Tell me about pigeon forge

[shoney]

my parents are gifting me a timeshare exchange for the summer. Looking for drivable from Long Island. PG is really not in my book but we will stay an extra night or 2 there and back.

Anyway tell me about the area. We love a festive vacation atmosphere with great food and adult beverages!

My teens want rides and fun and adventure.

Stayed at a timeshare in massanutten Virginia and well let’s just say it was not for us. Bottled water only around the pool with Barry mannilow playing isn’t for us! We aren’t huge party people by any means and will be with our teens but still want something lively

 

[awalker1015]

We go to Pigeon Forge several times a year. We are Dollywood passholders and it’s our favorite theme park, so we really enjoy traveling there.

 

[shoney]

Have you heard of mountain meadows? Does not get the greatest reviews


We have never been south of Virginia. (Except for Florida lol). So we like the idea of experiencing the south. (Food !!! Too)

 

[amberpi]

Pigeon Forge is a tourist trap, if you're looking to experience the South, that's not the place - especially in regards to food. However, it's super fun if you can be into the tourist stuff like all the mini golf, Dollywood (which is quite a nice park), or want to run up to Gatlinburg (much more enjoyable IMO) and do some stellar hiking. Gatlinburg will also give you better food options but neither offers particularly authentic Southern food choices. Its a great area, but it reads more as a fun tourist place than a Southern experience. I'm not trying to talk you out of it at all; it's a fun destination, just wanting you to know it's not particularly authentically Southern, ya know?

 

[Kae]

We love it. The Aquarium is awesome. hilly billy golf places fun. Best Outlets. hiking the mountains are incredible. We done wine & Whiskey tastings downtown.

 

[mousefan73]

I did a trip report from last year.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dollywood-wdw-back-to-back-trip-comparision.3633561/. Pigeon Forge was part of it. IMO not a place I could do everyyear for a longer stay. I compare it to a larger Wisconsin Dells.

My original post is more on Dollywood but others comment later on the area. Beautiful scenery if you love outdoors and hiking then a destination. Other things outside Dollywood were simply for us too tacky.

 

[Wendy31]

We live about 2 1/2 - 3 hours from the Pigeon Forge area, & I prefer the beach.

However, in Pigeon Forge, the Island (themed for Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville) can be fun - there's a Margaritaville Restaurant & a Paula Deen restaurant. Your teens will also find plenty to do - an arcade, an escape room, a rope course, a really high enclosed Ferris wheel, bumper cars, etc. They also have a Smoky Mountain Moonshine store w/ free tastings.

http://islandinpigeonforge.com/

A lot of people LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Apple House Restaurant in Pigeon Forge. However, last time, we were there, we were not impressed at all w/ the food - it wasn't bad, just mediocre. However, the apple julep juice & apple fritters were still wonderful! It's a whole complex w/ a smaller cafe, gift shop, & a winery as well.

We took DD to the Titanic Museum for her birthday this past January, & I thought it was a really well done museum. The Upside Down Museum is neat too.

Dollywood & Dolly's Dinner Show are also highly rated attractions.

I do find a lot of Pigeon Forge a little too touristy & kitschy for me. There are several golf cart tracks & arcades along the Strip, which will appeal to a lot of kids.

Gatlinburg has the really nice Ripley's Aquarium. I find a lot of the shops, again, a little too touristy, & mountain decor & home goods really aren't my thing. However, Smoky Mountain Candy Kitchen is always a must for their caramel apples. Some people really like The Peddler restaurant. There's a Mexican restaurant we like (No Way Jose maybe). And the Pancake Pantry is fun for breakfast.

We really don't have a favorite restaurant though, &, w/ the exception of maybe Paula Deen's restaurant, I wouldn't really consider any of the restaurants "quintessential Southern dining".

We actually enjoy the Smoky Mountains more than the Pigeon Forge area - the Cades Cove loop, the Chimneys, & some other hiking trails.

 

[Squirlz]

We prefer Gatlinburg as well. Pigeon Forge is just what we have to drive through to get there.

 

[shoney]

I did a trip report from last year.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dollywood-wdw-back-to-back-trip-comparision.3633561/. Pigeon Forge was part of it. IMO not a place I could do everyyear for a longer stay. I compare it to a larger Wisconsin Dells.

My original post is more on Dollywood but others comment later on the area. Beautiful scenery if you love outdoors and hiking then a destination. Other things outside Dollywood were simply for us too tacky.

thank so much for sharing! Great report and interesting thread. I'm not a jesus or a gun fan...we can leave it at that lol So I was a little worried that the area itself might not be for me. But just like here, I will avoid politics and religion!

Seems like pigeon forge and Gatlinburg are festive touristy towns. (did think a little like the Canadian side of Niagara)

Unfortunatley the only available time share this summer is in Pigeon Forge (mountain meadows...doesn't look that great). We will be out and about most of the time anyway.

I've been looking at the restaurants and they all seem pretty reasonable and have items that we don't usually have around here.

I think I am going to confirm my "hold" and go for it.

 

[mandy200587]

i like apple barn but i go for their frozen apple slushes. Big daddy's pizzeria was pretty good when we ate there two months ago.

I prefer Gatlinburg to Pigeon forge as well. The little shops along the the strip are so good. Smokey Mountain Kitchen, Donut Friar, Pancake Pantry are must dos. The aquarium is so nice and you can get some decent deals if you keep an eye out for them. I do believe there is a shuttle that runs from Pigeon forge to Gatlinburg but i don't know the price of it.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Tell me about pigeon forge:

A: It's in Tennessee.

 

[manning]

Pigeon Forge is a tourist trap, if you're looking to experience the South, that's not the place - especially in regards to food. However, it's super fun if you can be into the tourist stuff like all the mini golf, Dollywood (which is quite a nice park), or want to run up to Gatlinburg (much more enjoyable IMO) and do some stellar hiking. Gatlinburg will also give you better food options but neither offers particularly authentic Southern food choices. Its a great area, but it reads more as a fun tourist place than a Southern experience. I'm not trying to talk you out of it at all; it's a fun destination, just wanting you to know it's not particularly authentically Southern, ya know?

You can get a great buffet for around $18.00.

 

[disneydeal]

We stopped there for 1 night on way back from Myrtle Beach to Kansas City. If you've ever been to Branson Missouri it's the same exact thing. Video games, Restaurants , Mini golf ,Shopping and hotels. I enjoyed it. Might stop back on way thru next time. Stayed at Clairion behind Burger king. Clean and nice with view of strip.

 

[powellrj]

A a real tourist trap and I love going there. There is so much to see and do. Next trip I want to do the Bush Bean museum. I love tacky, so it’s right up my alley. If you like the outdoors, there is so much to do at Smoky Mountain Park. I love Dollywood, I love the shopping and the food.

 

[shoney]

I was just able to switch to tree tops in Gatlinburg. I think this area would be better for us plus I like the resort much more. Nice mountain setting.
Bears???? That kinda scares me. I mean they are adorable but have only seen them in the zoo

 

[pls5286]

Explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cades cove is pretty neat. Hike to the highest point at Clingmans Dome. Look for elk and other wildlife. At the south end o the park is the Cherokee Indian Reservatio. You can go to a place that tells the history plus some free shows in front of some of the stores.

 

[4kids4karen]

I agree, it is a cheesy tourist trap area. There are much better places to visit.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Overpriced tourist trap type place. Think Branson, Wisconsin Dells, Niagara Falls, International Drive, etc. Head off the strip to find more authentic "south". We live 3 hours away and Cades Cove is our favorite in the area. We'll hit a mini golf place, maybe stroll some shops in Gatlinburg, shop the outlets on the way out, but our time in PF is for nature. We have seen bears in wild, if you see a cub, mama is close by, don't think baby is cuddly and cute, as mama has you in her eyesight. Also watch out for traffic, it can take 30 minutes or 3 hours from I-40. Dollywood is one of the better parks outside of Disney. As for the area though, it's not a vacation priority to us-we've been there a good half dozen times and the cost can get up there if you are doing the dinner shows, museums, etc.

 

[Farro]

We stayed 4 nights in 2016 at the DreamMore Resort. We went to Dollywood on Friday and Saturday, had the best time! That park is so beautiful and peaceful. The coasters are great!

The hotel was really nice also.

We went hiking on the Sunday, that was nice.

Outside of that - we did not like Pigeon Forge. At all. We went out the first two evenings to check it out, um, not for us! I guess if you want to take Old-Timey photos, you have those places. Tons of them. The Old Mill was okay for a little bit, waits for the restaurants were ridiculous. I think the Island is supposed to be their nighttime destination spot.

We do want to go back to Dollywood and stay at DreamMore again, but this time will only stay 3 nights since there isn't much else to do there.

 

[klacey1]

I was just able to switch to tree tops in Gatlinburg. I think this area would be better for us plus I like the resort much more. Nice mountain setting.
Bears???? That kinda scares me. I mean they are adorable but have only seen them in the zoo

Gatlinburg is much better than PF! I think you'll be happy with your switch. We spent a whole day just walking up and down the strip and sampling the moonshine and whisky. The people who do the samples really get into it--very entertaining and explain everything you're tasting in great detail. Old Smokey Mountain Moonshine was our favorite!

We really loved Pancake Pantry for an affordable lunch. Dollywood is really lovely, too.