Dollywood Theme Park Pigeon Forge Tennessee

 

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge Tennessee is one of America's most beautiful theme parks. We spent two days and did not ride all the rides or see all the shows. I'm ready to return with a roller coaster enthusiast!

There are rides for people of all ages. My granddaughter had FireChaser on her list. We got on with hardly any wait time. Thanks to a tip to enter the park by Owens Farm and head north when the line drops.

Watch the video for a quick look at this fun ride--the first coaster in the US that offered dual action--forwards and backwards!

We did add some easy going rides like the Black Bear Trail

And got some arm exercise on the Lumberjack Lift

If you really want to relax, consider a classic train ride.

If spinning is your thing, try the Dizzy Disk...

or spin around when you see something like this...

There's plenty of places to grab lunch and snacks.

The cinnamon bread comes highly recommended--we tried it and liked it.

So after an active morning, we saw some shows.

Our granddaughter tolerated the Dreamland Drive In Show-- but we would see it again!

We all enjoyed the Gazillion Bubble Show--very impressive.

Another show we liked was the Wings Over America program. The birds are amazing and the staff provide brief yet informative talks about several birds. Of course, the final wow is the American Bald Eagle.

Check out the video...

Afternoons get pretty hot in the summer, which is a good time to get soaked.

The River Rampage was a fun ride.

But we liked the action at Daredevil Falls.

Here's a link to a short video of the big splash https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wfenXI98OIg

On the second morning, I decided to treat myself to a coaster. I got on the Lightning Rod with no hassle and no extra fees. Because I was alone, I went up the single rider entrance and ended up having my own car because the man who tried to get in couldn't fit.

In the picture below, we wait impatiently for the doors to open.

Then its up, up, and away.

Here's a video clip showing part of the fast action following the steep climb.

I mentioned that Dollywood is a beautiful park. Here's a few more photos.

By the way, there's some classic cars too-- over by Lightning Rod.

Some notes

We liked getting there early for good parking and getting on the preferred rides.

Perhaps we were lucky, but we did not pay extra for the preferred access plan.

Food is expensive for not as pricey as Disneyworld. There are child meals.

There's plenty of places to refill water bottles at no charge.

The gifts were not overpriced.

There are a lot more rides and shows than I posted--see the Dollywood website. If you're new, I suggest making a list and getting a good sense of the locations.

There are maps on the website but the larger maps at the entrance are great and include the show schedule.

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We entered the Great Smoky Mountains National Park traveling south on Route 441 in Tennessee.

Close to the Sugarlands Visitors Center are trails. One nicely shaded trail led to Cataract Falls pictured below.

There are a lot of trails off the paved road. One popular one is the Alum Cave Trail. The picture below and the one at the top of this post were taken along the trail. The top photo is a picturesque arch, which you find along the trail.

Below is one of the many bridges over clear flowing mountain streams. The trees provide shade from the summer heat.

On a clear day, the views are outstanding and it's cooler at these elevations. 

A stop near the state line offers impressive vistas. We couldn't resist the touristy memory.

Rocks near an access to the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail sign- another memory and an example of a great place to hike in America.

At the southern end of route 441 is the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Nearby is the Mountain Farm Museum alongside the Oconaluftee River.

The farm buildings were brought in to showcase an old Tennessee farm. At some of the places, people tell about activities on the farm.

Children enjoy playing in the river, which is along the trail to the old farm.

On a smoky day...

My dad took us to the Smokies years ago. The photo below is from the first time I took my wife. She couldn't see much because of the "smoke," but really appreciated the park's beauty during our 2022 visit.

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Click for  the Area Map

Park website     https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm