Unique Things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge is one of Tennessee’s most famous tourist areas, and it’s not hard to understand why once you take a closer look at the top attractions in this region. Pigeon Forge is a mountain town located in the eastern part of Tennessee. It’s an attractive, white-collar area, but the region is also extremely popular as a vacation destination.

Though Pigeon Forge may be best known for being home to the famous Dollywood as well as a huge number of factory and outlet stores, there are many other things to do in this region.

When planning a trip to the Pigeon Forge region, don’t forget to include these fantastic attractions in your itinerary. 

Table of contents: (Hide)

• Rocky Top Mountain Coaster Experience
• Dollywood
• Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Show & Adventure Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Country Tonite Theater
• Pigeon Forge Wineries
• Buttonwillow Civil War Theater
• WonderWorks
• Patty Waszak Show
• Brian Hoffman’s Remembering Red
• Splash Country
• Titanic Museum
• Impossibilities – Magic, Mindreading and Mayhem!
• Greg Stout Show
• Outdoor Gravity Park
• Make The Most Of Your Time In Pigeon Forge

Rocky Top Mountain Coaster Experience

One of the best ways to get your first glance of the stunning Smoky Mountains is to enjoy a tour on the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster Experience!

The Rocky Top Mountain Coaster is a sled-style coaster ride. You sit down on a sled and take off down one of the paths to get amazing views of the Smoky Mountains while cruising at speeds of up to 30 MPH. Since you are able to control the speed yourself, you can make this ride exactly how you want it to be.

Pigeon Forge visitors love how beautiful the area around this coaster is, and you may even want to go more than once so that you can make sure you take it all in.

Dollywood

Of course, it’s not possible to discuss the top attractions in Pigeon Forge without talking about Dollywood. Dollywood has long been a staple of this area, and the attraction started by the one-and-only Dolly Parton is unlikely to be outdone as the top attraction in the area for a long time.

Dollywood is a large amusement park with more than 50 rides and attractions, and many of those are themed around Parton herself and Tennessee living. You can get to know Dolly’s early life and impact on her community by visiting her Tennessee home replica, the Chasing Rainbows museum, and other similarly themed attractions. This makes for a very unique experience that cannot be found at any other amusement park in the world.

And you can’t forget about the marvelous shows! Dollywood is packed with feature performances. While you might imagine these are all Dolly Parton-themed, that’s far from the truth. Dollywood hosts and supports a variety of musicians, such as the Dollywood Smoky Mountain String Band, for year-round performances. From Christmas carolers to bluegrass boogies, you’ll never be disappointed by the selection at Dollywood.

Additionally, many parts of the park incorporate the wonderful Great Smoky Mountain surroundings, making it a popular place with nature lovers as well.

My favorite ride, Thunderhead, makes its way between two great mountains to replicate the way that an old sawmill used to move lumber through Thunderhead Gap. Now, this wooden thrill ride takes you on an adventure where you can experience the area’s beauty.

Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Show & Adventure Park

Though Dollywood is the most famous amusement park in the area, it’s certainly not the only source of great amusement. Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Show and Adventure Pack combines a fantastic, high-energy show with the chance to experience the adventure for yourself.

With this combo package, you’ll have the chance to watch a group of talented athletes compete in a lumberjack feud, doing everything from chopping wood to log rolling. Plus, you will have a chance to enjoy various self-guided courses that include ziplining, ropes, and tree climbing.

The themed adventure area surrounds Lumberjack Square, where there are a variety of food and shopping options for your group to explore while hanging out at the Adventure Park for the day.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Have you ever heard of the Great Smoky Mountains? These mountains are a staple of the area, and their name comes from the smoky, blue mist that often overtakes the region. To explore these heavily wooded mountains, hike part of the 800 miles of trails available in the national park.

If you only have part of a day to spend in the park, visiting Cade’s Cover is a must. Here, you can see historic buildings from 19th-century European settlers before traveling on the one-way Cade’s Cove Loop Road. This road showcases interesting sites, graceful wildlife, and picturesque views of the Great Smokies that you might not glimpse anywhere else in Tennessee.

Country Tonite Theater

Country Tonite is an exciting two-hour show which brings together live musicians, musical numbers, high-kicking choreography, and country costumes for a fantastic experience. This is one of the shows that visitors should absolutely see when visiting Pigeon Forge, so don’t miss out on getting your tickets!

The complete show includes singers, dancers, and musicians that range from young talent all the way to more experienced performances. The explosive energy of this country show blends together talent, comedy, and a dash of touching emotions to ensure that you get the best all-around experience.

Pigeon Forge Wineries

Many people will be looking for some unique environments to sit back and relax in the evening, and there is nowhere better than the Pigeon Forge wineries when you’re looking for that type of experience.

Pigeon Forge is located in the center of many mountains, valleys, and beautiful overlooks. This makes for a lot of wonderfully located wineries where you can have dinner, a glass of wine, and unwind after a great day exploring Pigeon Forge.

Some popular choices include:

• Apple Barn Winery
• Mill Bridge Winery
• Hillside Winery

Mountain Valley Winery, established in 1991, can be found along the Smoky Mountain Wine Trail. This winery has created more than 200 exclusive wines, winning over 1,000 different awards, since first being established. You’ll regret nothing about stopping at one of the oldest wineries in the area for a tasting of true excellence.

No matter which of these wineries you decide to visit, you will be granted a taste of local wine, great cuisine, and views that you cannot find anywhere else in the world.

Buttonwillow Civil War Theater

Ready to get some historical education while visiting Tennessee? If so, the Buttonwillow Civil War Theater is a must-see show. This 2-hour play brings together historical stories from the Civil War period to help a modern-day audience gain a better understanding of the issues that plagued families across the region through the Civil War.

This show, written and directed by Steve Gipson, has been running for more than 30 years and continues to be one of the most captivating and unique experiences. Don’t forget to pick up tickets if you’re ready to see an exciting history lesson packaged as a theatrical performance.

WonderWorks

WonderWorks is a unique, hands-on museum where you can explore 100s of attractions that are focused on exhibits and activities that provide both education and fun. The attractions are divided into a number of categories, such as light, sound, weather, and more, that allow you to interact with the museum itself.

This indoor adventure zone spans more than 35,000-square feet and offers a few hours of fun to any family or group visiting the Pigeon Forge area. In particular, children that are of school age are likely to get the most benefits out of visiting a unique place like WonderWorks.

Patty Waszak Show

The Patty Waszak Show is in its 19th season in Pigeon Forge, and there are many reasons that it is the longest running variety show in town. Patty Waszak, the star of this 1.5-hour one-woman show, provides a variety of family-friendly entertainment. From classic oldies hits to more classic country standards, Patty shows her skills as a talented singer, musician, and comedian to excited audiences.

Those ready to enjoy a mighty fun show that brings to life American music decades long past, look no farther than at the Patty Waszak Show.

Brian Hoffman’s Remembering Red

Many who have visited the Pigeon Forge area feel that Brian Hoffman’s Remembering Red show is the most enjoyable, comedic show in the area. This show put on by Brian Hoffman is a tribute to the great Red Skelton, and the resulting 2-hour show is a family-friendly show for everyone to enjoy.

Brian Hoffman spends the show recreating and performing some of the most famous characters that Red ever put on, and the one-man skits are incredible to see! Everyone who loves the comedic value that Red Skelton left behind will be pleased to see this fantastic show full of memories from the 50s, 60s, and early 70s.

Another fantastic thing about this show is that the theater is full of memorabilia that you can explore, and a show trailer plays starting 30 minutes before the show which gives you even more Americana to enjoy.

Splash Country

Are you looking to have a little outdoor waterpark fun while exploring in Pigeon Forge? If so, you don’t need to look any further than the 35-acre Splash Country waterpark.

This waterpark has everything from a lazy river to water slides to raft adventure. Whether your speed is for high-speed slides or for ultimate relaxation by the water, you can find both of these environments while exploring the park. This makes it a great place even for large groups that have different priorities as everyone can have a great time together.

Splash Country is located right next to Dollywood, and some families choose to divide their time between the two. If you want the ultimate experience at both parks, however, giving yourself more time in each region is preferable.

Titanic Museum

Most people know the major bits and pieces of the Titanic’s story, but there’s so much more to discover at the amazing Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge. At this experience, you can see over 400 different artifacts that were recovered from the Titanic itself. As you travel through the exhibit, you will be accompanied by a costumed staff member as if you are a passenger yourself.

There’s nothing quite like the amazing educational experience that tells the real story of the people and the ship itself. You can even have up-close experiences with an iceberg, 28-degree water, and the world’s largest LEGO Brick Titanic. The stories of the passengers and crew remain important to tell, and this museum is the perfect place to do that.

Impossibilities – Magic, Mindreading and Mayhem!

If you’re looking for a great interactive show in the region, look no farther than what you can see at this show! Impossibilities: Magic, Mindreading and Mayhem brings together amazing magic, mentalism, and more as Erik Dobell and Chris Collins put on a splendid show.

This kid-friendly show is great for audience members of all ages, and there is a lot of audience participation throughout all of the performances. Prepare to be impressed by the wildly impossible feats done by Erik Dobell before enjoying the comedic stylings of Chris Collins’ magic show. Visit Impossibilities at the Iris Theater for an affordable, entertaining night.

Greg Stout Show

Another great show that can be seen at the Red Skelton Tribute Theater is the Greg Stout Show. In this 2-hour fan favorite, Greg Stout puts together a musical performance which brings music from artists such as Elton John, Barry Manilow, and many more to life on stage. The show is a family-friend affair, and visitors of all ages will leave with a smile on their face after the show.

Outdoor Gravity Park

Looking for a high-speed adventure while exploring in eastern Tennessee? You might want to try out zorbing if that’s the case.

Zorbing is an extreme sport where you roll down a course in an inflatable ball that is over 11-feet wide. This ball rolls fast and bounces throughout the course, taking you for a crazy ride along the way. This unique sport is not found in many places.

Zorbing provides a fun, unique experience that you cannot find anywhere else. The staff is great, so you’ll be sure to have an enjoyable experience on the Gravity Park courses.

Make The Most Of Your Time In Pigeon Forge

Whether you’re heading to Pigeon Forge on vacation or relocating to this exciting mountain town permanently, there are lots of different attractions for you to enjoy and explore. From Dollywood to the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster Experience, there is a variety of adventure to be discovered. Families with kids and adults that are just looking to see some interesting shows can all have a great time when visiting these top attractions in Pigeon Forge.