What are the must sees of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and most importantly are there any good cake supply places???

My husband/2yo daughter and I are going on vacation and I just want to make sure that we don't miss the good stuff!

we will be there from the 7th to the 14th.

Thank you all so much for any suggestions!!

Hey Janel
This probably won't be much help, but my family once won a trip to Pigeon Forge to visit Dollywood. It's no Cedar Point or Disney World, but it was fun none the less. It's an amusement park that is old-timey and history focused. But I doubt it's open in March. But on our way to the hotel from the airport, we noticed lots of things to do. WE drove down this street, and it was jammed packed with stores, live theaters, restaurants and the like. (I'm sure you've probably been to Orlando - you live in Florida, I see - and it was like the streets there, jammed packed and bustling. That's the only way I can describe it.)
I hope someone from the area replies so they can clarify what I've tried to say, lol. I hope you guys have fun!

Bigsis - thank you so much for responding - hopefully Dollywood will be open in March - I was really wanting to go back. I have been to Gatlinburg 2 times before - once when I was a kid and once for only a weekend.

This time we are going to be there so long, I want to do EVERYTHING!!

Hopefully someone that lives in the area can give me all the goody!!

Hi Janel!

Things to do in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg...

Your 2 year old will LOVE the aquarium. It is definitely a can't miss.

Ober Gatlinburg is neat, you can ride the tram and ice-skate.

There are lots of dinner theaters in Pigeon Forge, I have heard any of them are GREAT shows.

Dollywood.

Outlet Mall! Yay, shopping!

In Gatlinburg, it is fun just to walk up the main street and people watch, walk through all the shops, etc.

If you run out of things to do, there is more stuff to do in Chattanooga: Aquarium, Children's Creative Discovery museum, Lookout Mountain, Rock City/Ruby Falls.

That all sounds like so much fun!!! I'm getting really excited to go!

Thank you so much! I LOVE VACATION!!

Hope you have a fantastic vacation!

Oh yeah, if you don't find a cake shop in Gatlinburg, there is one in Chattanooga a few miles off I-75. I don't have anything to compare it to, so I don't know how good it is, but I like it!

OH oh, I forgot. Athens Tennessee is on the way too (if you are coming up I75) Mayfield is based there and there is a plant there and the kiddos LOVE going on the plant tour and learning how to make Ice Cream. Best of all it is FREE!!! Probably need to check their website for times though! Have FUN!

You may need to drive but there are caves to explore in TN that are always so interesting. I honeymooned there almost 12 years ago. Going back in a few months with all 4 kids.
Dollywood for sure.
Are you going to be staying in one of the cabins or in a hotel?

We are staying in a cabin/condo thing. I am just so excited to be going on vacation just the 3 of us! somehow our families ALWAYS end up coming with us.

I REALLY hope they still have snow, I want to ski so bad!!

IF the Apple Barn is still open - which I can't imagine that it wouldn't be - you must eat there - it is in Pigeon Forge!! The food and atmosphere was fantastic!! They bring you apple fritters for an appetizer - they were so good!!

If you are into hiking and can handle your daughter with it - be sure to hike to a waterfall - they are absolutely beautiful. Then - the best part that we loved the most - was the drive through Cade's Cove that is just outside of Townsend TN - maybe south of Gatlinburg?? It is beautiful there and a lot of history involved - it is a national park - I think. Depending on the weather it is a great place to picnic for lunch too! You will see bears and deer on your drive-through!

I'm jealous - I so want to go back there for a week sometime! It was one of my favorite vacations!

Good luck & have fun!

Suze

Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge is fun...it's an indoor rodeo... also a southern reenactment, with sing-alongs, and eating a whole meal with no utensils. A Great family activity!

You should definitely go to the Dixie Stampede. It's a lot of fun especially for kids.

Another place you might want to check out is The Comedy Barn. I haven't been there, but my in-laws really liked it when they went. Just a suggestion.

Have fun!

Dixie Stampeed sound like so much fun!!

Can't do the hiking, but now I really want to go to the waterfall!!

I just want to say Im very jealous of you right now! Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge is my favorite place in the WORLD!! Even though I have only been there a few times I still love it more then any other place I have been .. there are tons of restaurants and museums and theaters and the aquarium and sightseeing and the trolleys and Ober Gatlinburg and the sights and the race tracks and the putt putt golf courses and the sights and the Dixie Stampede and did I mention the sights? LOL I guess because I live in Michigan where its pretty much flat as far as the eye can see just the mountains down there amaze me. When we went down for our honeymoon almost six years ago, in 03, there had been quite a few tornadoes, not in that area, but eventually the rain came that way and it washed out the road that our cabin we had rented was on and we couldn't get back up there for three days ... in the meantime we had to rent a hotel room and do without any of our belongings until someone who actually lived on the mountain saw we were trying to get up there and she took us a back route that we didnt know about, obviously, and we were able to get all of our stuff back .. we did not even get to spend one night in the cabin we paid 1,000.00 for and they would not reimburse us ANY of our money because it was considered an "act of God" .. we were REALLY angry, but in the end we realized we loved staying right on the main strip so we could park the car and never move it .. we either walked or took the trolleys everywhere .. and when we went back last year for our five year anniversary we ended up staying in the same hotel we did the first time we went down there ... now our entire family is thinking about going back next year during spring break ... I can't wait! Have a ton of fun!! Oh and try to do cades cove early in the morning .. thats your best chance of seeing any bears, deer, etc., oh and there is a gift shop right in Pigeon Forge that claims it has live bears AND IT DOES!! You should definitely try to find that one and do the bear walk .. its like two dollars a person and then you can buy a bowl of food, apples and something else, and then you walk inside this room where there is this family of living black bears .. its a mom and dad and brother ... I think the sister died or maybe the mother bear died a few years back .. and then you can toss food to them its really funny cause they can actually catch it in their mouth or in their hands .... definitely a must do in my opinion, but then again, Im an animal lover! Sorry to hi jack this thread, I just love the smokies!

I've been to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge MANY times...probably at least a dozen. It's about 3 hrs from where I live in NC. There seems to be more to do in Pigeon Forge as far as entertainment, but Gatlinburg is a prettier place. It is so quaint and has the neatest little shops on the main strip.

You can eat at Bubba Gump's restaurant in Gatlinburg. It is a fun little place inspired by the Forrest Gump movie, of course.

I haven't been to the Comedy Barn myself, but everyone who has been talks about how great it is. It is good clean comedy that is fit for children and adults alike.

I also agree about Dixie Stampede and Ripley's aquarium. It is a must see.

If you go into the lobby of any hotel/motel and most restaurants, you'll find broucheres (sp?) of lots of things to see and do.

Tanger outlets in Pigeon Forge - yes.
Apple Barn - have only heard good things
Old Mill Restaurant - muy bien! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
Dollywood - great time
Ober Gatlinburg - have been in the Summer and it is nice.

One other cool thing about Gatlinburg is the shops that are in unexpected places. When you're walking down the main street just take some of the walkways that go between the shops/buildings. There are LOTS of neat places back in there that you don't really notice right away from the main street. I window shop more than anything.

My sister will not go to Gatlinburg w/o eating breakfast at least once at the Pancake Pantry (I'm pretty sure that's the name). It's on the main street there and is a very nice restaurant. There's usually a long line to get in. I liked it OK, but she LOVES it. You may love it too.

You chicks are so AWESOME!! I am going to go back and make a list and give it to hubby. This is sort of "his" vacation. I'm usually "in charge" of everything we do - NOT THIS TIME!! I told him - whatever you want to do, where ever you want to go - I'll be there, but you have to plan it!

I'm tired of doing all the "work" for our vacations - haha! I don't even know where we are staying for this one! All I know is its a cabin/condo with a kitchen.

Your honeymoon sounds wonderful - I'm sure that you guys had just a great time!! Such a sweet story!!

Thank you all so much!! YOU ROCK!!

We went to Gatlinburg the first of the month. There's soooo much to do there. Definatly the aquarium, the Apple Barn was great. We spent alot of time in the park around Cades Cove. Lots of wildlife and BEAUTIFUL countryside. I'm sure it will be a little warmer by the time you go...but it was 10 degrees when we got there with snow on the ground. Hope you have a great time!

Caves Cove is great but is also generally really crowded. Early or late just before closing is good.

There is also the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. You drive to all these spots and see similar things to Caves Cove, Old chruchs homes and etc.

Now I may be wrong, but I remeber a waterfall that's not a very far walk, it's wither in Caves Cove or on the Roaing Fork. The path is really flat an not very far back.

Also, you can spend one day driving over the Maggie Valley and Cherkoee. Beautiful drive an different little shops along the way.


Have fun!!

The motor trail sounds AWESOME!!! Thank you so much!!

We just found out that Dollywood won't be open while we are there - kinda bumbed!! oh well - you all have given us so many other options!! YEA!!!