Top 4 Reasons to Experience Gatlinburg Winterfest in January

December 18, 2024

Although the holidays may be over, the spirit of the season continues throughout the month of January thanks to Smoky Mountain Winterfest! This is actually the best time of year to check out the beautiful holiday light displays throughout town as most folks have returned home from their Christmas vacation in the Smokies. Here are a few reasons why you should check out the Gatlinburg Winterfest in January:

1. Extends Your Holiday Season

If you are one of those people who hate to see the end of the holiday season, extend your Christmas holidays and experience Gatlinburg Winterfest in January! You can still enjoy all of the sparkling lights featuring everything from dancing snowmen to animals indigenous to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While you can drive through town to see the displays from your own car, you can also walk along the main streets of Gatlinburg for an up close and personal view of all the lights, plus the beautiful decorations covering the shops, restaurants, and attractions!

2. Fewer Crowds in Town

The holiday season in Gatlinburg is one of the busiest times of the year as visitors come by the thousands to view the Winterfest light displays and experience the Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities. After the start of the New Year, there is a strange phenomenon in town as everyone practically vanishes and returns home from their Christmas vacation! This leaves Gatlinburg with far fewer crowds so that you can enjoy the Winterfest in Gatlinburg displays without the hassles of traffic congestion and parking issues. This also means wait times at restaurants are shorter and attractions can be less busy; plus, more parking is typically available at popular Smoky Mountain hiking trailheads!

3. Cures the Winter Blues

Some folks dislike the winter season due to shorter days of sunlight, colder temperatures, and a lack of outdoor activities. If this all sounds familiar to you, come to the Smokies and allow the fun in Gatlinburg to cure your winter blues! If the bright lights of the holiday displays don’t help lift your mood, there are still plenty of other things to do in the Smoky Mountains during the winter! You can head out to the skiing and snow tubing runs at Ober Mountain, visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, or take a short drive up to the attractions of Pigeon Forge.

4. Awesome Cabin Specials

One of the great benefits of visiting during Gatlinburg Winterfest in January is that you can take advantage of the winter cabin specials at Auntie Belham’s! This means that you can enjoy discounted and free nights at our beautiful Gatlinburg cabins, making your trip to the Smokies more affordable than ever! After visiting the Gatlinburg Winterfest displays, return to the comforts of your cabin where you can soak outside in a bubbling hot tub, relax by the fireplace, watch a movie on the big screen, or bring on the competition in the game room. Our cabins also feature full kitchens where you can conveniently prepare meals right in your cabin!

Want to save even more money during your trip? Take a look at our Adventure Pass and find out how you can get free attraction tickets as a thank-you for choosing to stay at one of our cabins. We look forward to you experiencing Gatlinburg Winterfest in January and the beauty of the winter season in the Smokies!