The science of combustion has more personal and historical significance to mankind than most other forces known to man. Everything we know of and can measure today began with the “Big Bang” when spatial expansion began from a very hot and very dense point, humanity reached significant evolutions with the pioneering use of gunpowder and the invention of engines that rely on combustions for power, we pierced through mountain rock and rolled trains forward with coal, and, here in the Smokies, we begin and end our solar revolutions with the same bang on New Year’s Eve in Gatlinburg.
While the event probably wasn’t meant to have such a philosophical intention at first, one can’t help but deny thoughts like that come to mind while gazing at the fantastic, FANTASTIC, 15+ minute spectacle that takes place on the Space Needle tower in downtown Gatlinburg the moment it strikes midnight. The old year is burnt away and immediately transmuted into the new one; if there’s anything better than beginning a whole new year full of new opportunities, challenge and growth with an incredible traditional fireworks display that tens of thousands will be able to see in the center of the greatest city in the Smokies, we’d question if it really exists!
The New Years Eve party in Gatlinburg is just one of the many blessings we’ve been more than fortunate enough to receive in our history and location here. Our guests during this time will have not just very, VERY close walking access to where they want to go to see the fireworks at midnight, but also everywhere else in downtown Gatlinburg up until that time. Because traffic will be very high the longer the day goes on, convenience to downtown Gatlinburg will be worth its weight in gold. Most attractions, restaurants, and stores will be open for the tourism expected and our guests/families will be able to have a fun and fellowship-filled day to end the year with.
Our recommendations for attractions with family within walking distance are:
- Ober Gatlinburg
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum
- Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze
- Gatlinburg Sky Lift
- Treasure Quest Golf
- Guinness World of Records
- Fannie Farkles
- World of Illusions
And our recommendations for restaurants within walking distance from us are:
- Blaine’s Bar and Grill
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
- Crawdaddy’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar
- Calhoun’s Restaurant
- Best Italian Restaurant (Two of them, actually)
- Johnny Rockets
- Smoky Mountain Brewery
- Bones BBQ Joint
- Bennett’s Pit BBQ
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries
- Big Daddy’s Pizzeria
- TGIFriday’s
- Mountain Edge Grill
- The Cherokee Grill
You can get more information on attractions and restaurants in downtown Gatlinburg at www.gatlinburg.com/to-do/.
Soon, as the night goes on, music and entertainment near the Space Needle will be expected to start as the crowds really begin to gather and wait for the countdown to begin. At the top of the Space Needle, the city of Gatlinburg attaches the New Years ball that will start its descent on 11:59PM. When that happens, everyone looks to the Space Needle and a chorus counting down the last seconds of 2017 gets louder and louder until you hear, “Ten… nine… eight…” and so on…
And then BOOM! The fireworks begin at the Space Needle. We give 2017 to the annals of history and welcome 2018 in with the same transitional tradition. We literally end and begin our years with a bang here in the Smoky Mountains!
Keep up to date on the New Years Eve celebrations in Gatlinburg