Shopping in the Smokies

Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community

This 8 mile loop just outside Gatlinburg is the largest group of independent artisans in North America. Established in 1937, the community now includes over 100 shops and studios where you can watch craftspeople at work and purchase directly from the makers.

• Pottery, hand woven textiles, leather goods, wood carvings
• Candles, brooms, stained glass, jewelry
• Many artisans offer live demonstrations
• Prices often reasonable for genuine handmade work
• Free trolley service April through October

Outlet Shopping

Tanger Outlets Sevierville

Over 100 stores including Nike, Coach, Kate Spade, Under Armour, and more. Great deals on name brands.

Governor's Crossing

Mix of outlets and specialty stores with covered walkways. Less crowded than Tanger.

Downtown Gatlinburg

The Village Shops

27 unique stores in a charming European village setting. Everything from candles to kitchen items to Christmas ornaments.

Mountain Mall

Indoor mall with 70+ shops plus old time photo studios.

The Parkway

Main street lined with souvenir shops, candy stores, and specialty retailers. Great for browsing.

Pigeon Forge Shopping

The Island

80+ shops in a walkable entertainment complex. Mix of national brands and unique local stores.

Old Mill Square

Shops adjacent to the historic mill selling crafts, kitchen items, and specialty foods.

What to Buy

• Moonshine: Take home bottles from local distilleries
• Handmade crafts: Pottery, woodwork, and textiles from local artisans
• Fudge and candy: Fresh made sweets from candy kitchens
• Mountain honey: Local sourwood honey is a regional specialty
• Bear themed items: Every shop has black bear souvenirs
• Old time photos: Dress up in period costumes for fun portraits

How to shop this area without wasting a day

From our cabins you can cover three different shopping days without changing lodging: handmade work on the Arts and Crafts loop, walkable souvenirs downtown, and name-brand outlets in Sevierville. Approximate drive times with no traffic: 8 minutes to the Gatlinburg Parkway, about 12 to 15 minutes to the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community (Glades Road / Buckhorn Road loop), about 20 minutes to The Island in Pigeon Forge, and about 25 minutes to Tanger Outlets Sevierville.

Arts and Crafts Community, done right

The 8-mile loop is the largest group of independent artisans in North America, with 100-plus shops and studios. It is not a mall. Many makers work on site, so weekday mornings are quieter and you can actually talk to the potter or woodworker. The Gatlinburg Trolley typically serves the loop in warmer months (often April through October). Confirm the current trolley map and fare on the City of Gatlinburg site before you leave the cabin. Bring cash for smaller studios; cards are common but not universal.

Allow 3 to 4 hours if you want more than a drive-through. Start at one end of the loop and work in one direction so you are not doubling back in traffic. For a deeper walk-through, use our Arts and Crafts Community guide.

Downtown vs Pigeon Forge vs outlets

Downtown Gatlinburg is for browsing: The Village Shops, candy kitchens, and Parkway souvenirs you can walk between. Park once (or ride the trolley) and you will not fight for a space every two blocks. The Island in Pigeon Forge mixes national stores with a Ferris wheel and evening fountain shows, so it works when part of the group wants shops and part wants a ride. Tanger Outlets Sevierville is the name-brand stop (Nike, Coach, and similar). Governor's Crossing is the calmer outlet-and-specialty mix if Tanger feels packed.

What is actually worth bringing home: sourwood honey, a bottle from a Parkway distillery (pack it in a checked bag if you fly), handmade pottery or woodwork from the loop, and fudge you will eat in the cabin that night. Skip the identical bear T-shirts until you have walked the crafts loop. Rainy days are ideal for The Island, Mountain Mall, and Tanger. Clear mornings are ideal for the crafts community and a stop at The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge.

Cabin tip: our lodges have full kitchens, so a bag of mill cornmeal, local jam, and coffee from downtown beats another restaurant breakfast. Serenity is the cooking-focused sleeps-8 cabin if that is the trip you are planning.