At 407 feet, the Space Needle is the tallest structure in Gatlinburg, and the views from the top are legitimately worth the admission. A glass elevator carries you up to the observation deck, where the Great Smoky Mountains unfold in every direction — forested ridgelines rolling south, the town spread below, and on clear days the peaks disappearing into their characteristic haze. Sunset from up here is one of the better things you can do in Gatlinburg without driving anywhere.
The base of the tower houses a sprawling arcade complex and an 18-hole indoor mini-golf course, which keeps the family-friendly crowd entertained before and after the ride up. The whole thing is unabashedly commercial, with gift shops and snack bars layered throughout, but the view itself doesn't care about any of that. Go up, look at the mountains, and remember what you came here for.