When you think about a Pigeon Forge vacation, you’re probably thinking about families, maybe especially ones with little kids. Or weddings in little mountain chapels might have popped into your head. Both of those are a lot of what Pigeon Forge is about, but it’s way more.
With wineries, breweries, outlet shops, tons of hiking trails, go kart tracks, arcades, outlet shops, bars, great views, and some awesome cabins loaded with game tables, big screen TVs, hot tubs, indoor pools, and kitchens you can load up with drinks and late-night snacks, it’s the perfect place for a college break.
Between awesome places to stay and tons of things to do, you can spend a weekend or a week here without getting bored. So whether you’re planning a trip for summer, spring, fall, or winter break, here’s your guide to getting away to the Smokies.
Daytime Downtown
Now that finals are over, let loose and have some fun. Race around the go kart track, play arcade games and use your tickets to buy some slap bracelets and erasers – they’ll take you back. The area also has laser tag, outlet shopping, indoor skydiving, As Seen on TV stores, the Hollywood Wax Museum, the Titanic Museum Attraction, The Escape Game Pigeon Forge (try breaking out of prison), and even a haunted house where you can run from zombies (Outbreak – Dread the Undead).
There are also a ton of events all year, with lots of live music in the summertime. One of the best spots in Pigeon Forge is by Ole Smoky Moonshine at The Island. They have an outdoor stage, so you can hang out, sample some moonshine (try the apple pie!), and listen to bluegrass and more.
Out in the Woods
If you love getting outside, you probably already know how much there is to do in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are 800+ miles of trails in the park, and you can go hiking, horseback riding, or just check out some of the historic buildings and look for bears.
Summer break also means getting out on the water, and there is plenty to do in that category as well. Rent a kayak or float down the river to get some sun. Or you can rent a boat at Douglas Lake or check out one of the great swimming holes in the area.
If you don’t want to get away from the cabin, rent one that has its own pool or community pool access and you won’t completely miss out. You can also rent fishing gear or get a guide to take you out; they’ll know all the best places to go.
Out on the Town
By day, Pigeon Forge is all go karts, arcades, and attractions. But at night, bars serve up ice-cold drinks and breweries have live music and late-night food. Or you can drive over to neighboring Gatlinburg for even more places to go. Dude’s Daiquiris at The Island in Pigeon Forge is a cool place to hang out on the patio, and Margaritaville has island-inspired food and a giant blender that starts up every time “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere” plays.
Other local favorites are Club 812 at Blaine’s Bar & Grill, Pucker’s Sports Bar & Grill, the rooftop patio at Loco Burro, and Smoky Mountain Brewery. And if you’re in the mood for Mexican, get giant burritos and margaritas at No Way Jose’s next to Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg.
*Please drink responsibly.
Awesome Cabins
We have a ton of cabins to choose from, whether you’re on a road trip with 3 or 4 friends or planning your summer break with a huge group. The log cabins give you a cool mountain feel, and they have all the amenities you could need.
You can hop in the hot tub on the deck, hang out around a fire pit, have a private indoor pool, relax on the deck in the rocking chairs, throw some burgers and steaks on the grill, have a lazy day around the cabin while you veg out in front of the big screen TV, or have a movie marathon in your own movie room.
Many of our cabins have game tables, and some feature huge rec rooms with pool and foosball tables, air hockey tables, arcade games, video games, shuffleboard, darts, and more. They also have amenities to make your stay easier. Most have high-speed wireless internet and full kitchens where you can fill the fridge with enough food to keep everyone from getting hangry.
You can book online and search by which amenities you want, or you can give us a call and let us know what you need. We even have budget-friendly ones if the money from that semester working in the bookstore only lasted as far as the ramen noodles.