One of the most exciting winter activities in the Smoky Mountains is snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg! This is a wonderful way to laugh along with your family and friends as you slide down the slopes in your personal tube! The best part is that you don’t even need to walk back up the hill because there is a special “Magic Carpet” surface lift that takes you back up! Since this is one of the most popular winter attractions in the Smokies, it is important to be prepared for your visit! Here are the top 4 tips for planning a fun day of snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg:
1. Try to Avoid Busy Times
When you are planning to go snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg, try to avoid weekends if possible! Since these are the times when most folks are off from work or school, this is also when Ober Gatlinburg is most crowded! If a weekend is the only time that you have available, get an early start to the day and allow extra time to take the Aerial Tramway from downtown Gatlinburg. This is because the wait times to ride the Tramway or park on the mountain can reach 2 or more hours on the most popular days! Keep in mind that there are no refunds or exchanges permitted for your scheduled tubing session, so it is essential to be on time!
2. Purchase Tickets in Advance
Ober Gatlinburg only sells a limited number of spots for each tubing session, so purchase your snow tubing tickets in advance to avoid disappointment! In addition to online sales, you can buy tickets for any available session at the Tramway Mall “Will Call” booth in downtown Gatlinburg or at the Snow Tubing ticket office on the mountain. Note that children who are 3 or 4 years old can snow tube for free with a ticketed adult! The tickets for each session are limited so that everyone can enjoy multiple rides down the slopes without long wait times! Each of the sessions are 90 minutes and are held in sunshine, rain, sleet and snow.
3. Be Aware of Age Restrictions
While snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg is fun for practically everyone, there are a few age restrictions that apply for safety reasons. Children 2 and under are not allowed to participate, but kids who are between 3 and 5 years old can ride with an adult. Tubers who want to ride solo must be a minimum of 6 years old and at least 42 inches tall. The only other restrictions are that you must be able to enter and exit the tube lanes quickly, and be able to ride the surface lift in a standing position without assistance.
4. Stay Close to the Slopes
When you want to make the most of your day at Ober Gatlinburg, stay close to the snow tubing action with a vacation at Chalet Village! Our affordable cabins are situated in scenic locations among the Smoky Mountains and are just minutes from all of the exciting activities in Gatlinburg! We have cabins of all sizes to meet your needs, and we even have pet friendly cabin rentals where you can bring your furry companion along for the fun! After a day of snow tubing, you can look forward to returning to your cabin for a soothing soak in the hot tub or a relaxing evening by the warmth of the fireplace!
Check out all of our cabins in Gatlinburg TN today to plan your winter getaway and to enjoy snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg! We look forward to seeing you soon at Chalet Village!
