Cherished deeply, our children represent new life, steady growth, and the future. Bringing smiles for miles and warmth to our hearts, they deserve to be healthy and happy — always. Unfortunately, there are children around the world who do not have loving parents, government rights, or proper care. They deserve better, and the United Nations began a movement to see to this in 1954.
Established in 1959, Universal Children’s Day is an annual global observance that takes place on November 20. The idea is to create international awareness for children’s rights, to improve the welfare of children, and promote togetherness. After all, every child should be given a multitude of opportunities to succeed in life.
Observe this Universal Children’s Day 2019 by spreading the word and spending quality time with your kids and grandkids in the Great Smoky Mountains. Brimming with attractions in town, outdoor adventures in the most-visited national park, and cabin fun, the Smokies is the perfect place to celebrate your kiddos with kid-friendly activities galore!
Play in Town
Zooming on adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, creating snow angels year-round, learning about underwater creatures, unleashing the magic within, putt-putting on a rooftop, and more await in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN! Whether your children are big or small or short or tall, there’s something for every age in these bustling towns. And your inner child will be quite pleased as well…even excited!
• Dollywood — a huge Smoky Mountain amusement park with rides, live performances, shops, an eagle enclosure, and Southern treats
• Great Smoky Mountain Wheel — a favorite at The Island (shopping and entertainment complex) that takes you high in the sky for panoramic views of the Smokies
• Ober Gatlinburg — a mountain adventure with an indoor ice rink, mountain coaster, wildlife encounter, classic carousel, restaurants, and boutiques
• Pigeon Forge Snow — an indoor snow park (first of its kind) with snow tubing as the star plus a snow playroom and snack bar
• Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies — an award-winning aquarium with 2 levels of sea critters plus unique experiences (including playing with penguins!)
• Anakeesta — an aerial adventure park with duel ziplining, a treetop skywalk (longest in North America), a botanical garden, and a treehouse village
• Crave Golf Club — a fun attraction with indoor and rooftop mini golf, escape rooms, mini bowling, and a sweets shop
• MagiQuest — an interactive live-action, role-playing game with mysteries that can only be solved with magic (wands provided)
• MORE — an honest comment that there are too many awesome attractions to list them all!
Explore the National Park
One of the biggest attractions to the area is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As the most-visited national park in the country, you can bet your children will have a blast! Plus, it’s a great place to learn and experience new things together. Spot wildlife with binoculars, see history come to life with old buildings and structures, gaze upon gorgeous landscapes, and watch rivers carve new paths.
• Laurel Falls — an easy to moderate (roughly paved) hiking trail that leads to a stunning waterfall
• Cades Cove — a gorgeous valley area where you can hike, bike, or take a leisurely drive through history
• Sugarlands Riding Stables — a great place to saddle up for a ride on nature trails through the park
• Greenbrier Picnic Area — a wonderful spot with 12 picnic pads (table + grill) along the Little Pigeon River
• Clingmans Dome — the highest point (6,684 feet) in the Smokies with 360 views from its observation tower
Relax at the Cabin
When you bring your kiddos to the Smokies, the fun doesn’t stop in town or the national park — it continues at your vacation cabin! Spend quality time baking cookies in the fully equipped kitchen, play games in the rec room, splash in the private indoor pool, watch movies in the home theater with surround sound, soak in the bubbly hot tub under the stars, sip cocoa with extra marshmallows by the fireplace, and tuck the little ones into the bunk beds. And that’s just the start to possible cabin amenities with Cabins for YOU!
• Mountain, wooded, river, or city views
• Outdoor hot tubs
• Indoor jetted tubs
• Private indoor pools
• Game tables
• Arcade units
• Theater rooms
• Gas, electric, or wood-burning fireplaces
• Outdoor firepits
• Rocking chairs
• Charcoal or gas grills
• King, queen, full, or twin beds
Shower your kiddos with love a special — and memorable — trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for Universal Children’s Day on November 20!