Anakeesta in Gatlinburg Is Getting a Tree House Adventure Course As Part of Its $6 Million Expansion

We can't get enough of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The idyllic mountain town—which serves as the gateway to Smoky Mountains National Park—has got to be one of the most amazing places in the South to vacation. And it's only getting better.

Anakeesta, an outdoor adventure theme park which first opened in 2017, is undergoing a $6 million expansion—and the upgrades sound amazing. In addition to a new observation tower that will be downtown Gatlinburg's highest point, there will be a new tree house adventure (rendering above), that's connected with a net challenge course and areas for swinging and hanging out. The renovations also a new Smokehouse and Brewery Restaurant with Southern cuisine and sweeping mountain views from a glass-enclosed indoor venue or the outdoor deck. Right outside the restaurant, there will also be a family-friendly water feature, intended to mimic a Tennessee mountain creek.

"We listen to what our guests want and their feedback has inspired many of these exciting additions," said Michele Canney, Anakeesta VP of Marketing and Sales, in a company press release. "More places to eat, adding areas for families to play and discover nature, and creating spaces to relax and enjoy these incredible views is what is important."

Already, the park features plenty of fun attractions for guests to experience, like the Children's Treehouse Village Adventure, the BearVenture play area, Dueling Ziplines, the Rail Runner mountain coaster, and the Treetop Skywalk (pictured above).

If you're all about botanicals, there's also the Vista Gardens Walk (pictured below), brimming with the beauty of flowers, shrubs, and trees along several walking trails. The hitherto-unnamed observation tower will be located at the summit of these gardens and the renovations will include a new accessible boardwalk to extend the garden's walkway. To learn more details about what's coming to Anakeesta this year, click here.

Have you been to Gatlinburg before? What about Anakeesta? If you haven't planned a trip to this mountain town getaway yet, we have a feeling that you're going to want to make it a vacation goal for 2020. See ya on the tree house challenge course.