Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge Must See?

[MudderDearest]

Just thought I'd check and see if anyone had some suggestions on places to see or eat?

[Beebobloo]

We went to the aquarium in Gatlinburg. We loved it! We went last year and the kids still talk about it.
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[VinhThiMom]

How old are your kids? MagicQuest is popular, but mine were too young for the main part (4 & 5). They loved the mirror maze and black light mini golf there, though.

[MudderDearest]

We went to the aquarium in Gatlinburg. We loved it! We went last year and the kids still talk about it.
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I think we are definitely going to try & go to the aquarium! :booyah:

How old are your kids? MagicQuest is popular, but mine were too young for the main part (4 & 5). They loved the mirror maze and black light mini golf there, though.

2 & 6, so they're probably too young too- but the black light mini golf perked my ears up. ds1 LOVES golf. :hi5:

The Apple Barn (http://www.applebarncidermill.com/) is on my todo list

[Elle_Emme]

There is a great hiking section of national forest right there too.
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eta: kid friendly hiking with a small "nature" center.

[batmansmom]

are you going to do Cade's Cove? though, your kids are kind of young, they might not care for that.

[Elle_Emme]

http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/

Click on the calendar for each day to see what there is.
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Where are you staying? The indoor waterpark is TDF!

[batmansmom]

and the alpine slide, 6 yo can do that, right?

[chickipoo]

The aquarium there is really awesome.
I'd say Dollywood (http://www.dollywood.com/dollywood_home.aspx). It looks like they don't open til late March. If you can get a decently warm enough day you should be good. Lots of opportunities to get indoors and warm up if need be.
Great Smokies Park/Cades Cove. Cades Cove is often crowded but it's a must see. This one should also be ok to visit in winter, a lot of it is driving.
I always loved going to Ober Gatlinburg (http://www.obergatlinburg.com/). It is a ski resort, but I always liked going there for ice skating. I am not sure if you would enjoy that with a two year old, but there are many other things to do. They have tubing and stuff, not sure what the snow has been like this year.
Definitely eat at the Apple Barn. I am trying to think of any more places to eat that you might like. Dinner theaters and chain restaurants are about all that are coming to mind right now though. I like the Chop House (http://www.thechophouse.com/locations.html). It is a semi-local chain. It is actually in Sevierville, which sounds like it's another city, but it's really pretty close. It's not far from the outlets.
Where are you staying? There's a couple hotels with indoor water parks. The one we stayed in I can HIGHLY NOT recommend. I would have to look up the name to tell you for sure but the other one in town gets good reviews. G's cousin takes her kids there often and loves it.
There's a Ripley's museum- not really my thing but if you're into that. You will also be just a short drive from the Knoxville Zoo.
I will try to add more if I think of anything.

[redfishbluefish]

This place

Calhoun’s BBQ
1004 Parkway # 101
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-4100


They have delicious bbq chicken with pineapple :drool: :drool:
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We enjoyed Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum.

[chickipoo]

Oh yeah! Calhoun's. Agreed. :drool:

[batmansmom]

ooooh Dixie Stampede (http://dixiestampede.com/)! I did this as a youngster and it was so much fun. My brother and I were picked to compete- we chased a chicken. :giggle:

[MudderDearest]

There is a great hiking section of national forest right there too.
~~~~~~~
eta: kid friendly hiking with a small "nature" center.
I know :booyah:I looked at renting a cabin that came with kayaks :wub: Idk that I would actually get a chance to enjoy that though.

are you going to do Cade's Cove? though, your kids are kind of young, they might not care for that. :newdrool: probably not but thats something I would love to see/do

http://www.eventsgatlinburg.com/

Click on the calendar for each day to see what there is.
~~~~~~~
Where are you staying? The indoor waterpark is TDF!
googling now- which waterpark Wild Bear Falls (http://www.wildbearfalls.com/)?

The aquarium there is really awesome.
I'd say Dollywood (http://www.dollywood.com/dollywood_home.aspx). It looks like they don't open til late March. If you can get a decently warm enough day you should be good. Lots of opportunities to get indoors and warm up if need be.
Great Smokies Park/Cades Cove. Cades Cove is often crowded but it's a must see. This one should also be ok to visit in winter, a lot of it is driving.
I always loved going to Ober Gatlinburg (http://www.obergatlinburg.com/). It is a ski resort, but I always liked going there for ice skating. I am not sure if you would enjoy that with a two year old, but there are many other things to do. They have tubing and stuff, not sure what the snow has been like this year.
Definitely eat at the Apple Barn. I am trying to think of any more places to eat that you might like. Dinner theaters and chain restaurants are about all that are coming to mind right now though. I like the Chop House (http://www.thechophouse.com/locations.html). It is a semi-local chain. It is actually in Sevierville, which sounds like it's another city, but it's really pretty close. It's not far from the outlets.
Where are you staying? There's a couple hotels with indoor water parks. The one we stayed in I can HIGHLY NOT recommend. I would have to look up the name to tell you for sure but the other one in town gets good reviews. G's cousin takes her kids there often and loves it.
There's a Ripley's museum- not really my thing but if you're into that. You will also be just a short drive from the Knoxville Zoo.
I will try to add more if I think of anything.
Thanks for all of your suggestions. We're looking at renting a cabin. I might have to take another look at Cades Cove- we're planning on scooting down there this weekend. (its only a few hour drive, and we're able to get some really great deals since its off season) oh & we have Chop House here in KY :loveshower:

This place

Calhoun’s BBQ
1004 Parkway # 101
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-4100


They have delicious bbq chicken with pineapple :drool: :drool:
~~~~~~~
We enjoyed Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum.
Oh yeah! Calhoun's. Agreed. :drool:
I had some other people rec'd Calhoun's- I guess we'll be going there too!

[VinhThiMom]

Where are you staying? The indoor waterpark is TDF!

:yeahthat: The Wilderness Resort (http://www.wildernessatthesmokies.com/). We stay in the condos there bc we have a timeshare, but the hotel part seems nice, too. The waterpark is so much fun. We go at least once a year. We're going in August with NO KIDS. :booyah:

We took the kids a few months ago and they loved Ober. The chair lift was a little scary for ME (afraid they'd fall out) but they loved it. And the alpine slide. There are a couple places to do black light golf. We've only done the one at MagiQuest, but I know there's one on the strip in downtown Gat. The aquarium is nice. We've done that a few times.

Don't do the Ripley's world record museum. Most boring thing ever. It's just a bunch of signs on the wall to read. The kids weren't interested enough to let us stop and read anything. Waste of money there.

The Apple Barn is a must. We try to go anytime we're in town. We didn't make it on our last trip, though.

[MudderDearest]

:yeahthat: The Wilderness Resort (http://www.wildernessatthesmokies.com/). We stay in the condos there bc we have a timeshare, but the hotel part seems nice, too. The waterpark is so much fun. We go at least once a year. We're going in August with NO KIDS. :booyah:

We took the kids a few months ago and they loved Ober. The chair lift was a little scary for ME (afraid they'd fall out) but they loved it. And the alpine slide. There are a couple places to do black light golf. We've only done the one at MagiQuest, but I know there's one on the strip in downtown Gat. The aquarium is nice. We've done that a few times.

Don't do the Ripley's world record museum. Most boring thing ever. It's just a bunch of signs on the wall to read. The kids weren't interested enough to let us stop and read anything. Waste of money there.

The Apple Barn is a must. We try to go anytime we're in town. We didn't make it on our last trip, though.

Ober = anxiety attack in the waiting & the other tram thing up the mountain... I'd be a nervous wreck :err:

has anyone gone to the Apple Barn Winery (http://www.applebarnwines.com/our_wines.htm)??? :wine:

[redfishbluefish]

:woot: for Calhouns. IIRC they have a big metal bull in front of the restaurant but it might be a different place.

[BackLitLeo]

I've been to WonderWorks (http://www.wonderworksonline.com/pigeon-forge/) in Florida, but when we were in Gatlinburg it was still under construction. It was so flipping cool. Lots of fun.

You are planning on eating at Hard Rock, yes?

Ripley's was fun, but probably wouldn't be in a crowd or used properly. DH and I went on a Tuesday in January, so we were literally the only people there. We have all kinds of funny pictures where we climbed into the exhibits. Not something you can do with a crowd, so I don't think I'd go back during the tourist season.

The aquarium was cool, but if you've been to Newport it's about the same.

[Elle_Emme]

kayaks? Well... I could just come up and we can leave your DH and go ourselves :err: Then again, I could just bring my own, lol.

It is really cool in that area.

[MudderDearest]

ooooh Dixie Stampede (http://dixiestampede.com/)! I did this as a youngster and it was so much fun. My brother and I were picked to compete- we chased a chicken. :giggle:
Sorry I didn't mean to miss you last time around. I think we *might* do this... not sure yet I've got to take another look at the menu.

:woot: for Calhouns. IIRC they have a big metal bull in front of the restaurant but it might be a different place.
i'm starving now... and thinking about bbq. :sigh::giggle:

I've been to WonderWorks (http://www.wonderworksonline.com/pigeon-forge/) in Florida, but when we were in Gatlinburg it was still under construction. It was so flipping cool. Lots of fun.

You are planning on eating at Hard Rock, yes?

Ripley's was fun, but probably wouldn't be in a crowd or used properly. DH and I went on a Tuesday in January, so we were literally the only people there. We have all kinds of funny pictures where we climbed into the exhibits. Not something you can do with a crowd, so I don't think I'd go back during the tourist season.

The aquarium was cool, but if you've been to Newport it's about the same.
I think DH & I would enjoy Ripleys museum if it were just the 2 of us... & Wonderworks looks like a lot of fun! I'm going to google for some ma & pop diners or restaurants- its always exciting for us to discover a quirky little place.

kayaks? Well... I could just come up and we can leave your DH and go ourselves :err: Then again, I could just bring my own, lol.

It is really cool in that area.
uh yeahhhh :booyah:or you could come up anytime and hop on the Elkhorn or the KY River is just a few miles away

[VinhThiMom]

There are two Ripley's museum. The world records one is the one I mentioned (boring). The believe it or not museum may be better suited to kids.

[MudderDearest]

There are two Ripley's museum. The world records one is the one I mentioned (boring). The believe it or not museum may be better suited to kids.

oh good to know- lol, you guys are all so knowledgeable! :hi5:thank you!

[VinhThiMom]

Gatlinburg was our family vacation spot all through my childhood. It's 3.5 hours away. We would go over spring break every year. Then I got married (12 years ago) and we honeymooned there. We kept going back, as a couple, every year. We had kids and started taking them there. So yeah, I've only been there like 20-30 times. LOL

[chickipoo]

ooooh Dixie Stampede (http://dixiestampede.com/)! I did this as a youngster and it was so much fun. My brother and I were picked to compete- we chased a chicken. :giggle:

:giggle: How fun!

[batmansmom]

Yeah, it was totally rigged though. The competing side's chicken was trained and it ran in a straight line exactly where it was supposed to go. Ours ran in circles all over the place. I was really upset about it. LOL

[MudderDearest]

I don't recommend Flap Jacks for breakfast :err: