13 best things to do in Pigeon Forge for first-timers

With so many exciting things to do in Pigeon Forge, planning your first trip can get overwhelming fast. If you’re looking for a well-rounded first Pigeon Forge trip that includes iconic attractions, Smoky Mountain scenery, local history, and genuinely fun activities, these are the things I recommend starting with.

I visited Pigeon Forge for a weekend getaway to see what was new. It had been a long time since my last visit as a kid, so this certainly felt like a first-time visit. My itinerary was full of classic attractions like Dollywood and mountain coasters, plus mountain views and local flavor.

If you’re planning a memorable getaway in the Smoky Mountains, these are the Pigeon Forge attractions I recommend building your trip around.

A special thanks to the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism for hosting my trip! As always, all opinions are my own.

Best Things to Do in Pigeon Forge

1. Spend a Day at Dollywood

Dollywood is Pigeon Forge’s iconic theme park owned by country singer Dolly Parton. It’s one of the most popular attractions in Tennessee, and for good reason — it has fun rides for all ages, it has good food, there’s tons of musical acts, and it’s way cleaner than most other amusement parks.

The park is huge, and if you want to see it all you’ll want to budget a full day. There are more than 50 rides and attractions, 30+ eateries, a packed schedule of daily entertainment, plenty of shopping, and even hands-on crafting experiences.

Here are some of my favorite attractions:

• The Dolly Parton Experience: A museum of Dolly’s career.
• Big Bear Mountain: The longest coaster at the park, a moderate thrill ride, and y’all know I love a good bear-theme!
• Blazing Fury: The park’s classic kitschy coaster that’s all indoors (and mostly in the dark) and has a few fun, sudden drops.
• Dollywood Express Train Depot: A 20-minute train ride around the park aboard the authentic steam locomotive.
• Dragonflier: A quick, moderate thrill ride full of twists and turns.

Be sure to try plenty of the food while you’re in the park — it’s way better than your standard amusement park fare. Getting the Cinnamon Bread at The Grist Mill is a must (just know it’s a large loaf, so you’ll want to share it or take one home to-go).

Get your Dollywood tickets here.

Flower & Food Festival

I visited during the spring Flower & Food Festival, which takes place annually from April to June. This is the perfect time to enjoy spring in the park.

The festival has larger-than-life flower sculptures, exclusive festival food, new art installations, and new shows.

The topiaries are scattered throughout the park, so you can see them as you explore the rides. My favorite was the Black Bear and Cubs!

To enjoy the food, you’ll want to get the Tasting Pass, which gets you 5 special festival treats. I tried the Sunflower Lemonade, the Mango Tea, the Honey Garlic Chicken Skillet, the Loaded Fried Potato Wedges (these were my favorite), and the Pesto Caprese Sandwich.

Get your Dollywood tickets here.

2. Take a Pink Jeep Newfound Gap Tour in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

What better way to see Great Smoky Mountains National Park than riding around in a Pink Jeep Wrangler? (This especially fits if you want to keep a Dolly theme for your Pigeon Forge trip!)

If you’re usually the driver on your road trips, you’re going to love this Pink Jeep Newfound Gap Tour because you don’t have to worry about a thing, just sit back and enjoy the views.

This tour takes you to Newfound Gap, nearly 1 mile above sea level. There are plenty of photo stops along the way. We stopped at the National Park Sign, the Chimney Tops Trail for a short walk to some rapids and waterfalls, Ben Morton Overlook, and finally Newfound Gap where we stood in two states at once (North Carolina and Tennessee) and walked the entire width (!) of the Appalachian Trail.

Afterwards, we drove through Gatlinburg to an off-road adventure on a 4×4 trail.

A few tips: If you easily get carsick, you can sit in the front seat; this makes the off-roading portion a lot less bumpy. Be sure to bring some Dramamine just in case. You can also sit out the off-roading portion and wait at a covered pavilion. There’s also a huge temperature change between the valley in Pigeon Forge and the top at Newfound Gap, so bring along layers! It was 60° in Pigeon Forge when we left, and 40° when we arrived at Newfound Gap.

This tour was such a great way to start the morning. I do wish we had seen some bears, though — our guide told us the best tour for bears was their afternoon Cades Cove tour in the spring where they’ve seen 20+ bears before!

You can read my full review of our Pink Jeep experience here.

Book your Pink Jeep Newfound Gap Tour here.

3. Step Aboard the Titanic Museum Attraction

You really can’t miss the Titanic Museum Attraction — it’s the building that looks like half of the RMS Titanic.

Your interactive tour starts with a boarding pass representing a real Titanic passenger or crem member; you’ll be able to find their story throughout the exhibit and find out their fate. As you take the self-guided tour of the museum, you’ll walk through recreations of the ship’s hallways, cabins, and parlors, see over 400 genuine exhibits, and even take your picture on the Grand Staircase.

You get to touch 28° water, try to stand on the sloping deck, sit in a lifeboat, and interact with crew and passengers in period dress.

Book your Titanic Museum Attraction ticket here.

4. Explore the Old Mill Historic District

The Old Mill is one of the oldest continually operating gristmills in the country, and the Old Mill Historic District is centered around the mill, with a pottery studio, restaurants, a distillery, a creamery, and shops.

Start with a guided tour of The Old Mill to learn about the mill’s nearly 200 year history. Then head over to Old Forge Distillery for a taste of moonshine, cream liqueurs, bourbon whiskey, gin, and rum, many of which are made using stone-ground grains from The Old Mill. They have free tastings and a cocktail bar.

Do some shopping at The Old Mill Pigeon River Pottery, in honor of acclaimed American potter Douglas Ferguson who once started his pottery studio here in 1946. For lunch, dine at The Old Mill Pottery House Café, once the home of Ferguson and now a delicious restaurant serving sandwiches, quiche, and Southern favorites.

5. See Dolly Parton’s Stampede

Dolly Parton’s Stampede is the quintessential dinner show in Pigeon Forge. You get a classic Southern meal while watching incredible horseback riding and acrobatics.

The show’s premise is a friendly competition between the North and the South. When you book your ticket, you’ll get to choose which side you want to root for. We sat on the North side this time. Your team’s horseback riders will compete in speed and skill challenges. Audience members also get selected to compete in some competitions.

There’s music, dancing, acrobatics, longhorns, buffalo, and even a miniature Highland cow named Buttercup.

The food is good, too. It’s a 4-course meal of creamy vegetable soup, a homemade biscuit, a whole rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and your choice of dessert (I chose the apple turnover). Unlimited Coca-Cola products, tea, and lemonade are included.

There are a ton of dinner shows in Pigeon Forge to choose from, so if you can only fit in one, Dolly’s Stampede is the classic.

Book your Dolly Parton’s Stampede tickets here.

6. Spend an Afternoon at The Island in Pigeon Forge

The Island in Pigeon Forge is an entertainment district with shopping, restaurants, amusement rides, attractions, and a hotel.

Shop local boutiques and gifts from more than 60 stores, eat at casual and quick-grab restaurants, and enjoy fun day or night on amusement park rides and escape room games. Here are a few things I recommend checking out at The Island:

• Great Smoky Mountain Wheel: 200-foot observation wheel with climate-controlled gondolas that offer incredible views of Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains.
• Jurassic Adventure: Free installation of 22 animatronic dinosaurs with interactive elements all around The Island.
• SkyFly: Soar America: Experience the feeling of flight as you fly over the most iconic locations in the US inside the Dynamic Attraction flying theater.
• The Island Show Fountain: Free shows daily of The Island’s fountains programed to light and music.

There’s free parking as well as a free shuttle that runs from the main parking lot to the front of The Island.

Book your Great Smoky Mountain Wheel ticket here.

7. Stay in a Group-Friendly Cabin at Grand LeConte Lodge

If you’re looking for somewhere to host a whole family reunion in Pigeon Forge, or maybe the entire youth girls’ soccer team, I know just the place!

The Grand LeConte Lodge is one of the largest cabin rentals in the Smoky Mountains. It has 21 bedrooms with private baths and can sleep up to 92 people. It has an indoor pool, two hot tubs, a movie theater, an arcade, and two full kitchens. Plus, it’s literally minutes from the Parkway and all of Pigeon Forge’s best attractions.

This place looks like your own boutique hotel. And, hey, you don’t even have to fill out all the bedrooms if you’re willing to pay that price tag — we stayed here with only 7 people, and that really felt like luxury. But if you do fill out all the rooms and split the cost between families, it can be a better price than everyone getting a hotel individually.

There are 18 king bedrooms with futons, 2 ADA-compliant king bedrooms, and 1 bunk room that has 3 sets of king-over-king beds. I had one of the king bedrooms with a futon, and it was like a really nice Airbnb cabin room.

We had a meal catered and ate on the covered back deck. We hired entertainment to host a trivia game for us. They even have a pavilion designed for weddings and a pavilion for cookouts. There are so many possibilities for groups at this cabin.

You can read my full review of our stay at the Grand LeConte Lodge here.

Book your stay at the Grand LeConte Lodge here.

8. Speed Through the Smokies on the Lost Mine Mountain Coaster

The Lost Mine Mountain Coaster was one of my favorite mountain coasters we did on this trip.

It’s bear-themed, so that plays a huge part. But it was also a nice long ride through the trees, with multiple different ascents, so it wasn’t just one quick ride down like a lot of the others.

The ride takes you through a bear-centric theme with bears living in their honeycomb huts, climbing trees for honey, mining, building their own town complete with a saloon, making mead, and more.

The Lost Mine also has mini golf (also bear-themed) and gem-mining.

9. Pick Up Speed on the Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster

The Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster is the only dual-track mountain coaster in town where you can race your friend to the bottom.

The track is filled with spirals and two ascents, so you’re definitely not leisurely coming down the mountain on this coaster. You fully control your speed, your race is timed, and the goal is to win. At night, the ride is lit up with LED lights for even more fun.

I did win my race, so if you need to know the secret: it’s to not ever let up on the throttle.

10. Shop, Eat, and Wander Through The Mountain Mile

The Mountain Mile & Tower Shops is a shopping and entertainment district with food, drinks, stores, thrill rides, and putt-putt.

You can eat at Downtown Flavortown, grab a drink at Junction 35 Spirits, shop for jewelry at Jewelry Love by JTV or Pandora, grab something sweet at Cinnaholic or Crumbl, or pick up some souvenirs at The Mountain Mile General Store.

When you’re feeling like a thrill, take a ride on the Mountain Monster drop, swing, or launch. Or if you want something more low-key, play a game of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Putt.

11. Test Your Senses at Ripley’s Illusion Lab

Ripley’s Illusion Lab is a great for when it’s a rainy or cold day in Pigeon Forge and you need something to do indoors.

This interactive museum has photo spots, games, and interactive exhibits that teach about perspective and optical illusions.

There isn’t a ton to this museum; we spent less than 20 minutes here. If you have young kids who would be fascinated by the illusions, you might spend longer. But as adults who already know how these things work, this was more of a quick and fun selfie stop.

12. Sip Local Wine, Cider, and Shine

If it’s one thing Pigeon Forge has plenty of, it’s free tastings. Wines, ciders, moonshine, bourbon, whiskey, you name it.

Here are a few of my favorite place to taste a lot of local alcohol, and bring some home for later:

• Tennessee Stud Cider: Hard cider and cream wine
• Bootleggers Homemade Wine: Sweet fruity wine
• Old Forge Distillery: Moonshine, cream liqueurs, bourbon whiskey, gin, and rum
• Smith Creek Moonshine: Moonshine

You can also drink your way through the Rock Top Wine Trail for local wineries throughout Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville.

Check out my full guide to where to drink in Pigeon Forge for even more fun spots.

13. Eat Your Way Around Pigeon Forge

There are a ton of great places to eat in Pigeon Forge. Here are a few of my favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner:

• Sawyer’s Farmhouse Breakfast: Two locations both with delicious down-home American breakfast.
• The Old Mill Pottery House Café: Classic Southern comfort foods, sandwiches, and quiche.
• West by God CoalFired Pizza: Laid-back craft pizza joint with beer with axe-throwing.
• Frizzle Chicken Cafe: Classic Southern breakfast among animatronic singing chickens.

Check out my full guide to where to eat in Pigeon Forge for even more delicious spots.

Pigeon Forge Activities Map

Ready to explore all these fun things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee? Use the map below to find all the activities on this list.

I hope you have a great first visit to Pigeon Forge!

Top Pigeon Forge Tours

• East Tennessee Off Road ATV Guided Experience
• Smoky Mountains Roaring Fork Guided Sightseeing Tour by Jeep
• Pink Jeep Newfound Gap and Smoky Mountains Jeep Tour
• Highlights of the Smokies

Where to Stay in Pigeon Forge

• Where I Stayed (for large groups): Grand LeConte Lodge
• Top Hotel: Margaritaville Island Inn
• Great Value: Country Cascades Waterpark Resort
• Unique Stay: The Inn at Christmas Place

More Tennessee Travel Guides

• 8 Best Places to Eat in Pigeon Forge, TN for First-Timers
• Where to Drink in Pigeon Forge: Tasting Rooms & Fun Drinks
• We Took the Pink Jeep Newfound Gap Tour: What Surprised Us
• We Stayed in a 21-Bedroom Cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN
• 8 Incredibly Fun Things To Do in Chattanooga, TN
• 18 Best Places to Eat in Chattanooga, TN
• How to Spend One Day in Chattanooga, TN
• Ultimate Guide: Perfect Girls’ Weekend in Chattanooga, TN
• 10 Spookiest Chattanooga Ghost Tours
• The Lost Sea: America’s Largest Underground Lake in Tennessee
• 16 Best Things to Do in Nashville, TN
• 8 Best Things to Do in Dickson, TN
• An Unforgettable Visit to Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, TN

Ready to visit Pigeon Forge, TN? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Pigeon Forge using Booking.com.
• Start Packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.

Cheers!

Paige

What are your favorite things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee? Let me know in the comments!

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