Shopping in "The Glades" of Gatlinburg

The Glades Arts & Crafts Community is the largest group of independent artists and craftsmen. Start with this suggested itinerary

The Glades of Gatlinburg

The Glades, in Gatlinburg, in the Great Smoky Mountains, has long been known as the home of the Gatlinburg Arts and Crafts Community, located in a quiet historic setting just 3 miles from the hustle and bustle of downtown Gatlinburg, TN.

Anyone with an artistic spirit will enjoy shopping in a place where local residents learned to carve and weave while working in galleries passed from generation to generation. The Glades is where pioneer mountain families transformed natural elements into arts and crafts long before the founding of Great Smoky Mountains National Park...an era before tourism when Gatlinburg was commonly known by locals as "White Oak Flats."

Shopping in the Arts & Crafts Community

We know you'll enjoy this once in a lifetime experience to see history in the making. It's your opportunity to take
home an heirloom and a perfect keepsake of your visit to the Great Smoky Mountains. The best part…all these great shops are open year-round seven days a week so you can plan this trip any time of year.

While in The Glades, enjoy a delightful lunch at the Wild Plum Tea Room famous for their tea and wild plum muffins. Sit on the covered porch and enjoy your lunch surrounded by a trickling mountain stream.

Authentic and Welcoming

Make your next stop just a few miles away at “Covered Bridge in the Glades”, a new lifestyle and shopping experience in the Smokies. The friendly atmosphere caters to arts and crafts retailers indigenous to the Smokies, as well as to restaurants and local retailers. Enjoy dining, shopping, and entertainment all on site in this unique community.

Before you leave the Glades, make a stop at the Buckhorn Inn, voted the “Most Romantic Inn in Tennessee.” Beauty, peace, and solitude stream from the pine and hemlock forest surrounding Buckhorn Inn, while the ever-changing view of the Great Smoky Mountains across mountain meadows of wild flowers never fails to inspire every visitor.