Pigeon Forge 4 Days.....Itinerary

[keltshan]

Our group includes:
me, hubby, daughter 5 and son 7 / my parents and my hubby's parents---all 4 are mid-60's / brother, sis-law, nephew 10 & niece 5

We will be staying in a cabin 6 miles off of Wears Valley Rd. / 3 nights / July 25-July 28

Day 1:
* leave our homes around 9AM (hopefully only 1 stop)
*arrive at the Applewood Farmhouse and have lunch / explore the Apple Barn
*check in / get directions to cabin
*arrive to cabin by 4pm
*Cades Cove by 6:30pm (explore @ Visitors Center---mill/blacksmith/barn)
turn onto Hyatt Lane and hope for some wildlife at dusk

Day 2:
*Metcalf Bottom Picnic area ( hike to the Little Greenbrier School and then onto the Walker sisters cabin---return and have picnic and play in water)
*back to cabin
*The Track Recreation Center (2 hrs + pizza) go-karts / golf / bumper boats, etc.
*The Comedy Barn show @ 5pm
*back to cabin----hot tub

Day 3:
*Townsend Visitors Center
*Little River Railroad & Lumber Museum
*River Tubing with River Rage (older crew probably back to cabin) Picnic lunch here
*back to cabin
*Black Bear Jamboree Dinner Show (men and kids back to cabin and ladies to the outlets)

Day 4:
*breakfast at cabin and depart by 10:30 am
*Bass Pro Shops (guy shopping and lunch)
*head home

Would love suggestions from anyone familiar with this area!!!!!!

 

[merekc]

If it is still there, our family always loves to go to the Mine. A gem-mining in troughs place on the strip.

 

[monkeybug]

I am as far from an expert on Pigeon Forge as you can get! We are planning our first trip (also 4 day's) for spring break.
I just noticed you had kids of very similar age (mine are 4 and 7) and wondered if you knew they do Jr. Ranger programs at the National park? It's just a booklet that you pick up from the park, complete the activities (the amount usually depends on age) and then return the completed book. Depending on the season, rangers may lead some of the activity's. In the past (at various parks) they have had my daughter raise her hand and take a pledge, presented her with a certificate, and given her patches. Once they even announced over the speaker that a new Jr. Ranger had just been sworn in! The patches are very nice, and the program is free. My kids each have a "hiking hat" that we attach the patches to. They also offer passports that you can get stamped at each park you visit (for adults and kiddos) they make for great memento's. Not for everyone I'm sure, just thought I would share since my kids love it so much! (my daughter actually had a Jr. Ranger birthday one year. I'm raising nerds!)

 

[keltshan]

that sounds awesome and our kids would love it too!

 

[BellvilleDad]

I'd think about going to Dollywood, too. I bet your kids would love it!

 

[Crystal0608]

Day 1:
*arrive at the Applewood Farmhouse and have lunch / explore the Apple Barn food portions are HUGE and enough for 2, really good though. You must go to the ice cream shop & get an apple dumpling ala mode. At the barn shop, the apple cranberry pie is awesome. Bring your camera, great photo ops w/ apple trees.
*Cades Cove by 6:30pm (explore @ Visitors Center---mill/blacksmith/barn) I'm not sure what time this closes, but traffic moves REALLY slow-@3 hr trip min. We've saw a lot of deer there, very beautiful area.

Day 2:
*The Comedy Barn show @ 5pm love this place, make sure to tell them of any b-days or anniversaries beforehand

Day 3:
*River Tubing with River Rage (older crew probably back to cabin) Not to be a downer, but there are two parts to the river. PLEASE don't take your kids on the upper river. Last May we did the lower river with the same company and it was fun and not too deep or fast. Next we did the upper river and dd then 8 and I almost drowned and got scarred from hitting the rocks underwater(I'm a strong pool swimmer) and a man went to the hospital that helped us as the current was very strong from rains.
*Black Bear Jamboree Dinner Show another great show and really good food here too


Would love suggestions from anyone familiar with this area!!!!!!

We go here about once a year. I've added some notes above in red. It sounds like you have a fun schedule. The Old Mill is another restaurant with huge portions and really good food-lunch is cheaper . There are tons of old style photo places, one within walking distance of Old Mill (ie hillbilly or Bonnie & Clyde) which would be a really cool family photo. My kids Bonnie & Clyde pose from there is one of my favorite pics ever. There is a huge Christmas Place shop where Santa is at, my kids love it, right across the street from the Inn at Christmas Place. The Flying Horse (right across the street) has an indoor Italian style carrosuel and there is a Magiquest right next to it. If you need groceries, there is a SuperWalmart on the right-across the rd from Governors Crossing in Seiverville before you come into Pigeon Forge. There is a gazillion things to do in Pigeon Forge, love visiting there .

 

[paintnolish]

When planning, please keep in mind the traffic. It is horrible (literally crawling) most of the year. My mom knows some tricky back roads, but I tried them and got lost! I know you don't have time, but both Dollywood and the Ripley's aquarium are really fun. The Old Mill is good but often has one heck of a wait. You can check out there shops and stuff and will be called on the speaker when your table is ready. As far as bfast goes, my all time fave place, in the entire world, is The Pancake Pantry in Gatlinberg. This is another one that always has a wait, but it looks worse than it is. There isn't much of an inside waiting area, so there is typically a line out front.

 

[TinksThree]

We go 2-3 times a year and love this area! I 2nd Dollywood...a lot for all ages! We usually avoid Pigeon Forge because it is so commercial so I can't comment on the shows or go-cart type stuff. We do always go to Gatlinburg for an afternoon and my kids love the Ripley's Aquarium. It is a very nice aqurium and lots of hands-on! They also like the Sky Lift.

Tubing is fun but beware the water can be very cold, even in July. We went in July one time and I literally thought my feet would get frost bite!!

The Visitor's Center in Cade's Cove usually closes around 6pm. One thing about going while it is open is that they have Rangers that give great kid-friendly talks and usually have furs from the animals of the area. This past Thanksgiving, they had bear dung and after leaving there, we actually were able to identify fresh dung but it also led us to viewing a mother bear and two cubs....at a very safe distance! I am not crazy!! I also recommend getting out at pull-overs and walking a bit. You see so much off the beaten trail!

Greenbriar School is fun and usually has someone there to talk about the structure but the house was only so-so. My kids favorite part was that we saw a snake on the back porch steps. Otherwise, we were the only people there and it is basically just an abandoned house.

Some other options I would recommend inside the park are: Roaring Fork (we have seen bear here also) with homes, creeks, views and a waterfall, Laurel Falls, Clingman's Dome and Newfound Gap and the Oconaluftee Visitor's Center has an old farm similar to Cade's Cove.

The options are so endless! I hope you have a great time!! Also, traffic can be bad and if you enter through Sugarlands at Gatlinburg, take the by-pass! We also take the by-pass just to get to Gatlinburg. There are parking lots on that side and you do not have to fight the terrible traffic! This is especially important at very busy times!!

 

[Robinrs]

Pigeon Forge without DOLLYWOOD???? You have to go!! I love that place!

 

[keltshan]

Everyone LOOOOOVES Dollywood, I know, I know.........but we are here such a short time and a couple of the older folks in the group have some slight mobility issues and 2 kids will do anything and love big rides/but hate shows and the other 2 are totally opposite.

I purposefully skipped because of too many opinions and too many options, but not enough time. My family will return in the next few years and I Promise
we will do Dollywood!

I am totally worried about the traffic........I hear it is really bad. We are renting the cabin from my DH coworker and he said he would fill us in on some of the back roads......I will probably get lost and then eaten by a bear I have no sense of direction!

I am so glad to get feedback on some of the things I listed! I am still kind of worried about Cades Cove and the possible traffic jam. The visitors center is open from 10-7 in July and then they close the road at dark, so I am hoping that by going in the later evening, we may see a few things (hopefully some wildlife) and not be trapped in a car with whining kids! We may skip this also, since it is a travel day and who knows how tired everyone will be, I could easily be swayed to sit in a hot tub and drink margaritas, and of course enjoy the beautiful mt. vistas!!!!!

 

[momof1princess]

i believe the gem mining place the PP was referring to is next to the 3 bears gift shop on the main strip in pigeon forge. we went there in 2008, bought DD a $15.00 bucket of dirt, and came away with a 2 carat emerald, a 1 carat sapphire, a couple hunks of ruby, citrine, amethyst, etc. it was well worth it. we had them make the sapphire into a pendant for DD for Christmas that year, because the sapphire is her birthstone. they polished and cut the emerald for us, but we haven't had it set in anything yet.

 

[keltshan]

that sounds like a neat place and all of the kids (including two boys) would love it!

 

[happygirl]

We are going in May/June, We have alot of the same things on our list to do as well

 

[taylor3297]

If some of your outside activities get canceled then go and do Magiquest. It is really fun. Also, when shopping don't forget to go to A Christmas Place.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I am as far from an expert on Pigeon Forge as you can get! We are planning our first trip (also 4 day's) for spring break.
I just noticed you had kids of very similar age (mine are 4 and 7) and wondered if you knew they do Jr. Ranger programs at the National park? It's just a booklet that you pick up from the park, complete the activities (the amount usually depends on age) and then return the completed book. Depending on the season, rangers may lead some of the activity's. In the past (at various parks) they have had my daughter raise her hand and take a pledge, presented her with a certificate, and given her patches. Once they even announced over the speaker that a new Jr. Ranger had just been sworn in! The patches are very nice, and the program is free. My kids each have a "hiking hat" that we attach the patches to. They also offer passports that you can get stamped at each park you visit (for adults and kiddos) they make for great memento's. Not for everyone I'm sure, just thought I would share since my kids love it so much! (my daughter actually had a Jr. Ranger birthday one year. I'm raising nerds!)

Hey MonkeyBug,
I would think GSMNP (Great Smokey Mountain Nat'l....) would have to have the Ranger Programs like other parks... It is one of the bigger, and the most visited, of the National Parks.

Search online for the National Park Service, GSMNP, and the Sugarlands Visitor Center. SugarLands is an excellent visitor center! You guys should really enjoy/appreciate it. And, I imagine that this would be where any Ranger Programs would be handled. This might be where you find the true National Park patches/Tshirts/etc... Of course, there is no shortage of the regular Gatlnburg Smokey Mountain T-shirts and souvenirs on the strips in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. But, sounds like you want the real Nat'l Park stuff.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Wishing on a star]

I'd think about going to Dollywood, too. I bet your kids would love it!

Just wanted to say that your photo is just SO perfect for this thread!

 

[monkeybug]

Hey MonkeyBug,
I would think GSMNP (Great Smokey Mountain Nat'l....) would have to have the Ranger Programs like other parks... It is one of the bigger, and the most visited, of the National Parks.

Search online for the National Park Service, GSMNP, and the Sugarlands Visitor Center. SugarLands is an excellent visitor center! You guys should really enjoy/appreciate it. And, I imagine that this would be where any Ranger Programs would be handled. This might be where you find the true National Park patches/Tshirts/etc... Of course, there is no shortage of the regular Gatlnburg Smokey Mountain T-shirts and souvenirs on the strips in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. But, sounds like you want the real Nat'l Park stuff.

Hope you have a great trip!

Thanks! I was wondering what the name of the visitor center was, and I didn't see it on their website.
I think I worded that wrong, I was trying to let the OP know that GSMNP does do the Jr. Ranger program. It was the first thing I checked! My kiddos love it, and we love it because they learn so much about the parks we visit. (My son is technically to young, but he "helps")

 

[keltshan]

How long does it take to complete the Jr. Ranger program....I was thinking it was a single activity, but there seems to be more involved

 

[monkeybug]

How long does it take to complete the Jr. Ranger program....I was thinking it was a single activity, but there seems to be more involved

My daughter finished the one at Fort Clatsop in one afternoon.
You could drag it out longer if you wanted, and some parks offer six week programs that involve more.
The ones that allow you to do it any time of the year (like GSMNP) are usually doable in one or two days.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Everyone LOOOOOVES Dollywood, I know, I know.........but we are here such a short time and a couple of the older folks in the group have some slight mobility issues and 2 kids will do anything and love big rides/but hate shows and the other 2 are totally opposite.

I purposefully skipped because of too many opinions and too many options, but not enough time. My family will return in the next few years and I Promise
we will do Dollywood!

I am totally worried about the traffic........I hear it is really bad. We are renting the cabin from my DH coworker and he said he would fill us in on some of the back roads......I will probably get lost and then eaten by a bear I have no sense of direction!

I am so glad to get feedback on some of the things I listed! I am still kind of worried about Cades Cove and the possible traffic jam. The visitors center is open from 10-7 in July and then they close the road at dark, so I am hoping that by going in the later evening, we may see a few things (hopefully some wildlife) and not be trapped in a car with whining kids! We may skip this also, since it is a travel day and who knows how tired everyone will be, I could easily be swayed to sit in a hot tub and drink margaritas, and of course enjoy the beautiful mt. vistas!!!!!

Traffic can be really bad. Our car overheated once just trying to get through Gatlinburg! Roaring Fork is gorgeous - I wouldn't miss it. Oh, and the mine thing is cheesy, but a lot of fun and kids love it!