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    Space Needle

    3.3 (76 reviews)

    Space Needle Photos

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    Photo facing the south eastern direction
    Aldair V.

    The staff was kind in helping us since we had issues with our tickets that were purchased thru a 3rd party company. The elevator did seem a bit rundown so don't move around too much while on it or you can somewhat sense the momentum of people's movement while on the elevator if that makes sense. Once you're at the top, it was great, especially if you enjoy people, car, city, and mountain watching. There's a few telescopes as well.

    How you call in case of emergency
    Dawn F.

    This thing is old and rundown and does not feel safe at all. There are plenty of other places that you can go to see the same views. The glass elevator hardly offers any views going up because you're mostly just looking at the rusty stairs. During our visit there was a sign saying that one elevator was down so all guests must be able to return via stairs in case of emergency which really means in case our other rickety old elevator also breaks down. It takes about 2-3 minutes each direction. We literally stayed at the top for as long as we had to wait for the elevator because this place just seems unkept. Don't waste your money. Luckily I had a Groupon.

    A scene from the top of the Space Needle.
    Jude T.

    Absolutely forgot that I was afraid of heights until I got to the deck of this thing and it was swaying in the wind. WHOOPS. But, being up there for awhile calmed me down. There are some great views from up here. As a photographer, I had an absolute blast shooting the surrounding mountains and down into Gatlinburg streets. I took a few photos of people I was with (who didn't want to go up) far down below. Staff as nice, admission was reasonable. They also had a cool arcade on the first floor. There doesn't seem to be a time limit for how long you can be up there, so that's cool. Maybe I will bring a lunch and have a picnic on the deck up top next time. Not a bad experience at all!

    The view during the day was gorgeous.

    This place made me develop a fear of heights -- not because of the height, but because of the rickety elevator, broken floorboards with caution tape, and rusty beams. Listen, having a space needle in Gatlinburg is a really good idea and was probably great in the 90s! But one of the elevators is broken and while going up in the other one you really don't wonder why! My friend described the view from the elevator as "the opposite of reassuring". We went up once at night and once in the day (you can use your ticket twice in 24 hours.) The view was so stunning during the day. I'm torn on whether it was worth it but I will say this place needs to be updated or else one of these days, the second elevator will go down for good too. Also, the sinks don't work in the arcade bathrooms and the whole place stinks like vape.

    Paulina A.

    The Space Needle offers an elevator ride to the top to view a 360 perspective of Gatlinburg. It's a great photo opportunity of the Great Smoky Mountains. The experience takes no longer than 30 minutes depending on how long you choose to stay and take in the scenery. It was a windy day and the tower was swaying back and forth, which felt uneasy.

    Family trip
    Princess R.

    It was nice but the elevator is so hot and uncomfortable I'm going back to Gatlinburg but I won't be mad if I miss this place

    Alanna B.

    I'm torn on a 3 or 4. 4 is for the views and photo opportunities. 3 is for the price. It's $15 per adult. You spend as much time as you want at the top but think it's a bit expensive. Definitely not worth the price on a cloudy or rainy day as you want to be able to see the mountains. There's a public parking lot across the street.

    Amelia B.

    Another huge tourist trap, but the views are AMAZING. Bottom has a arcade and a pizza place. But were there for the observation tower, one of the higher points in the city. The elevator to go up was super old and scary and i was nervous the whole ride. But you get to the top and it was worth it. Was it worth $11 bucks tho? The views and pizza at the end is what will bring me back.

    I should be a photographer
    Sydney B.

    The sspace needle is cool but honestly there are better places to go if you want to see the view of the Smokey Mountains. This is located on the strip in an arcade so it can be hard to locate if you don't know that you have to look at arcades. The view is nice but it costs 15 dollars to go so I think it's a little steep. The view is nice but if you go at night, you are wasting your time because you will not see anything. It is a nice concept if you don't want to go in the national park but there are other places to go if you want to see the mountains

    Tony R.

    For $12.99 adult price it gets you 2 rides to the top in the same day, so you don't have to chose day or night views. Speaking of which, great 360 degree views. Placards tell you what you're looking at and a bit of history. Well worth every penny.

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    2 years ago

    Not great views, but ok. Elevator was kinda dirty and a little sketchy. But, worth heading up.

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Great overlook, very open at top and great staff. Pay once and get to go up twice in 24 hrs!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Space Needle

    What are the hours of operation?

    The arcade was open at 8 am and still opened at 2am..... the desk for elevator to go up to the top was also open. Cannot say if the bar was open.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Space Needle

    The elevator was also small so, we were taken up a few at a time which also wasn't an issue.

    Mentioned in 27 reviews

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    Anakeesta - Treetop Bridge

    Anakeesta

    3.7(989 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    We love Anakeesta, especially in the fall during their Bear Variam Festival (highly recommend you…read moreget a beer tour passport if you are a beer/cider drinker). We've gone two years in a row (2024 and 2025) and even between the years it seems that there is more to offer. Plan to be there all day, especially if you have small children. There is so much for them to do, climb, and explore which is nice so you can enjoy your drink while they play. All the kids areas are secure too so you won't lose them or worry about them falling down the mountain. Our kids LOVE the slide and birdhouse climbing area. There's a stage for live entertainment close by which we really enjoyed. Lots of food options all over however we really enjoy the lookout mountain restaurant and you have to get ice cream for dessert afterwards. Transportation up the mountain is either by their Ridge Rambler (open bus with no windows so dress accordingly) or the skyline with both open and closed cars (runs really slowly and usually a LONG line). I highly recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance because even though that option is available, many do not opt for it and would rather stand in a VERY LONG line to purchase tickets and then get in line for the skyline. If you purchase in advance and opt to ride the bus like we do, wait time is very minimal and you can bypass most of the line which is a huge plus. (also, the waiting area is by 2 private restrooms in case you need to go before boarding). Even though it's busy, everything is so spread out that it's not crowded which is super nice. Plan to take a backpack to carry items as you will stay on the mountain and it's not easy to go back and forth to the car (could but will take time), plus, it's nice to have in case it's chilly and hot later so you can store clothing layers. Currently, Anakeesta is closed until March for remodels and they've shared ideas and things to come which all look like great additions. We can't wait to go again this fall 2026 to enjoy all the new amenities. Highly recommend for all ages!

    Cool place. 50% of it isn't open this spring... no ski lift. No zip lining. Sky trek is half…read moreclosed. LOTS of stairs. Seriously LOTS. If mobility is limited, keep this in mind. Cool play areas for kids. Several dining options. Gem mining. Mountain coasters. Mountain coasters line is usually 20min longer than they say it is. Waiter will charge you $4 unexpectedly for a to-go cup for your drink. Feels like the kind of place where you end up being nickel and dimed. Wanted to love it but it's just ok.

    Photos
    Anakeesta - Bourbon and Ginger Beer

    Bourbon and Ginger Beer

    Anakeesta - Swinging Bridges entrance

    Swinging Bridges entrance

    Anakeesta - Bird House

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    Bird House

    Ober Mountain

    Ober Mountain

    2.5(802 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    I visited Ober Mountain in early January of this year and spent 2 days enjoyng activities…read more The first day consisted of participating in the fun pass, which gave us a list of activites we could do on the mountain like going to the zoo, ice skating, ice bumper cars, scenic lifts, etc. As an adult, the pass felt a little underwhelming but I can imagine a kid enjoying their time with this pass. I would recommend that you find a groupon/deal to get it at a cheaper rate rather than the usual $50/ticket they offer it for because I genuinely do not think it is worth the $50. I would definitely NOT recommend the fun pass for adults, but would for children (at the discounted price). Our second day on the mountain, we went snowboarding and that was a very fun time for my group and I. Ober has snow machines, so it is not real snow and instead is icy, artificial snow. I can imagine during the colder season, it may be softer and covered much more. I went in early January for reference. The employees are very nice with helping you strap in boots and understanding how to strap into board as well. I decided to do a lesson, which I would recommend for anyone who has not snowboarded before. Although I enjoyed my time, I do agree that it is fairly pricy, considering the size of the mountain compared to other resorts I have seen. I understand the weather determines which lifts are avaliable but the "snow" was ice, no where near snow texture. I think a day of snowboarding would cost roughly $150+ here for day pass and gear rental. My downsides for Ober are the price, the fun pass, and the snow.

    We visited Ober Mountain and had a really fun and memorable experience as a family. We had already…read morepurchased our Fun Pass tickets, and redeeming/printing them at the kiosks was quick and easy. One of the highlights was riding the Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway up and down the mountain--it was truly an experience in itself with amazing views. Once at the top, there was plenty to do. The kids loved the carousel and rode it multiple times every time we passed by. We also enjoyed the ice bumper cars, the wildlife habitat, and visiting Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. One of the most magical moments of the day was when it started snowing during our SkyLift ride--it was absolutely beautiful and something we won't forget. It was definitely very cold, but the scenery made it completely worth it. Unfortunately, the mountain coasters were closed due to the rain turning into snow, but there were still plenty of other activities to enjoy. The only thing I wish we had gotten to do was ice skating--the line and wait time were just too long before we had to leave. Overall, it was a very fun experience that everyone in our family enjoyed. We would definitely visit again!We visited Ober Mountain and had a really fun and memorable experience as a family. We had already purchased our Adventure Pass tickets, and redeeming/printing them at the kiosks was quick and easy. One of the highlights was riding the Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway up and down the mountain--it was truly an experience in itself with amazing views. Once at the top, there was plenty to do. The kids loved the carousel and rode it multiple times every time we passed by. We also enjoyed the ice bumper cars, the wildlife habitat, and visiting Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. One of the most magical moments of the day was when it started snowing during our SkyLift ride--it was absolutely beautiful and something we won't forget. It was definitely very cold, but the scenery made it completely worth it. Unfortunately, the mountain coasters were closed due to the rain turning into snow, but there were still plenty of other activities to enjoy. The only thing I wish we had gotten to do was ice skating--the line and wait time were just too long before we had to leave. Overall, it was a very fun experience that everyone in our family enjoyed. We would definitely visit again!

    Photos
    Ober Mountain
    Ober Mountain - The top of the scenic sky chair lift.

    The top of the scenic sky chair lift.

    Ober Mountain

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    Ghost Walk of Gatlinburg

    Ghost Walk of Gatlinburg

    4.0(8 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    We got ghosted on a ghost tour!…read more I would give this place 0 stars if I could - this is not a reputable company despite the positive reviews on other websites. My friend and I had some time to kill before the rest of our group arrived, so we decided to book a ghost tour at 8:30 PM. Booking was pretty easy and quick via a third party site - the site did mention that we would be notified if the tour was cancelled due to not enough seats being booked. We booked the tickets around 4 PM that day, but didn't receive any notification that the tour had been canceled, so we headed towards the meet up spot around 8:00 PM. The instructions said to meet by 8:15 PM at the Dolly Parton statue near the courthouse to avoid any issues with traffic/parking. My friend and I arrived at 8:10 PM but no one else was around aside from a couple of tourists taking pictures of the statue. 8:15 PM rolled around and the tour guide was nowhere in sight.. We still did not receive any communication about the tour being canceled (we even received a couple of text messages reminding us of the upcoming tour time) so we decided to wait until 8:30 PM to see if maybe the tour guide was running a little late. 8:30 PM rolls around and the tour guide never arrived. We tried calling the phone number on their website but the number is disconnected. Their email address also does not work and was undelivered, so there's no way to contact this company. We gave them the benefit of the doubt and waited for 5 more minutes before deciding to leave. The company had the audacity to send an automated text message after the tour asking us to rate the experience. A huge disappointment as we were looking forward for a fun night. There were other ghost tours we could have booked, but we chose this place due to the good reviews and proximity to our Airbnb. DO NOT (BOO)K.

    tour was cancelled last minute and they have not refunded me for over a week. don't waste your…read moremoney!

    Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - Penguins were awesome!!

    Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

    4.2(952 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    This aquarium came highly suggested by a coworker of mine who is from the area. I'm so happy she…read moresuggested it because it was an awesome experience! With plenty of children around me clearly enjoy enjoying every second while in this aquarium, it's also clear that the adults and parents had something they could enjoy as well! The amount of species were really impressive! I certainly walked away learning a lot about the limitless life in our oceans- from favorite species like clown fish to unique/ "not so frequently seen" species like cool sea dragons that resemble floating kelp. We were able to see the entirety of the aquarium in about two hours, and the layout of the aquarium is great with a clear path to make it all the way through. Honorable mention to the awesome saw sharks. I actually don't know if that's their actual name, but there're nose kind of resembles a saw and they are so cool during the automated walkway through the tunnel of sharks and fish. It was so bizarre to just look up and see huge sharks right above me!! I was also really impressed with the amount of space these animals have. I know that zoos and aquariums can get a bad rep, but these animals really do seem very taken care of and happy in a simulated natural environment. I like how they included the water treatment room as a part that people can see because obviously these animals require very strict water treatment plans in order to keep them thriving. The penguin station was also one of our favorites!!! It was so cool to be able to crawl through a tube "into" their enclosure in a dome like clear glass and be surrounded by penguins!!! You can read the names on their flipper bands to tell them apart, and you can really get up close to see the differences in their beaks or features. I thought that was so cool. I liked the amount of cool snacks and beverages available too! I got a frozen peach lemonade that was so yummy. We were here during off peak time, but it was still very busy. It's a very popular attraction. I know they also offer some packages to if you're coming with family or friends and you'd like to do more than one Ripley related experience you can buy a pack at a discount at the teller. Don't forget to take advantage of your military or first responder discounts if possible while you're here!

    Well, of all the entertainment in this town, this is definitely one of the better kept and…read moremaintained businesses. The Ripley's franchise is more about popularity than content, so I have mixed feelings about my visit. As an adult visiting with no children, I found it interesting yet a bit boring. I did see things very well displayed, and I enjoyed walking under the water tank with sharks, but I wasn't totally immersed and entertained. But it was cool. The hefty price tag is definitely a deterrent to visit, but like I said, I am visiting and I need to spend my money somewhere. I would not recommend this to another adult. If you are visiting with kids and family, this place offers lots of fun, especially for kids. There are lots of fun facts and interactive exhibits, plus a nice playground and food and stuff. Plan your visit accordingly.

    Photos
    Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - Family photo.  They offer photo packages

    Family photo. They offer photo packages

    Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - Outside entrance

    Outside entrance

    Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - My kids In the huge chair

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    My kids In the huge chair

    Space Needle - amusementparks - Updated May 2026

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