Pigeon Forge things to do and see! (and surrounding areas too!)
Hello friends!
My family and I recently went on a trip to Pigeon Forge (with extended family) and Nashville (my husband, son, and I).
I thought I’d share a bit about both in case you ever considered going! It was the first time for us.
We’ve been wanting to go to Nashville for several years and are so happy to have finally made it.
I have quite a few photos and things to share so I thought I’d break it up a bit into several posts. Hope you enjoy!
If you have any questions, let me know!
Pigeon Forge Things To Do (and see!)
We actually started our trip in Asheville, NC, another favorite destination. (and not our first time there) It was a quick overnight to break up the trip and we didn’t get to do as much as I’d hoped there. But I do love that town.
We drove through Cherokee, where we’ve been before.
You know I had to take a photo of this shop! ;)
Everything is so pretty in the mountains.
Loved the drive through the Smoky Mountains.
We were able to drive through Gatlinburg too! I love Gatlinburg. We stayed overnight in Gatlinburg, oh, about 32 years ago on our way to a Dallas wedding. Yes, we drove from the coast of Virginia to Dallas, TX!! Haha! We were young and thought it’d be a fun road trip. It was, but it was long! lol
Anyway, I was so looking forward to going back but as cute as it was, it is so commercialized now. That was a bummer. TONS of people, we didn’t even stop.
It was fun to drive through though. (although, like I said, very crowded on the roads and sidewalks)
Then we finally got to Pigeon Forge. (and the cabin we and our extended family rented)
It was up in a mountain so we got the full experience.
Loved sitting in the rockers on the porch and listening to the rain. Nothing better!
Pigeon Forge was a little like Gatlinburg in that was really commercialized. Just a lot more spread out.
But fun to see all the things like this big red and yellow barn!
I felt like I was driving through an amusement park really.
Something to see everywhere.
We didn’t do the Pink Jeep tour but saw quite a few around town.
We went to this dinner show and it was so cool. Highly recommend!
I had never been to a dinner show like this before.
And of course “when in Pigeon Forge”… you must visit Dollywood.
And we did, from open all the way till fireworks at close!
Part of Dollywood looked like a little 50’s town, loved it.
And my boys (my hubby leaning to look in the car) at the “gas and service station” in town.
Loved all the vintage cars, so fun.
And this relic!! lol
I wish this was in my backyard!
This small exhibit was cool too.
There were actors inside portraying Dolly and her mom using the things and interacting in the “home”.
I looked up at one point and saw this pretty moon and blue/pink sky. Had to take a shot of it!
With a roller coaster, of course! lol I don’t ride those anymore.
The fireworks at the end of the night were beautiful but the star of the show was the drone show.
It was AMAZING!! They did tons of different designs and paired each one with different songs.
It was SO much fun to watch.
We also did some small amusement parks and rides while there. There are many to choose from and are a fun way to spend the day. (especially if you have “littles” like we did…even the big kids enjoyed it though! ha!)
Have you ever been to Dollywood or Pigeon Forge? What did you think?
I would love to see another drone light show like that again!
So, things to do and see…
Dollywood, of course!
Pirates Dinner Show
Lots of attractions/museums to visit
Stay in a cabin in the mountains for the full experience
Visit Gatlinburg while you’re there
Rides and amusements (plentiful there!)
Take a Pink Jeep Tour ride
I hope you enjoyed the photos. I will be sharing the Franklin & Leiper’s Fork area of TN/Nashville next! (then Nashville downtown, last) Those were my favorite areas we visited.
Stay tuned for more!
Have a wonderful weekend friends, hope you are having a break in those crazy high temps like we are!
My husband and I are actually going to Pidgin Forge next month for a work trip. We will be staying in the cabins there. Anything fun we should do within walking distance?? Low budget? I loved the pictures.
Oh, that’s great and will be so much fun, Natalie. I loved having that experience (being in a cabin up in the mountain). There was nothing within walking distance from where we stayed and I would say, what I saw anyway, not much of Pigeon Forge was really “walking” type of visits. Everything is on the main highway. Gatlinburg had a walking town though! :)
Thanks for sharing…too many people for me, but TN is beautiful.
The cabin you stayed in looked gorgeous, that would be me staying in that area enjoying the mountains & letting everyone go do the sightseeing stuff😂😂.
It was fun to see though, through your pics!
Thanks, it was so much fun staying up in a mountain in that cabin. An experience for sure! And yes, I get that! We didn’t have much downtime the whole trip but that sounds wonderful to me!! lol :) xoxo
My family has been going to Pigeon Forge for the past few years. It is always so much fun. We went to the Pirate show last summer and really enjoyed it.
Sounds like you had a great time. Places do change over time. I was in Telluride, Colorado years ago in the 70s and there were only a few old buildings there as it was an old abandoned mining town. About 10 hippies lived there. It was cool place to explore and see the artifacts there. But in the 90s we wanted to show it to our son and were sad to discover that it was now a huge ski resort. It was destroyed. Now like a mecca for skiers and not historic. All new buildings. sad.
Thank you for sharing, Nancy! It brought back some memories of a family trip when my grandparents took us to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the 80’s. Somethings looked familiar! It looks so fun today; I would love to visit someday with my kids. I pinned, just in case! 🥰
Oh, nice, Jan! Yes, you’ve got that right!! I always say I love living by the coast here in Virginia and yet only a few hours to the mountains. I love them both!! :) xo
Nancy,
Those pics brought back a lot of memories
My best friend and I visited there about 18 years ago. We camped and also visited a friend of ours who had a home in the mountains
It was beautiful. That’s a wonderful part of the USA
And a lot of history there too!
Janetsue
Yes, lots to see and do there. And the mountains are just beautiful!! Your trip sounds like a fun one, glad my pictures brought back memories for you! :) xo
Looks like a wonderful trip. We love Tennessee Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area. Love to do all the mountain touring, Cades Cove, my husband fishing in the river. . .We have a rented cabins through Hidden Mountain Resort. Did you use a different cabin Mountain rental service? If so which one? I like the way your cabin looked too. Dollywood is always a fun adventure. The one thing I learned is I better set my GPS before I leave the cabin because there’s no way to get a signal once I’m in the mountains lol!
Oh, those are things we would’ve loved to do! More mountain exploring, etc. My niece actually found the cabin through VRBO, I believe. And oh yes, that is so true! No service coming down the mountain! :) xo
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Thanks so much for that great tour. I have never been but it’s on my bucket list. Cheers!
You are so welcome, Connie! :) xo
My husband and I are actually going to Pidgin Forge next month for a work trip. We will be staying in the cabins there. Anything fun we should do within walking distance?? Low budget? I loved the pictures.
Natalie
Oh, that’s great and will be so much fun, Natalie. I loved having that experience (being in a cabin up in the mountain). There was nothing within walking distance from where we stayed and I would say, what I saw anyway, not much of Pigeon Forge was really “walking” type of visits. Everything is on the main highway. Gatlinburg had a walking town though! :)
Thanks for sharing…too many people for me, but TN is beautiful.
The cabin you stayed in looked gorgeous, that would be me staying in that area enjoying the mountains & letting everyone go do the sightseeing stuff😂😂.
It was fun to see though, through your pics!
Thanks, it was so much fun staying up in a mountain in that cabin. An experience for sure! And yes, I get that! We didn’t have much downtime the whole trip but that sounds wonderful to me!! lol :) xoxo
Thanks for sharing your trip, Nancy! I’d love to visit Dollywood and Nashville some day…
Thanks, Dalila!! Yes, I had always wanted to visit Dollywood. It was fun and I’m glad we finally got to go! :) xo
My family has been going to Pigeon Forge for the past few years. It is always so much fun. We went to the Pirate show last summer and really enjoyed it.
Oh neat!! Yes, it is a lot of fun. I would love to spend more time there next time. So much we didn’t have time to do! :) xo
Thank you for sharing. That was 👍 great !
So glad you enjoyed seeing it, Willie! :)
Love the area. Usually stay in Townsend since it’s not so commercialized. Trip to Cades Cove always on our agenda. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, I’ll have to check those out!! Good to know for next time!! :) xo
Sounds like you had a great time. Places do change over time. I was in Telluride, Colorado years ago in the 70s and there were only a few old buildings there as it was an old abandoned mining town. About 10 hippies lived there. It was cool place to explore and see the artifacts there. But in the 90s we wanted to show it to our son and were sad to discover that it was now a huge ski resort. It was destroyed. Now like a mecca for skiers and not historic. All new buildings. sad.
Yes! And oh, shoot, that is too bad. Hate to hear that, Rose! :(
What a wonderful little tour of the sights!…..Thanks so much!……and looking forward to seeing Nashville (never been there).
Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed the photos, Judy!! :) xo
Thank you for sharing, Nancy! It brought back some memories of a family trip when my grandparents took us to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the 80’s. Somethings looked familiar! It looks so fun today; I would love to visit someday with my kids. I pinned, just in case! 🥰
Oh, I’m so glad to hear that, Paula! :) Yes, I bet it would be so much fun for you to revisit again! xo
welcome to my neck of the woods. I always said if we also had the beach,
it would be the best place on earth.
Oh, nice, Jan! Yes, you’ve got that right!! I always say I love living by the coast here in Virginia and yet only a few hours to the mountains. I love them both!! :) xo
Nancy,
Those pics brought back a lot of memories
My best friend and I visited there about 18 years ago. We camped and also visited a friend of ours who had a home in the mountains
It was beautiful. That’s a wonderful part of the USA
And a lot of history there too!
Janetsue
Yes, lots to see and do there. And the mountains are just beautiful!! Your trip sounds like a fun one, glad my pictures brought back memories for you! :) xo
Looks like a wonderful trip. We love Tennessee Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area. Love to do all the mountain touring, Cades Cove, my husband fishing in the river. . .We have a rented cabins through Hidden Mountain Resort. Did you use a different cabin Mountain rental service? If so which one? I like the way your cabin looked too. Dollywood is always a fun adventure. The one thing I learned is I better set my GPS before I leave the cabin because there’s no way to get a signal once I’m in the mountains lol!
Oh, those are things we would’ve loved to do! More mountain exploring, etc. My niece actually found the cabin through VRBO, I believe. And oh yes, that is so true! No service coming down the mountain! :) xo