If you've visited the Smoky Mts, can you weigh in on these possible activities?

[Nestof3]

Thank you so very much! Ps-- our cabin is in Pigeon Forge.

 

Biltmore estates

 

Cades cove

 

Gem mining

 

Dixie stampede

 

Laurel falls hike

 

Clingman's dome

 

Cherokee village

 

Old mill restaurant

 

Miniature golf {hillbilly, Davy Crockett, professor Hacker's, Ripley's (three)}

 

Wonder works (magic show $40 extra)

 

The chimneys hike

 

Apple barn restaurant

 

Parrot mt. and gardens

 

Roaring fork motor nature trail

 

Smoky Mt knifeworks Sevierville, Tn.

 

Old mill village

 

Cirque de chine

 

Star tracks (go carts)

 

Speed zone fun park (go carts)

 

Ripley's moving theater

 

Nascar speedpark (go carts, golf, other rides)

 

Amazing mirror maze (not Ripley's) w/circus golf (black light)

 

Horseback Smokey Mt. stables, Cades Cove, Sugarland

Edited May 2, 2011 by nestof3

[PeterPan]

Biltmore is of course wonderful. We did a gem mine in the middle of NC, and that was INCREDIBLY fun, highly recommend. You were able to leave the gems and turn them into little pieces of jewelry, also neat.

 

We found the rest of the town there not to our taste. There are wonderful old growth forests you can explore, including the Joyce Kilmer. We stopped in the cherokee town and did a shop, just to say we did, but it was pretty touristy. There is a WONDERFUL waterfall outside of town. I found the instructions to get there in my Frommers guide. It's not marked otherwise. Get the Frommers guide.

 

If you're out that way, Lake Lure is picturesque, peaceful, and fun. We ate at a delightful italian restaurant overlooking the lake that I would highly recommend. Incredibly good bread.

 

I wish we had spent more time at Biltmore. Nuts, I wish we had spent the night at the Biltmore. Don't they have a hotel adjacent? That would have been neat, just to continue to enjoy it.

[Heatherwith4]

I've been several times, and I'll give my opinion on the ones I've done.

Cades Cove: beautiful drive, but it does take a while. Lots of people have seen bears there, but we haven't. We go there anytime we visit the Smokies.

Dixie Stampede: tons of good food and an entertaining show. Another must-do activity for us.

I commented on Cirque de Chine in the other thread. I've only been once, but I will definitely go back again. I thought the show was reasonably priced, too.

I've also been to the Old Mill Restaurant, and again, it's a must-do attraction. The breakfast there is especially good. The square is okay, there are a few neat shops there that won't take too long to visit after you eat at the restaurant.

[Pretty in Pink]

None of us enjoyed the Ripley's moving theatre; it was incredibly jerky and uncomfortable.

 

We did both mirror mazes and they were fun.

[Kfamily]

We loved the Biltmore Estate. I don't know if this is out of your travel path or not, but we loved Rock City. It is located at Lookout Mountain in Georgia but right at the border from Chattanooga, Tennessee. We went horseback riding but I can't remember where.

 

http://www.seerockcity.com/

[mamatohaleybug]

Cades Cove and other national park areas are MUST do activities!

[ktgrok]

I've done the gem mining, the cherokee village, and been to somewhere called "sliding rock". These were all as a kid, and I loved all of them.

[ereks mom]

Cades Cove is pretty. If you enjoy looking at scenery and like the possibility of seeing bears, it's fun. There is an old church & cemetery where you can stop and look around. If you're looking for excitement rather than beautiful scenery, it might not appeal to you. These are the kinds of things we actually enjoy doing, but if you're looking for more lively entertainment (go carts, shopping, and such), you'll want to go elsewhere. I don't see Dollywood on your list, but if you like theme parks, it's supposed to be really fun.

 

Our favorite attraction in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, hands down, is the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. Another favorite is Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill, about 30 miles from Gatlinburg. It's run by the National Park Service, and is very interesting, but not commercialized like so many attractions in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area.

 

We don't enjoy going to shows, but we have friends and family members who like the Dixie Stampede and the Comedy Barn.

 

Whenever we go on vacation, we look for mini-golf places, and there was one that we really liked the last time we were in Pigeon Forge; the name of it was Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf.

Edited May 2, 2011 by ereks mom

[mcconnellboys]

Biltmore estates - Adore it! Drive the Appalachian Parkway from Gatlinburg over there.... Behind the scenes tour is good....

 

Cades cove - Love it! I'd heard they closed the loop except to bikes - but then someone said they'd opened it again, so you might check....

 

Gem mining - Haven't done it there, but have done it elsewhere and wasn't thrilled....

 

Dixie stampede - don't think I've ever done this....

 

Laurel falls hike - beautiful!

 

Clingman's dome - make sure to go on a clear day!

 

Cherokee village - was good, once upon a time; then I was told it had gone downhill. However, the tribe has had an influx of money in recent years (due to gambling) so maybe they've got things back on track now.... The museum was also good!

 

Old mill restaurant - haven't been there in years but it was always packed - go at off times....

 

Miniature golf {hillbilly, Davy Crockett, professor Hacker's, Ripley's (three)} - haven't done miniature golf there....

 

Wonder works (magic show $40 extra) - we went to the one in Orlando and it was wonderful; we did not do a magic show but they did play laser tag while there, I think....

 

The chimneys hike - haven't done it.

 

Apple barn restaurant - haven't been there.

 

Parrot mt. and gardens - haven't been.

 

Roaring fork motor nature trail - haven't been.

 

Smoky Mt knifeworks Sevierville, Tn. - haven't been.

 

I haven't ever been to the rest of the things on your list. We have been to Dollywood during homeschool days and always enjoyed it. They have a raptor program and do shows related to those there and those are good.

 

Just walking around in downtown Gatlinburg, watching candy making, trying different restaurants, watching glass blowing, etc. is also fun.... There used to be a chair lift that was also nice in that area of town....

[KellyKelley]

W've been horseback riding, to Dixie Stampede, the Aquarium, and all were worth it. We always eat at The Old Mill and if you are there during their busy season eat early or late because the wait can be brutal. Last time we stayed at the Wilderness and then went camping. We didn't do tons because M was only 2.5 months old and I was still not fully recovered from my c-section but we had a great time. It is really a great place for families.

[threehomeschoolers]

Cade's Cove would be a must for us. My boys said they loved doing "real" history, not just out of a book.

 

We ate fried pies at the Apple Barn rest. They were wonderful. We were able to pick a few apples and then bought some. It was really fun to watch the workers bring in fresh picked apples and then prepare them for sale.

 

We did go to Dollywood. When we went you could go "free" the second day if you went after 3pm on the first day. You might check for any local specials.

[Nestof3]

Thank you so very much! We leave Thursday. :auto:

[Jan in SC]

If you are going all the way down to Biltmore, then you should do the loop in the Pisgah forest. Lookout falls, the cradle of forestry, an awesome fish hatchery, sliding rock, and a few other activities are right near each other. There are great picnic spots and everything is free, or very inexpensive. There is a great little hotel, The Pisgah Inn, that has wonderful food.

[HollyDay]

Cades Cove is beautiful, but it can be very crowded. We enjoyed hiking, sitting in cold streams and horseback riding.

 

The Heritage Museum in Townsend is lovely. Both my dds said that was one of their favorite things.

 

We liked riding at Next to Heaven stables and a stable in the park near Sugarland.

 

Make sure you get fudge too!! I have never had fudge as good as the fudge from that area.

 

Oh, the aquarium was very, very nice. We really enjoyed that quite a bit.

 

OberGatlinburg is fun. We did not budget enough for the alpine rides, but we did enjoy ice skating and riding the gondola. There is a nice restaurant up there. The food is very good, not great, but the view is amazing!

[mafi39]

I live only an hour and a half away from pigeon forge so we've been there tons through out my life.

 

Cades cove is absolutely beautiful. You will see lots of deer and other wild life. Don't be afraid to park your car, sit by a creek and absorb the beauty with a picnic! You are going during a good time of year. The weekend will be crowded but the week should be less so. The kids are still in school around there so you won't have to compete with that crowd yet. I would go to cades cove early in the morning before the crowd.

 

Biltmore is amazing as well. It's worth the drive from pigeon forge, probably under 2 hours. You can spend a whole day there and be very satisfied!

 

There are some gem mining places in pigeon forge, but I've never done those.

 

The dixie stampede is great! It's expensive but worth it. You get great food and entertainment for well over two hours. Make sure you get there for the pre-show!

 

I've done laurel falls and if you have little ones or a stroller it can be done but it is a three mile hike. The path can get narrow and does drop off steeply but it is graveled. If you or anyone in your party is out of shape, you will be wore out lol!

 

Now clingman's dome is in the park and you will drive steep curvy roads. So be aware of this if you have anyone prone to motion sickness. Cherokee is a neat town too and is about 35-40 miles from gatlinburg but will take about an hour to get there because you are passing through some big mountains.

 

Old mill is a great place to see a mill in working order, eat and shop. There are some great little shops (pottery, candy making, homemade toys) so that would be a fun place for lunch.

 

Your boys and husband would love the knifeworks store. It has tons of knives, wildlife and even lots of stuff for mom. There are two or three levels so definitely a great rainy day place

 

I would absolutely go to Dollywood if you can afford it. If you go after three, you get in the next day for free, so it's a better deal. It is a beautiful theme park.

 

The aquarium in downtown gatlinburg is a must see as well. The great thing about any of the ripleys attractions in gatlinburg and pigeon forge is they give a homeschool discount. If you show a homeschool i.d. card or something similar you get half price. Just go to the customer service desk. Our aquarium trip was going to cost 52 dollars and we got in for 25 for four people. Don't be afraid to ask at any attraction.

 

I would walk in gatlinburg at night, it's really neat and there's tons to do!

 

You can have a great time in this area and it not cost you an arm and a leg. But if you have the money, do as much as you can and have a ball!

[SamuelsMommy]

We live about 20 minutes away from Pigeon Forge so I'll give you our opinion on everything...

 

Biltmore estates - this is pretty cool but is going to be a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive so you may want to stay closer to town and do more things

 

Cades cove - we LOVE Cades cove! You can drive the loop and just stop at the various churches and homesteads, or there are a couple of hiking trails off the loop if you like that sort of thing. The Abram's Falls trail is fairly easy

 

Gem mining - never done it

 

Dixie stampede - one of our favorites. The food is good but it is a little expensive. You might be able to get discount tickets through wherever you are staying

 

Laurel falls hike - easy hike, great for kids, waterfall is pretty

 

Clingman's dome - short but steep hike, my son did it but needed lots of rests, it was very cold even in the summer because of the elevation

 

Cherokee village - haven't been there in years so can't really tell you what it's like now

 

Old mill restaurant - yummy food! definitely try to eat there

 

Miniature golf {hillbilly, Davy Crockett, professor Hacker's, Ripley's (three)} - we do the Ripley's golf courses and they are fun, there are multiple courses at each one so plenty of variety

 

Wonder works (magic show $40 extra) - I haven't been to wonderworks, but my parents took my son (6 years old) and he loved it. It's been several months and he asks me almost every day if he can go back

 

The chimneys hike - haven't done this one because we have a 6 year old and everyone has told us that it is too hard for little kids. Not sure the ages of your kids, but you could always talk to someone at the visitor's center and they can give you more info on what the trail is like

 

Apple barn restaurant - another yummy place to eat!

 

Parrot mt. and gardens - haven't been

 

Roaring fork motor nature trail - this is similar to Cades Cove in that you drive a loop and there are homesteads and trails off of it. We have done it and it was fun but we like Cades Cove better if you have to pick only one

 

Smoky Mt knifeworks Sevierville, Tn. - fun place to go and just wander around, it's basically just a bunch of different vendors that sell knives and hunting type stuff

 

Old mill village - this is just little shops and things around the old mill. DH and I like to walk around every once and awhile. May not be much fun for the kiddos though

 

Cirque de chine - haven't been

 

Star tracks (go carts) - not sure which track this is. We usually go to The Track. It's in Pigeon Forge and has several go cart tracks, bumper boats, mini golf and couple other things

 

Speed zone fun park (go carts) - not sure

 

Ripley's moving theater - very jerky and not very long for the amount you pay

 

Nascar speedpark (go carts, golf, other rides) - fun especially if you have older kids, our youth group at church likes to go here. The go cart tracks are a lot more fun and more grown up (faster cars, tighter turns, etc) than some of the other places

 

Amazing mirror maze (not Ripley's) w/circus golf (black light) - haven't done this one, the Ripley's one was fun and I'm sure it's pretty similar

 

Hope that helps! We also love Dollywood if you get a chance to go. They are currently having their Festival of Nations and so they have several different shows representing different cultures. Our favorites were the DRUM show from Novia Scotia and the Argentina show (can't think of the name of it right now)

[Wendi]

Cades Cove is one of my favorite places I've ever been to! Beautiful, historic, peaceful. . . Don't miss it!

 

(I've been there in summer and also hiked there in the snow. Loved it both times.)

 

Wendi

[5Youngs]

We vacationed in Gatlinburg last week. I recommend the Laurel Falls hike and Cade's Cove. We biked CC, but that is NOT for the faint of heart. :) The LF hike will only take an hour round trip, so if you drive Cade's Cove, you could do both the same day. The Smoky Mtns are gorgeous right now! We even saw a black bear mama and cub.

 

The Aquarium has a homeschool rate of $7 a ticket. Be sure to have a membership card of some kind. It is AWESOME.

 

Davy Crockett mini-golf was on our list, but we ran out of time.

 

Have a blast!!!

[journeytolily]

I LOVE the Smokie Mountains area! In fact, we are looking at going at the end of August.

 

Favorite things:

 

Cades Cove (churches, graveyard), and Laurel Falls. Love just exploring the National Park.

 

Downtown Gatlinburg. We love to walk around, and we take the cable car to Ober Gatlinburg at least once each trip.

 

Horseback Riding. We've been to 3 different stables, but I can't remember the names.

 

Dollywood. Great family theme park. Usually, if you go after 3:00 on day, you get in the next day for free.

 

Dixie Stampede. Good food, and FUN!

 

Old Mill. Great food, shops are okay, nice to walk around.

 

Have a great time!

[patchfire]

Biltmore is fantastic, but I'd imagine a bit of a drive? Cades Cove is one of my favorites, but I also have ancestors that lived there, so that makes it even more enjoyable. I haven't been to the Dixie Stampede in years but it's a lot of un.

 

I haven't done Laurel Falls in years, either, but it's an enjoyable hike.

 

 

Our favorite restaurant in the area is the Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg. That's a must IMO!

[rlugbill]

I used to live in the Smokies. On the NC side, not Tenn.

 

I imagine that you have children- probably young. Some of the things will be great for them- some are more interesting for adults.

 

Biltmore- very expensive. Huge, beautiful French chateau strangely situated in the middle of Appalachia. Beautiful grounds, flowers, etc. Great for mom- less so for kids.

 

Cades Cove- Lots of old log cabins. You drive around and stop and look at old buildings. Good history for kids- interesting for adults.

 

Gem mining- hokey tourist thing. Kids love it though. Like a lot of hokey touristy things in the Smokies. You go through a pile of dirt that they have stuck some shiny worthless rocks in.

 

Clingman's dome. You drive up very high, then get out and walk the last 1/2 mile or so to the top of Clingman's Dome. Great views on a clear day. Unfortunately, during the peak season- July- August, it is rarely clear.

 

Cherokee- There are 3 things worth seeing in Cherokee IMHO. The museum, the outdoor theatre and the Oconaluftee Indian Village. The Indian Village is interesting to learn about how the Cherokee lived. Don't expect the tour guide to be high energy though. The Cherokee are sort of low-key. The museum and the "Unto These Hills" outdoor play are very good also. Those are the things in Cherokee that are high quality. But kids love the low-quality souvenir shops.

 

Many of the other things you describe are the same sorts of rides and things you can do anywhere- sort of self-explanatory.

 

I prefer the nature and the cultural things. It is a beautiful area. But I know kids like the same sort of rides and things available at Myrtle Beach or a thousand other tourist destinations.

[Just Another Jen]

Cades cove - nice drive we've seen bears twice.

 

Gem mining - it's a must do stop for us. All the older kids all remember going and now we have to go every time. A cost saving tip would be to have the kids share a bucket.

 

Laurel falls hike - very pretty

 

Clingman's dome- great view and shouldn't be too crowded this time of year.