What's there not to like about the Smokies!! The entire experience is amazing and anyone who enjoys…read morethe great outdoors will love it! I finally got the chance to see the fall colors in the Smokies and it was everything that I had hoped for! The view of the Brushy Mountains were definitely the unplanned all star of the trip. I hiked the Trillium Gap trail to Grotto Falls to see the waterfall, but it wasn't enough of a joke for me so I decided to keep going. Unbeknownst to me Brushy Mountains was a couple miles away away and I had no idea what was in store for me until I got there. And OMG the views were stunning and I so so glad I kept going!! The views of the mountain ranges with the mix of all of the yellow, orange, and red colors were completely stunning and was the highlight of my hike. If you're hiking in the Smokies, definitely check out this popular trail. FYI make sure you print out a parking pass before going and I would definitely suggest getting on the trails early in the morning to avoid the crowds and traffic, especially since parking spots are limited.

Our national parks are such a treasure and the Great Smoky Mountains Park was no exception. We…read morevisited in mid Oct and the leaves were just changing so lots of bright greens and yellows and just the start of the reds. When the sun hit the colors it was just so beautiful. All the trails were lovely. We really enjoyed Rainbow falls with its 80 foot drop. The Alum Cave Bluff Trail was so cool at the top as you rested under a huge rock overhang. The views from Kuwohi were stunning. I would suggest taking the trail rather than the paved path. It's a little bit longer but it's shady. The paved path is so steep. We were not a fan of Cade's Cove. Apparently, there are often bear sightings there but all we saw were a few turkeys. The traffic was atrocious. We did do Abrams trail at the middle of the loop. Parking for that trail was the easiest of all trails we did. A national park pass is not required but you do need a parking pass. Ours was $10 for the week. You are allowed to drive through the park for free but if you park longer than 15 min you need a pass. I did see rangers ticketing cars.

The island is always a wonderful stop for everyone. My son…read moreloves Dino's and they currently have the dinosaur experience going on. Our big girl was finally big enough for the harness adventure here. Mom and dad got to do a moonshine tasting.

The Island in Pigeon Forge is one of those places where you can easily spend several hours…read morewandering around without really having a plan--and that's part of the fun! There's a great mix of shops, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, and plenty of colorful details that make it an enjoyable place to explore. I visited during the fall, and I especially loved all of the seasonal touches. Pumpkins, mums, hay bales, a vintage tractor, and other autumn decorations made the entire area feel festive and gave me plenty of fun photo opportunities. Of course, the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel is the landmark you can't miss. Riding it gives you a completely different perspective of Pigeon Forge and the surrounding area, and the enclosed gondolas make for a comfortable ride. My biggest hesitation is the price. Since you pay per person, taking an entire family up in one gondola can become expensive pretty quickly. Overall, The Island is a fun stop whether you want to ride attractions, grab something to eat, shop, people-watch, or simply walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Even if you don't ride the wheel, it makes a pretty spectacular backdrop! Four stars from me--fun, photogenic, and definitely worth exploring, but some of the attractions can make a family visit pricey.

The World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville is a historic and active public space built for the…read more1982 World's Fair. It is home to iconic landmarks like the Sunsphere, a 266-foot gold-domed observation tower, and the Tennessee Amphitheater. Today, the park serves as a hub for major festivals, community gatherings, and recreation. Very welcoming space, lots to enjoy, always busy! The sphere is a focal point, when you go through Knoxville on I-40.

The historic World's Fair Park in Knoxville is lovely in the Spring. Dogwoods and other flowering…read moretrees were in bloom during my visit. The Park was at the center of the 1982 World's Fair. Today, the park is a beautiful green space for residents and visitors. The Sunsphere and the Amphitheater are the only remaining structures from the World's Fair in the park. The Sunsphere is opened to visitors. The Amphitheater was shuttered for the winter and in need of a facelift. Several interesting architectural features (posts and statue) are located throughout the park. A colorful bridge passes over the park and waterway. The Park is filled with accessible walkways, a water feature/fountain. A rail trail passes through the park for walkers and runners. We found free parking at the south side of the park. I did not see restroom facilities. Dogs on leases are allowed everywhere except in the fountain area.

Read review by a Disney vacation planner and she was right on. Dollywood is the best park for ages…read more10 on up over Disney. It has TEN really good coasters compared to Disney having one or two for each separate park. Dollywood is way more beautiful with shady trees and lovely mountain setting plus the cost is about half the cost of Disney. The Fall decor was truly well done, the service very friendly, and renting a $55 electric cart for my second day was a life saved for this senior citizen! There are cute rides for the younger crowd too. The food was very average for the high prices but not near as outrageous as Disney. The All Season refillable mugs with carry handle were a bargain at $20! They even willl fill with homemade lemonade or Powersid plus cokes, root beer or water! We got to go on the new Nightflight Experience which was delightful but surprised us with a big splash that got our bag & pants wet! Wish I had known to get a handicapped pass at the entrance for my age and mobility issues. The Nightflight coaster cars can be stopped for boarding if you have the pass. After an hour wait, I could not raise leg up high enough not fast enough on entering the moving coaster and chose just to tumble into the cart that was leaving with my 6 yr old grand. Not a pretty sight! Our tall 6 yr old qualified to ride Lightening Rod but the stats should have been posted. She said "Never Again" and we were concerned if she would refuse all future rides of any kind! It appears to be an average wooden roller coaster, but NO! It goes over 70 mph then up 20 stories tall plus a drop of 165 feet. It may go upside down also. It should have a warning that it is one of the park"s most challenging thrill rides! Meanwhile, my challenge was Big Bear Mountain coaster. Was told it was not too bad, nothing upside down. Whoa......it took us 90 degrees sideways then flipped you quickly to the other side while going about 45 mph, requiring Grandma to shut her eyes for half the ride. One & done!!! DOLLYWOOD Guest Services: take note: most of the coasters I observed had no restraints for above the waist! The workers were very dilligent to check your locked seatbelt and bar across your middle. But I felt like I was falling out of Big Bear. The rides would be safer and more fun if I felt secured for my top half. It would also prevent an adult from squishing a child sharing the same coaster seat on a fast curve! Our party of six had a wonderful time. A two day pass is a bargain. Tip is to use the app for wait times and hurry to the back of the park on entrance. We wasted a lot of time waiting for little Barbie cars little ones can drive. Left night hot line after 45 minutes! Wish we knew to pay for preferred parking. Wait for parking trolley to the far lot at 8 pm on a weekend was an hour! Also wish we had read that you are allowed to bring in your own snacks for little ones or adults with issues! Gifts over $25 can be picked up lastly at the Emporium. They have lockers and shelves for bags at the rides ! Service was friendly & helpful. Restrooms clean! Overall, 5 stars, but some issues brought it to 4 stars. Try it Spring or Fall. Heard Christmas time is overcrowded. Fast Pass is priced according to crowds. Maybe worth it.

Very nice, safe and fun amusement park with good variety of rides and food…read more Standout food is cinnamon bread, and when they have them chicken wings during one of their festivals. Only negative is their new ride "nightflight" is very often down, sometimes the entire day... Also their web app is very often wrong not showing its down... given nightflight is FAR walk to find out just *in person* the ride is down is just plain poor customer service given how often its down!!! Took us 3 days of trying to catch it when it was working, and we ended up having to trust a third party website to find out if the ride was actually up or down!! Ride iself is cool with the water, and has lot of potential given its unique water/non water aspects... but lacks things in the air, and just overall more things to look at like you would have in an equivalent disney or universal ride.... net was not as immersive experience as competive park rides...but these types of gaps should be easily solvable if dollywood would try... Didnt care for their cross marketing of the "bioluminator", luckily my kids are too old to beg me to buy their lighted popcorn holder for about $30.

Finally, a convenient Stand Up Paddle (SUP) rental on Norris Lake!…read more John is an excellent instructor and is willing to stay late during the week (by appointment) so that I can do an afternoon workout paddle on the glassy lake.

We had a great experience renting a peddleboat! We weren't familiar with the area but the staff…read moreprovided great recommendations for coves to check out on the lake. He even recommended some hiking locations close to where we were staying. Very knowledgeable and definitely a highlight of our trip, would love to come back and try the other watercraft options!

If you've got kids with energy to burn and you're looking for a low-effort, high-reward activity…read morethat won't have you breaking a sweat (or the bank), Pigeon Forge Snow is the move. Indoor snow? Check. Non-stop fun? Check. A place where parents can actually sit while the kids go wild? Double check. This place gets it. The kids get their winter wonderland fix--sliding, tubing, and living their best snow-filled lives--while parents get exactly what they want: a comfy seat to watch them play until their hearts (or energy levels) tap out. It's one of those rare finds where both sides win. No complaints, no "Can we go now?" Just pure, budget-friendly, independent fun. And when the snow play winds down? Candy shop time! Bright, colorful, and the perfect sugar rush to cap off a solid half-day of play. Quick in, quick out, no regrets. If you're in Pigeon Forge with kids, just go. Trust me.

Yes yes yes. This was the best activity for our whole family. Now, we did arrive RIGHT at opening,…read moreso it was not crowded until it was time for us to leave. Which allowed us to ride a lottttt of times. We only did the tubing, but the snow area looked fun! We would 10000000% come back if we came back to the area.

Goats on the Roof was one of the most fun laid back and unique stops on our trip! We originally…read moreplanned to ride the Alpine Coaster down the street, but the wait was over an hour, so we came here instead, and we're glad we did. The mountain coaster was a lot of fun, had a short wait, and was only about $15. My favorite part, though, was feeding the goats on the roof! You buy goat food inside the gift shop for about $3 a cup, ($1 refill) pour it into a bowl, then pedal a bike that carries the food up a conveyor to the rooftop. The goats are already waiting, and it's hilarious watching them compete for the food. It's a unique experience that's fun for both kids and adults. Definitely worth the stop!

I always see this place advertised on TikTok and happened to drive by it on our way back into town…read morefrom Jeep Invasion, so we decided to stop.We went around the back of the building where they have a bunch of goats that you can feed. The goats were super cute and definitely made the stop worth it. The coaster was pretty fast and at a couple points it honestly felt like you might fall off, but overall it was a lot of fun and definitely a fast ride. It's a little cheaper than some of the other coasters in town, but still a little pricey at about $17 a ticket after the 12.5% tax. The store is HUGE and just kept going and going. They have all kinds of different knickknacks and random stuff to look at. They also have rocking chairs where you can sit and chill or buy one. Overall, it was a fun place to stop and check out.

So much fun! Worth the money for all of the activities that are available to do. I would suggest…read morehaving more food options available.

Wanted to like this like I liked anakeesta at gatlinburg...but it wasn't the same. hint buy your…read moretram ticket online to save 5$ per person, net 29. Was excited it was supposed to be octoberfest.... but something about their fryer being out they didn't have big pretzels... grilled corn was dried out and tried bratwurst on pretzel roll, while the roll was fine but the bratwurst was tasteless. We had hoped for views both on the tram [views on tram were fine] but when your at the ski lodge at "base" of their ski slopes there were no views. They do offer indoor ice skating and zip lines, but we had no interest. Their nature preserve does have an albino racoon, but otter cages empty and the reserve felt a little sad overall. Won't be coming back.

we did the waterfall hike a moderate of u are a beginner hike with Luci who was spectacular. it was…read morea lovely hike with a slight bit of incline. Note to those who hike in any mountainous region wear good footwear with tread on ur shoes! Take water and mind the guide as it pertains to bears and don't bring a dog as I will put yourself and others in danger! Respect nature and the surrounding area. would do it again and use them for sure!

An Unforgettable Experience with Sam!…read more If you're visiting the Smoky Mountains, do yourself a favor and book a tour with A Walk in the Woods. And if you're lucky enough to have Sam as your guide, you're in for something truly special! From beginning to end, Sam was absolutely incredible. Her knowledge of the mountains, their history, wildlife, and hidden treasures was remarkable, but what really made the experience exceptional was her warmth, enthusiasm, and genuine passion for what she does. She made our day feel less like a guided tour and more like exploring the Smokies with a wonderfully knowledgeable friend. She was thoughtful, engaging, patient, and attentive to everyone in our group, making sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. What I appreciated most was the freedom to simply be present. No worrying about where to go, what to see, or what we might be missing. Sam took care of everything, allowing us to relax, connect, laugh, learn, and truly appreciate the beauty surrounding us. Experiences like this remind you that the people you meet can be just as memorable as the places you visit. Sam made an already beautiful destination extraordinary. Five stars simply aren't enough. Thank you, Sam, for giving our family such a wonderful day and memories we'll carry with us long after leaving the mountains. We cannot recommend you highly enough!

Very fun. Being able to come and go all day on one ticket is worth it. Get there early for no lines.read more

WonderWorks in Pigeon Forge absolutely earned a 5-star review from me for the value alone. For one…read moreadmission price, you get hours of hands-on fun: interactive science exhibits, the 4D motion theater, glow-in-the-dark ropes course, and unlimited laser tag and rides. It feels like more than just a "museum," and we easily could've spent half a day exploring and still not hit everything.What really stood out, though, was the military discount. As soon as we asked, the staff knew exactly how it worked, applied it with no hassle, and knocked a nice chunk off the total. That savings made a big difference for our group and turned an already good deal into a great deal.. Between the amount of stuff included in the ticket, the chance to replay laser tag and rides as much as you want, I honestly don't understand how anyone could rate this less than 5 stars. If you show up early, plan a few hours, and take advantage of the discount, it's one of the best values in Pigeon Forge. Try to plan the trip in the off season as it is nowhere near as crowded as it was doing the summer where it was too crowded to stand in line to get in. Definitely worth my money and something I would do again with my grandchildren.