Gatlinburg • Great Smoky Mountains
Mack Family Reunion
July 23 – 26, 2026
Thomas and Rose Mack's Legacy Continues
Our mountain headquarters for the weekend — a full resort tucked into the woods just 2 miles from downtown Gatlinburg, minutes from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Villas come with full kitchens or kitchenettes, so morning coffee and late-night snacks are handled.
Parking is FREE at the resort — one less thing to think about.
Everyone makes their way to Westgate at their own pace. Check in, hit the group text, find your people.
Early arrivals: hit Wild Bear Falls Waterpark ($19.95/person, per day, charged at check-in), or let the kids loose on the playground and mini golf — or just claim a hot tub.
First night = firepit night. S'mores under the Smokies to kick things off right.
Fuel up together first, then pick your park — or split up and swap stories at dinner.
Start park day the right way at the legendary log-cabin breakfast spot — inch-thick challah French toast, Southern skillets, and from-scratch biscuits. Going Friday morning also means smaller crowds than the weekend.
No reservations — join the virtual waitlist online the night before (or right at 7 AM) and arrive as a group by 8:30. Parking is tight on-site; use the nearby city garage.
Mountain-top adventure park reachable by chairlift or enclosed tram. It has it all: the Treetop Skywalk suspension bridges, mountain coasters, play areas for the 10–14 crowd, and the Astra Lumina night walk — a gorgeous illuminated trail through the forest with 9 themed zones. Go in the afternoon and stay through sunset for the full experience. Plan a full day.
Bonus for our dates: Anakeesta's summer food & drink festival is running, with tastes from every region of the U.S. up on the mountain.
Buy tickets online in advance — it's cheaper and cuts down the wait. The new enclosed Crystal Express gondolas are climate-controlled, a gift in July.
This is the one you'd actually want for the reunion. The Dolly Parton Experience is three times the size of the former Chasing Rainbows Museum, with walk-through exhibits spanning Dolly's life and career, iconic costumes, and a DreamSong theater featuring Dolly's family and friends performing. And Dollywood is only about 10–15 minutes from Westgate — incredibly convenient for a group our size. It makes a fantastic full reunion day on its own between the museum, rides, and food.
Even better: our weekend lands inside Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration — extended park hours and nightly closing spectaculars.
Pigeon Forge and downtown Gatlinburg are both packed with walkable attractions, shops, and snacks. See what's happening our weekend below — including free live music and storytellers along the Gatlinburg Parkway every evening.
Morning hike in the national park (three options by energy level), then the whole crew comes together for our group dinner.
The one to do if the group can handle a bit of a workout — a steady 585-ft climb with a spectacular payoff: the trail runs directly behind a 25-foot waterfall, one of the only spots in the Smokies where you can stand behind the cascade. Families with kids 10+ handle it easily.
Parking passes must be picked up at Sugarlands Visitor Center — no cell service on the trail road, so you can't buy one on your phone. Go early; parking fills fast.
The easiest option — a groomed gravel path along a gorgeous creek, with a footbridge crossing and old homesite ruins along the way. Great for a wide range of ages, and one of the only dog-friendly trails in the park.
The most accessible of the three — paved, uphill but very manageable, ending at a beautiful waterfall. Heads-up: it's been slated for long-term construction closure, so double-check current status on the NPS site before making it Plan A.
Authentic Brazilian rodízio — servers circle the room carving fire-roasted meats tableside until you flip your card to "no more." Three ways to do it:
Also available: Chicken Experience (3 cuts) $44.50. Kids: 3 & under free • ages 4–6 just $14 • ages 7–12 half price. Note: parties of 6+ include 20% gratuity.
Safe travels, everybody! Squeeze in one last villa-kitchen breakfast or a final splash at the waterpark before hitting the road — and let the countdown to the next reunion begin.
Legendary Gatlinburg breakfast institution in a rustic log cabin on the Parkway. Famous for inch-thick challah French toast, Southern skillets, and from-scratch biscuits. No reservations — add your name to the virtual waitlist online the night before. Parking is tight on-site; use the nearby city garage.
Worth the short drive — Southern comfort food heaven with legendary pancakes, biscuits, and a beautiful farm-style interior. It has the scale and capacity to handle large groups better than most Gatlinburg spots. 4.5 stars with 11,000+ reviews says it all.
3 floors of seating with an elevator — the layout alone makes it more manageable for a group our size than most spots on the Parkway. Comfort food, big portions, sports-bar vibes. Less formal, great for a midday fuel-up.
A Tennessee BBQ institution with a separate banquet and catering arm right in the building — call the banquet line directly for a group setup. Gorgeous interior with mountain views and a fireplace, plus free parking out back (rare on the Parkway). Maybe our most viable option for a private/semi-private group experience.
One of the most beloved restaurants in the entire Smokies — 32,000+ reviews at 4.6 stars is remarkable. Classic Southern food (fried chicken, turkey & dressing, corn chowder, fried okra) in a historic mill setting along a creek. The scale of the place makes it more accommodating for large groups than most.
Practically built for reunions — all-you-can-eat Southern food served family-style. Everyone gets the same spread: biscuits, fried chicken, sides, desserts. No complicated individual orders, no forgetting who got what. For a big group, this could be a dream.
Located at The Island entertainment complex, so parking and foot traffic are handled. One reviewer brought a family of 11 and got seated immediately. Solid American grill — ribs, salmon, famously good green beans — and the open layout handles crowds well.
Gatlinburg's most beloved steakhouse with an incredible salad bar and creekside views where guests have literally spotted bears in the river. This is the splurge dinner — the kind of place people will talk about. Call well ahead for a big party.
A serious hidden gem that flies under the radar compared to the Peddler but rivals it on food quality. Reviewers rave about the steaks, cozy fireplace atmosphere, and attentive service. Independently operated — call and ask specifically about large-group seating; you may get a warmer reception than the corporate reservation lines.
Sister restaurant to The Peddler — more casual and family-friendly, with a great salad bar and solid American menu. Reviewers note it's easy to get reservations online, a real plus for a group our size. A great fallback if The Peddler can't seat everyone.
By vibe: Thrill-seekers → Ober Mountain (mountain coaster, aerial tramway, alpine slide) • Families with kids → Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies (underwater tunnel, touch-a-ray bay, penguin playhouse) • Teens → Escape Game Gatlinburg (cinematic escape rooms, great for competing teams) • Chill crew → resort pool and downtime.
Guided off-road UTV mountain tours — one family of 11 rented two 6-seaters and called it the highlight of their trip. Elevation, views, muddy stretches, and serious fun. Teens will lose their minds for this. Book multiple vehicles in advance for our group.
Climb inside a giant transparent ball filled with warm water and roll down a hillside — 3 different tracks. Genuinely hilarious and totally unique; one family called it a core-memory moment. Perfect for teens and the competitive adults.
Zip lining, a beautiful waterfall hike, and a fantastic playground for the younger crowd — plus a cider house for the adults. Multiple families say it works for kids AND parents without either group getting bored.
500+ exhibits across 3 floors — great for when the group wants something low-key or the weather doesn't cooperate. Highly interactive for the kids and right on the main Parkway. No reservation needed.
Don't overlook what's literally at our doorstep — a lazy river, slides, outdoor hot tub and pool under a retractable roof. Perfect for a low-effort afternoon when the group just wants to chill between excursions. Remember: group rate $19.95/person per day.
Free and ticketed happenings around Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge & Sevierville during our exact dates:
FREE. Every summer evening, costumed performers bring Appalachian history to life along the Gatlinburg Parkway — dulcimer, banjo & fiddle players, storytellers, and roaming mountain-folklore characters. Our weekend is its final stretch (it wraps July 26), so catch it while we're there.
Extended park hours with rides running into the night, family shows, "gazillions" of bubbles, and a nightly closing spectacular — running through Aug 2, so it's in full swing for our visit.
A one-of-a-kind tasting festival on the mountaintop — let your taste buds "travel" through dishes from every region of the U.S. Included with Anakeesta admission.
An evening with country hitmaker Neal McCoy, whose career spans more than three decades. A fun grown-folks outing if Friday night needs live music.
FREE admission: classic car show, food trucks, vendors, and live music. An easy, no-commitment stop for the car lovers in the family.
Yes, really — the 8th annual! Not just for Bigfoot enthusiasts. Guaranteed to produce the most memorable reunion story. 🦶
First-annual expo bringing together overlanding and adventure-travel rigs and gear — worth a wander for the outdoorsy and gear-curious crew.
More listings: mypigeonforge.com/events • gatlinburg.com/events