Michelle Spitzer
| Special to USA TODAY 10Best
In an area packed full of arcades, mini-golf courses and other tourist traps, one destination is showcasing the natural beauty of Gatlinburg – and quickly becoming a must-visit location while in Tennessee. Anakeesta opened in September 2017 with the expectation of welcoming 250,000 guests a year. Last year, about 1.2 million people visited the majestic theme park in the mountains.
The idea for Anakeesta was born when three couples, all friends, who had zero theme park experience between them combined their expertise, including land planning, landscape architecture, marketing and owning a zip line company. The result was a welcome addition to this Tennessee city that has long been a family-friendly vacation destination.
Anakeesta’s founders knew their creation would be well-received, but even they are blown away by the response. The expansion of the destination has exceeded their expectations as they continue to plan for the future.
Guests of Anakeesta can’t miss the massive flower, chair and other photo ops at thepark entrance along the main drag in Gatlinburg. That’s where visitors can take an open chairlift 600 feet up (keep a lookout for bears down below) to the main…
Source link
CHECK OUT: Top Travel Destinations
EXPLORE OUR: Travel Guides
