Details About the Enchanted Christmas Celebration at Anakeesta in Gatlinburg

It’s almost that time of season at the Anakeesta mountaintop attraction in Gatlinburg. While Gatlinburg is already awash in the decorations for the upcoming Christmas and winter season, soon the wonders of the holidays will sparkle at this mountain oasis. They go all-out for the seasons here, and a similar celebration will be in store in the form of many different options to provide family entertainment. From November 15th though January 5th, you’ll want to join the many guests who will be inspired by Anakeesta’s Enchanted Christmas, so let’s get (nut)cracking!

The memories will be enhanced with the Breakfast With Santa being offered once again at Anakeesta. This exclusive opportunity gives guests VIP access as first on the mountain in the morning, as well as a full breakfast with the jolly old man himself. You will also be serenaded by Anakeesta Carolers, enjoy free arts and crafts, a professional photo with Santa, and a special souvenir surprise for the kids. Click here for complete details on ticket pricing.

The entertainment lineup is full of eye and ear-catching fun for all ages. The Carolers, of course, will be sweetly singing the hit songs of the holidays; the elves of Toyland Tales will be racing to get a piece of equipment back in order just in time for Christmas; Holly and Jolly’s Holiday Hijinx won’t jinx anything as they put their own spin on classic holiday games; and a larger-than-life character, Colonel Candy Cane will be on site to patrol the “streets” of Anakeesta. Word is he will also be totally fine with having his picture taken with the young ones and adults.

Back by popular demand is the Hot Cocoa Crawl. There’s nothing better—despite the weather—than a nice hot cup of cocoa. This isn’t your powdered store-bought variety though. Oh, no! I don’t care how much you crave a nice cup of Swiss Miss or Nestle. What is offered at Anakeesta is WAY more elevated than the at-home favorites. Below is a list of the delights for chocolate lovers and a few surprises in the mix!

Waffle Wonderland: Hot cocoa served with a scoop of your choice of ice cream, topped with whipped cream and crunchy waffle cone crumbles.

Images courtesy of the Anakeesta webpage.

Strawberry Sleigh Ride: Hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, iced animal crackers, and a drizzle of strawberry syrup.

Peppermint Twist: Hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, peppermint crumbles, and chocolate shavings. Optional: Spike with peppermint moonshine.

Cookie Crunch: Hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, crumbled Oreos, chocolate syrup, and a refreshing mint garnish. Optional: Spike with Bailey’s Vanilla Mint Shake.

Jolly Citrus: Hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, candied orange, and a swirl of chocolate syrup. Optional: Spike with Grand Marnier.

Caramel Comfort: Hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, churro bites, and caramel syrup. Optional: Spike with Rumchata.

Sparkle and Swirl: Hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, fluffy cotton candy, and a sprinkle of edible glitter.

My, my! These look absolutely sugary delicious! But that’s not all. I won’t post pictures but there are some savory and food items I will also describe below.

The Smokehouse eatery on Anakeesta mountain will feature a Holiday Glazed Ham with brown sugar, and accompanied by a green bean almondine, smashed baby bakers, and cornbread.

2 classic English dishes will be offered at Clifftop Restaurant, along with a mouth-watering dessert. Beef Wellington is the fine dining staple being served, topped with a mushroom and bourbon demi-glace, with herb-smashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables as a side. For the seafood lover, a Salmon Wellington will be served with the same two sides. If that’s not enough of an experience, you can have a Bread Pudding Limoncello as a sweet sidekick finisher, which is heavy on blueberries—one of my favorite fruits.

The final main entree of the Enchanted Christmas at Anakeesta is the Festive Feast Turkey Sandwich, which is oven-roasted turkey with smoked gouda and horseradish aioli, topped with candied walnuts and raspberries in a toasted hoagie roll. Yum!

Speaking of yum, the rest are desserts that are scattered across the adventure park. Here they are:

Candlelight Cannoli: A festive mix of classic cannoli cream whipped with pumpkin and sprinkled with aromatic spices, served in a chocolate-dipped shell.

Caroling Cranberry: Classic cannoli cream blended with cranberry and white chocolate morsels, served in a chocolate-dipped shell.

Feliz Navi-Fry: Crispy mini churros drizzled with dulce de leche and topped with gingerbread crumbles, whipped cream, and caramel sauce.

Comets’ Caramel Apple Stand: Granny Smith apples dipped in hot caramel, with a choice of toppings: chopped peanuts, mini M&Ms, Oreo crumbles, and chocolate chips.

Definitely hard to resist if you have a sweet tooth. And if you are like I am, deficient in a certain needed hormone to regulate blood sugar, I need to exercise great willpower, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have any… right? Everything in moderation. But go ahead and be liberal with your choices, if you are not afflicted, and of course, it is vacation for you all.

The Enchanted Christmas is one the most anticipated of all the seasons at Anakeesta for obvious reasons. And aside from the decorations on the Gatlinburg Parkway, this is the place to be if you’re here for the holidays. I can almost guarantee your family will enjoy the festive atmosphere and spirit of the occasion, providing memories for a lifetime!

Thank you for reading, subscribing, and following me here on Substack and my Facebook Page. I appreciate all the support you’ve given me. This is such a special time of the year, and I look forward to sharing all of my experiences with you this holiday season. It is very much appreciated!