way to get to the top. Could have left and came back on the same daily admission which was one major factor for us. Spent time walking around taking in the views. Ate at Clifftop. Everything we did was great. The park was clean and well kept from what we saw as well as the restrooms. Which we all know are important.

The views were amazing in Anakeesta. Beautiful views of the Smoky mountains. The Rail Runner and Hellbender coasters were excellent, not too wild like other rollercoasters but a thrilling experience. If you are sort of scared of roller coasters than you should do the Hellbender mountain coaster. You can control the speed of the coasters and enjoy the journey through the mountains. The Treetop walk provides you with excellent views of the smoky mountain trees and the rope bridges are fun to walk on. Although the Zipline Adventure is a little expensive but still WAY!! cheaper than other ziplines. The guides were so funny and I really enjoyed the ziplines. Not only were there ziplines but there are rappels too. The guides even teach you how to Zipline upside down. Overall Anakeesta is a great place to go and I personally really enjoyed the ziplines. Pretty fun and for a first timer on a Zipline Anakeesta was very fun.

Great spot for visit ! One of the best of Gatlinburg! Sure worth the time !
Tip : visit during sunset , and enjoy the view !!
+ the show at night

Really enjoyed! Kids loved the various play areas, and coasters. Very hot while we were there in 90’s Lots of shaded resting areas and misters and fans to help cool off. Beautiful views!!

Only go if you have kids under 10. The only activities are rope bridges and slides for the admission price. If you want a roller coaster an extra 18 per person. We went with 5 adults, 1 fourteen year old and a 4 year old. Only the four year old had any fun. The tour of states food was small portions over priced if available. We went on Memorial Day. Like everything in Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge admission for all but the youngest child was $40. I would not recommend but a young family could enjoy their kids playing there.

For the family, you’re paying amusement park admission prices, to ride a ski lift to the top of the hill, where there are a couple playgrounds, a restaurant, and some very chintzy rides (that cost extra). Major tourist trap. Avoid

We visited Ankeesta in July 2024 - I spoke to Customer Service and asked that someone with authority to please give me a call back - as of today no one has called me back regarding an issue with COMMUNICATION from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the bottom!!

If you have never been to Ankeesta - you pay for everything at the bottom of the mountain with the exception of the mountain coasters. So at the bottom of the mountain I paid for two general (adult) admissions and two lumina night walk admissions totally $125.12 (not a cheap attraction). I signed up for the last lumina night walk admission available which was at 10:15 p.m. with the anticipation that we would be riding the two mountain coasters and other attractions on the mountain. Only to find out that when we got to the top that both coasters had a 2 1/2 hour wait (meaning all their time slots were gone) for 2 1/2 hours. This meant that their was no way to do both coasters and still do the lumina night walk that I had already paid for at the bottom of the mountain with the amount of time we had at the top before they closed. So my issue is this it would have been nice to know before I paid $125.12 at the bottom of the mountain. VERY POOR communication on their part as to what is actually available at the top. Because I would not have gone up there since the roller coasters weren't available. Unfortunately they have no idea at the bottom what is going on at the top, however I get the impression they don't really care because I did ask and was told that you will need to ask questions and purchase tickets at the top, that should have been my first clue. But since I already paid we made the best of a bad decision and we decided to go ahead and wait (kill time) until 10:15 p.m. for our lumina night walk. However that to was impossible because of the heat and humidity and there is absolutely no place to cool off so after doing the swinging bridge and tower, both of which involved climbing in the heat and humidity we decided to go back down to Gatlinburg with intentions of returning in time to do our lumina night walk. Only to be stopped by a huge storm that rolled though and no way to get back up on the mountain at Ankeesta. When I asked the next day about a refund I was told that they were open and no exchanges or refunds could be made. So if you are going to visit Ankeesta be sure to check the weather and unfortunately I am not sure how you can do this because they don't communicate from the top of the mountain to the bottom of mountain. You need to make sure everything is open and running on time....... because they don't really seem to care if their customers waste their hard earn money.

SIDE NOTE - there are restrictions on both coasters one of them being weight and they don't tell you this at the bottom either. They also weigh you right there at the ticket counter of the coaster and I saw a women turned away who seemed really embarrassed so keep that in mind if you have anyone who gets embarrassed easily. This is something Ankeesta also in my opinion needs to look at how to do differently - those women was with a group who had already purchased their tickets for the coaster.

Great Trip except for the Wild Karen yelling at people having a good time. Enjoy your miserable life Karen. Because she was afraid of heights on the Treewalk. Boo Hoo. Get over yourself Karen.

It was really beautiful once we got on the top of mountain to this event. We took the ski chairlift to get up there and the chondola ride down. there is much to see and do once you get up there. eateries, coaster rides, zip lines,hiking and much more.

Zipline is absolutely worth the $ and we had a blast! Tour guides Sam,Howard and Taylor were truly amazing,made it super fun and also explain the process well and made me feel safe!
Side note....we proceed to view our zipline pics and female staff does the spill on pricing and all that jive....then informs us "card only" no cash! I spoke with park manager and he could have cared less.....I only took cash so no pics nor will I go back!
Side note Two....go to Anakeesta website and go to "forgot to purchase pics" your pics will pop🤣 up and screen shot those babies and print them yourself....$$$$ saver as well

Beautiful views and nice grounds but not worth the money. Caution on Astra Lumina...had light effects that triggered dizziness. Difficult walk and poor lighting on path. Not impressed with light show. Saw much better at Lantern Festival at our local zoo.

Commenting only on the zipline experience. The guides (Nick, Draven, and Belle) were knowledgeable, very helpful with us, and made it a great first for our daughter.

Beautiful grounds! But not worth the price.
A nightmare to get off the Mt. If you stay after dark. Waited 3hrs in line with young kids. Everything closes at 9 didn't get off Mt till after 11.

We went there because others recommended it, but it was a bit of a let down. We spent a pretty penny for tickets and to see Astra Lumina (the light show after dark) was even more $$. This is called a theme park, but it’s not like any other theme parks I’ve visited. There were only two rides and guess what? You had to pay extra to ride them! Also, the weight limit is 225 pounds so plan accordingly.

We did enjoy the beautiful views and the light show was mesmerizing. The park itself was beautiful and well maintained.

We did the tree canopy walk (a bunch of swinging bridges) and I was proud that I managed to do it because I’m not a fan of heights or swinging bridges.

So my wife, two kids 6 and 4, and myself went to Anakeesta. We were on the fence about going after reading some of the reviews. Let me tell you about our individual experience. I would recommend going early or at a non busy time. We went at 0900 when it opened. There was no wait for tickets and only a short wait for the chondola ride up. The chondola is not for those afraid of heights. When we got to the top we were pleasantly surprised with our experience. There is so much to say and I cannot possibly cover it all. Our kids had a blast. There is a decent sized play area for them. Grab a beer at one of the many stands and watch them play. The views are of course amazing. Go up expecting to pay premium prices for food and drink. Plenty of seats are available around the park for relaxing and enjoying the view.

Long story short.. if you’re on the fence about going you won’t regret it. The kicker is I’m not sure I would wait hours in line to do it.

The views are gorgeous! Everything is well maintained, clean and the employees were exceptionally friendly and helpful….but it’s not worth the cost of the ticket. If you have any fear or dislike of heights, do not take the chair lift up. It a solid 15-20 minutes ride, that stops multiple times along the way leaving you swaying really really really high up. I would not recommend using the chair lift with small children!
The rope bridge course through the trees was beautiful, the observation tower is cool. It’s just so expensive for what ya get!

There was a bit of a line at Anakeesta for purchasing tickets, but it only took a few minutes to get there. Unfortunately, because of weather I had to get the later of the Astra lumina lights and wait about 9 o’clock before I could go through. There’s lots of staff available around and they were all very helpful. When things start to get a little dark it was beautiful to have all the colored lights and decorations and everything was lighting up. I got to see a bit of the sunset once I got to the top as well. I thought the Astro lumina lights were very pretty, but I wasn’t aware that when you’re walking through you’re going down hill and then eventually have to go back up somewhat of a steep incline to get back to where you started. So please be mindful of that. I feel that should be listed somewhere on their website as a warning for those that have mobility issues or a bit of issues in general with steepness. There was one issue that I noticed a lot of people was having the same. A lot of us were told that the ski lift closes when the park closes but even though the Astra Lumina lights continue afterwards and that we could still get back down on the ridge rambler. We found out that they did not close down the ski lift, now I don’t know if they eventually would depending on the time, but it was still running while we were making our way down the mountain on the ridge rambler.

Anakeesta was decorated for fall festivities on our last visit. The gardens were nice, the kids play area was just right and the views are amazing, especially at sunset. After a ski lift style ride up the mountain, we ate at Cliff Top Restaurant and if you get a chance, Heather is a terrific server! The rope bridges are fun and I’m aching to try their zipline/rappelling but that will have to wait until next time. Also, they have one of the best light shows I have ever seen and I’m a retired lighting designer. Imagine lights, lasers, fog, sound effects and music all in the woods on the side of a mountain at night. It’s very cool.
Enjoy!!

DON'T try to get a group rate here at ANAKEESTA!

They advertise a group rate for over 20 people, and there is a contact form to send in for more information (the group rate pricing info isn't listed). I sent in the form with plenty of time before our event--but didn't hear anything back. SO, I sent an email to the general email address asking about it... and then I called asking about it. They don't answer their phones so I had to leave a message...two messages.... All of that was unsuccessful.
We were then 2 days away from our visit, and I was already in town in Gatlinburg, so I decided to try face-to-face. I went there in person and asked to speak with the person in charge of groups. The t nice lady working at the gate was helpful and tried to call someone to speak with me, but guess what... they were not available. She took my name and number again.

THEN magically, the next day I got a phone call from NICK!! He finally said he would give me a group price and send me an invoice, but needed to know how many tickets. Well, since the outing was the next day and I still had to talk to everyone now that I knew the price, I didn't have an answer yet, so I told him an approximate number might be 28-ish. I told him I would confirm the final number at 1pm (he agreed that he was working at 1pm so that was a good time).

I got busy collecting money so that I could get a total. I called him back at 1pm and --surprise--he didn't answer the phone. I left a message with my total number of 26 tickets and asked how to pay. Meanwhile, this is a wedding party event and I am the mother of the bride, so we are going through our rehearsal dinner and wedding festivities while I am trying to arrange all this!

He finally sent me an email saying that there were computer problems, and could I please EMAIL my credit card information. Even though I was afraid of the consequences, I just wanted this whole ordeal overwith so I sent my credit card number unprotected in an email to him and told him AGAIN that I needed 26 tickets.

After several more back and forths where he claimed there were more computer problems, he finally sent me the receipt and the tickets. He had charged me and sent me 28 tickets. Do you see the problem? He charged me for 2 extra tickets that I did not collect money for so I lost a LOT of MONEY on tickets for this place!
Yes, I did email him back to try to correct it, but guess what--- he didn't respond.
My intent here is to warn anyone else who is thinking about dealing with them for a group rate.
This was all totally unprofessional and a terrible experience for me to go through to get tickets for my daughter and her bridal party. I don't recommend this to ANYONE.

Tickets were too expensive for literally nothing at the top. A few little souvenir stores and overpriced food. So very hot up there. Chondola ride too slow going up and down, you fry in the sun. Won't go back. Save your money and go for a walk in the national park.

Our family visited Anakeesta, and we all loved it! The scenery is absolutely stunning. We appreciated that the park worked with nature and highlighted the beauty of the mountains, trees, flowers, etc. Every single view was breathtaking!

We did not purchase our tickets ahead of time, but when we go back, we will. We were able to use a posted QR code and buy our tickets at the park rather than stand in line for tickets. We purchased the base ticket and added-on being able to ride coasters.

The ride up is an adventure in itself. We rode the chair lift up and the chodola back down. For those less-adventurous, there is the Ridge Rambler (big truck)!

The staff at Anakeesta if fantastic. Everyone was so friendly!

There were lots of options for food at reasonable price points. We stayed long enough to have both lunch and dinner!

If you go with children, be prepared to pay for extras. Note what the base ticket includes, and know that riding the mountain coasters, ziplining, and the photo package are all additional in cost.

This is our second time visiting, we hadn’t been in like 5 years, they’ve added so much. It was a great time. Beautiful holiday lights.

Visited Aug 2024.

Pros: Immaculately clean, feels very updated and well maintained. Food options were plentiful and portions were large. We liked strolling along the garden area and the tree top rope bridge section was nice.

Cons: Just like everything else in Gatlinburg, it’s not cheap. Value-wise, it’s worth going once, but I don’t see us going again. It’s small, and other than walking around and eating, not much else to do for early-younger teens. We ended up not purchasing the extras like the mountain coaster because our group of five would not have worked with the age requirements of the two person coaster. (Three kids under 16). Lines were long for a Thursday afternoon, but that was expected.

Overall, glad we went and probably won’t go again

This was my first time zip lining and I was definitely scared. My son and I went with guides Austin, Jackson, and Michael. They were fun and extremely patient with us. They made it great and very rememberable.

All day fun with two mountain coasters and lots of photo opportunities. Get ready for a lot of walking up and down hills and stairs. My legs are sore but it was worth it

It’s a beautiful place but not much to do. Only one smoking section on the far side of park really sucked. Very expensive for general admission to have to pay for mountain coasters additionally.

Our family loved this park. The grounds are kept nice, a lot of activities for little kids. We are at the sit down restaurant and thought the food was good.

Our family had a good time. Wait times to get up the mountain and off quite long. There are plenty of places to sit and take in the views. The treetop walk is really cool. Also, Astra Lumina was worth the extra money. The Cliff Top restaurant was very good, and we were ablebto be seated quickly. Overall, very fun day!!

Most of the activities that are covered by admission are geared towards younger kids (4-8). There isn’t much included in the admission if you are a family with younger teens. You are basically paying to come to a themed playground for littles.

Be prepared to be swarmed by crowds, long waits, getting to concessions stands only to discover they only have water left, and listening to the ice cream checkout lady screaming at other staff. Many of the areas were swamped by unaccompanied preteens causing trouble because there isn’t anything there for them to do.

The only highlight was the ziplines. The guides were fantastic and friendly (shout out to Chris, Logan, and Abby).

If you don’t have small children, go somewhere else. The cost for the experience isn’t worth it. (The zip line staff deserve 5 stars, the rest of the park 0).

Customer service is unbelievably disappointing. They do not try to help you with any ticketing errors or problems with other companies that sell their tickets. I purchased my tickets at 10 o’clock so that my family could have a good time in the afternoon visiting their location. We spent three hours waiting while the lift was closed to be told that our tickets were not available.

The issue is not with the company that issued the tickets. The issue is with the absolute horrible customer service by the supervisor that was on site who was condescending and rude would not do anything to help us out, wanting me to go stand in line for another hour and a half after we’ve been waiting for three hours in the rain and heat to go up on the lift

I simply would not support this business. They treat customers like trash.

Anakeesta is amazing. They have the park set up so that is is enjoyable for people of all ages. We did the zip line with Gabe, Victor and Phillip. Just do yourself a favor and ask for them to guide your trip you will not be disappointed. Astra Lumina was beautiful as well.

It was fun! We came late. Crowd wasn’t too bad. $80 for two for a view is quite steep. Anything worth is extra. The astra lumina walk was extra.. but beautiful. It was a fun experience, but maybe better for smaller kids.

The zipline was wonderful, Sam, Chad, and Devin were great!! Really enjoyed the Hellbender Coaster and the Treetop Skywalk, especially at night. Wonderful way to spend a day.

Great views, tons of activities for friends and families. Some of the rides are closed during our visit but we still enjoyed our time there

Anakeesta has attractions for many in the family. The ride to the top of the mountain can be on large ski lift, small gondola, or truck. The lift stopped frequently, presumably to load or unload the gondolas. At the top, you stroll around a pleasant area, but several attractions are added cost. The kids might enjoy the coasters (I forget the name); the Hellbender was closed for maintainence so couldn't be experienced. Ziplining is also available but reservations had to be made. The Luminere walk also required a reservation and was extra. We did enjoy the Tree Top walk along a series of suspension bridges. Food and beverages are available. A highlight of the experience was spotting a black bear under the ski lift ride down. The price of admission seemed a little steep.

We had an amazing time here. The best was the Dueling Ziplining, but Jess, Nick, and Joy helped and inspired us with their expertise and jokes. We could not have done it without them. Afterwards at the Clifftop Restaurant bar, we were saved from heat stroke by a very attentive and amusing waitress, but I did not get her name. She will probably always remember the lady who asked for a glass of ice water without ice.

Anakeesta is a wonderful place to go if you want to waste money. Although the staff was lovely and the views were gorgeous, this park is extremely overpriced, even for Gatlinburg! Once you pay for admission, you have to pay for each attraction you want to do, with each person costing $15-$60, which means family of 4 would have to pay $60 to ride a single coaster! The food was very good, although it was more overpriced than most amusement park food. I wouldn’t go here again. There are dozens more cheaper options for everything Anakeesta offers all around Gatlinburg and Pigeonforge.

This is definitely a unique travel experience on top of the mountain. Don’t forget that Gatlinburg is highly touristic area, so expect CROWDS.
Lines and crowds are unavoidable here, so either take it or leave it!
We enjoyed going up the chairlift, the views are spectacular.
The owners/creators really made this place a true outdoor paradise and I found an interesting fact that owners live on the other side of the same mountain! Imagination was truly put to work here with amazing tree mazes, mountain coaster, birdventure was a dream playground for kids.
Bbq food at the Smoke house was delicious and fairly priced considering it’s so high up the mountain.
We stayed for 4 hours and never felt bored.
This is a true paradise for outdoor and nature lovers, but be prepared for crowds.

We wish we did Astra Lumina, a nighttime light show, but were short on time.

Our kids (aged 3-9) were absolutely in awe from all the unique activities.

My tips are:
If you wanna avoid big crowds, try to go after 4pm as most people leave after 6pm.

Way understaffed. Slides closed. Misleadingly wait times for lift and ridge rider to get up double wait times for the coaster

I was in the Smokies and decided that I wanted to do the Lumina walk that they have. I spent an entire evening there and had a great time. The roller coasters were super fun (especially the Rail Runner), the observation tower had great views, and the Lumina walk was really beautiful! The tree trek was also super cool - I recommend going at night because they've got all sorts of pretty lights.

I bought the unlimited photos package because they take your photo on the ski lift as well as the coasters (as well as a few other places that I didn't go to, including the bottom of the hill and the zipline). Unfortunately, the cameras didn't seem to like me that day and most of my photos were different. However, Chrissy from the photo booth (along with a few others, including Taylor) spent about 45 minutes with me trying to help me find my photos. I really appreciated how kind she was with me, and she truly went above and beyond to make sure that I had photos to remember my day. I really got the feeling that the staff cared about the guests' experience, and that made the day much better overall.

Amazing views. Enjoyed the lift heading up to the top of the mountain. Dinner at Clifftop Restaurant was great. Worth the trip!

Waited about an hour to get on the ridge rambler, extremely crowded, workers were rude. The first employee taking our order was rude and didn’t like when I asked any questions. Then when I went to pay I was asked to tip, at that point I complained and told them there was no way I would tip them after being treated that way. The next employee we interacted with was a young girl at the gypsy booth who cussed in front of me because she forgot to get payment from the previous customers and told me how she was ready to quit. Then when we went to do anything like the tree walk, there was such a long line and it wasn’t moving, we couldn’t get it done in a timely manner. The shops didn’t have much to look at and were over priced, food over priced, etc. We couldn’t believe they charge for people to come there. It was our first and last visit.

This is a child's paradise! I didn't know what to expect when we bought the tickets on a whim, but there is so much to do at the top of this mountain.

There's multiple play areas for kids, restaurants and stunning views!

Yes the ticket is not cheap, but we found it worth it to entertain the kids. We did not purchase any of the extras, but there seemed to be a lot to do like ziplining and the coaster.

I say go once because it really is beautiful up top. The views are spectacular, flowers are gorgeous. The tree walk was cool, the lift was terrifying(if you fear heights just take the truck up.

We got free tickets but without it’s around $100 for 2 adults and 1 child PLUS $20 to park. For $120 I’m sorry but all of the “add-ons” should be included. Fine I can see leaving off the gem mining. But you throw in a few zip lines and you’re at $250 BEFORE any souvenirs or a meal. You’re talking potentially $400-500. Views ain’t worth that, not these.

This isn’t a knock on what’s up top more a knock against the price for what you get. Go once, buy a shirt and eat somewhere else.

Second time to Anakeesta. So fun. Had dinner as well. I was not expecting a lot from the dinner but it was excellent. We ate at the Clifftop restaurant. I had chicken piccata and my wife and daughter had burgers. YOU MUST DO ASTRA LUMINA. Well worth the extra $15. It was mesmerizing. Being in the entertainment business, the lights and sound are top notch. Can't wait to go back next year.

This was so good! It was pricey but we did the theme park and went to Astra Lumina. They did a great job on both of these. So wonderful and fun! Good value if you do both. Mimi's creamery was great too!

As far as potential goes this place would be an easy 5 stars... unique different a lot of activities. but it's grossly ever priced, and the experience is unbearable if the weather is not absolutely perfect... there is only paths up the mountain..,.... on a cable car or a truck.... the cable cars are either open like a ski lift or closed...... the truck only runs one shuttle ... the wait times are astronomically long, want to ride up the mountain in a enclosed vehicle which of course everybody does when it's cold or who's afraid of heights.. what's insanely stupid is there about a hundred open air ski lift cable cars, but only about five enclosed cable cars. It was cold and windy and rainy and we had to wait an hour outside to come down both ways... does it make any sense to only have five enclosed cable cars... they do have a truck option drive up.... but even then they only run two trucks and it only carries about 20 people a piece so in 100 people are waiting to go back down that's an easy 40 minute wait in the rain in the cold... a complete waste of money and an absolute miserable experience... with all the money these people are making.... how in the world do they only have two trucks running in this and five cars for people to go indoors down the cable lift... how do these people not think he had an anticipate this could be a problem and not spend the extra money to get people up and down quickly in times like this.... what a waste of $150 in my family....

Beautiful view. Wear comfortable shoes. Take water! Wear light clothing. Parking can be a bit of a nightmare but make sure you pay the $20 to park. I saw someone get a ticket and it cost them $50!

Its a wonderful place to visit with family. My 13 year and 9 year enjoyed the visit. fall would be the better time to visit. Try to purchase tickets as early as possible. we did not get tickets for zip line. Price of food was reasonable. Definitely worth visiting.

We had a great time there on Fri June 20. It is very popular and we were bummed how long the line was for the chairlift (it was 25 min but I am thinking longer for the chondola) but what can you do? It's not really their fault they are popular. The wait for the Ridge Rambler shuttle was short. I appreciated the air conditioned bathrooms. My 5 year old niece loved the play areas although I wish some adults stayed out on crowded days- just one per young child is needed. She really loved the gem mining, which I think was $12 or 13 extra and in the shade. She is into that sort of thing at this age. Food was fine and if I wasn't with a kid, I would enjoy the states themed booths more. The treetop skywalk was neat but I wish the rowdy teens behind us gave us more space. Overall it was clean and the views were great. We did not do the coasters or zip line but if you're not with kids I would look into that.

For the price my wife and I paid, we certainly expected more than what was offered. The ride to the top was nice. But once we got there, not much for adults to do to speak of. Website claims shopping...but that mostly consists of the typical things you find at any other "gift shop". Beautiful views for pictures and selfies. But certainly not worth the price of admission. DO NOT RECOMMEND....save your money and go elsewhere.

We took the "cabin" (chondola) to the top and had fun checking out the various offerings.

I think it would have been more fun for families since there were some areas focused on kids, or young adults who might enjoy the zipline, but we enjoyed the tower, garden walk, tree walk and a few shops.

There are lots of places to sit, several in shady areas.

Food was good.

We'd go again.

What a wonderful time for the whole family! So clean and easy to get around! Great unique fun things to do. The skyline walking bridge was my favorite. Loved the patriotic theme with the fabric ties because I love to sew. I would go back tomorrow if it wasn't in a few states away. A must do for sure!

You pay for a chairlift or gondola up to the Anakeesta mountain top where it’s built up with restaurants, ice cream, zip lines, mountain coasters, shops, and walking sites. The climb up the tower to view a 360 degree mountainous site was really good on a clear day, breathtaking. We were locked out of the zip lining. We did both mountain coasters which was fun, one price for both. There’s a walkway rope and wooden bridges that were fun to use to get back to the sky lifts. There were play ground spots and a tree house for younger kids. It’s worth seeing but it was pricey and it can be very touristy.

This was our 3rd trip to the mountain. We wanted to visit the Festival, "United Tastes of America". We had been there for the Hot Chocolate and Beer fest in October.
This was a very enjoyable time for our family, as we always did Disney Epcot Food and Wine Festival. So we wanted to try the different foods here.
This would be low in my ranking for a first timer. But its something they could deffinately improve on for the future. its like no one really gave thought to what states have, or how to make portions that are inexpensive. Some chosen states didnt even really have anything worth trying. The success of Epcot came by great options and return crowds. There were poor options and nothing to make us want to return.
That said there were a couple highlights we loved.
Spreading the carts around. We could buy a food or drink and then walk while eating to the next one.
Suggestion! Always have a wine and beer at every location. Provide a food item that really represents a state. Do some back ground on items. Where was Fried Bologne started? Texas is known for beef, not Frito pie. Even tho Frito pie was delicious!

We almost didn’t go to Anakeesta but we are so glad we did. Be prepared to wait to the ride up or down the mountain because it is a popular attraction. The little village on top of the mountain is super nice with many viewing areas some with chairs and fire pits. The tower is all stairs to get up to and worth the climb. There are several place areas for kids and suspension bridges for everyone that are included. There are a variety of foods too. Your ticket is for all day, so we rode up and down the hill 3 times. Highly recommend this place. Only waited for the first time up and one time to go down.

My family enjoyed our experience at Anakeesta but I do feel the cost is a little high depending on how you plan on spending your day there. Tickets do sell out so it’s best to buy ahead of time when you know you’d like to go.

We weren’t able to go until about 5/6pm due to waiting for other family members. The shows were over at that point but thankfully the food vendors and restaurants were still open. We enjoyed walking around and exploring the area. Understandably, because it was dark, we didn’t get to see much of the mountain views, but that was our fault. We really enjoyed the lights and the Astra Lumina show. When you are walking through for Astra Lumina, you are literally walking on the mountain and while it is a trail laid out for people to walk, I don’t think it would be very easy for those with mobility issues or ADA concerns. I don’t really fault Anakeesta for this, but it is something to consider when booking Astra Lumina.

There are the chairs/cabins on the chondola and a truck that drives. The wait to get up the mountain was not too terrible in the afternoon/evening when we got there. However, it took us over an hour to leave the park we were ready to go around 9pm, but the line to leave stretched back through the park. We ended up sitting around a fire pit with others to wait it out a bit. We didn’t end up leaving until 10/10:30pm. My family split up due to a fear of heights. Some people rode the cabin on the way up and rode the truck on the way down, which they said it was very rough on the way down the mountain.

All that said, the park is really nice and if you take it for what it is, you should enjoy it and have a nice time. It can get very pricy with big families and large groups though.

Dueling ziplines! This was our first experience with zip lining, and guides Victor, Gabe, and David took the fear away and replaced it with FUN!! You’ll love it!

How is this skylift even legal?? It is the most unsafe ride I’ve ever experienced. Carousels have better safety features!
They told us to put our small six year old girl between us… which sounds like a good idea, except that passengers have to hop on the seat quickly (while it’s still moving, although slowly), so there’s no opportunity to examine the equipment. As we began the incline, we were appalled to see that other than the crossbar which was high and had an open space underneath it large enough for an adult to slip through, there was NOTHING in front of her to prevent her from sliding right through it. No seatbelt, nothing between her legs, no safety straps of any kind - just nothing! I couldn’t enjoy the ride for worrying that she might slide through it. By the time we FINALLY got to the top, my heart was pounding and my hands were trembling. It was a terrifying experience that I will NEVER repeat! I can’t imagine why some kind of safety examiners have not shut this thing down. It’s pure negligence!
If you allow your little ones on there with you, please hold on to them firmly!

We’ve been here many times but it’s been a while due to high prices and it’s sad to hear they no longer allow admittance the following day if you arrive in the later hours close to closing. We actually called in to verify. So your best bang for your admission buck is to arrive early.

The chairlifts stopped over and over, so it took forever to get up and down the mountain. Once at the top, it is very physically demanding...lots of inclines and steps along with areas over by the slides that are blocked off causing you to backtrack long distances. The views are great, but you can see those for free with simple trips in the state park driving up the mountains or along the Gatlinburg by-pass.

It was out first time here - we visited with our 2 kids. I was worried it would just be very touristy so my expectations were low. We had the BEST day!! We got there right at 9am & spent a little bit over 3 hours in the morning. The kids had a blast and it had a very relaxing vibe.
My husband and son rode both mountain coasters and loved them. We returned in the evening to play more and to do the Skywalk at night. We ate dinner at Cliffside and experienced wonderful service and even a double rainbow.
Out of our entire trip, this place was a favorite for our whole family!
TIP: Order tickets through AAA to save even more $!

Very Disappointing Experience — Poor Customer Service & Lack of Consideration for Visitors

We were visiting from out of state as a family of five, and I am 7 months pregnant. We wanted to enjoy this attraction and paid $180 for the lift up the mountain, waiting nearly two hours — which we were perfectly fine with. We invested our limited vacation time and money expecting a memorable experience, but unfortunately the visit was ruined by the way staff handled a very simple situation.

When we checked in at the CLIFFTOP restaurant at 6:20 PM, the hostess (Chrissy) told us the wait would be well over an hour and suggested we walk around until we received a text. We went to the SkyBridge nearby. Only 45 minutes later, we received the message that our table was ready — much earlier than expected — so we rushed back as quickly as we could.

We arrived at 7:16 PM, just one minute past the 10-minute grace period. Despite this, the hostess claimed our table had already been given away. Even after my husband explained that we were only one minute late (and that I am 7 months pregnant), she refused to accommodate us. She told us we would be seated at the “next available table,” but instead continued seating multiple groups who arrived after us while completely ignoring our family.

Her attitude was rude, unprofessional, and showed zero empathy or basic hospitality — something especially disappointing in a place that attracts so many tourists and families.

When we asked for a manager (Alana or similar), her response was just as unhelpful. She repeated the policy word-for-word with no flexibility, no compassion, and no attempt to resolve the situation, despite the fact that we were visiting from out of state and had done everything the staff advised.

I recorded most of the interaction and will be sharing it online so others can understand how this situation was handled.

Between the significant cost of visiting, the long wait times, and the extremely poor customer service, this experience left a very negative impression. We expected a welcoming and family-friendly environment, but instead encountered inconsiderate staff and unnecessary stress. We will not be returning or recommending this place to others.

Horrible organization, no one to direct lines and help people. Waited in line forever then told wrong line. Sent to ticket booth and was next in line when told sorry we sold out
Even those who bought on line were confused
The people directing us like cattle weren’t friendly

We went for the Christmas lights which were enjoyable, but that's all we got. We went and got in line at about 4:00 and when the gondola got to the top, after waiting for tickets and then the gondola, it was after 5:00.
No shows. Only two stages were open and they had finished fr the day by the time we got up on the mountain.
Food vendors where closed, no crepes for example and when you walked up to one no one was interested in helping serve you, I'm looking at you Red Velvet hot chocolate. No vendors were open past 8:00.
Not ADA complaint. The high end show Astra Lumina will not permit a power wheelchair into the experience that you walk through. Not ADA friendly. At the end of the night the gondola operator was giving inflated wait times to get people to ride down on the shuttle wagon. He said he made extra money regardless of how long we had to wait.
Advice. Skip Anakeesta and spend just a few more dollars for Dollywood. More lights, shows, better attitudes, and more attractions.
They promise an expansion in the coming year. Maybe it will help.

Very disappointing and concerning experience regarding food allergy safety.

I attempted to order a soft pretzel for my son, who has a dairy allergy. In our experience, soft pretzels at many amusement parks are often dairy-free, so I responsibly asked the staff if the pretzels contained dairy.

The cashier stated he didn’t know and said they “just get the pretzels in a box.” I asked to see the ingredient box myself. After reviewing it, the pretzels themselves appeared dairy-free, so I asked if any butter or dairy was added after baking. Only then was I told that butter is applied on top with the salt.

I asked if we could have a pretzel without butter and whether there was a pan free of butter residue. I was told they only had one pan, which clearly had significant butter residue. When I asked if the pan could be washed, the employee preparing the pretzels appeared visibly annoyed and gave me looks as though I was being unreasonable. He reluctantly agreed to wash it.

I clearly stated that I was not being difficult—I simply have a child with a food allergy and was trying to get him something safe to eat. I was told it would take 10–15 minutes. I paid and left, then returned shortly after.

When I came back, I watched the employee remove the pretzel from the oven and place it into the shared rotating display with all the buttered pretzels, where butter was actively dripping onto it. When he noticed me watching, he tried to remove that same pretzel and hand it to me. I explained that it was no longer safe due to butter contamination. Again, I was met with visible outrage, as if this concern was absurd.

What makes this even more unacceptable is that we had already spent over $500 on zip lining and mountain coaster activities. At this price point, there should absolutely be basic allergy protocols in place at all food stands, along with staff training on cross-contamination and food safety.

This experience made it very clear that Anakeesta has no food allergy protocols and has not trained its staff on allergy awareness. This is especially troubling given how many children visit the park. Once you’re at the top of the mountain, there are very limited food options, and returning down takes 20–30 minutes—making food safety even more critical.

Most major parks have standard allergy procedures in place. There is no excuse for not having basic training, clear labeling, or protocols to protect guests with food allergies.

Anakeesta needs to do better. This was not just inconvenient—it was unsafe.

We visited Anakeesta based on glowing recommendations from friends. The views are truly stunning, and it’s a fantastic place for kids to explore with all the open areas and activities. That said, the experience comes with a high price tag. Admission is already pricey, and once you're at the top of the mountain, many of the attractions and activities require additional fees.

The food was pretty good, but also on the expensive side. One highlight of our visit was Astra Lumina—an absolutely magical experience that we felt was well worth the extra cost.

While the views were beautiful, you can find similar scenic overlooks in the area without the high price of admission. Overall, it’s a fun place with a lot to offer, but be prepared for the added expenses once you’re inside.

Wow! Not what it looks like on the website. We went with our family of 4 and 10 other family members (6 kids). It’s a really well designed and themed village of shops and lots of food and drink. Not a ton of activities but the kids weren’t all over the place with wonder and joy.
“Taste of the states” there was a food option for 5 or 7 items. The 7 items was 50something. It made us eat more than we probably would have, BUT we got two and split it with our family of four. Be careful though because some items aren’t available for example the salmon that appeared to be advertised was not available. So nothing really healthy. Also, if you drink the punch card is worth it because the drinks were up to 14$ as were some of the meals. If you used the punch card on the ice cream and some smaller items it isn’t worth the money because sure they were 6$. So do the math quick. But the crab rolls were AMAZING!!!
The gem mining was neat. I bought 1 small bag and two kids shared it and they both mined plenty of gems.
There are a few play areas to keep the kids running around and they were super creative.
Hanging bridges were okay, but not the most exciting as far as hanging bridges go.

Visited with my family on new years eve this year and wow what a mistake. We arrived at Anakeesta about 9:10 just after opening. We purchased our tickets online days before arrival and everything went smoothly at first. About an hour after getting there it began to get crowded. We decided to find something to drink to warm up and sit down and look at the views. We went to one of the small food trucks to get hot chocolate to be told they WILL NOT ACCEPT CASH. We were confused when we heard this because nothing has been said or posted anywhere about this until now. We were told they had a system problem and did not have cash in their cash registers. This was a major inconvenience for us seeing as we live out of state and the money on our bank account is for the gas for the trip and everything else, we had cash for. When I mentioned that they probably should have had this figured out before they opened the employee shot back at me with a bad attitude and basically told me my family and I can go elsewhere if we don't like it. We walked away from this situation to not cause a scene and walked into a store to look around. My son found a Swiss army knife with his name on it he wanted, and you guessed it. THEY WOULDNT LET HIM USE HIS CASH...This person told me they just didn't have money in their drawer and didn't know when they would with again and bad attitude. So at this point we proceeded to just leave the park because without being able to use my CASH there was literally nothing for my family of 5 with teenagers to do. So for about 240 dollars which was just to get in we basically did nothing and couldn't even spend my money there. Staff has terrible attitudes, nobody is there to help, overpriced, overcrowded, not enough activities, waste of money! We will not be going back

Good time - Rode chair lift up. Take second coaster (dual rails) you encounter not first (single rail.) Nice views - very very overpriced food and drink. lightning stopped zip line scheduled ride. Took truck down (not recommended but it was raining.) Parking $25.

it was wonderful...great lift to the top...Ate at the restaurant up top .. it was delicious ..so much to see and tons of people .fair price for what you get...the rope swing wiped us out!!!!but was fun....the view was awesome.

Horribly managed entry and exit. The lines to get up and down the mountain took nearly an hour and a half each way! Preposterous! All the shops closed around us and the line was still huge of people trying to leave. They should not have allowed the immense number of people up there if they can't deal with the crowd in a timely manner.

Breathtaking views from the top! Friendly staff, quality food and beverage at a reasonable price!

The view of the fall colors was absolutely amazing!

If you have a fear of heights, use the Rambler! (It is much faster anyway!)

I just kinda found this place odd. I enjoyed the ski lift ride up and down. Once at the top I just didn't feel there was that much to do but more if you would have younger children. I did enjoy the walk in the treetops. I sat and listened to a decent band while others did the mountain coaster (which costs extra) and the view from that area was nice. Lots of food vendors. Expensive food and drinks.

It is kind of expensive, but SO worth it. My favorite time to come is in the evening before sunset. This way we can walk around see the sights, watch the sunset, and then also see the city lights. Very family friendly. There are several restaurants here with delicious food. There are splash pads for kids and little play areas. And there are so many rocking chairs and seating set up for lounging in the beautiful scenery.

Other than Astra Lumina, there is no reason to visit! It was disorganized chaos. All of the restaurants ran out of food before 8:00. We are still waiting in line for the tram to leave-we have been in line for 45 minutes. No staff member has communicated clear ways to leave-we are stuck waiting either for the tram or the ski lift. It is a huge waste of money. Don’t come.

Paid a hundred bucks to.find out.all yge fun stuff are add ons. My 7 and 10 yo thought it was "boring". Complete lamo rip off

Wow! This place really is “magic in the mountains”!!! You have to go zip lining (if you aren’t afraid of heights), Sam, Ainara, and Trev (our zip lining instructors) we’re HILARIOUS and kept us laughing the entire time we zip lined all through the mountains. Also, if astra lumina is there, it’s a must see!!! The light show is incredible. We had the best time at Anakeesta and plan on going back soon!!!

We visited Anakeesta for the first time ever. The fall decorations and surrounding is very beautiful and colorful along with being well maintained and clean.
The attractions there are fun- mountain coaster, try top walk, the overlook tower, all the food was great, and most exhilarating is the zipline. I was scared the first zip but all good after that. The guys there were amazing and fun

We decided to check it out based on the hype. Booked tickets and 4 mountain coaster passes for $231 foe 2 adults and 2 kids...
Pros: Buy your tickets online so you don't have to wait forever to get in. There are very pretty parts to the park and rocking chairs that overlook the mountain if you are lucky enough to snag one.
Cons: NOT WORTH THE HYPE. We are so disappointed. Wasted a ton of time in line for the lamest mountain coaster with rude workers (Rail Runner) For the amount we paid, we expected so much more.
When we visited last year we did the Skypark. Half the price butttttt we enjoyed it so much more.

A staff member named “Red” was verbally aggressive with us as we exited the ride. We were following the signage as best we understood and he blew up on us. I got off the ride fine, but my husband couldn’t hear him, and Red charged at him. We were both shocked at what had just happened. I asked around for a manager and was told there wasn’t one. We left that ride and went directly out of the park. We will never return, and I’m certain we will see that guy named Red on the news someday ..

Chad, Sam, and Skyler were amazing and entertaining guides on the zip lines. All 3 zip lines were fun and exciting. A must do while at Anakeesta.

My family really enjoyed Anakeesta! The rope bridges, chair lift, mountain coasters and general climate were perfection, even in the rain. We saw two bears while in the park and the view from the top of the tower was breathtaking. Our sit down lunch at the Cliff Top Restaurant was top notch. Our server, Ashley, was terrific. She was so attentive and made us feel like we were the only ones in the restaurant. The food was amazing and the potions were enormous. We can’t wait to see to see the rest of the park and the Astra Alumina tonight.

Me and Barbra loved the gnomes. Those three were cute as peaches. Shirley and Gerald went to the gardens and up the really tall barn with no walls. I don’t know how yall keep y’all’s cattle in there but they said it was a pretty view….

We also went to the treetop skywalk and eve try one loved it. I was definitely scared because I remember Pa built one of those when me and Shirley were still chitlins as he says. And we fell off and broke our butt bones. Thankfully these were very sturdy and I did not see anyone fall.

Shirley was a little scared to ride those sky seats the first time we went up but we did end up getting on them twice. I only thought I was going to fall off once. But some of these folks had their babies squirming in the seats. They must want to give sacrifices to the bears like the people who threw stuff on one of the roofs as you go up.

We also went to the light show at night. And we all agreed it was one of the most dazzling thing ever. Definitely life changing. I’m holding I can get Pa to change our bright white light above the barn to some cool colors. But he will probably just tell me to sleep with the pigs for the suggestion. The only bad part was the steep walk back up the mountain from the lights. Though it’s nothing compared to climbing the haybales in the barn just to get to the kitchen.

Either way we loved it. Thank yall for hosting the Jones Family!!!!

Wonderful place to visit beautiful place clean and wonderful views. It had a fall themed decor and was just a joy to visit.

Anakeesta is an experience. There is something to engage in for everyone.
Your eyes will be drawn in every direction. Each view beckons you to explore more.
This attraction is very clean and in tip top shape. Staff is readily available and pleasantly helpful.
Plan on staying all day to get in a bonus of stress relief therapy!

We loved our visit to Anakeesta! Fun, clean and so much to do for the whole family! It was HOT so we appreciated all the mister fans scattered around! And love that there’s free water everywhere you go! The roller coasters were super fun and all the climbing and exploring was great! Highly recommend!

April 30, 2024. Just got home. Did not expect to have to pay $20 to park. It was 8:00 p.m. and our parking receipt said it was good until 5:00 a.m. Who the heck is going to be at the park until then? Most activites were closed. The chair lift was operating and a couple of cafe and bars were open at the top. Really wish I had read the review before we bought tickets. Will not go back.

We did the zip line at 11 am, lift is a long ride, but not terrible. Could be better. We ziplined with Connor, Morgan and Jacob who were all hilarious and made us all feel safe and made the overpriced zip line enjoyable. (It is 3 lines, not worth $60 a person) we went back up at night to see Astra Lumina and endured a long, long wait due to poorly designed transport up and down the mountain. There definitely needs to be some serious reconfiguration regarding the mass herds of people that are trying to go up and get back down whether it’s the lift or the ridge rambler. We stood in line for over an hour and a half to go up the mountain and an hour to go back down. To be fair it was a holiday weekend but the staff got in NO hurry to move it along, just some yelling by a lady standing at the loading area at the top. Astra Lumina was pretty but crowded and should just be included with the admission price, It’s just a long walk with some lights.

First time ziplining and we loved it. We did miss our scheduled time but were rescheduled for later in the day. Keep in mind if you haven't been there before it could take an hour to get up the mountain and you have to be there 45 mins before so the whole group we went with at 6 pm missed their earlier scheduled time. When we arrived the guy at the desk was very rude to us and another family almost as if he enjoyed that we missed our time BUT I am still giving this experience a rating of 5 because our guides David,Gabe and Victor made it so much fun. If there was any fear they made you feel completely comfortable and joked the entire time. They really made it seem like they enjoyed their job. We will definitely consider doing it again and would recommend it to others. Thanks again to the guides for making what started out as frustrating with the desk guy to a great and worthwhile time

David, Jacob, and Abby led a wonderful and informative zipline tour. They were funny and very nice. We felt safe and had a great time completely. 10/10 would recommend.

Scenic Mountaintop Adventure for All Ages
Anakeesta blends nature and entertainment with stunning views of the Smoky Mountains. From treetop play zones and AnaVista Tower to ziplining and garden strolls, there’s something for every age group. The chondola ride sets the tone, and the mountaintop layout is easy to navigate. It’s a full-day experience that balances relaxation and activity. Highly recommended for families and first-time visitors to Gatlinburg.

Absolutely recommend! We had so much fun with the whole family (ages 9 to 77). We bought a Meal Pass so we could try different foods and drinks throughout the park. I was so scared of the airlift at first but once I got on it, I was fine, my 9yo wasn't scared at all. Our teenager did take the Rumbler (truck) up the hill. The park was fun, lots of things to do, some shopping, live music. The view from the top of the Lookout is stunning. Definitely looking forward to going back again.

The scenery is beautiful and the staff is very friendly. The zip lining was so much fun and we saw a bear and her cubs at the treetop skywalk. The food at Rocky top canteen was delicious for the price. Would recommend to everyone.

The views were beautiful. Such a great experience with friends. We rode both mountain coasters and enjoyed it so much. Definitely a great place for families and friends with lots of sitting areas. Beware of the walking and stairs!!

We visited this about 6 years ago and loved it! We decided to go back and they have added so many gift stops, very expensive snack stops it lost its appeal. Years ago it was more of a garden to enjoy and take in the views. Now its just another place to shop. The things they have added for kids is ok but way to many rules for a kids area. I don't think we would go back when in the area.

My husband and I were so pleasantly surprised by what a great time we had at Anakeesta. We went over the Thanksgiving weekend and fortunately we got there by 11 am so we didn't have much wait for tickets or to go up on the chondola. Once we got to the top, it was the kind of place that was as fun for an old couple in their 60's like us or families with young children. We enjoyed the views, we did the pedestrian suspension walkway. We ate good food and had good adult beverages. I would absolutely go back!

Anakeesta is a very cute setting with some fun activities, mountain top restaurants with excellent views, shops and a light show. Plan your day/time accordingly. We had pre-purchased tickets and still had to wait in line for 45 mins to get the chairlift to the top on a Thursday around 2pm. We spent about 3 hours with our 12 year old doing the various activities and listening to a band. We grabbed a sunset drink and played some cards with a lovely view. There isn’t a ton to do but if your child wants to do the slides and climbing, jumping activities multiple times then it’s perfect. We adults did the slides too!! We did the 7:30 Astra Lumina show and my advice would be get over to the gate at 7pm. They bring you into a lounging area until it’s dark. Then we wait 10 mins after the main group went at 7:30 so we weren’t part of the large group. Each light display lasts 2-4 mins and they are magical. We loved the firefly one! So beautiful. When we finished there was a HUGE line where we had walked right in at the first slot. I’m sure it all works out but we loved having the 7:30 slot. The only issue was trying to get off Anakeesta. After the light show the line for chairlift was another 45 min wait which is frustrating. We inquired about the Rambler (a truck that can take you down) but that was very long too. Not sure how you avoid this. I don’t think you do. Be prepared to wait. This was a Thursday. I can’t imagine a weekend. The place is so festive though. Enjoyed it!

Great experience! Victor, David and Gabe are awesome! They are fun and take the edge off those that are nervous. Highly recommended

We finally tried out Anakeesta this year and we really liked it. We went as “young” grandparents with our 9, 11, and 15 year old grandchildren. We went in the morning and stayed a few hours and returned that evening for a couple of hours. We did both mountain coasters and liked them both, Hellbender, we liked the best, also less wait because we did it in the evening. Anakeesta is very clean, has beautiful landscaping, and great views. If you go, see if your hotel has discount tickets, ours did and saved us some bucks. Also, you can carry a backpack with your own drinks to save money also. I did see a review before we went about it not being very suitable for handicapped individuals, I do agree with this and hopefully Anakeesta would offer a substantial discount to those individuals because they cannot participate in a lot of their offerings.

Prepare to wait to buy tickets and ride up. Only two people at the ticket booth helping clueless groups of people not knowing what they wanted to buy. After waiting 2 hours we finally arrived at top and realized the reason they hold you hostage down below is so you build an appetite as they hold you hostage on top of the mountain.

This was a fun day walking around Anakeesta and taking in some of the free activities. We did not pay extra for any of the coasters or additional shows. We did eat at the Smokehouse, and the food was fantastic! As with anything in Gatlinburg, the food, drinks, and sweets are all expensive. One thing to note about your ticket purchase. If you bought your ticket through a 3rd party (e.g. Tripster), you MUST still go to the ticket line to get your tickets replaced with their tickets. We waited through the boarding line only to find out we had to switch to the ticket line and then get back in the boarding line again! Overall, this was a fun day, and I would recommend going at least once. I'm not sure it is the type of place that I would pay to go back once you've seen it.

Completely unorganized, under staffed, super long lines. 3 staff members working a photo booth. Not one person working the line that took 2 hours just to get to the lift that takes you to the venue itself. Not recommended!!

We did the dueling zip line experience. Worth every penny. We had Maggie, NICK, and TERRY. They were outstanding and competent. They really made us feel comfortable at our age. We really appreciated their management of a group from young children around the age of eight to people in their mid 70s. Would highly recommend this adventure to anyone of any age.

y parents and I were at Anakeesta to zip line back in April. It was a neat experience, somewhat underwhelming but worth seeing, but we were absolutely blown away by the experience we had with the dueling zipline. It made our Anakeesta trip. The guides we had were Terry, Peach, and Skylar and they were so fun, very helpful, and kept our group very safe. They had everyone laughing, they encouraged us to try different things, and talked us through every step. I have zip lined all over and my parents were first timers, we all were able to enjoy it even with the varying backgrounds in experience. I cannot express enough how incredible Peach, Terry, and Skylar were. Worth the trip there for them alone. They took the zipline journey from enjoyable to memories my parents and I laughed about long after our weekend away ended. We also went to Astra Lumina after and really enjoyed that add on.

This was a fun morning between the rain clouds. The ride up is wonderful with great views of the mountains. Everything is in great shape and clean. We arrived early so our only meal was coffee and pastry at the cafe just as you arrive up top. We did purchase separate roller coaster tickets and since it includes two rides per ticket it works out to about $9 per ride. Fun.

We visited Anakeesta for the first time after hearing great reviews from friends. We planned our trip for a day with nice weather and purchased our tickets the night before when there were no lines. We arrived prior to opening and were one of the first few families up the chondola. The chair lift was scary for those of us who were afraid of heights but we made it to the top. Once we arrived to the top, most of the stores and attractions were still closed or in the process of opening. The kids enjoyed the play areas while we waited for more to open. We encountered a super friendly gentleman in the Fur Traders gift shop from Juniper,FL, who was very helpful. However, the attendant who was supervising the entrance to one of the coasters (the Hellbender) was very rude when I inquired about purchasing tickets for the coaster, finally telling me that the attraction would not open until much later in the day. We had a lot of fun on both mountain coasters once they opened and I would highly recommend those! The treetop sky walk, viewing tower, and sights along the way were also a highlight. We enjoyed gem mining before heading back down the mountain on the Ridge Rambler (we opted not to do the chondola back down). The lines at the bottom waiting to go up were insane, so we were thankful we planned ahead and got an early start to our day. Overall it was a great way to spend a day in the mountains soaking up the views and enjoying the attractions!

My family and I just got back from Anakeesta. Worth spending your time there! They have a lot of fans running and free water at water fountains to fill up your bottles. Staff were super nice and the views are fantastic. Amazing things to do with the kids. Everyone enjoyed it

We had a great family experience at Anakeesta! My parents in their 70’s went with our family. Our 7 and 10 year old enjoyed the day as much as my parents! The views from the top are beautiful. The kids activities kept them busy most of the day. Ropes bridges, playgrounds, observation towers and mountain roller coasters were all a hit. My parents enjoyed the many places throughout the park with rocking chairs and million dollar views. This is a must stop for all vacations in Gatlinburg!

They let way too many people in. We were there for 4+ hours, we made it to one restaurant and a few shops before we had to go back. Lines for all rides were 2+ hours, astra lumina was sold out. I’d rather have the afternoon and my $$ back. Lines to leave were 30+ minutes.

We arrived at Anakeesta about 15 min before it opened on 4/5/24. We had not purchased tickets ahead of time because we didn’t know how the weather was going to be. We paid $20 to park in the lot right behind Anakeesta lift and ticket booth. The parking was good for 10 hours. We walked right up and purchased our tickets, no wait. We then were inline to take the lift up to the park. After 10 min or so an employee stated the lift would not be running as they had no one there yet to operate it safely, and we were welcome to wait or go grab the ridge rambler (the truck that goes up the mountain). We decided we would take the truck up since a person in our group had a mobility scooter and there were only 4 or so gondolas and it may take longer. We went to the truck line got boarded and the lift started running before the truck left. We then got up to the top very quickly 10-20 minutes later. We got off the truck and were on our way. We were very early so the crowd was very light and we were able to explore which was nice since we had never been here, with virtually no crowds. It was chilly and early so we stopped at I think an ice cream place that had coffee and lattes. Husband said coffee was really good, latte was excellent! Price for latte, was $6.00 something, no different than a Starbucks, but way better! We wandered the area and got lots of pictures of the amazing views. We checked out everything included in ticket without add ons. We climbed to the top of Anavista Tower with another incredible view, Shopped a lot of the little gift shops, visited tree venture, we watched other people zip lining, listened to the live band which were enjoyable, and our favorite the tree top skywalk. We were getting hungry around noon or so, and decided on Cliff Top for lunch to get in and get warm. It was busy in the restaurant by that time, but we were sat immediately. Our group had the Mac and cheese, chicken sandwiches grilled and fried and burgers. Everyone enjoyed their meals and really they were not at all over priced, $15 for chicken sandwich and fries, no different than being down on the parkway in Gatlinburg. Service was good as well. We had so much fun but were getting a little tired and we were ready to get warm by 3:30. The one thing we didn’t get done that we were really looking forward to is the night walk astra lumina, which is an add on. We asked about it when purchasing tickets, and apparently the downside to purchasing at the ticket counter is they must have been out of spots for astra lumina that evening as she said the last opening was 9:15. We were heading for home early Saturday morning and had packing up back at our AirBNB so that was not gonna happen. So we will save astra lumina for our next trip and leave us something to look forward to! We were very impressed with Anakeesta. It was extremely clean in every party of the facilities, the activities were really fun, and food good. I read some other reviews that were not quite as positive, it is what you make of it, and we had a great time!

Our family visited Anakeesta in July 2024. This was our second time visiting, our first time was in 2021. We had great memories of our first visit and our second visit didn’t disappoint either.

With the addition of two new mountain coasters, more food options, live music, a new play area for kids, and many more additions and upgrades I can honestly say it’s gotten even better.

Pros: There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said. The view from the top is spectacular. There are tons of sitting areas and other neat things to see and do. My personal favorite being the tree top walk, especially at night.

Cons: The only downside I can think of is how pricey it is to enter, the cost of food and drink, and all of the premium add-ons such as the mountain coaster, zip-lining and things like that.

Anakeesta is truly the best attraction in the Gatlinburg area. We will definitely be back again!

What the actual hell was that? Was told the "safety bar" locks AS WE WERE TOLD TO BE SEATED: you literally have not even ten seconds before they just tell you to sit down and go. No explanation, no safety checks, nothing. I'm not expecting a whole demonstration, but at least tell me what I'm in for before rushing to sit me down. Was told at the half way point (where you can't get off) that the "safety bar" doesn't even lock. So why did I get lied to earlier? Did I mention that the seats rock back and forth? How on God's green earth is this safe? Never going back.

The experience at a park was the worst I've ever had world wide.
Line up to the chairlift. Took over an hour to start off with.
By the time we got to the top it was 11:30 a.m. been lining up since 9:30 that morning.
Within 1 hour of getting to the top , due to a "weather warning" the park was closed. Gusts of wind irregularly - cloud s in the distance.

Now the not so funny parts

- the weather was no worse than it was hours later then what it was at 930 at the bottom of the hill
- the only way back down the hill was by trucks that carry 42 people at a time more trucks provided later but it was now 5pm ( was not allowed to walk down the hill by security)
- 3 trucks at 30min turn around
- took us 4 hours to leave 😡😡😡😡😡 , we were in the line to get out longer then we were in the park enjoying it.
If this is what the norm is , for a sudden Park closure - I would hate to be there in the event of a disaster whether it be natural or human instigated.

Someone needs to be engaged to look into the processes Anakeesta has in relation to the park decanting

Such a great place to visit. It’s beautiful and relaxing. Our kids had a great time as well. Great for all ages! We will definitely go back!

The people were kind the food was good and the coasters were amazing, and it was hot but it was so good and the ice cream was good.

Not a great place for couples without kids. We bought the Tastes of America punch card, thinking that over the course of an afternoon we’d sample some gourmet bites and craft cocktails. Sadly, the food was basic and fair at best. There were some mixed drinks but lots of beer. Worst thing was, the punch card could only be used for the featured drink, not other drinks offered at the booths. Some booths ran out of their food items by 1pm. We’d have been better off to pay as we went and had full access to what they had. The canopy walk was the only thing we did because it was the only included adult activity.
Views were ok, but not better than at our cabin or some of the overlooks in the National Park.

I can’t begin to describe how much we love Anakeesta! we got there around 3 pm and yes, the lines were long. but the staff did everything in their power to keep lines running smoothly and steadily! the lift ride up was so beautiful and felt safe! once up, we shopped around until our zip line tour came up! i really am writing this review for this attraction. $60 is fairly priced as the tour is a good size! these guys, ash, jackson, and chad, were amazing! you can tell they really enjoyed their jobs. each one was very kind, and kept us entertained! great with kids and adults alike! my husband and i were zip lining for the first time and we felt very safe and comfortable! we enjoyed the rest of our evening walking around getting amazing looks at the mountains until the light show! it was phenomenal! the staff were super friendly and the astra lumina was very pretty. definitely will be back to Anakeesta!!

I would probably give this 3.5 stars. Anakeesta was beautiful and definitely a one of a kind experience. Our daughter really enjoyed all the different playgrounds they had around. The views were stunning. It did seem a bit of a tourist trap once you got up there though. Lots of overpriced things especially drinks. Employees weren’t the friendliest.

Be aware that for about every 10-15 ski lifts that go by there are 2 chondolas so the wait for those is very long. We wanted a chondola but ended up going with the ski lift. My husband hates heights so we made sure to take the truck back down.

One thing I will mention was there lack of first aid. Our daughter ended up falling down and skinning her ankle pretty good. Nothing serious but definitely needed some antiseptic and bandages so it would stop bleeding. We went to a drink hut by the treetop playground. We saw a first aid kit on the wall of the hut but when we told the employee what happened she didn’t know what to do. She radioed in to someone who told her to call a security guard. We then waited several minutes for one to show. Once he did he carried a small red bag and pulled out a few things for my husband to use on my daughter. She also had mud all over her leg but he didn’t have anything she could wipe off with. We had to go to the bathroom and use toilet paper because they have no paper towels only hand dryers. I’m thankful she wasn’t seriously injured because I’m not sure the employees would have been able to act quickly. Other than that, Anakeesta was a nice place to visit but unsure if we’d go again due to its prices.

1st time here but definitely coming back. So much to do...food trail, shopping, live music and fun activities for the kids and young at heart

My wife really wanted to visit here and someone bought her tickets for a fift.
I was really afraid it was a tourist trap, overpriced and over rated. Unfortunately for me I was right.
Lines to get in were super long in the hot sun. Not much direction for what to do or to go. The cashier was friendly. After a million hour ride to the top we made it. It was beautiful up there and the grounds were well maintained. Very very packed and a ton of rude pushy people on this day. Staff was unfriendly and not attentive.
There just isn't much up there to be honest except the view and overpriced souvenirs. The cost of going up is definitely not worth it. We were excited about walking on the tree bridges but again rude pushy people walking so close to me I couldn't keep my balance which ruined the moment for me.
If ya havnt been Truthfully you're going to read this and go anyway. Sometimes like us you just have to see for yourself but most of you will agree with me afterwards. Save your money and do something else. I do not recommend it.

Incredibly inefficient and confusing entry system, horribly misleading wait times, very little to do at top, overpriced tickets, crowded and completely oversold. Don’t waste your time or money!

Our family of 4 (including daughters 14 and 12) had an excellent day at Anakeesta. We enjoyed the entire park, some attractions several times. Parents should definitely participate if able on some of the courses, bridges. It’s all just fun! We were there on a Sunday and it didn’t feel overly crowded at all.
We did add on the mountain coasters and ziplining. We all love the mountain coasters! Such fun! The ziplining was also a great experience. The guides (Peach, TJ, Nick and Zach) were wonderful and made the adventure even better by getting to know us and joking around with the group, while remaining professional and safe of course! We had so much fun that we went back at night (despite being there from 10:30-5) after refueling and showering. We enjoyed the views at night and the sky bridges. We were going to do the Astra Lumina but didn’t realize you had to buy the tickets for a time entry and didn’t have the energy to wait. Definitely add this to your itinerary!

The zip line at Anakeesta is the best anywhere in town! This was our second year and we all had the best time! Our guides were David, Victor and Gabriel…..they made the whole trip so much fun for our family!

Went around 12:15. Parking was absolutely impossible with heavy traffic, had to pay $20 for parking and got the last spot. Line for chondola was about 20 mins and it stops and starts as you go, takes about 10 mins to get up the mountain - put your sunscreen on before you get on it! It's lovely up top but you're there to spend money. They have fans set up randomly which is great. Mountain coasters - one was out of service, the other had a 45 min line and was a short ride, our family thought others we tried elsewhere were more exciting and much longer. Recommend Rocky Top Mountain Coaster. Skybridge was fun but understand where you go down, you must come back up. Overall, I'd recommend going around 3 or 4 when the traffic dies down, seems like it would be cooler temperature, better parking, still money burning.

Took a chairlift to the top. Very nice area with food options. Family went on the treetop walking bridges and really enjoyed it. Place was very clean and employees were very friendly.

we bought our tickets prior on line, thus avoided that line. Got there at 9:30/10 and got right on the lift! Harvest time was beautiful! we loved the sky bridges, the beer vendors, the bird houses, the several selfie photo stops! Food was great, the views outstanding!! wonder around, take a break to view the vistas, enjoyed the music shows - worth the $$ - we saw lots of kids having a ball - we were jsut two oldies but goodies that loved the park - would go again! later in the afternoon the lines were awfully long and I mean long to get up the mountain. GO EARLY

Lines took FOREVER for everything. When we got in line for the Alpine Coaster there were approximately 35 people in line ahead of us. We waited over an hour and there were still 20 something people in front of us. Ride operator was sending 1 person every 3-5 minutes. We finally gave up, didn’t get to do anything we paid extra for because lines were too long. Park personnel told us that the park was closing at 5 PM due to high winds but there were still thousands of people waiting to get into the park when we left around noon. Totally stupid for them to let that many people get in line, knowing that there’s no way that they would make it up there and be able to do anything by 5 PM.

Beautiful place, after paying $35 to ride up, and $20 to park, I felt ripped off before even getting there. Then, tax taxes on everything really add up, a $14 drink was more that $17 with taxes! And the fancy light evening light show, is a timed entry, and another $18 plus taxes per person.
With so much to see and do in other areas - I won't return to Gatlinburg for a LONG time. Parking and taxes are a rip off.

We got there at opening, immediately went & did the coasters to avoid potential crowds later in the day, both were a lot of fun. We enjoyed the other activities although the Skywalk was closed all day. The sows in the afternoon were fun, especially the Vampirettes. They were so fun and campy! My son is handicapped and they engaged with him and made it so much fun for him. We were there during their Oktoberfest so the extra decor made it more fun.

This beautifully designed mountaintop park is beautifully integrated with its surroundings and enables lovely natural views of the surrounding mountains. Our children loved the play areas, and we all liked the treetop walk. Since we came early, it was not terribly crowded with few lines. The lift was painfully slow and made us impatient. Taking the driving shuttle would be a wiser choice.
My only issue was that few activities were available to adults at the time we were there.

After using the cable car service to the top of the mountain,there was a very wide family shopping area where one could spend a few hours comfortably. All in all a perfect place to send one's evening preferably around sunset or thereafter.

The place is great. There are somethings that needs to be improved.
The Hellbender coaster there was not sign where to take the ride. Some employees have not the right information when you ask .The line where you wait for the ride,the roof is in Woods and the top they have people sittingdown and eating. The dirt from their shoes falls down on your head.

The website lists all activities available, with many of them saying “fun for all ages”. However, nowhere on the website does it inform you that there are height requirements for nearly everything, INCLUDING the slides on the playground. After paying $70 for my family to “enjoy” Anakeesta, we learned that, aside from walking around, there were only two activities my children (2.5 y/o and 1.5y/o) could enjoy as part of the free admission. The slides require that children are 48” tall. So after my son got very excited to try the slides, we were told his option was the “trampoline”. Which consists of a rope trampoline with holes perfect for loosing a shoe. I understand height requirements for certain activities, but to advertise “fun for all ages” and then provide so little for toddlers at such a high cost is very misleading, and frankly, false advertising. We will not be back and would not recommend to anyone with small children.

Absolutely LOVE the chair lift up to the top! And it is so nice how many people chat as they pass on the ride up!!! The little village (shops, food, play areas for the kids, rope walk…) is so fun to walk around, and the views are great! Next time, I’d like to see the nighttime show. We’ll see!

Interesting and entertaining venture with great views. Had vouchers for food, ice cream and drinks which made the experience more enjoyable. It’s more fun for younger kids but adults are also satisfied with the experience. Go early before the crowds really start showing.

My teenager and I enjoyed a few hours here. The coasters were fun. We enjoy the ropes and obstacles courses. The food was very good. The views are amazing. Geared for younger than teenagers, but we enjoyed it none the less. The hot chocolate we enjoyed so much! Waffle cone something. Highly recommend it.

Be ready to walk lots of walking. But still a lot of fun lots of fun. We did the zip line. Everyone was very helpful. I had a great time you won’t go wrong by purchasing.Zip line tickets

Great way to spend some time while visiting Downtown Gatlinburg, TN. Starts with a leisurely chondola ride. We were disappointed that the tree top walking area was closed for a large part of the time that we visited so we had to miss this major attraction. Our children are teens/ young adults, however many of the attractions like the treehouses and bird houses were really cool looking, but were geared toward younger kids which is great for families with littles. They have 2 mountain coasters available to ride with one add-on ticket (for both) and each had a very different riding experience. We had a blast.

We had done some research on this and the family decided we wanted to do it. We purchased online tickets for Thursday March 28, $200+ for two adults & two kids plus the alpine coasters. We decided to get there early to try and avoid long lines. We were prepared for up to an hour but when we arrived at 9:15am the line was over 3 hours long!! We asked if this was a morning rush and was told the line would likely be this long all day. To make it even worse they said the line to get down would be just as long (which makes sense). That's up to 6 hours in line just to get to and from the top.

Clearly many families were willing to do this but not us. Thankfully they gave us a full refund, without hesitation, when asked. We spent the day doing other things with minimal waits and all concluded that the others things were a much better use of our time and money.

I can’t say enough good things about our experience at Anakeesta. My husband, myself, and our two young kiddos were looking for a place where all four of us could play + enjoy. This place checked ALL of the boxes. We spent the entire day soaking in the views and charm of this little tree top escape. The mountain coasters were thrilling! The treehouses + slides + rope bridges were incredible and large enough for us to enjoy with our children. The whole place lit up at sundown with Christmas lights and it was the perfect ending to a magical day.

Went there as a party of nine on a family trip . There is a general admission fee which is only the beginning of the money you will end up spending. The place has amazing views but it filled with 50 percent of additional cost attractions whether it be food, gift shops or other activity . It was fun. I would think family’s with smaller children would appreciate the climbing and slides. The older people in our group didn’t have much enjoyment with the free activity’s included in general admission. It’s is a beautiful location. One of the mountain coasters was closed and the one we rode no one really enjoyed it or would consider doing more than once. This was a one and done for us. It’s may have been more enjoyable if it had not been so hot and you could have just hung out and enjoyed the views with our getting a sunburn or drenched in sweat. If it’s a hot day wear sunscreen. The ride up can be long and has no shade. Without sunscreen you will get a burn as several of us did.

Unbelievable place with unbelievable views.
Plenty of attractions.
Staff very friendly. Park was very clean.
Good and drink amazing x

The zipline was our favorite part!! Chad, Maggie, Sam, and Skyler were awesome! Maggie helped us get situated on each course while the rest helped with braking, unhooking. The whole experience was safe, fun, and enjoyable. It was such an awesome experience & we will visit again!

The chairlift ride up took about 15 minutes. It started to get windy and once we got off the workers were radioing down to shut it down due to the high wind gusts. After that no one else came in the park. Everything was shut down except the stores and restaurants. We had to wait about 1 1/2 hours in line to get bussed down. I will tell you this place is beautiful! Views are amazing. We took turns in line shopping and eating. Cute shops and nice restaurants. We had the flatbread pizza at the quick bits. The prices were not too bad and the food was good. It was a disappointing visit since we could not take advantages of anything and just stood in la line. We missed out on the tower, the hanging bridges, the roller coasters,… and more. However, we were refunded our money. The response time and communication was exceptional. Well run business! We would go back and spend the day if we vacationed here again.

This was a really cool place, however i did not care for the chair lift very much. Definitely wasn’t my cup of tea. Besides that i loved the environment and the tree walk. Highly recommend. However i think it would be better in the fall.

Since the price of admission is so high, we thought there would be plenty of things to do included in the ticket price. That wasn't the case at all. Almost everything required an additional ticket. The place is pretty, but definitely not worth the price. There needs to be more things to do that don't cost extra.

The views were nice up here but you can get the same views from the National Park. Everything is so expensive and there's not that much to do up there. Food/drinks overpriced and just okay.

After paying to get into Anakeesta, to do anything else you have to pay for each thing you do, (i.e. ride the Alpine Coaster, etc). Okay for children, few areas they can play, (i.e. play in a small treehouse; play in the water spirting area), however it is really for little toddlers to enjoy. For adults there is nothing except the Alpine Coaster that is NOT included! Went on a day with on and off rain showers, all the kiddies areas were closed off, SO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO BUT GET WET. Nowhere to sit indoors, except very minimum cafe seating upstairs. I WOULD HIGHLY NOT RECOMMEND VISITING ANAKEESTA, DEFINITELY NOT WHEN RAIN IS IN THE FORECAST.

We spent the morning in the park and returned after dark to enjoy the night time interactive walk through experience. The kids enjoyed the mountain coaster and the evening experience was world class.

We absolutely loved our time at Anakeesta. The steak at Cliff Top Restaurant was the best steak we had all week with the best views! No matter where you're at you'll get the best views. The whole park had a very whimsical feel.
The only thing I would suggest is make park admission include the mountain coaster ride and Lumina. 💚

Anakeesta is beautiful, and staff was super friendly. This is a destination for sure. I cannot say enough on how beautiful it is. Everything was done beautifully. The decorations, the atmosphere, and the park was extremely clean. I cannot wait to go back.

We spent most of Feb. 19th at the Anakeesta Theme Park in Gatlinburg TN. By far our favorite part was the Astra Lumina Night Walk (a Tripadvisor post). There is also a separate post for the Treetop Skywalk. We had lunch (French Onion Soup & Key Lime Pie) at CliffTop restaurant, which was surprisingly good.
There are three ways up (or down) - a chair lift, gondolas and a shuttle. All are included in the price.

Nice way to spend a day in Gatlinburg. Your ticket will get you access all day and night to the park. I would suggest going up early in the morning (10am opening ) and then come down when the crowds start coming up, then go back up in the evenings to experience it all light with string lights. Be sure to do the Treetop Adventure.

First visit. The good, it’s a beautiful park, landscaped beautifully. Lots of seating, all sorts of views everywhere! Live music, food trucks, fans and misters to cool you off! Lots to see and do! The astra Lumina show was well worth the extra fee! The bad, the chair lift is high off the ground, very very high and stops several times along the way up. It’s not for anyone afraid of heights at all. Therefore, had to take the bus down. Had to wait over 40 minutes in line just to get on the bus. Not sure what could be done to make this experience better but it needs looking into. Overall it’s a great place to visit.

Nothing against Anakeesta itself, it is very beautiful. The complaint I have is the ticket counter, they should tell everyone when buying tickets to make sure to bring the tickets back with you if you leave and come back even though you have a wristband. The person that sold us our tickets did not tell us that. We got back there to go back up and were told then we had to have our tickets, so we had to walk over a mile back to our room to get our tickets.

This park is so clean, the staff is helpful & friendly, the views are incredible & such a fun place to visit. There is live music, awesome mountain viewing points, great food & plenty of kid’s activities. They have a variety of festivals throughout the year that are tons of fun!

We have been to Gatlinburg many times but our first visit to Anakeesta was during Thanksgiving weekend to see the park set up for Christmas. We expected a large crowd but the line at the bottom was chaos and spilling all over the sidewalk. We took an open air lift up and down the mountain. Everything was decorated very nicely and we enjoyed going in the shops. The hot chocolate crawl was heavily advertised but very few of the outlets were actually serving hot chocolate. It was a very cold night but playing in the area with the slides helped warm us up. The treetop walk was a definite highlight.

We enjoyed our visit overall. I think it would be fun to return when the weather is nice but if you visit you should expect very long waits and high prices that you would find at any type of theme park.

After being stuck waiting 2 HOURS AFTER CLOSE IN THE RAIN, waiting for the bus at this park, i can absolutely say DO NOT waste your money here. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Below is an essay breaking down my horrible experience:

1. Understaffing/mismanagement
It took us over an hour just to get on the busses to get up to the park. The wait for chair lifts was over 2 hours, and they weren't even filling up every chair that went up. The people working the lifts were waiting to get people on the chairs following their tickets being scanned, but they were scanning too slow making lines even worse. Along with this, only 3 busses were active during this time making the only other option just as painful. This understaffing was only made worse at close, where obscene lines had us waiting to leave for over 2 hours after close in the rain. It is truly an unacceptable and miserable experience, I can't imagine anyone returning who had to deal with that.

2. Pricing/Packaging:
This place is not worth the cost of admission if you don't have kids and especially if you're a larger person. Tickets are already expensive and there are few attractions worthwhile or even doable in my scenario. I wanted to ride the hellbender coaster, and was told I had to buy the mountain coaster package. I am over 230 lbs so I can't even ride the other coaster in that package! I asked them if I could ride the hellbender coaster twice instead and I was told no. Why should I have to pay for something I am unable to use?? It is a scummy business tactic that only makes my experience even worse. A lot of the other attractions are for kids which is not relevant to me at all.
We also payed for the Astra Lumina experience which was also disappointing and not worth the money, but at least I got to experience everything I payed for with that package.

3. Disorganization
This park is just a mess to follow. Not enough maps around the park to show you where to go, not enough employees to ask questions (in the park and outside around the entrances), and much more. We got off our bus to no instructions and no arrows telling us where to go and ended up walking into a back entrance of a restaurant. It wasn't just us, most of our bus went this way due to how unclear this park is. This type of stuff should not be that hard for first time customers to figure out!

Overall, this was truly a horrible experience that I hope no one has to deal with. I would have rather thrown my money away than spent it here. I have been to a lot of theme parks around the country, and this this is the worst one that I've had the displeasure of going to. Stay away unless your favorite theme is disappointment.

All we can say is do not come over spring break. There is not nearly enough parking for the amount of people visiting Gatlinburg. Complete nightmare. Not anakeestas fault and they were understanding and provided a full refund.

This is so much fun, and a great first time experience- But even better cause we had the funniest, nicest, guides. Thank you so much for putting on the special touches to our guides- Myra, Howard, and Chad! See y’all next trip!

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME. I bought our tickets online and waited an hour just to get up the mountain. Once at the top of the mountain….more lines. Everywhere. An hour wait for mountain coasters. Lines to access rope bridges. No live music. All the slides were closed at the Birdventure area. I will never go back.

Great way to spend a couple of hours. Great for active seniors part nature preserve, garden, adventure paths and spectacular Mountain View’s. Slow chairlift to the top, or options to take their rover truck to top. We did all the slides, climbed the tower and crawled through all the rope bridges and challenges. Arrived on first chair lift and had most of it to ourselves.

Anakeesta Top fav place to go.
We visited 3 times,once you pay you recieve a wristband and can go up and down throughout the day.
There are diff ways to get up,theres a shuttle bus,chair lift and chondola,they all run frequently.Although there are not as many Chondolas as there are chair seats.

At the top you are greeted by the most stunning views of the mountains and an oversite of the town down below.

Theres lots to do,if you just want to relax there are rocking chairs at the scenic points and around the pit fires.Theres also lots of bars/cafe where u can sit and dine and take in the views.
Live music plays throughout the day.
Theres an outlook point that you climb a view stairs to get a brilliant panaramic view.
Zipwires,alpine coasters,rope bridges for entertainment.
W e paid extra to do the luminate trail which was soooooo wroth it,so beautiful.

Its def worth visiting.
This is based in Gatlinburg,if you are staying in Pigoin forge and don't have a car you can get the trolley bus to Gatlinburg which is 3.50 for all day travel and the gatlinburg bit is free.You would do Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg welcome centre, which is also lovely,then wait for the connecting trolley bus into Gatlinburg.

If you don’t buy tickets before then you have to wait in 45 minute line to buy tickets then you have to wait in 45 minute line to get on chairlift during busy weekends. They also sell out by 1:00. It is 100% not worth the wait. They have food trucks and a restaurant that all have super long waits and a play place for kids. Just another example of how Gatlinburg rips you off.

Great place to visit. We did zip lines and mountain coasters. Both were great. The sky bridges through the trees are beautiful. Lots to eat and drink. Friendly people working there. We took the ski lift up and the truck/tram back down. Definitely would recommend.

We went in the evening as it would have been too hot most of the day and we were staying for the light show. We enjoyed the ride up. The only thing to do included in the price are the ropes courses and playground. Kids there were having a great time. Everything else costs extra. There is a restaurant and a bar and places to sit and enjoy the view. The light show was awesome. I can see why it sells out.

We went up an hour before sunset .. we loved this place .. the views were stunning ..the staff was so friendly and there was so much to do . We grabbed a few cocktails and sat at the fire pits with a group of the friendliest couples !! So relaxing

Yes yes yes! Everything about this place was FANTASTIC. The light show, Astra Lumina was absolutely SPECTACULAR. We had an amazing time and will be visiting again for sure. It’s a whole little town on top of the mountain. Adult & child friendly. Plan to spend the whole day up on top of the mountain, there is so much to do. If you buy tickets online I suggest buying to entire package, you’ll end up doing everything anyways. ☺️ so much fun.

Obviously, Anakeesta is one of the more "touristy" things to do in Gatlinburg, but it truly has something for everyone! My kids loved the mountain coasters, observation tower, and treetop skywalk. There was also ziplining, but we chose the mountain coaster pass over the ziplining. Both are not included in the admission price. My husband and I enjoyed the amazing view of the mountains on their rocking chairs while enjoying a nice beer. I was hoping for more choices with food because once lunch hit the lines got super long everywhere. Anakeesta was very expensive for a family of 5, especially if you want to do add-ons, but my kids had a great time which is all that matters for vacation.

We visited Anakeesta on a Make-A-Wish trip to Gatlinburg for our daughter and we had a AMAZING day! The staff was extremely friendly and caring. Everyone knew to expect her visit in each area and they treated her like royalty. The food supervisors, Tim and Debbie, made sure she had the best day ever! The park is SO clean and the views they provide and pictures they take make for such wonderful memories. We ate delicious food, made stuffed animals, did gem mining, took treetop trails, and took in amazing sites. Astra Lumina night show was very unique and worth staying late at the park!! If you are coming to Gatlinburg or the surrounding area, you must stop here for a visit!

Anakeesta was just okay. We walked through everything twice. Two hours is plenty of time. When riding the skylift up, we were stopped and waited 20 minutes to move again. Upon arriving at the top, we learned there had been a medical emergency with a passenger. The management should come over the loud speakers and alerted the riders that it was not a mechanical malfunction, but they needed to assist a rider. I'm perfectly happy to wait for a medical situation. Putting riders at ease to know it isn't mechanical would be the considerate thing to do.

This was absolutely amazing! The views are stunning and even better than you can tell in photos. Kids had a blast with all the climbing courses. We went early on a chilly morning and so had the place to ourselves no waits. We ate and the restaurant and the food was great!

My wife, daughter, and I visited Anakeesta on Saturday, April 19th. We paid around $200 for our visit. Unfortunately, our experience was a mix of kindness and disappointment.

While waiting in line during the peak afternoon heat, my wife began feeling faint. Thankfully, a blonde-haired staff member taking photos showed incredible kindness—she brought my wife water and checked on her. We truly appreciated her compassion and attentiveness.

However, things took a turn when we reached the front of the line after waiting nearly 45 minutes. My wife still wasn’t feeling well and needed to quickly use the restroom, which was just around the corner. We asked the staff member managing the chondola entrance (long hair, glasses) if she could step out briefly and return. Unfortunately, he was incredibly rude and told us she couldn’t return to the front—she’d have to go all the way back to the end of the 45-minute to 1-hour line.

His lack of empathy and inflexible attitude were very disappointing, especially given the circumstances. Ultimately, we decided to leave, effectively losing our $200. A little understanding would have gone a long way.

This was a fun day trip. My daughter was a little afraid to ride the chair lift up the mountain but they do offer a truck ride alternative. The lines were long but that was to be expected since it was a beautiful day and it was spring break week. There were beautiful mountain views once you arrive and many spots to just sit and relax and gaze at the mountains.

We did enjoy the ride up the chairlift, but it was all downhill from there. We are 4 seniors and are easy to entertain, but we found it pretty boring. We went (unknowlingly) on a day when they had no musical entertainment -- in fact, they had no entertainment the whole week. We climbed to the top of the lookout tower and climbed down, did the Tree Top walk thing (only 3 of us, not something for anyone with bad knees), walked around, looked at a couple views (but you can get views for free anywhere) and ate at the Smokehouse Restaurant, which was horrible food. We paid extra for Astra Lumina, which was pretty cool. We saw kids having fun, but we won't be back.

Although this place is nice, it’s so crowded that it’s not really worth the time. In addition, the transportation system feels like a scam — the wait time for the bus is shown as much shorter to encourage people to take it, but in reality, those who choose the gondola finish the ride in half the time. I ended up losing about 20–25 minutes because of this.

I will start this review by saying, in my opinion, this is the best attraction in Gatlinburg hands down!! Our experience getting tickets and going up the mountain however was a absolute nightmare and took over two hours. BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE AHEAD OF TIME!! They do sell out online but you can still buy them in person but you will wait over an hour to purchase tickets. You then must wait an hour plus to go up. There are supposed to be two lines so make sure you are in the correct line. The fastest was up is the truck and you do not pay extra for it. This is a pricey attraction but I absolutely recommend buying the extra tickets for the night light show if you are going up late in the day. IT WAS MAGICAL!!!!! This attraction is beautiful with stunning views. The sky bridges were unbelievably amazing and scary at the same time. I have a three year old and I had to hold her hand to cross which meant I could only hold on with one hand. Very scary with a small child. This is not for everyone. If you have a hard time getting around most of this attraction is not for you. We have put it off the last few times we have been to Gatlinburg due to the crazy long lines. I am so glad we finally decided to visit. The truck is the fastest way up and down the mountain. It is an open air truck so it is quite windy. If you have a stroller you must use the truck or there are four enclosed lifts. The lifts take a very long time. recommend getting to the top before sunset. There aren’t a lot of food choices so you may want to et ahead of time. There are also many nice and clean restrooms to use.

We are currently in line trying to leave Anakeesta. It really is a very nice set up on top of the mountain, Astro Lumina was relatively cool, and it’s definitely an interesting perspective on Gatlinburg. However, don’t make the mistake that we did and wait until 9 PM to leave – the lines to get on the chairlift down extend more than half of the length of the park (see photos). Cannot imagine if the weather was bad or if there were other factors and what it would be like trying to get out of here. If you’re going to come at night, be sure you leave well before 9:00! And if you have your druthers, go to Dollywood - the Great Pumpkin LumiNights is a thousand times cooler than Astra Lumnia, and it isn’t another $20 a person to check it out!

We got to park beside the chair lift which was convenient. The entire staff was helpful and kind, which surprised me! Every time I had a question the staff was knowledgeable and very friendly! The only downside was the crowds and food was definitelyoverpriced. $11 for a plain hotdog, in my opinion, is absurd. We didn't get to ride the 2nd coaster due to lines being over an hour long. The views were beautiful, everything was clean, and the amount of stuff for the kids to do was incredible. The shops were not over expensive and we found lots to bring home to share our experience! Astra Lumina is a MUST! We took the 8:15 spot and it blew all of us away! Overall was had an amazing time and will definitely be returning! We were there all day and there was always something new to look at and get the kids engaged!

Do not waste your money staff is rude and have zero experience. Hate i wasted the $300 and wasted so much of my family time. Will never go back it ruined a family vacation.

The park was super clean, tons of activities for younger kids (even us parents tried it all too!). The views were outstanding. It’s not a huge park, but we walked it a couple times and saw new things each time. We wanted to do the light show but the only remaining slot was too late. Highly recommend - very unique and beautiful.

My family went one afternoon last week and it wasn’t two crowded. There are beautiful views of the mountains and we saw two bears! The lift was exciting as it was my kids’ first time and they enjoyed the gem mining. We ate at Kephart Cafe, portions were very small and the staff were unorganized and rude, would not recommend. The tree house obstacles were fun for the kids and we enjoyed the tree bridge. My 5 year old wanted to play at the splash pad, but we had a bad experience there. The employee monitoring stayed on her the entire time. There are large rocks on the pad, which understandably are unsafe to get on, but the monitor was very rude with her demanding she get off repeatedly, as she is 5, so she kept trying because it’s what 5 year old’s do. The rocks should be removed from the area to avoid this issue. Then she would cover the cover the water streams with her hands and feet, because again, it’s what 5 year olds do to play. We have been to many spray parks and it’s never been a rule that you cannot. The monitor again repeatedly yelled at her. We didn’t know he was talking to her at first because he called her something general as he didn’t know her name, but never moved to tell her to her face. So…as long as your kids just want to walk through the water, and not actually play, it might be for you. This employee as well as the ones at Kephart Cafe clearly didn’t enjoy their jobs and it showed. There were other friendly employees throughout park however. The experience was just okay. If I were trying to choose between Anakeesta and another attraction, I would choose the other. I can’t say I will never return but it’s definitely not at the top of my list.

We went on Thursday October 23rd 2025 at 9 am when it was around 39 degrees. We reserved tickets as if it is filled to capacity, without a reservation, you could get turned away. The taxes and fees are ridiculous, almost 100.00 for two people for entry only and parking is not included. The Gift Shop, a pricey tourist trap. The lift up was nice and the park was clean. My hubby and I beat the crowds. We had most of the park to ourselves and were by ourselves on the tower taking pictures. It really makes a difference when there are no crowds. We got through the park in one hour. We were there before most of the food places and mountain coasters were open. When we had taken the lift back down just after 10 am, we were the only ones going down but crowds of people were heading up and zip lining was in full swing. We were so happy we were leaving. Overall it was okay. The views were not worth the price tag and I feel like I probably would not go back. If you are not sure, watch a full you tube video and take a tour to decide if its worth it for you or your family. I did enjoy the scenery of Gatlinburg and being a short walk to the Village Shops and Ripleys Aquarium is across the street.

The views from the top were nice enough, if you're not willing to drive a few miles into the park where you can find prettier views. As far as things to do, as an adult, there really isn't much to justify the price. I bought the United Tastes food pass, thinking I could start at the beginning of my time and it would last me through lunch, but, despite having a 9:00am start time listed when it was purchased, none of them opened until 10 or some even 10:30 because they hadn't brought the food up the mountain yet. The Hellbender could have been fun, but they didn't space us out enough and the lady in front of me was taking a slow scenic ride, so I was forced to as well. The Rail Runner is just painful, I had giant bruises on my hips and legs. Astra Lumina kind of nice, but once again, not really worth the price, although it was probably the best part of the park. I would only recommend this place to families with younger kids.

Myah, Chad, and Howard, our zip line guides, were very entertaining while teaching us proper zip-lining techniques. It was a bucket list item for us and did not disappoint! We also had a great time on the mountain coasters and the treetop exploring was fun, even for us 50-year-olds.

Make sure you get Victor, Sunshine and Trev. Victor might be the best thing in all of Tennessee. The sip lines were great too!

The place is great but crappy staff members ruined it for us. Just out right rude and miserable people. Specifically 2 females snapping the family pics.

I could post a million pictures but none would do it justice. This visit was my favorite by far. Even as an adult I enjoyed the bridge challenges, the slides, the view, the mining and when I didn’t think it couldn’t get any better, Astra Lumina was phenomenal. Will definitely be back!

We went on a very hot day and it certainly affected how much we enjoyed Anakeesta. A lot of time has gone into making this a good place for families to visit, but in needs work. The ride up to the top was fun and there were good views, though I believe you could get the same from one of the other chairlifts going up the mountains surrounding Gatlinburg. We enjoyed the garden and the tree walk, but the other climbing attractions were directed more toward smaller children. Yes, people of all ages can enjoy them, I just didn't feel they were directed at all ages. We opted out of the coasters because of the cost. Same as Astra Lumina. The bottom line is that after spending $150 for the 4 of us to enter, we were tapped out on wanting to pay for anything extra. The views from Anavista were great. While Anakeesta is not a total bust, they need to decide on an all-access price structure that doesn't break the family bank.

Definitely visit if you go to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. Get the add on mountain coasters. Beautiful area where you can walk thru the trees, do zip lines, mountain coasters. You can take a chair lift or gondola up to the top. Really well done. We are at the CliffTop Restaurant for lunch. Food and views were great. If we go again, I'd go more towards the evening as you can walk in the trees at night and coaster ride...we really liked this attraction.

What a unique experience! Can't say I have been to any other place quite like this. After coming a few times in the summer, we went last Christmas and were beyond impressed with the attention to detail, hot chocolate samplings and holiday vibes.

An OVER 2 hour wait for your tickets, trucks & lifts to go to the top in the HOT scorching sun where 2 people almost passed out!!!!!  No clear signs where to go, which causes people to cut in line!!!

The Skyway Bridge was fun and we enjoyed the ropes course and the coasters. While trying to sit and enjoy the beautiful view, having people all but stand on your lap to do an Instagram photo shoot was incredibly annoying. The Noonshiners were lovely, it was interesting to hears a blue grass twist on some of the songs they played. It was also annoying that the WiFi in the gift shop didn’t work correctly so it was a massive struggle to link the photos to the digital package I paid for online. I also thought that there would be more photo oops for the whole family, so that was a bit of a let down.

Bought tickets in advance, says on the website 330 max weight. I get there I weigh235 the lady says I'm to big. Shouldn't I get a refund?

I thought this was a great day! Yes, it can get expensive, there are some additional costs with additional activities, but I enjoyed just taking the chairlift up and exploring. We had lunch while our kids did the zip lining. FYI, that takes about an hour and they brought them back via the rambler if you are waiting for them, decide on a meet-up point before they leave. It’s really a beautiful spot, well maintained.

We recently spent the day exploring this park, and it turned out to be a perfect family outing on a beautiful Fall afternoon. Anakeesta was a great way to spend several hours together while enjoying gorgeous views of the Smokey Mountains. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, making every stop feel picture-perfect.

Anakeesta has numerous shops, restaurants, and food stands to accommodate all tastes. We enjoyed eating at the BBQ restaurant while sitting on the outdoor patio, eating ice cream cones for dessert, exploring the sky walk, climbing to the top of the tower for even more awesome views, and exploring the various shops with collections of hats, t-shirts, sweaters, nicknacks, and souvenirs. As the sun went down, we stayed warm by the fire pit while enjoying live music.

We arrived early afternoon and had to wait in line for about 45 minutes to ride the chairlift up to the park. We enjoyed the approximately 20-minute ride up, but anyone with a fear of heights might be uncomfortable. Still, the combination of mountain views, good food, and family time makes this spot well worth visiting. One tip is to consider leaving at least one hour before the park closes. Otherwise, the wait to either ride a chairlift down or catch a bus down can be 90 minutes or more.

What a fantastic addition to the beautiful fresh air and breathtaking surroundings of Gatlinburg. We enjoyed everything in this charming mountain park.
The chairlift and Chondola were a fun way to travel from town to the mountain top. Buying our tickets in advance allowed us to go directly to line up for the lifts.
We went on the week before Mother's Day, so there were really manageable crowds and almost no waiting for anything.
The Cliff Top Restaurant was so relaxing and the food, delicious. Although the menu was limited, we loved the offerings.
The seating areas provided awesome views of the mountains and downtown Gatlinburg, and the fire pit areas were so cozy when the sun went down!
We also did both mountain coasters which were super fun! We liked the Rail Runner more than Hellbender, but both were thrilling! Rail Runner had more steep drops and Hellbender had more spirals.
We also did both the zipline and the Astra Lumina light show.
The zipline guides were so fun, and the platforms are quite a ways from each other so the ziplines are pretty long. Be aware on 2 of the three platforms, you have to repel down off the platforms to get to the level below - that was a bit intimidating at first!
Astra Lumina was a beautiful night time light show, which we enjoyed as well.
I wish there was one ticket you could buy that would include all the different things to do instead of needing to purchase them all separately, but it is a good option if you only want to do one or two things.
Overall, such a beautiful location and a fun way to spend the day.

Amazing views!!! We did purchase tickets in advance for the park and the evening light show. It was pretty hot the day we went but lines were not long at all. We did ride one of the enclosed chondala ( spelling may be off) on the way up and the seats were very wet and so were our butts when we got to the top but luckily we dried quickly. Lots of spots to get drinks and food. We did do the skywalk which was great and climbed the tower, the views were fantastic. The downside is we waited for the 9pm light show only to have the lightning roll in, there was not a ton of direction as to what would happen as they were still selling tickets and lining up several hundred people. We asked and were told the lightning has to stop for a minimum of 15 before they would proceed with the show but still could not tell us at what point they would completely cancel. At 9:30 people were still lining up so we called it and headed back down the mountain and thankfully we did because the rain started, lightning continued and we were in line for the tram but they were still letting people get in line for the show. We did not get a refund for the show because the line from that was also long and we didn’t want wait. Overall the views are worth it but watch the weather forecast if you are thinking about the light show at night.

Anakeesta for Bearvarian and the things to do onsite is great for fall. We have season passes and go several times during the year. The views from the top are great.

Very disappointing. Prices high and rides were extra. Almost an hour wait to get on chondola. While kids enjoyed the playgrounds, not worth the money and wait. Dollywood and aquarium far superior

Enjoyed the charming/enchanted aesthetic. We were in a group of adults, may be a little more suited for families/children. The treewalk and tower were great! And definitely worth the extra money for the Astra Lumina show! Wanted to try other attractions but didn't want to pay all the extra. Would still suggest!!

Somewhat disappointing because the website does not include much of the information you would need. There is very little to do for anyone with mobility issues. All of the rides require you to be able to walk up and down four flights of stairs. There are also weight restrictions to the right and they actually have scales that they weigh you on before you get on the ride. even walking from one place to another is very uphill. The coaster rides are excellent and worth the price. It was decorated for fall and that was beautiful. I wanted to eat at the restaurant for dinner that had the patio overlook for my birthday, but it had been reserved for a party. they do not have wheelchair or scooter rentals. If you have any questions before you go, please call them to get specifics.

We have season passes to Anakeesta and we love it. We did astra lumina for the first time and LOVED it. It super cool and never would have guess it would have turned out the way it did. They could charge way more money for that as an add on. I don't want to be too descriptive in what you will see as I don't want to ruin it. Trust me, its WORTH IT!

First time zip lining!!! Had so much fun doing the zip line at Anakeesta. Michael, Austin and Peach were absolutely the best - I had so much fun!

As local residents,we purchased the season pass at a discounted price. On our first visit, they were not set up to give us our hard copy of the pass. On our second visit, we brought 3 guests expecting 2 would be free but we were told that we had to wait 12 hours to take advantage of the free passes. They were visiting us that day only. Again we were told that they couldn't give us a hard copy of the pass and the cards were unavailable. Add to that the parking fee, it wasn't worth it.

The slides are dangerous. I watched a woman come off of one with an injured elbow, and while seeing that should have kept me off of it, I myself got tangled up in the slide and ended up with a lacerated scalp and bruised shoulder. There was no medic on staff, just a security guard with a poorly-stocked first aid kit. I'm lucky I wasn't injured worse.

Even if it weren't for this poor experience, it wasn't worth the admission fee to get up there. My 5 year old had fun I guess, but I don't get the hype - especially for the price.

There were way too many people allowed in, the lines were incredibly long, there was not enough staff for all of the people on the mountain, almost everything onsite is an additional cost and those places were incredibly understaffed. It was freezing and none of the portable heaters had been turned on. You couldn't get into the one restroom. In all it was a very expensive, miserable experience.

Call ahead to make sure ziplines and coasters are working. We went last Thursday and BOTH coasters were broken AND zipline not working due to wind (?), but I didn't see any ride attendants working anywhere in the park!! Very disappointed. You pay a lot to get into the park ...For what???