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Wilderness at the Smokies
Wilderness at the Smokies features two outdoor waterparks.
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Wilderness at the Smokies
Kids enjoy one of 17 waterslides at Wilderness at the Smokies.
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Wilderness at the Smokies
The Wild WaterDome Indoor Waterpark at Wilderness at the Smokies.
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Wilderness at the Smokies
Case and Brooks Barbee excitedly await their turn on the indoor ropes course.
When folks think of the Smoky Mountains, visions of glorious mountain peaks tucked in low-hanging clouds emerge. But when romance is out of the question and it’s time for family fun, the valleys of Tennessee offer their own exciting destinations.
Wilderness at the Smokies is one such place. My two little boys and I ventured to Sevierville recently to check out this popular adventure resort. They are ages nine and six, and as soon as I told them we’d be visiting an indoor waterpark they started counting down the days.
Finally, after a long week of work and school, the time came for our road trip. As we wound through the gorge from Western North Carolina to East Tennessee, we chatted about the wave pool and water slides. After stopping for lunch, we rolled into Sevierville around 2 p.m.
Like most kids, my boys love staying in hotels. When we first arrived at the resort, a very friendly staff checked us in, gave us the rundown of amenities and attractions, and sent us off to our room.
The room was mountain-rustic lovely. After the boys jumped on the beds and explored every nook and cranny, we pulled on our swimsuits and headed to the waterpark section of the resort. I admittedly wasn’t sure if I would love frolicking around indoors, wet and in a bathing suit with hundreds of other people, but I kept an open mind.
The minute we walked through the water park doors, the boys’ eyes widened with the type of giddy anticipation only children know. We grabbed our guest towels, found a few chairs to host our belongings and immediately started adventuring.
Wilderness at the Smokies is a state-of-the-art, 66,000-square-foot park with a glass roof. On a sunny day, it feels like you’re outside. This is an especially pleasing feeling during the frigid months of winter when summer and warmth seem so far away.
My kiddos are good swimmers and daredevils, especially my older one, so we tried everything in the park except for the toddler area, which was much too mundane for them. With multiple slides of all fear levels, a wave pool, splash area, and surf rider, there is plenty to keep family members of all ages busy.
One of our favorite parts was the hot tub. My boys haven’t had much hot tub action in their lives so whenever we wanted a break from wild splashing, we relaxed in the warm bubbles and enjoyed some downtime. The resort did a good job of not making the hot tub too hot, posting rules to ensure everything was safe for children.
At Wilderness at the Smokies, kids eight and under eat free with a paying adult at the Thirsty Miner and Hidden Trail restaurants. After our first day of wet and wild fun, we enjoyed a buffet dinner at the Thirsty Miner, which is located on the second floor of River Lodge overlooking the waterpark. Once our food settled, we hopped back on the slides until late in the evening. After some late night popcorn in the hotel ice bucket, my boys fell fast asleep, tuckered out from a day of fun.
Saturday morning, we ate breakfast at Hidden Trail. They offered everything from pancakes and oatmeal to bacon and eggs and muffins and fruit. While the boys had fun picking and choosing from the buffet, I was mainly concerned with fueling up on coffee to prepare for day number two.
Saturday was more crowded than Friday afternoon and evening. I would love to take the boys again during the week to avoid a crowd, but it’s obviously easier to get away on a weekend. On Saturday, we had more fun sliding, splashing and swimming.
Later that afternoon, the boys were ready to dry off and enjoy Wilderness Adventure Forest, a 25,000-square-foot indoor adventure center that includes laser tag, rock climbing, a three-story high ropes course, bowling, mini-golf and more.
My six-year old had never completed a ropes course, and I was surprised when he said he wanted to give it a try. A child his height had to be accompanied by an adult, so he and I both harnessed up and maneuvered obstacles to complete the ropes course. It made me nervous watching his little body walk along the ropes, but there were staff members stationed around the course and we were harnessed tightly, so I knew all would be well, even if one of us did happen to slip and fall. Luckily, that didn’t happen.
After a little more adventure and an hour or so playing arcade games, we munched on pizza from Billy Jacks Snack Shack, cashed out their game cards for a few prizes and headed to the car.
The boys and I were only in Sevierville a little over 24 hours, but we had an absolute blast. Wilderness at the Smokies is one of those places where kids and adults can let loose. It’s a great vacation destination for a small or large group. With a large group, the youngsters can run amok while the adults sit back and enjoy a beer or two.
We visited when the weather was still chilly, so we didn’t get to enjoy the outdoor water parks. I would love to go again during a warmer month. Also, my boys’ birthdays are both in the winter. Wilderness at the Smokies offers several birthday packages, so I may look into celebrating there next year.
The true measure of whether or not kids have fun at a place like Wilderness at the Smokies is their reaction after the fact. About ten miles down the road, I looked in my rear view mirror and both boys were snoozing away.
Yep, I think the trip was a success.