PIGEON FORGE TN

[bigwheelzip]

Just over the mountain is (my stomping grounds) Harrahs Cherokee, if you gamble.

If your there mid-month and want a nice diversion a bit south of there: Artisphere 2016 | Art. Culture. Life | Greenville SC

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Wife and I have been a bunch of times. There is a ton to do. Something for everyone. Weekends are bad, very bad. Weekdays are ok. Weekend days are better for driving in the Smoky Mountains and enjoying the scenery. Have fun.

Instead of staying on the main drag... there's a ton of cabin rentals in the area. If you are going to Dollywood, Country Pines Estates is just down the road about a mile.

 

[SW MP15]

It's our home away from home!

YES the Titanic Museum is Great! Very interactive! Great for Kids of all ages! I'm 60 and I liked it! My 13 year old grandson LOVED it! Also the WonderWorks (upside down house) is also cool, with allot of interesting interactive stuff!

Allot of stuff to do from Sevierville all the way to Gatlinburg. I Love the flea Markets! The Muscle Car Muesum is a MUST see! And like stated, if you like knifes, you to go to the Giant Cutlery Store.

Grandson loves the Zip Line in Gatlinburg. You actually Zip Line off the Ober Gatlinburg mountain. And he Loves the NASCAR Go Cart track between Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. And he saves his money (birthday and Christmas) every year to do the mining thing at Three Bears Outlet! He gets the $100 bucket. And he has done the indoor sky diving thing.

And Wifey LOVES the shopping!

I miss the old Smith & Wesson outlet shop! Don't know if anyone remembers it? But when they were closing it down, I bought a small u-haul trailer full of stuff! Including display's and everything in between! I still have a ton of the stuff. I bought every blue S&W pistol display stand they had, signs and pen sets, knife sets, stationary sets, cardboard cutouts, clocks ETC. I was at the right place at the right time. And got huge discounts and still bartered the prices down even further. They were closing it down and I happened to go there and the door was locked. I could see a couple of people inside. So I knocked on the door. The manager explained they were shutting it down and had been closed for a few days. I still have large plastic totes I haven't looked in, in ten years?

Like already stated, some of the Best Shops are off the beaten path! I Love the Old Grist Mill area. Quaint little shops including the candy shop across the street and all around it!

And some of the best Food I've ever eaten. Love the Pancake Houes!

Don't go with a LOW budget! Don't expect to see everything in a day or two!

But YES, the Titanic Muesum is worth seeing!

 

[LittleCooner]

If you like the great outdoors, do the drive to Clingman's dome. I think the elevation is around 6600 feet above the sea. Take a jacket. Different part of the world for anything east of the big muddy. Cades cove is nice, but expect traffic.

 

[loknload]

Thanks everybody for your responses, I really appreciate!
I am really looking forward to this trip!

 

[rwsmith]

If a bear shows up....

Cades Cove is a nice break from town but traffic is bumper to bumper on weekends. And if smoeone spots a bear, all bets are off expect to sit there while the idiots try to get closer for pictures. You might just get to see a bear chase them back to the car.

Remember to have a bear gun in the proper caliber. This will also move the traffic along, but you may spend some time in the slammer.

 

[chaparrito]

But can you get forged pigeons? Why would anyone want a pigeon forgery?

 

[bigwheelzip]

But can you get forged pigeons? Why would anyone want a pigeon forgery?

The name of this forge referred to its location along the Little Pigeon River.

 

[sheepdawg]

If you like the great outdoors, do the drive to Clingman's dome. I think the elevation is around 6600 feet above the sea. Take a jacket. Different part of the world for anything east of the big muddy. Cades cove is nice, but expect traffic.

Yeah and you'll find out if your a real man if you climb to the top of it.

Especially if you're a flatlander like me, whew!!!

You can see something like 5 states from it's summit, beautiful part of the world.

 

[Rangerpat]

I learned while visiting Pigeon Forge that they have a "staggering law," in other words if you walk funny the cops can arrest you. My sister in-law was informed by a nice policeman to that fact; we took her back to the cabin we rented in Cherokee, NC and haven't been back.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

The Pigeon River that flows through is SO POLLUTED WITH ECOLI that you can't fish/swim/wade or stick your toe in it.....So much for progress in a tourist trap.

 

[SW MP15]

My Ashes

The Pigeon River that flows through is SO POLLUTED WITH ECOLI that you can't fish/swim/wade or stick your toe in it.....So much for progress in a tourist trap.

I've told my wife and kids that's where I want my ashes, because of my Cherokee Heritage, so add me to the list of pollutants!!!

 

[Rivoak]

Pigeon Forge is the biggest tourist trap I have ever seen . It's great if you have children but for a couple of adults the experience was maddening . Traffic , cheesey t-shirt shops and fast food joints , etc.

Make the short drive to SMKW to salvage the day .

Bet ya haven't seen Myrtle Beach!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Only sleep there......They go to Parrot Mtn./Foxfire mtn/Smokey mtn knife works/Cades Cove..........In other words.....Get the &(^$ out of town and see the good stuff.

 

[Edknn123]

Cades Cove is a nice break from town but traffic is bumper to bumper on weekends. And if smoeone spots a bear, all bets are off expect to sit there while the idiots try to get closer for pictures. You might just get to see a bear chase them back to the car. Lol. On the way out, at The Wye, turn left and go into Townsend, its much quieter than Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Easy return to Pigeon Forge via Wears Valley Road.
I've been local for 50+ years so feel free to pm any questions. I wish you luck and patience on your visit.

Last time we were there, a bear about 150 yards away took an interest in my adult daughter. It made and kept eye contact with her while steadily coming toward her. A park ranger was there and he told my daughter to get in her call now. He said when a bear takes that much interest in a human, it's time to make a quick exit.

 

[Edknn123]

I can't remember how far from Pigeon Forge it is, but the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge is worth the short drive. They built a whole town to develop the atomic bomb. People living and working there had no idea. They show the whole process and even have an actual house that workers lived in. Check out the museum link at bottom of post. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ37UWiALi8

American Museum of Science & Energy

This place is worth going to Tennessee for all by itself. It was really interesting how everyone in the town knew their part of the job being done, but no one knew what was being researched and made. The flap top houses were pretty interesting too.

 

[rwsmith]

Many many years ago......

If you like the great outdoors, do the drive to Clingman's dome. I think the elevation is around 6600 feet above the sea. Take a jacket. Different part of the world for anything east of the big muddy. Cades cove is nice, but expect traffic.

The Clingman's Dome area was covered with all kinds of spruce trees. Then in the 60's the pine borers took over and devastated the area. The last time I was there it was awful, but that was a really long time ago. How is it looking nowadays. The borer was one of those National Park Dilemmas where they couldn't treat for the borer without breaking the sanctuary laws. Just like the boars that eat up huge areas. My philosophy, if an 'exotic' to the park is that destructive, get rid of it.

PS: The golf place with the big red octopus coming out of the water always tickles me.

 

[rwsmith]

They taste better.....

But can you get forged pigeons? Why would anyone want a pigeon forgery?

They taste better than MIM pigeons.

 

[rwsmith]

They say paved trails...

Yeah and you'll find out if your a real man if you climb to the top of it.

Especially if you're a flatlander like me, whew!!!

You can see something like 5 states from it's summit, beautiful part of the world.

They say that paved trails are harder than natural ones, and I think I agree. That is a long, steep, paved one.

 

[soFlaNative]

The Clingman's Dome area was covered with all kinds of spruce trees. Then in the 60's the pine borers took over and devastated the area. The last time I was there it was awful, but that was a really long time ago. How is it looking nowadays. The borer was one of those National Park Dilemmas where they couldn't treat for the borer without breaking the sanctuary laws. Just like the boars that eat up huge areas. My philosophy, if an 'exotic' to the park is that destructive, get rid of it.

Seems I've been on Clingman's Dome at least once a decade since the 60's, just often enough so the ongoing devastation of not only the spruce but the Fraser firs and hemlock, some maybe 500 years old is very evident. Also depressing is much of the Smoky Mtn. "smoke" visible from the peaks is air pollution.

 

[bigwheelzip]

They say that paved trails are harder than natural ones, and I think I agree. That is a long, steep, paved one.

You can take the really long paved trail that starts in the park, The Blue Ridge Parkway, and have some beautiful views. This is where we turn around when my husband and I ride up there on his motorcycle.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Originally Posted by chaparrito
But can you get forged pigeons? Why would anyone want a pigeon forgery?

They taste better than MIM pigeons.

Very witty.