Pigeon Forge’s Family Fun

Get away from your worries with a visit to Pigeon Forge, a family-friendly vacation destination in East Tennessee, right next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the United States, and home to a plethora of fun, all-ages activities.

Amazing Adventures

There’s plenty of adventure to be had for active families visiting Pigeon Forge. Start out at Dollywood. The theme park by, yes, that Dolly, opens its new Wildwood Grove this spring and you’ll want to check out 11 new experiences, including six new rides, like a suspended family roller coaster and a 55-foot-tall Wildwood Tree. There’s live entertainment, dining and even a 4,000-square-foot indoor play space.

Another celeb-endorsed adventure activity awaits at Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Adventure, which includes a ropes course, zip line, rollercoaster, jump tower, multilevel adventure park and aerial playground. If you stick around, you can catch a live show with lumberjack-style events, such as axe throwing, log rolling and speed sawing. These aren’t performers, however; these are real, world-class lumberjacks proving their mettle in front of crowds of hundreds.

Speaking of shows, there’s a new Dolly Parton-produced dinner-show combo called Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, with its own 21,000-square-foot arena. Watch pirates battle across three levels of water, deck and sky, all set on a 15-foot-deep indoor lagoon, while you and your family enjoy a scrumptious, four-course feast.

The Island © Ritu Jethani | Dreamstime.com

Shop and Spend

If you need a little retail therapy, Pigeon Forge delivers on that front as well. The Island is a retail, dining and entertainment complex. While the kids enjoy some fun time on the family coaster and remote control car experience, you can shop for locally made and only-in-Tennessee products or try out the new Yee-Haw Brewing Company taproom.

There’s also the new Uncle Lem’s Outfitters for nearly 5,000 square feet of retail space all dedicated to the great outdoors. Any gear you need for future adventures, you’ll find it here.

Places to Stay

If you’d like to stay in a new-build property, you’re in luck. Pigeon Forge is always building a new accommodation option and this year’s newcomers include a Tru by Hilton property and the Ramsey Hotel & Convention Center.

The Titanic Museum © Ritu Jethani | Dreamstime.com

Bonus Sight

If you happen to visit on a rainy day, there are still plenty of things to do and see in Pigeon Forge. One indoor activity you won’t want to miss? A visit to the Titanic Museum. From July through November, the museum will display the largest collection of remaining Titanic lifejackets ever assembled.