Whenever people think of Tennessee, they probably think of Nashville, country music and hick towns. What they probably don’t think of, however, is tourist destination. But a tourist destination defines this spot perfectly. Located south-east of Knoxville on the south-east portion of the state, the 3 towns of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg have a wide variety of fun events, amazing sights, and great food. Here are 6 things you don’t want to miss while you’re in this part of the Volunteer State.
1. The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
If you want to find a great view of the city, as well as the mountains beyond it, this is the place to go. Going up 200 feet into the air at the tallest point, this Ferris Wheel has some sweet amenities (AC and heated all-glass gondolas, seats up to 8 people, over one million LED lights to make the wheel light up at night) and even sweeter views! It’s located on The Island, which is like Pigeon Forge’s version of Downtown Disney, and offers some of the greatest views of the surrounding area you could ever find.
2. Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen
If you’re looking to eat your body weight in food, come to some of the best southern cooking Pigeon Forge has to offer. Coming here ensures that you are doing to get a hefty meal, although the price is a bit expensive. Make sure to bring a bunch of hungry people, though, because you get a LOT of food, and you can’t bring any of it home with you! And when you’re done, you can shop around in the Paula Deen store located underneath the restaurant while you wait for your stomach to settle.
3. Ober Gatlinburg
This place could almost fill an entire list of cool stuff by itself. Located in the southern portion of Gatlinburg, it all starts with a gondola ride showing off views of the mountains that surround you, as well as the many cool homes located on the side of the mountain. Once you get to the main station, be prepared to have loads of fun on their many attractions, such as their Alpine Slide, ice staking rink, Wildlife Encounter, carousel, and Ski Mountain Coaster. When you’re done, simply take another awesome gondola ride back to the city.
4. Clingman’s Dome
The BEST views you are ever going to get. This is the tallest point in Tennessee, 6,643 feet above sea level, right next to the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Be prepared to have quite a hike to get there, though. While the trail from the parking lot to the observation deck is only half a mile, it’s a steep hike, so bring some good hiking shoes and a good camera. On clear days, you can see up to 100 miles away from you in any direction!
5. Downtown Gatlinburg
You want to go shopping? Downtown Gatlinburg has it all. 10 square miles of city gives you access to so many shops and places to stop, it would take weeks to go through them all. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a shop in downtown Gatlinburg that has it. There are many great restaurants to stop by, too, so never be worried about looking for a place to eat. All of this is nestled down in the mountains, and makes an amazing tourist stop.
6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Trail System
Since you’re in the mountains, you might as well check out the nature that’s there too. Since the Mountains have the two best ingredients to a lot of waterfalls (a lot of rain and an elevation gradient – well, duh, you’re in the mountains) there are dozens of waterfalls to find on the Park’s trail system, from the bigger more popular ones to the smaller cascades that can be found on virtually every river and stream in the park. Again, this is hiking, so be prepared for some physical work and bring some good shoes to climb in.
