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Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Self-Driving Bundle Tours
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Self-Driving Bundle Tours
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Self-Driving Bundle Tours
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Self-Driving Bundle Tours
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Self-Driving Bundle Tours

Great Smoky Mountains & Cades Cove Self-Guided Driving Tours

By Travel with Action
9.4 out of 10
Free cancellation available
Price is CA $35 per traveller* *Get a lower price by selecting multiple travellers
See tickets
Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 6h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation

Activity location

  • Ripley's Believe It or Not! Gatlinburg
    • 800 Parkway
    • 37738-3247, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • 1151 Parkway
    • 1151 Parkway
    • 37738, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States

Multiple meeting/redemption points available, see location information for full list

Check availability

Great Smoky Mountains & Cades Cove Self-Guided Driving Tours in English
  • Activity duration is 6 hours6h6h
  • Opening hours: Fri 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  • English
Language options: English
Price details
CA $34.95 x 1 TravellerCA $34.95
Total
Price is CA $34.95

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's includedEasy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
  • What's includedWhat's includedGreat value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
  • What's includedWhat's includedEngaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
  • What's includedWhat's includedPerfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tonnes of rave reviews!
  • What's includedWhat's includedOffline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
  • What's includedWhat's includedComprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
  • What's includedWhat's includedGo at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
  • What's includedWhat's includedHands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
  • What's excludedWhat's excludedAttraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

Know before you book

  • Public transport options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email with instructions. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the separate app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular.
  • How to start the tour: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once on-site. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Amazing Savings: why pay for an expensive, crowded, and limited bus tour — priced per person! — when you can have ONE amazing audio guide on your OWN phone for your WHOLE group?
  • Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It's perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favourite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
  • Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalised stops and photo opportunities.
  • Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
  • Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilise the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
  • Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
  • Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app's features, users can enjoy a personalised, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
  • Minimum Mobile OS Requirement: iOS 14 or later / Android 9 (Pie) or later. It is compatible with iPad models that have a GPS chip.

What you can expect

Purchase only one tour per vehicle, not per person. Everyone listens together!

Get the full Smoky Mountain experience with this ultimate bundle tour! Explore these picturesque mountains, uncover the rich history of the Cherokee and early settlers, and find out why this is the most-visited national park in the entire country. You’ll discover beautiful overlooks, hiking trails, and waterfalls on one tour, then dive into the pioneer and Civil War history of Cades Cove with the next! If you don’t want to miss a thing, this is the deal for you.

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

New, extra validity — now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!

This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

Activity itinerary

Oconaluftee Visitor Center
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Your drive through the beautiful, majestic Smoky Mountains begins at the Oconaluftee Visitor Centre. Get ready to explore the Smokies and discover why this is the most visited National Park in the country! NOTE: This 72+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Great Smoky and Cades Cove Bundle in 3-5 hours.
Mingus Mill
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
As you drive, you'll have the option to take a detour to the Mingus Mill, an 1886 grist mill which, believe it or not, is still fully functional! If you're here on weekends, you can even see the mill operators grind corn just like they did back in the 1800s.
Quiet Walkways
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Your first major stop is the Beech Flats Quiet Walkway, a perfect spot for anyone who wants to soak up the natural beauty of the mountains without having to hike an arduous trail.
Rockefeller Memorial
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Up next is the Rockefeller Memorial, where you'll learn more about Rockefeller's importance to the park! This memorial was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt himself.
Newfound Gap Road
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
From there, your drive continues to Newfound Gap, a stunning mountain pass with huge historical significance. Hear the storey of how trappers, farmers, and merchants used to cross the Smokies, and how this gap changed all of that.
Alum Cave Trail
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Next you'll pass the Alum Cave Trail, which takes hikers to the remains of an old salt mine packed with fascinating history.
Morton Overlook
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
After that, you'll reach Morton Overlook, hugely popular for its unbelievable sunsets.
Carlos Campbell Overlook
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
The next overlook on your route is Carlos Campbell Overlook, which serves up panoramic views of towering mountains and lush forests.
Chimney Tops Trail
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Your route takes you next to Chimney Tops Overlook, where you'll hear all about wildfires in the Smokies and how they cause lasting damage to mountains like this one.
Clingmans Dome
  • 1h
  • Admission ticket not included
Next up is the most accessible trail in the park: Sugarlands Valley Trail! This scenic trail can be accessed by wheelchair or stroller, and offers a great way to venture into the wilderness.
Sugarlands Visitors Center
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
The tour leads next to the Sugarlands Visitor Centre, a perfect rest stop and the site of a few trailheads.
Cataract Falls
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Your drive continues to Cataract Falls, a beautiful, secluded set of waterfalls tucked beneath a shaded canopy of beech trees.
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Gatlinburg
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Our next stop is perfect for anyone amused by kitschy oddities. This funky museum displays everything from shrunken human heads to rare animal skeletons. We'll get the inside scoop on how it started as a simple one-panel comic strip and grew into a national phenomenon.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Continue following the road to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This driving trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. It also features three of the park's most famous waterfalls!
Rainbow Falls Trail
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Our route takes us next to the Rainbow Falls Trail, which leads to the park's most popular waterfall. Standing at 80 feet, Rainbow Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Smokies, but that's not all! When the sun hits it right, it glimmers like a rainbow--hence the name.
Grotto Falls Trail
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Keep driving until you reach the Grotto Falls trail. While it's not quite as grand as Rainbow Falls, this secluded, less crowded waterfall is absolutely worth a visit. On your way, hear about a rare salamander you can only find right here!
Baskins Creek Falls
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Our drive takes us next to the Baskin Creek Falls, a sparkling waterfall where we'll hear about the amusing, and slightly misguided history behind the name of these falls.
Ephraim Bales Cabin
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Up next, we'll pass the Ephraim Bales Cabin, a portal back in time to the 19th century. We'll hear all about the family that lived here, and why there's a big hole in the middle of their cabin!
Alfred Reagan Tub Mill
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
The road brings us next to the Reagen Cabin, which displays a perfect example of old-timey technology in the form of the so-called "tub mill." Hear all about what that is and why it was useful here.
Ely's Mill
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Next, our drive takes us to Ely's Mill, a historic mill on the outskirts of Gatlinburg which gives us another window into the lives of the early Appalachian settlers. Here, we'll learn about Andrew Ely, the bigshot lawyer who upended his entire life after his wife died, abandoned his law practice, and moved to Gatlinburg to start over and live a simpler life.
Gatlinburg
  • 10m
Finally, you'll arrive in the picturesque mountian town of Gatlinburg, where your tour will conclude.
Cades Cove Methodist Church
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Past that is the Methodist Church, which cost only $115 to build when it was constructed in 1902!
Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Then there's the Missionary Baptist Church, which split off from the Primitive Baptist Church during the early days of Cades Cove due to ideological divides.
Elijah Oliver Cabin
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Continuing on, you'll come to the Elijah Oliver Place, accessible via a half-mile trail. This secluded homestead once belonged to an abolitionist who found himself in grave danger when the Civil War broke out.
Abrams Falls Trail
  • 10m
Up next is the Abrams Falls Trail, which takes hikers to a powerful waterfall hidden deep in the wilderness.
Cades Cove Historical Grist Mill
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
After that, you'll see the John Cable Grist Mill. This mill dates back to 1870 and you can still see it in operation today!
Tipton Road
  • 10m
Next on your route is Tipton Place, which was once home to a war hero of the American Revolution.
Carter Shields Cabin
  • 10m
  • Admission ticket not included
Finally, you'll come next to the Carter Shields Cabin, a staunchly abolitionist home that lost much during the Civil War. There are many stories that you'll hear along the way, including • A Cherokee Homeland • White Settlers Arrive in Cades Cove • Smokies Wildlife • The Cussing Cover • Last Family who lived in Cades Cove • Ancestral Cherokee Land • Tsali and the Trail of Tears • Revolt Against the Ani'kutani • Sequoyah's New Storytelling System • The Milky Way • Selu's Sacrifice • Great Smoky Geology • Webb View • Appalachia's Settlers • Appalachian Trail • Ghost Firs of Clingman's Dome • Funding the Smokies • Appalachian Balds • Balsam Point Quiet Walkway and more.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIESRipley's Believe It or Not! Gatlinburg
    • 800 Parkway
    • 37738-3247, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE1151 Parkway
    • 1151 Parkway
    • 37738, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States
  • PEOPLEPEOPLEGreat Smoky Mountains National Park Library
    • 8440 Tennessee 73
    • 37882, Townsend, Tennessee, United States
  • PEOPLEPEOPLEOconaluftee Visitor Center
    • 1194 Newfound Gap Road
    • 28719, Cherokee, North Carolina, United States