You’ll want to return to the Pigeon Forge time and time again once you’ve been there. As soon as you arrive, it will be love at first sight. According to the official website, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire country, with over 10 million visitors each year.
That means plenty of things to do, from zip lining to visiting an old mansion. But how do you know what to do when you arrive? We’ve put together this list of attractions you don’t want to miss out on during your trip to Pigeon Forge!
- Spending time with Nature
Undoubtedly, one of the most distinctive ways to see Pigeon Forge is to stay there for at least a week or more and spend time with nature. While staying in a hotel along the Parkway is an option, it’s also simple to discover reasonably priced accommodations or camps for outdoor adventures.
If being one-on-one with nature is your goal, we suggest camping with family or friends. It will be a wonderful experience where you’ll wake up to breathtaking vistas and unique experiences. If you’re visiting with family, it is an excellent opportunity to leave behind a mundane life. If you’re traveling with a group of friends, it’ll be a fantastic experience too.
Regardless of who you’re with, it’ll be an unforgettable experience.
- Greenbrier Campground
If you’re heading up the mountain, stop by Greenbrier campgrounds in Pigeon Forge TN, they offer 120 campsites with full amenities, from deluxe riverfront sites to woodland sites. A small number of pull-through sites are available.
However, the majority of their sites are back-in sites. Close to the bathhouse and swimming area, they provide nine allocated tent sites with water and electricity. You’ll enjoy the best of both worlds, with a stunning view of the mountains and plenty of trees nearby. They also offer a shuttle service on certain days if you don’t want to use your car.
Picnic tables, fire pits, and restrooms are available for your convenience. Also, the campground is open year-round. It’s a great place to set up shop if you’re looking for peace while still near Pigeon Forge.
- Dolly Parton’s Stampede
One of the most popular attractions in Pigeon Forge is Dolly Parton’s Stampede. This dinner show has been around since 1987. It features traditional Southern food, a live band, and a fantastic cast of performers.
The performances include an acrobatic horse stunt rider and her beautiful white stallion, a lady roper whirl who ropes fast enough to create a shimmering rainbow-colored twister, a high-stepping cowgirl who knows how to lasso with style, and one of the world’s top country-western singing cowboys.
After Parton learned that the title “Dixie” could be connected to the Confederacy, the Dixie Stampede was renamed The Stampede in 2018. Dinners are served at your table while you enjoy this exciting production. Make reservations as soon as possible if you want to attend this Tennessee tradition during your visit!
- Titanic Museum Attraction
The Titanic Museum Attraction is located on the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Highway near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance. The museum includes interactive exhibits, artifacts, and memorabilia from Titanic’s fateful voyage. Visitors will have an opportunity to learn what happened aboard the ship and have a chance for a hands-on with some artifacts.
Several displays depict life before and after the sinking, giving visitors an understanding of this historic event. Typically, the museum is open every day from 9 am to 7, 8, or 9 pm (depending on the day; some days, it may close earlier or later). For adults (13 and older), admission is $27; for children (ages 5 to 12), it’s $14.
Also, visit the Titanic Wreck Memorial Garden, where visitors can remember those who lost their lives.
- WonderWorks Science Museum
If you love science and art, then WonderWorks is your place. WonderWorks is a theme park for the mind, offering more than 42,000 square feet of “edu-tainment.” The attraction mixes learning and fun with more than 100 interactive displays that challenge the mind and ignite the curiosity to learn.
Moreover, The Bermuda Triangle served as the location of this formerly top-secret laboratory. The laboratory was lifted by a botched experiment and transported to Music Drive in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where it rested upside down. Fortunately, every exhibit was unharmed and accessible to visitors.
WonderWorks will make your world upside down, with the earth beneath your feet and the ceiling above your head.
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Ripley’s Believe It or Not is Pigeon Forge, Tennessee’s most popular tourist attraction. More than a million people visit this oddities museum each year. It features a two-story building that houses over 400- 700 exhibits worldwide.
The contents range from shrunken heads to shrunken animals and are displayed in both cases and glass containers. Some displays have skulls in them, but they’re all animal skulls. Other exhibits include objects like dinosaur eggs and full-body casts of people struck by lightning, to name a few. There are even snake skeletons in here!
Amazed? Yes, most people are as startled as you when they learn that Ripley’s runs a colossal variety of family attractions worldwide.
- The Island
The Island in Pigeon Forge is a 23-acre entertainment area providing families with reasonably priced fun day and night. The Island in Pigeon Forge offers excitement for all ages and events, whether you’re on a family vacation, a day trip with friends, or your honeymoon. It is one of the newest, most distinctive retail, dining, and entertainment complexes in Pigeon Forge.
The Island is the location of several more must-see Pigeon Forge attractions, including the Margaritaville restaurant and Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen. The Island in Pigeon Forge is a must-stop on your next trip to East Tennessee and is highlighted by The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, a 200-foot-high observation wheel, and a multi-million dollar display fountain programmed to act to light and sound!
Conclusion
So there you have it! If you’re looking for a fun getaway spot, look no further than Pigeon Forge. It’s full of attractions, events, and outdoor activities, sure to please the whole family. From Gatlinburg to Sevierville, this is the perfect place to escape your mundane routine.
With so many things to do, you’ll be busy exploring what Tennessee offers during your trip. Check out some of our favorite places, like WonderWorks (a 3D interactive museum) or Cade’s Cove (an old pioneer village). And when it comes time for dinner, we highly recommend eating at one of these restaurants, where they serve some delicious barbecue – especially if you haven’t tasted it before!