Pigeon Forge Archives - Page 6 of 8

Fall at Dollywood

September 29, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

From September 20th until October 30, 2023, you can experience fall at Dollywood with their Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights! I have visited during this time of the year twice before and currently have plans to attend later this season! Here’s a look at what you can expect when you visit.

Fall at Dollywood

I recently told you all about my favorite things to do at Dollywood, no matter the time of the year. However, today, it’s all about fall! Fall at Dollywood is one of my favorite times to visit the park. You have the Harvest Festival to enjoy the during the day and Great Pumpkin LumiNights to view at night! I will go into more detail as to what that means below. Suffice it to say, Dollywood serves as the perfect backdrop for your autumn visit to the Great Smoky Mountains during the day and lights up at night for more fun!

Harvest Festival

Now technically a lot of the fake pumpkin decor is set up for the Great Pumpkin LumiNights. However, you can still view these amazing sights during the day. Plus, it ‘s fun to see things both during the day and then light up at night. Additionally, in recent years Dollywood has started to bring in huge real pumpkins to display. They lovingly refer to them as Colossal Pumpkins and make for great pictures since they really are as big as humans!

No festival is complete without food and entertainment. You can once again buy a tasting pass and experience several items from this year’s festival. Last year, I enjoyed their sweet corn hushpuppies with aioli and apple dumpling with ice cream. Both of those items have returned for 2022, so you can try them too. I also highly recommend checking out some live entertainment during your visit as they tend to rotate out groups from season to season.

Great Pumpkin LumiNights

Once the sun goes down, it’s fun to wander around the park again and see everything come to life! This is NOT a scary event, rather it’s a fun light-hearted event complete with lights. They have added a new section this year called Hoot Owl Hollow, which I am looking forward to seeing. It’s supposed to be a big owl surrounded by smaller ones, all made out of (fake) pumpkins! It really is amazing how many things they can make out of pumpkins! Don’t miss their pumpkin frogs!

Fall at Dollywood is filled with fun, day and night! I typically do a lap or two around the park during the day to enjoy all of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Harvest Festival. Then, I usually take a mid-day break and return around sundown to do a final lap to experience Great Pumpkin LumiNights. So, what’s your favorite thing about fall at Dollywood?

If you are planning a trip to the park during a different season, here are my posts on those events:

What To Do in Fall in Gatlinburg, TN

September 21, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

If you ever considered visiting the Great Smoky Mountains during the fall, here’s a great list of fun things to do in fall in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN! The Smokies are a great place to visit, particularly during the fall months as you can witness the seasons change in the mountains and lots of places fully embrace nature’s beauty with their own fall festivities!

Fall in Gatlinburg

Most of my list of favorite things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains during this time of the year are in Gatlinburg. However, I am including a bonus at the end, which is worth the drive to Pigeon Forge. Without further ado, here’s my list of things to experience when it’s fall in Gatlinburg, TN!

Anakeesta – Like most of the places on this list, Anakeesta is a great place to visit no matter what time of the year it is. It has gorgeous views of the mountains all over the park. Plus, they have seasonal decor that changes on top of their neat mountain themes.

Take a walk around downtown Gatlinburg – The town of Gatlinburg has different seasonal statues it puts out. During the fall months, you can see adorable pumpkin people all over town! It’s fun to just walk around and view them all. There are even several themed to the businesses they are located near.
Ober Gatlinburg – Ober Gatlinburg has lots of different activities you can do, depending on the time of year that you visit. I highly recommend riding the chair lift up and taking in the view of Mt. Harrison! I also recommend experiencing OktOBERfest here with the live music and tasty German food!

Gatlinburg SkyLift Park – Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to visit this place as of yet. However, I’m hoping to visit this fall to take in their view of the mountains, cross the SkyBridge, and walk the SkyTrail.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the beautiful National Park here. It obviously has great views for experiencing fall in Gatlinburg and abundant hiking trails.

Bonus: Visit Dollywood in Pigeon Forge to experience their Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights! Fall at Dollywood is one of my favorite times to visit. In fact, I have a whole other post on it you can read by clicking that link.

So, what do you think of my list of things to do in fall in Gatlinburg? Did I miss anything?

If you are planning a trip to the area during a different time of the year, here are my other posts to help you plan:

The Best Breakfast in Pigeon Forge, TN

September 1, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

There are lots of places to grab a bite to eat in the morning in the Great Smoky Mountains. However, here are my five favorite places for the best breakfast in Pigeon Forge, TN!

5 Favorite Breakfasts in Pigeon Forge, TN

You can’t drive too far in Pigeon Forge without running into a pancake place. So, there are loads of options for your morning meal here. However, these are my personal favorites that I frequent when I’m in the area. So, in no particular order, here’s my list for the best breakfast in Pigeon Forge.

Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant and Farmhouse Grill – My mom thinks they serve the best breakfast in Pigeon Forge and requests we go here every trip. I also really enjoy eating here. I love their Banana Foster Waffle and get it every time I eat here. We both love that their meals come with apple fritters, apple butter, and apple juleps! There are technically two restaurant buildings here, but they seem to offer very similar menus. We typically go to the second building as it tends to have shorter waits. After a meal here, we like to walk off some of the calories by perusing the barn. Mom always purchases some apple butter to bring home and I sometimes grab some of their baking mixes.

The Old Mill Restaurant – I just enjoy the general atmosphere of The Old Mill and enjoy walking around the shops if the restaurant is busy. I also like that the meals come with orange juice and banana nut muffins! In fact, I think the muffins were the star of the meal when I last ate here! I really enjoyed my Cinnamon Raisin Pecan French Toast and my mom liked her biscuits.

Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe – This place is an experience! Where else can you enjoy chicken and waffles while surrounded by singing chickens?! I went here with my mom and she still brings up the singing chickens from time to time. It was really neat to watch the animatronics come to life with the music. It certainly made the wait for food seem shorter. My mom enjoyed eating here so much that she even bought one of their t-shirts!

Five Oaks Farm Kitchen – I love the thick “ring-baked” griddle cakes here. I also think the huge cinnamon rolls are amazing! Both of these items are in the photo collage above. Fun fact, the people who own this restaurant also own one of my favorite Gatlinburg breakfast places: Crockett’s Breakfast Camp! They have a very similar menu. So, if you want huge pancakes or cinnamon rolls, you have two good options depending on where you are.

Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin – My last one on this list is another restaurant that has multiple locations! I like the variety of pancakes Flapjack’s offers. Plus, they actually put some flavors in the pancake batter rather than just putting a bunch of stuff on top. I really enjoyed their Reese’s peanut butter cup pancakes as it was like eating candy for breakfast!

As you can probably tell, it would be nearly impossible to crown one restaurant with the title of best breakfast in Pigeon Forge. However, I think a top 5 is a good compromise. So, have you ever eaten at any of these locations? Did I miss your go-to breakfast in the Smokies?

Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort Review

August 30, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I have had the pleasure of staying at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa on two prior trips, so you can probably tell what I think of it based on the fact that I made a return trip. However, if you are wondering what it’s like to stay there, keep reading.

DreamMore Resort and Spa

Let me start talking about the DreamMore Resort by stating just how pretty and inspiring the resort is. Dolly Parton dreamed up the theme for this resort and there are little touches everywhere to remind you of her. If you spend anytime walking around, it’s hard to miss the butterflies and other pieces encouraging you to dream more. I enjoy getting some free pink lemonade in the lobby, a loaf of cinnamon bread from the DM Pantry and enjoying it by the fireplace. Then, I follow that up with a walk around the resort to enjoy the beauty of the resort and mountains.

Dollywood’s Resort Rooms

As stated above, I have stayed at the DreamMore Resort twice. I first stayed with my husband in October 2019 and again the second time in August 2021 with my mom. The first trip we booked a king bed with a fun bunk bed. The second time we had two queen beds. So, I can say that this resort offers a variety of room sizes and setups for each family. Both rooms feature the same type of decor and relaxing vibes that make for a great trip. They also have comfortable mattresses. In fact, we even took a nap in the bunk bed once.

Theme Park Perks

Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa is currently and until Fall 2023, the only official Dollywood resort. It being the official resort means that it’s a great option if you are visiting the theme park. For starters, it’s basically next door to the parks. However, a stay at the resort also includes a free park shuttle! So, you don’t have to worry about driving and parking at the parks if you stay here! That’s a huge perk! Additionally, guests of the resort with park tickets receive free Timesaver passes to allow you to skip some lines in the theme parks. Guests also receive early park entry on Saturdays, enabling park goers the chance to ride select ride(s) before the park opens to the general public! You can also read my 5 favorite things to do at Dollywood if you are planning to visit the theme park too.

Food Options

Each time I stay here, I enjoy visiting Song & Hearth: Southern Eatery for breakfast. They have a great buffet with lots of tasty options. It’s also very convenient to just take an elevator down to breakfast instead of driving across town. I have also tried dinner here, but I prefer the breakfast. However, if you go for dinner then you must get Dolly’s stone soup as it’s her family’s recipe! As I mentioned above, I always get a loaf of cinnamon bread from DM Pantry whenever I visit the resort. DM Pantry is a quick service location serving coffee, pizza, and sandwiches all day. They also have a lounge, which I’ve heard good things about but haven’t actually experienced yet.

Admittedly, a stay at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa can be pricey depending on when you go. However, you can get a reasonable deal if you book a package or keep a look out for specials. Plus, I’ve only had good experiences staying here. Granted, I have not visited the spa or pools while staying here but I did pass by both and was impressed with what I saw. So, have you stayed here? What was your experience like?

Pirates Voyage Pigeon Forge Dinner Show Review

August 24, 2022 By Lindsay 2 Comments

I recently posted a review of the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud Show and today I’m sharing my thoughts on the Pirates Voyage dinner show in Pigeon Forge as well.

Pirates Voyage Pigeon Forge Dinner Show Review

Pirates Voyage Show

Let’s jump right in by stating that the best part of the Pirates Voyage dinner show is the show! Having been to all three dinner shows in Pigeon Forge, I can honestly say this one offers the best show! In fact, it’s the only one I’ve gone to twice now! I went once in May 2022 with my mom and then again with my husband in June 2022. I really enjoyed the show each time as I had a different seat and view with each show. In May, I was on the Sapphire side and in June I was on the Crimson side. It was neat to cheer for a different team each time.

The Pirates Voyage show is very entertaining. The actors are acrobatics in every sense of the word. I can’t even begin to imagine how one learns to do the show. Plus, there’s fire and some animals incorporated into the show. Spoiler alert: my mom loved the addition of the sea lion and the birds were also neat to see.

The Food

While the Pirates Voyage has the best show, the food is just ok, if I’m being completely honest. It certainly wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the best dinner show food either. If you recall, I prefer the food at the Hatfield and McCoy show. However, both shows serve the same creamy vegetable soup, which you can buy a mix of in the shows’ stores. Beyond that, it’s a completely different meal. It’s actually more similar to the meal served at Dolly Parton’s Stampede with its chicken, biscuit, corn on the cob, potato, ham, and fruit turnover. The difference between the two is that Pirates Voyage comes with some fried chicken and a peach turner. Stampede serves a whole small rotisserie chicken and apple turnover.

Additionally, similar to Dolly Parton’s Stampede and different from Hatfield and McCoys is that the meal is served during the show. So, it can be difficult to watch the show and eat your food at the same time. Plus, it’s not unlimited, like Hatfield and McCoy is. However, they will bring you more to drink if you finish yours. I really enjoyed the lemonade here, as did my husband. The meal certainly wasn’t bad by any means, just know that you are going to Pirates Voyage for the show mainly.

If you are visiting Pigeon Forge and want to experience a dinner show like no other, I can recommend Pirates Voyage with its amazing show and good food. Admittedly, it is pricey so be on the lookout for discounts and coupons. However, I can guarantee it will be a dinner that you won’t quickly forget.