Description

Highlights (i.e. best things to do, memorable moments, etc.)
Miniature golf. Southern cooking. Go-Karts. Souvenir shops. Bungee jumping. Homemade fudge. Arcades. Outlet malls. Fruit butters. Country music shows. The list goes on.

Sound like a lot of action? You will find all of this and more on the "strip" of Pigeon Forge called the Parkway. Right underneath the majestic Smoky Mountains is the glittering, up-all-night, family attraction town of Pigeon Forge. There is something very charming about the tackiness you will find here in this tourist town. This town is a mini-Vegas, hillbilly style, with most of the attractions for families and children.

The food here is outstanding. From the Old Mill Restaurant which serves up scrumptious fritters to the Alamo Steakhouse where we indulged in mouth-watering Black Angus steaks cooked over an oak fire, the food in Pigeon Forge is true to its form - Southern-fried and straight from the farm.

Family shows are available at all times during the day, some starting as early as 9:30 a.m. for the breakfast show. It seems like there is always someone racing in go-karts or involved in a heated game of miniature golf. When you get sick of it all, you can spend the day at Dollywood or hike to a waterfall in Smoky Mountain National Park, only 15 miles away.

Quick tips/suggestions
Do: Plan a visit to the Old Mill to step back in time and get a glimpse of Mountain life.
Don't: Think that Dollywood is just another amusement park or just for girls. It's is truly a place of its own.
Do: Look into the trolley system to get to the major attractions so you can avoid paying high parking prices.
Do: Have cash on hand. Was had a hard time finding an ATM in Pigeon Forge. We went to three gas stations and grocery stores before we were directed to the ATM in the parking lot of the McDonald's. There will be plenty of cash stations in Gatlinburg however.
Don't: Forget you are at the foot of Smoky Mountain National Park and plan at least one waterfall to hike to.
Suggested local dish to try: Apple Fritters, Apple Butter and Homemade Fudge.

Best Way to get around
Getting There: Most likely you will drive into town. If you do not drive the entire trip, you can fly into Knoxville, Tennessee and drive about 45 minutes down to Pigeon Forge.
Getting Around: Things are spread far apart so you may want to drive if you have a car. Trolleys are available to major attractions and have several stops around town. Each ride costs $0.25 and you can get 10 tokens for $2.00 or 20 tokens for $3.50. There is also a park and ride option for $0.50. The trolley runs daily at various times throughout the year, except for January and February and major holidays.