Pigeon Forge is also near to the Great Smoky Mountains and is worth a trip to. Again, if you stay in Townsend, Tennessee, getting to Pigeon Forge will only take you about 20-30 minutes and the drive there is magnificent. If you are a shopaholic, Pigeon Forge is defintely a must. Since shopping isn’t an integral part of my ideal family vacation, I personally have not spent much time checking out the shops.
If you have an adventurous spirit, there are also a number of attractions at Pigeon Forge that you might enjoy. Whitewater Rafting is available, but I haven’t been able to take advantage of this attraction yet. The first time I visited the Smokies, it was with a 4 and 6 year old, which meant the youngest was too young. The next time we went, we had the twins and they were 2 at the time. On our upcoming trip in October, the kids will be old enough, but I am not certain October will be a good time for being in the water at the Smokies. Alas….this is one attraction that has remained elusive for my family. One day, I hope to be able to do this one!
If you like driving go-karts, Pigeon Forge is definitely worth a visit. We enjoyed a visit to the NASCAR Speedpark, where you can not only race go-karts but take a look at some great NASCAR memorabilia as well. If you enjoy racing, you might also want to check out the Hwy 411 Motor Speedway. I personally haven’t been to one of these races, but I have heard great things about what it has to offer.
Scenic helicopter rides are also available in Pigeon Forge. I hope to take advantage of one of these trips when we visit the Smokies again in October. I think a view from a copter flying over the Fall colors will be magnificent. One of my boys is deathly afraid of heights, though, and another is not too fond of them either. So, I am not sure if that adventure will happen. If does, I will be sure to post my experience here in a blog!
[...] get bored or overwhelmed by just one activity. We also did venture into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, as there are plenty of great things to see there…I just wouldn’t want to stay there [...]