The number of treats located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee is far too many for me to consume. If I had a week to dedicate solely to snack eating alone, I could possibly do it. Even though snacks are a BIG part of any vacation, they are not the whole vocation, so I had to limit myself somehow. We didn’t spend every single day on the main strip in good ole GB, just a few hours here and there. I decided to try a few locally owned shops that have been there for as long as I can remember.

Kilwin’s Chocolate Fudge & Ice Cream

Kilwin’s is actually a chain that started in 1947 and has been present in Gatlinburg since the 1980s. It does however have a local owner. This little shop is magic and nostalgic AF. All the goodies are prepared in store which you can witness through the store’s window front. Stepping inside feels like stepping back in time, which my little heart that yearns for times that have passed loved!

I went into a chocolate induced state of shock when I walked in. FOMO kicked in and I literally had to mentally coach myself into hyper focus to make some decisions, though I doubt any decision would have been a bad one. I finally chose a sea salted caramel milk chocolate apple and a white chocolate and sprinkle covered marshmallow for Wright. You would have thought it was a life and death decision. That’s a me problem, not Kilwin’s 😉.

The apple was PERFECT! Omg, the salt – the caramel – the chocolate! I’m picky AF when it comes to apples. They cant be bruised. They have to be crisp. The stick can’t cause that weird rotting thing that happens with grocery store caramel apples. This apple checked all the boxes. If you find yourself craving something sweet, salty, tart, and amazing while your in Gatlinburg Kilwin’s is the place to be!

And yall, not only was this marshmallow tasty, it kept my child at bay for an ENTIRE evening. He was treating it as though it was a sucker and worked on it all evening long. It never melted. It wasn’t messy. It was the gift that kept giving. If anyone can look at us the way Wright looked at that marshmallow pop, we will have known true love!

Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn is one of those places I’ve passed by time after time and never actually made my way into. Maybe in my younger days I was too busy hauling ass to Hogg’s and Honey’s (which isn’t there anymore, RIP 😢) to consider what a great snack popcorn is! This place hit the spot. They have to be doing something right, since they’ve been open since 1961. What they are doing right, my friends, is popcorn!

I got a combination of caramel corn, white cheddar, and kettle corn all right in the same box. As someone who LOVES all things sweet and savory – it rocked! This would have been another great snack to grab to keep the toddler at bay. Next time we go not only am I getting a box for camp, but I’m getting a box for the precious little angel baby hellian to munch on!

The Donut Friar

The Donut Friar is located in “The Village” portion of downtown Gatlinburg. The best way I can describe going to the village during my fall visit is to say I stepped into Halloween Town. You know those towns we all see on TV that are cute, quaint, like you’re in another country, and Star’s Hollow picture perfect? That is the village! I have been multiple times during multiple seasons and it somehow always seems less busy than the main drag of GB. Its the perfect little nook to step away to.

This was my second trip to The Donut Friar. It’s a tiny little shop offering baked goods and coffee. This place gets crowded, and for good reason! I have tried a good number of items from the friar and they are sweet without being sickeningly sweet. I LOVE sweets, but when you find that right balance *cue angels singing* 😇. Not to mention, this place is CHEAP! I got 4 pastries and a pop for under $10. If you’re like me, and you’re trying to have some family fun on a budget, this is the place for you. There were cookies for $0.44, I kid you not.

I got the apple pillow, the cinnamon twist, the glazed croissant, and the rainbow donut. I sadly did not try the rainbow donut as it was devoured by my kid. A surprise favorite for me was the glazed croissant. That’s that mashup I didn’t know I needed! The apple pillow and the cinnamon twist were both absolute wonderful. I could taste the love that went into baking them, no joke! You just can’t go wrong here. Hell… buy one of everything! At those prices it’s an actual possibility.

Mission Accomplished

In the end The Great Gatlinburg Snack Stretch was a challenge created for me by me to eat as many good snacks as possible on our six day trip to the Smokies. I did the best I could with a giant husband who is in no hurry, an over stimulated toddler, a socially awkward German shepherd, and a fat labrador looking for all the pets from all the people in tow. I’m more than pleased with everything I picked out. Future goals – dragons breath cereal! What’s your favorite Gatlinburg snacks? Comment and let me know!