{"id":3607,"date":"2016-07-20T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2016-07-20T12:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/?p=3607"},"modified":"2026-06-25T14:48:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:48:19","slug":"20-fun-family-activities-in-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/attractions\/20-fun-family-activities-in-summer.htm","title":{"rendered":"20 Ways to Have a Blast with the Family this Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

For kids, summer break is just that: a break. It\u2019s what they look forward to all year, getting out of school for long days of swimming, running, playing, and sleeping in. But for parents, a fun summer for the kids comes with some work. Besides actually going<\/em> to work, you\u2019re probably working to find a lot of ways to keep the kids entertained.<\/p>\n

When taking them to the community pool, camping in the backyard, and having Disney movie nights have run their course, why not plan a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for some new family fun this summer<\/a>? With neighboring mountain towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge full of family-friendly attractions, restaurants to feed even the pickiest of eaters, and stores loaded with toys, games, and more, it truly is the place to please everyone.<\/p>\n

And on top of the fun found in town, the Great Smoky Mountains offer countless opportunities for outdoor fun, getting the kids of the couch and out into the fresh air. While they\u2019re among the trees, they can bike, go on a hike, have a fun family picnic, or take an adventure via horseback.<\/p>\n

Easy Summer Vacations<\/strong>
\nIf you\u2019re thinking that planning a summer vacation just sounds like more work, think again. We make it easy at Cabins For You, giving you tons of great family cabins<\/a> to choose from. You can book online or give us a call (800.684.7865<\/strong>) for a quick and easy reservation. You can keep it simple with a cabin in the mountains, or you can add on fun extras<\/a> like the Java Time basket (loaded with gourmet coffee, cookies, and more) or the Spirit of the Smokies (with lots of fun local goodies). Or you can treat yourself to an in-cabin massage while the kids play! And don\u2019t forget to check out our blog<\/a> before you come for some great ideas and tips to make your summer vacation even easier.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll get you started with 20 great family activities<\/strong> to make your family vacation the most fun it can be, whether you\u2019re in Pigeon Forge<\/strong> or Gatlinburg.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Be blown away by the magic of Darren Romeo at Magic Beyond Belief<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  2. Laugh out loud at the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show<\/strong> in downtown Pigeon Forge.<\/li>\n
  3. Take a hike (on the 800+ miles of trails) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are easy, flat trails and steep, challenging trails \u2013 something for any skill level or age!<\/li>\n
  4. Spend the afternoon exploring underseas at Ripley\u2019s Aquarium of the Smokies<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n
  5. Take a drive through Cades Cove. You\u2019ll be amazed at the diversity of wildlife (look for bears!) and the beautifully blooming trees and wildflowers.<\/li>\n
  6. Choose a cabin with an awesome rec room that has plenty of games for days you want to stay in the cabin.<\/li>\n
  7. Zip through the trees at Smoky Mountain Ziplines<\/a><\/strong> to get your blood pumping!<\/li>\n
  8. Try a footlong Ogle Dog and play arcade games at Fannie Farkle\u2019s<\/a> in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg.<\/li>\n
  9. Go on a guided fishing trip (great for father-son days out) with Smoky Mountain Guides<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  10. If you\u2019re the parent of a new babe, hit one of the paved trails \u2013 stroller in tow \u2013 like Laurel Falls or Clingmans Dome.<\/li>\n
  11. Get your Halloween on with constant frights at Ripley\u2019s Haunted Adventure<\/strong> that\u2019s open year-round.<\/li>\n
  12. Step back in time (and touch an iceberg!) at the Titanic Museum Attraction<\/strong> where you\u2019ll find the perfect blend of history and entertainment.<\/li>\n
  13. Float down the Little Pigeon River or take a whitewater rafting trip if you\u2019re more adventurous.<\/li>\n
  14. Satisfy your sweet tooth and take a break from the summer heat at Mad Dog\u2019s Creamery & Donuts, one of the newest sweet spots featuring 2 favorite treats.<\/li>\n
  15. Blend education and fun at Pigeon Forge\u2019s WonderWorks<\/strong>, a hands-on attraction devoted to science, space, and more.<\/li>\n
  16. Cool off with some indoor ice skating at area favorite Ober Gatlinburg<\/a><\/strong>. Here you can also ride the alpine slide, let the kids play on the playground, or play some arcade games before trying authentic German foods.<\/li>\n
  17. Challenge older kids to a race around the go kart track. In downtown Pigeon Forge, you\u2019ll have your pick.<\/li>\n
  18. Laugh, be amazed, and enjoy some unique fun at one of the area\u2019s newest shows, Amazing Animals \u2013 Exotic Animal & Pet Show<\/a><\/strong>. Kids of all ages will love these awesome trained animals!<\/li>\n
  19. Make your own scenic scavenger hunt and explore the city (or check back on our blog for a family-friendly scavenger hunt).<\/li>\n
  20. If movie night is a favorite summer activity, book one of our cabins<\/a> that boasts a private home theater. You can pop some popcorn, bring some candy and drinks, and spend some time lounging around in front of a huge screen.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    For kids, summer break is just that: a break. It\u2019s what they look forward to all year, getting out of school for long days of swimming, running, playing, and sleeping in. But for parents, a fun summer for the kids comes with some work. Besides actually going to work, you\u2019re probably working to find a lot of ways to keep the kids entertained. When taking them to the community pool, camping in the backyard, and having Disney movie nights have run their course, why not plan a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for some new family fun this summer? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3610,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[289],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attractions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3607"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11401,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3607\/revisions\/11401"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinsforyou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}